How can I background search my own record for free?

Quick Summary:

1. Request you own free credit reports from the three main Credit Reporting Agencies; Equifax, Experian or TransUnion, once per year.
2. U.S. government also lets you get your own free credit reports at AnnualCreditReport.com.
3. Request your public records, like court case files, from your state and local court websites. Sometimes, you may have to visit the courthouse in person.
4. Do-it-yourself free background search your personal details on BackgroundSearch.com

Full Answer:

Running a background search on yourself is a good way to find out what information of yours is easily accessible by other people. The Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) requires that any potential employer or landlord informs you if they are running a background search, and these reviews must go through a certified Consumer Reporting Agency (CRAs), but you may want to find this information for yourself.  If you don’t want to pay for the cost of checking your records through a CRA, try these steps:

 ●     Visit your states government website, or local courthouse.
Most court information is public record, so you can find any criminal records or civil judgments you might hold here. Note that in some places they may ask for a small fee to pull these records, and that a local courthouse will only hold information for their county. Your local government office will also have access to birth, death, and marriage certifications.

●     Request your free credit report from Equifax, Experian or Trans Union.
Under federal law, you are entitled to a free copy of your credit report each year from all three of these Credit Reporting Agencies (CRAs). You are also entitled to request a report within 60 days of being denied credit, or if you are on welfare, unemployed, or your report is inaccurate. Visit the federally authorized Annual Credit Report website for more information.

●     Google yourself
This is a simple and effective way to find any other information about yourself that might be floating around on the Internet. Use the advanced search settings to narrow results by region, language, and published date.

●     Do it yourself background check

Very few, and possibly only one website offers a truly free background search service. BackgroundSearch.com specializes in do-it-yourself, free background checks, so you can do a background search yourself or anyone else in just a few minutes, including criminal history checks

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