Database searches, as we all know are fallible, but are a cost effective means of research. Thanks to credit card companies, telemarketers, and marketing research firms an individual's residence history, bankruptcies, relatives, and alias names can be determined with speed and efficiency. There are many companies out there that offer only one service or the other. Due to many different state and county reporting practices and regulations it is not uncommon for criminal records to "slip through the cracks. Remember that identity thieves are not always strangers. The question many are asking is, "can I afford not to protect myself, my family, or my business when the cost of acquiring such information is becoming increasingly more cost effective?" What used to cost hundreds, even thousands of dollars to uncover can now be quickly and easily obtained at a fraction of the cost. A criminal check is not complete without an SSN verification or background check, nor is a background check complete without a criminal record search and SSN verification. In conclusion, one would be well advised to find a company that specializes in this type of service. From CEO's to housewives more and more people are beginning to view Background Checks as a pro-active risk management strategy. They indeed go hand in hand. Therefore, it is very important that a human researcher of some kind review and compile any comprehensive backround check. It is only at the onsite level that social security numbers can be used for criminal record verification purposes. There are a few important components of a background check that need to be discussed. In order for any background check to be considered thorough both an SSN trace and a criminal record check must be conducted. Thieves often steal from people they know, sometimes because they know you are unlikely to punish them. The most thorough criminal record check available will always be an onsite search. In today's society you really can't afford not to conduct a comprehensive background check. This risk can be averted by conducting manual onsite criminal record searches