publicrecords.searchsystems.net

Professional Licenses

Eddie, a new visitor to the Search Systems website, wrote to us today with a question about Professional Licenses in New Jersey. Eddie is thinking of putting his house on the market but has a few qualms about working with realtors based on his last tumultuous property sale. He wanted to know where he could review real estate licenses to be sure his new realtor was qualified, licensed, and had no black marks on his or her record. Was that information available to the public and could it be found on the Internet?

I told Eddie he was in luck. License information is provided in New Jersey, and in most other states, through free online databases. By using our “By Type of Record” tool in the Free Public Records Locator box on our home page, we selected “Licenses” and then selected “New Jersey” from the list of states on the Professional Licenses page. We scrolled through the many pages of licenses listed there for New Jersey – a total of 113. On Page 2 Eddie found a link for Real Estate licenses and another for Real Estate – Disciplinary Actions.

Eddie was able to verify the licenses for a few potential realtors, and he also checked to be sure they did not have disciplinary actions on file. When Eddie returned to the New Jersey licenses directory page, he discovered many other types of licenses he could verify. Contractors, electricians, home inspectors… even locksmiths and alarm installation companies. He was determined to screen everyone that he might hire to fix up his property prior to the listing.


Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in Jail?

Arrested June 3, 2010, but you may not have noticed. The incident did not garner much press. If a reporter had uncovered this arrest record and printed a story about the Lakers Star Kareem Abdul-Jabbar being incarcerated in Columbia County, Georgia, he or she would have been forced to print an embarrassing retraction.

Why? Go to the Georgia criminal records directory and click on the link for “Columbia County Inmates,” you’ll see that a Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was arrested on June 3, 2010 for parole violation. If you look at the details, you’ll see the age of this suspect is 25. The very sad looking character is clearly not the same individual as the Lakers’ skyhook king who made wrap-around sports glasses look chic.

This illustrates just how imperative it is that when you perform a criminal records search that you check the age or birth date of the subject. Many names are common and even a highly unique name like Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is not unique enough.

Another example is one of an unemployed man we’ll call George Smith who used our Premium criminal records search to perform a check on himself. He wanted an exact search of his name and exact date of birth, so he could print the No Results Found page to exonerate himself. George’s problem was that he applied for a job and when the employer ran a registered offender check, a record appeared for another George Smith born the same year. The employer didn’t bother to look at the finer details such as exact date of birth, and simply assumed the applicant was a Level 3 Offender. As our George put it, “They ran me out of their office with a stick!”

Researchers can cause damage and confusion if they mistakenly match a criminal record to the wrong person. So how do you avoid making this mistake? First of all, know the date of birth of the person you are searching. If you find records that don’t include a date of birth (many jurisdictions omit that information from their results), you need to dig further, perhaps at the county court itself, to either find the date of birth, or other information that will allow you to determine whether or not the record matches your subject. Often records will include an address or a physical description of the person.

In addition to our nationwide criminal records database we also offer an index to local government databases such as courts, sheriff departments, and corrections departments. Using those tools, you can research at the source to get the full truth.


Fishing for Debtors

We frequently get calls from lenders and debt-management companies that are looking for a resource to help them cast a net for all new debtors with judgments or tax liens. Often they notice our Bankruptcy, Judgment & Tax Lien pay database and inquire about the search criteria. Can they run a search by area and date and get a list of all debtors with recent judgments and/or tax liens?

Regrettably, the answer is No. While that database contains nationwide bankruptcy, judgment and tax lien filings going back ten years, and updated weekly, we can only query the database by Name, or Name and Address, or Social Security Number/Tax ID Number (although the last method is not recommended for judgment searches). So it is a great resource if you need to search for filings belonging to a specific person or company across an entire state (or nationwide). It is not designed to give you a list of all debtors in your city, county or state.

If you require a search for the latter, you might consider a few of these options:

1. The large legal research solutions like Lexis-Nexis, WestLaw and ChoicePoint often have judgments and tax liens in their mega databases. Those services can simultaneously search many different types of databases at once, by almost any type of term or keyword. Once you understand the search logic they employ, you can craft very targeted searches. The downside to using these mega services? Typically they require long-term accounts with very high monthly fees. Also, their data is often weeks old, as it must be sent in batches by the courts and other government agencies, then processed internally.

2. Some companies are able to set up accounts with specific county government offices, and pay a monthly fee to acquire direct data uploads on a regular basis. Essentially they have cut out the middle-men like Lexis-Nexis.

3. You can also try doing simple searches right at the county clerk-recorder websites. Often those online databases include tax liens and judgments, and allow a search by date range in addition to the traditional searches by name or filing number. Each county is different, so you’ll have to investigate them on a case-by-case basis. To find those types of recorded documents databases, use this directory, and select your state from the list under the “Categories” heading. Each state page will include a list of clerk-recorder links organized by county.


Even Fictitious Detectives Use Search Systems

In these blog posts we’ve shared several real-life examples of how the services at Search Systems can be used for public records research, but did you know that a fictitious detective uses our site as well?

Follow the investigations of Crispin Darke, Thrilling Detective, via his online blog at Darke Detective. Not only does Crispin lead you through his mystery cases chapter by chapter in first-person detective noir… he also teaches investigative techniques using the Internet. Every chapter has database links and explanations about how and when to use those public record databases.

Modern detectives know that solving a case requires more than door-to-door interviews, stake-outs, and car chases (although Crispin has his share of those). It also requires a contemporary knowledge of public record databases, especially those found online. Each time Crispin performs his research, you get to look over his shoulder as he finds another piece of the puzzle.

We think Crispin is humorous, thrilling, and well-informed. But don’t take our word for it. Read Crispin’s breakthrough story “N is for Knife” or the follow-up case, “The Hobart Ghost” and you’ll be entertained while learning some cool P.I. tricks you can do on your computer.

This is one case where the expression “Don’t try this at home” does NOT apply.


Popular and Useful Databases

Some of our users have asked us about the links found on our Popular Databases page and our Useful Databases page. Why do these categories exist when all the other links are organized geographically or by category?

We created the “Popular Databases” page (found under our Categories menu) as for databases that people find most helpful and we wanted to give them a home of their own for easy access. Examples include: the Active Duty Military Status finder; Area Codes by City; ATM Locators; Birth Records; County Finder; the Social Security Death Index; Ellis Island Immigration Records; and Worldwide Phone Directories.

We also created a page called “Useful Databases” in our United State Nationwide menu. This is used for useful nationwide database that don’t easily fit into categories. Rather than shoehorn them into not-so-obvious directory pages where they’d be hidden to the user, we wanted to highlight them by giving them a special page. Examples include: Better Business Bureau Reports; Famous Graves; Home Prices nationwide; Offbeat Roadside Attractions; and Employer Tax ID Numbers.

If you know of useful databases that we don’t have, drop us a line here: Contact us. We’ll give you credit for the submission in the database description.


Beware of Bait-and-Switch Background Check Sites

We are alarmed that some companies on the Internet are deliberately misleading people about background checks.

One user called us to complain about not finding criminal record results when she used our Premium Criminal Records database, which was surprising because it is the most complete criminal record database available online: over 400 million records, including over 70 debarred persons and terrorist. When we asked why she expected a record to turn up for her subject, she explained that before coming to our site, she ran a free preview through another online service that provides background reports. That site had a very slick interface that promised to provide all available criminal records from all states, and it gave her a list of matches for the person she searched, indicating that all the names on the list had criminal records in the database.

Instead of paying for those results, the customer came to Search Systems to take advantage of our lower search fee. She expected our results to be identical, but when no records were found, she assumed that our database was inferior to the one provided by the first company.

We knew something was wrong because 1) only the FBI’s database has close to “all records in all states” and it’s only available to law enforcement; and 2) most people DON’T have criminal records.

We decided to foot the bill and take the Challenge. We went to the first website the customer had used and we paid for their full search results for the same subject. When the results arrived, we discovered that there were NO criminal records for the subject. Instead, the service gave us “people finder” results, which are name and address matches. They fraudulently induced us with a misleading preview, then provided people-finder records after we paid to view the details.

The lesson here is that if an online service purports to sell you criminal record information, they should also provide you with a list of the sources for each state (the coverage). If you don’t see that coverage available to view before you buy… beware.

Another red flag is that most reputable criminal record database providers do not provide a “free preview” indicating the number of actual criminal records matching your subject. This is typically the procedure for people searches, so if you see this in practice, be careful. The site may be pulling a bait-and-switch.


How to Visit an Inmate

In the Criminal Records section of our directory, we link to quite a few inmate databases. One popular resource is the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) inmate locator where you can find the location of federal inmates nationwide. Also on the BOP site are stringent guidelines for inmate visitation at federal institutions. We took at look at those and for the purpose of this article compared them to the guidelines for inmate visitation at California state institutions.

The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) manages the California prison system. According to their guidelines, each inmate must mail a visitor questionnaire form to each visitor they approve on their list. Visitors must then fill out the form, including details on criminal records, arrests, or charges on their own record. The CDCR will run a background check to verify this information and make a determination if that person can be approved for visitation. The CDCR seems especially keen to determine if visitors are being honest.

The Federal Bureau of Prisons has a similar procedure, though they seem mostly concerned about whether they can allow convicted felons to visit current inmates. It is a federal felony for anyone convicted of a felony to be on federal prison grounds without the permission of the warden.

Federal inmates get at least four hours of visitation rights per month, unless these rights have been revoked as a disciplinary measure. The California CDCR guide explains that some inmates are allowed up to 40 consecutive hours of family visitation in an “apartment-like setting” on the state prison grounds. Sounds like a weeklong conjugal visit to us. By contrast, the Federal BOP makes it explicitly clear that no conjugal visits are allowed.

We acknowledge that it can’t be easy to be in prison, and it may be emotionally difficult to see a loved one in prison. Knowing what the rules are before you visit is helpful. In this article, we explain those rules. Some may sound a bit silly or extreme. So if you get clearance for a contact visit at a typical state or federal facility, here’s what to expect:

Your vehicle will be subject to a visual inspection, trunk inspection, and possibly a go-round from a drug-sniffing K-9 unit.

You’ll need proper ID and you’ll need to be on the approved visitor list. Some state facilities may require an appointment due to overcrowding. Even so, you may be required to wait a few hours if there is a lockdown or head-count going on inside the prison. You will be subjected to a metal detector scan and personal search.

If you bring minor children, have their birth certificates with you. They will be subjected to the same security search.

Some facilities will only allow you to bring in one key ring with two keys on it. Apparently if you own more than two keys you may be flagged as an escape artist. Really.

What to wear? On the Federal site, there’s a whole list of clothing articles that are verboten. Most apply to women’s clothing – no leotards, spandex, mini-skirts, transparent clothing, sleeveless garments, open-back dresses, etc. Did we mention no spandex? That rule probably goes for the men too, regardless of the 80’s rock band you idolize.

California also says nay to wigs and hairpieces… unless medically necessary.

Of particular interest is the ban on clothing that resembles inmate or staff attire. It seems they don’t want visitors being mistaken as someone else. So if you’re thinking of donning an orange jumpsuit as a show of solidarity, you may want to think again. California says that blue denim is restricted too, as the state prisons may issue uniforms in denim. Another outfit you should avoid… muumuus… especially ones that resemble prisoner muumuus. We can only assume they are referring to female inmate attire here.

Oh, almost forgot: No shower shoes. That should be a general law for all of us. Leave your shower shoes at home.

Obviously, weapons, drugs, and other contraband are not allowed. Don’t bring gifts for an inmate, unless you make advance arrangements with the warden.

The California prisons provide vending machines to visitors, which offer food and beverages for sale. No outside food is permitted, so this would be your only option once you are inside. They also provide digital cameras for photo ops with your inmate (since you are not permitted to bring in cameras or phones). Inmates can then purchase copies of these photos. It seems no opportunity for monetizing has been overlooked by the corrections department.

Pets are not allowed, unless you have a service animal. Religious texts must be approved before they can be brought into the visiting room; however, most rooms are already stocked with Bibles, Korans, and Torahs you can use.

If you require use of a cane, wheelchair, or crutches, you will be asked to leave these items outside the visiting area and use a substitute device provided by the facility. One can imagine the reasons why this rule is in place, but perhaps it is best not to speculate here.

In general, the rules and guidelines for inmate visitation in state and federal prisons are quite similar. The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation provides a more comprehensive online guidebook than the Federal Bureau of Prisons.

We also took a look at the inmate visitation guidelines for the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Jail Facility. They are quite relaxed compared to the state and federal guidelines. LA County says that members of the general public may visit inmates at any county facility. Proper ID is required, and they will ask about your criminal background. The inmate information site for LA County does not specify whether contact visits are allowed for everyone. If their posted guidelines are for non-contact visits (through a glass window), it would explain the relaxed security requirements. To be on the safe side, we would still skip the muumuu.


How to Hide Your Home Address

We’re not talking about dyeing your hair, getting a fake passport and bus ticket to Mexico. We’re talking about concealing your personal information from public view. And we aren’t suggesting that you hide from creditors. This information is for people who have been attacked, threatened, or fear for their safety. After years of finding people for a living, we know which techniques work, and which do not. There are no guarantees here as a good investigator may still find you, but here’s some sound advice:

Home Address

First of all, move and start fresh. Move to a new home or apartment. If you can pay cash to stay in a spare room at the home of a friend or relative, you’ll be even more “off the grid” but only if you go for a non-obvious choice. Someone who knows your background may stop by or call your parents or your siblings. So don’t be at those places, and make sure those relatives have your back and won’t disclose your real location. Another advantage to renting a room from someone else is that the utility bills are not in your name. The reason you don’t want utilities in your name is that the utility companies and be tricked into giving up your address.

If you buy a new home, do it via another entity, such as a trust. Celebrities use this technique frequently as it hides their identity from view in public records. Otherwise, your deed will be viewable for free at the county clerk recorder’s office, and anyone can match your name and address there. Make sure that the trust doesn’t have your name in it. If your name is Willy Loman, the “Willy Loman Family Trust” isn’t going to help.

If you plan to rent from a proper landlord, that’s fine too. Just be sure to create a separate mailing address. In fact, whether you rent, buy, or couch-surf at a new place, create a separate mailing address at either a post office or private mailbox company. Inform all of your creditors to forward mail to the new mailbox address, so all of your bills and incoming mail will go there. Professional detectives, process servers, and skip tracers can still track your real address through a Post Office Box (POB) or Private Mail Box (PMB), because by law, those entities that rent the boxes must supply the physical address of the box holder when asked by a professional in the legal field. But there’s a way around that. When you rent the mailbox, list a different nearby address than your real one. Put down your brother’s office address or your parents’ home address. Make sure those dots will not connect directly to you.

If you have a POB or PMB, forward your mail to the box and don’t update the registration. Anyone who tries to get the forwarding information from your old address will find the Box address. Then if they try to find the registered address of your Box, all they’ll find is your old address. This effectively creates a frustrating “loop.”

Use that new mailbox address anytime you are required to fill out a form. Don’t give out your new physical address. Use the Box address if you apply for a new credit card, join a gym, update your professional license online (if you have one), or if you file a UCC form for a business loan. Information from these sources can be found online and through credit header reports (which eventually are resold as people finder data). You don’t want to spoil all of your work by subscribing to a newspaper and having your new street address then be resold to a people finder site. Newspaper delivery staff can be tricked into giving up your address, so if you love morning newspapers as we do, mosey down to the corner store.

Phone Numbers

If you set up a landline at your new place, make sure it is non-published, and have them mail the bill to your Box. This will stop 95% of the people from finding it. Detectives can still hire special phone hacker types to turn over your non-published number, but it will cost them. If you go for the mobile phone only approach, make sure your carrier makes that number non-published, and that they do not resell their customer databases. Again, use your PMB or POB as your address.

Online Records

Contact people-search companies and opt-out of their databases. Usually this requires an email to their opt-out department. Do this BEFORE you move and you should be able to keep them from showing your new address.

If you must participate in social media, be sure your profiles do not give out information such as your address, neighborhood, or city. Plant misdirects if you wish. Blog about your new (fictional) home in Buenos Aires.

Online records can also include traffic tickets, court records, criminal records, judgments, marriage & divorce records, property records, etc. You cannot scrub address data from these databases, so to be sure your new address does not get recorded on one of these documents, try not to be involved in any civil or criminal cases. Good advice to anyone, really.

And don’t list your home address or email address online. Period.