The recent case of Clark Rockefeller…or ‘who ever he is’…could be the most clever cover up in the history of mankind. And the harsh reality is...the person who sleeps beside you each night may not be who you thought.

Every now and then a story comes up where two people meet on a dating website, in a bar, or at a church and later discover, sometimes too late, that the person is broke when they said they were rich or the person is found to be dangerous. This man, Rockefeller, spent over twenty years out of sight of the authorities. An amazing yet disturbing accomplishment, I must add. If he did actually murder someone as authorities suspect, his former wife should feel grateful she is alive.

But this case (and many others) raises a serious question as to why there are not more people taking advantage of the background check technology they have at their fingertips. Technology that overwhelmingly increases their odds of safety in today’s vast world of uncertainty.

Background checks can be ordered by anyone via the web. However, take caution in using the “instant” background check. These database portals may not reveal all of the information you need to know about a person. The price may look good, but the result could be less than accurate. Mr. Rockefeller’s past may not have been revealed in an instant background check search. If he stole someone’s identity that did not have a criminal record, a name search would not give accurate information, particularly if there were more than one Clark Rockefellers out there. A thorough social security trace, credit check, and county criminal search could have uncovered some suspicious information, particularly if he lied about where he lived or worked.

If you didn’t spend your entire life growing up with the one you intend to marry, you may not know who you are chumming up with. Getting a comprehensive personal background check is the best way to secure your happiness. Ask your partner-to-be to order a background check from MyBackgroundCheck.com and you can view it over the secure server when completed. If he or she refuses...well, maybe you should consider the single life again.

Best wishes!

Landlords are doing background checks on tenant applicants more than ever, but a recent story about a landlord who tried to rape an apartment seeker in Spokane, Washington raises some serious questions about who should be doing the background checking.

What is most troubling about this case is that this landlord had a prior criminal history and was set free by a judge during appeals after a jury convicted him of rape. While free waiting appeals court, he tried to rape again.

As a tenant, you are generally under the presumption that the person renting you a house or apartment is credible because, after all, he/she owns the dwelling you wish to occupy. You, unfortunately, are the vulnerable and unsuspecting. Cases of sexual harassment by bosses are similar to this type of situation, where the person believes he/she has power over you and your life.

The truth is that you really don’t know who to trust in this world – so, if you're suspecting at all, get a background check on that person – even if it's your landlord.

Each year hundreds of thousands of American kids are packed off to summer camp.  How much do you know about those to whom you’ve entrusted your children? Probably very little.

Earlier this summer, for example, a 19-year-old camp counselor from Oregon was charged with five counts of criminal sexual conduct involving a girl at a camp in northern Minnesota. The Brainerd Daily Dispatch reported that a camp counselor, Spencer Krum, lured two girls, ages 14 and 16, from their cabins after dark to meet him at a camp building. There, he allegedly “asked the girls about their sexual fantasies and then engaged in sexual conduct with the younger girl.”

The state of Ohio is having difficulty passing a bill requiring background checks on volunteers and camp counselors at residential camps (see full article here) – a bill sparked by the sexual molestation of two boys by counselor Timothy Keil at a camp last year.

Camp counselors and volunteers can present a particular challenge. Firstly, background checks on young people may come up empty. As in Krum’s case, there was no prior criminal history and juvenile convictions may not have been public record, therefore, not reportable. Secondly, some states don't require background checks on volunteers. In Keil’s case, a background check was never required.

Parents and camp organizers now have easily accessible and affordable options that can help protect children, regardless of legislation.

MyBackgroundCheck.com’s Volunteer Tracking System (VTS) is a unique way to monitor volunteers and employees within non-profit organizations. Krum may not have had a reportable criminal history, but he may have had other camps within the organization that found him unsuitable for volunteering. This information would have been reportable through the VTS. National Council of Nonprofit Associations (NCNA) has partnered with MyBackgroundCheck.com as preferred vendor for volunteer and employee screening.

MyBackgroundCheck.com is also a consumer/applicant supplied background check portal where volunteers and employees of nonprofit organizations can obtain their own background check that can be viewed by parents and organizations over secure servers on the website.

Parents can request counselors and volunteers caring for their children obtain a background check at www.MyBackgroundCheck.com or request the organization join the VTS.

For more information about VTS, please visit www.VolunteerTracking.com and fill out a request for information form.

Get a background check from your locksmith.

News that a registered sex offender is working as a locksmith in Shelbyville, Kentucky, understandably has some local residents on edge, reports WHAS 11 news (see story here).

Charles Lee Raisor was convicted in 2003 of sexually abusing a 13-year-old boy.  There are few jobs in Kentucky that a registered sex offender can’t have, the TV station reported. These include working at schools and day care centers. However, sex offenders can be locksmiths and background checks are not required for contract workers that could be entering your home.

Sex offenders generally do not serve lifetime prison terms and must be integrated into society once released. There is much controversy over the issues of where they live, the age of the people they are around, what types of jobs they can have. 

Do you know anything about the backgrounds of the plumbers, electricians, carpet cleaners or handymen you let into your home? Today, it is easy to request a background check from anyone with online background check services. 

Sex offenders are everywhere and the background check technology is available now to prevent them from preying on you or your children.

Even if your service company does not conduct background checks on employees because it is not required by the laws in your state, you can request that anyone contracted to work in your home get a personal background check from MyBackgroundCheck.com. The service provider orders their own background check and, when completed, you can view it online with a special code over the website’s secure network. These background checks are comprehensive and cannot be altered by anyone.

Visit www.mybackgroundcheck.com for more information on personal background checks.

A story featured in the L.A. Times (July 16, 2008) should be a wake up call to all employers who do not conduct background checks on current employees.

Sixteen employees were suspended from Martin Luther King Jr. – Harbor hospital when county officials found they had serious criminal histories. The criminal backgrounds were discovered last year, but the employees were not disciplined or relieved from duty by the hospital.

This leaves a serious question to be answered by employers, particularly those who have employees working closely with the community. Background checks need to be conducted before hire and periodically throughout employment. Failure to do so could cause harm to other employees and customers…and the bad publicity could result in the demise of your organization.

Click here to read our full article on current background check issues...