International Background Checks 101

Background checks and the services available.

A Rise in Demand
With more people around the global accessing the Internet, and the global population itself exploding exponentially, the world is making a fast transition to online. Businesses around the world now make their hiring decisions based on candidates they find on the Internet. New websites for match making or online dating are popping up daily. These days, it's not uncommon to find a business partner or even find a spouse on the Internet. In this brave new world, come some sizeable risks.

Verifying the Story
How does an individual in Paris verify a boyfriend's story who lives in Brazil? Or how does a small business in the United States verify a new supplier located in Singapore? And when looking for romance, just how do we know if he or she is really who he or she claims to be? These questions are becoming more common and so is the demand for background checks. The following section describes some of the services available to learn the truth.

Knowing your Options
The services offered for background checks vary greatly. Some websites offer simple searches for public records, while others combine public records searches with actual investigation. We prefer the latter, as real investigation has real results in most cases. Among the top 3 players in the United States are Kroll, Owens Online and Wymoo International. Wymoo has been expanding its market share by concentrating on customer service and custom investigations. All 3 companys have a strong global presence, while Wymoo offers personalized service, surveillance, local investigators and complete narrative reporting. For the Philippines, contact Wymoo's affiliate, Philippine PI.

Pricing the Market
An average background check can cost between $200 and $800, depending on the country of origin and the information needs of the customer. An average background investigation to verify a small business or foreign romance usually ranges between $400 and $600, again depending on the country and specific need for information. Always shop around for service quotes.

Filling the Need
Is it really worth having your international romance, or foreign business partner verified? Absolutely. This is the age of identity theft, relationship scams, advance fee fraud, and these scams are on the rise. Think of a background check investigation as an insurance policy. One can cross his fingers and hope for the best. We recommend contracting an international background check service, and sleeping well at night knowing the truth.

Best of luck,

A. Hathaway
© 2006-2008 A. Hathaway