Collecting public records on your own is difficult. We can help.

We live in the information age, a time when people are able to get almost any type of data they want from thousands of sources. This wealth of information has generated a new challenge: finding data that is complete, accurate and reliable.

Many companies sell public records, but they are often accused of providing inaccurate, incomplete or outdated information. These companies don’t always own the data they sell, and sometimes utilize a “bait and switch” tactic to get people to purchase multiple reports. They do this by displaying a teaser that indicates a lot of information is available, but when a customer purchases a report they discover that they must buy several more to get all the details. This leaves people with two choices: order reports from a public records company and hope for the best, or try to find the information they need on their own.

One of the biggest problems people encounter when searching for information themselves is that there is an intimidating amount of data available, and it is scattered over innumerable locations. People who attempt to find accurate details about individuals or businesses frequently discover that the search can be exasperating. Social profiles often provide information that is incomplete or inaccurate, and obtaining public records from government agencies can be difficult and time consuming.

To complicate matters, some of the data people have access to is not complete or correct. A recent Wall Street journal article reported that arrest records aren’t always ‘by the book’.  It stated that a famous 1967 report about crime statistics in the U.S. was seriously flawed, and that criminal data may be even more unreliable today. Law enforcement agencies throughout the country don’t follow a uniform system for calculating and reporting data, and this directly affects the criminal information that public records companies provide.

Another issue that makes collecting and displaying criminal information difficult is determining what should be listed in a report and what should not. These days it’s easy to get a background check to learn more about anyone’s past, and these reports often show criminal records even when the charges were dismissed or the circumstances were trivial (such as a traffic violation).

The problem is that many reports do not differentiate between what is and is not a criminal offense. This is causing people to want to take control over what information is available about them. One  Wall Street Journal story explains that many people are attempting to expunge even the most minor infractions so the details won’t be publicly available.

Criminal reports aren’t the only difficult aspect for public records; even the most basic information presents problems. Every person generates thousands of records in their lifetime, and they are not always consistent. For example, an individual may have several variations on their name, phone numbers may or may not include an area code, people entering data make mistakes, numbers are easily transposed … there are many potential issues.

Every problem needs a solution, and that’s why PeopleFinders is dedicated to providing the most accurate and detailed information available. To achieve this goal we own and maintain the web’s largest database of public records. We have access to more than 40 years of historical data, which allows us to create comprehensive documents about individual and businesses. This sets us apart from companies that only provide a limited amount of data or try to get you to purchase multiple reports – we offer everything you need to know in one convenient and easy-to-understand report.

First we collect every relevant piece of information, sort it, fix spelling errors, create a uniform format to display the data and insert it into appropriate categories. Next we meticulously search through this data to ensure we only utilize relevant information. The criminal data mentioned earlier provides a good example. When creating documents such as a “Stud Or Dud” report (which thoroughly examines any person’s past to create a clear profile of their background) our system eliminates minor violations and only keeps serious offenses, such as a felony charge.

Presenting the data provides another major challenge. We refine our reports to make them clear, concise and easy to read. Even reports that are likely to contain a large amount of information, such as a Marriage Search report, are displayed in a manner that makes all the information easy to find and understand.

The art of collecting, sorting and presenting public records may not be perfect yet, but by putting in the time, effort and resources it is possible to offer valuable and accurate information. PeopleFinders is up to this task, and we continually strive to find to provide you with the best source of public records available anywhere. Thank you for turning to us for your public records needs, and for reading the PeopleFinders People Search blog.

Deloitte is not a typical company – it is a business entity that works with thousands of professionals from independent firms all over the world to provide audit, financial advisory, tax and other services to their clients. Every year Deloitte releases their list of the 500 fastest-growing technology based companies in the United States and Canada. PeopleFinders was happy to be on that list in 2008, and it feels great to be included again!

The dedicated folks at Deloitte have diligently kept track of the 500 fastest growing companies for more than a decade. They created their Fast 500 TM list in 1997, and its annual release has become a highly anticipated event. Winners of the 2009 Fast 500 TM were announced in October, so congratulations to all of the companies who earned their way onto the list.

There are ten categories on the Fast 500 TM List, and PeopleFinders won as an Internet based company. The list is based on the fiscal growth a company experiences over a 5-year period, so only the fastest growing companies are represented. Very few companies make it into the Fast 500 TM two years in a row, so this is quite an honor for us.

According to Deloitte’s list, PeopleFinders.com has grown by 257% over the last five years. This is remarkable, and we have you to thank. It’s the people who have trusted us to help them find other people all over the United States that made this accolade possible.

We’re always excited when we are able to help someone find family or friends that they’ve lost touch with over the years. Our goal is to help you find anyone, anywhere with the most useful and easy-to-use People Search, Background Check and Public Records services available today.

Thank you for helping us claim a spot on the Fast 500 List again this year, and thank you for reading our People Search blog.

PeopleFinders is a highly trusted People Search site that helps you find anyone, anywhere and gives you access to more than 40 years worth of public records. That means we can dig deep and find most any piece of public information you’re looking for. People who are searching for lost connections usually have many questions, and when they visit us online we are able to provide the answers…

Can I find someone when all I have is an old phone number? Yes, with more than 4 decades of public records available, we can help. Use our Reverse Phone Lookup to enter any number and we’ll search through billions of files to put together a complete phone history of the person you’re looking for. You’ll get a list of every phone number associated with that person, including the most recent.

Is it possible to find people using an outdated address? Even if the person you’re looking for has moved several times over the years, you can find them today with an Address Search. Once you find them, you can also request their Email address or other information to help you reconnect.

How can I learn more about someone’s past? Since we have billions of historical records at our fingertips we can put together the most Comprehensive Background Check on anyone. Our background report shows you aliases, bankruptcies, tax liens and other hidden secrets from the past. We can also show you where to find all the profiles, blogs and other personal details people post online with a Social Networks Search.

Do you have ways to help keep my family safe? With so much historical data available we can give you important information that will help protect you and your family. We’ll tell you if someone you are doing business or socializing with has a Criminal Record, and if so, why. You can also learn if there are any registered sex offenders living near your home, work or school. PeopleFinders.com has the facts you need to help you make informed decisions.

There are many websites that provide basic information about people and public records, but at PeopleFinders.com our massive collection of historical data will give you the big picture about anyone. You can look deep into someone’s past, find people anywhere in the United States and have all of your questions answered in one place. It’s like having your own private investigator!

Thank you for reading the PeopleFinders.com People Search blog.