Free background checks; the elusive online service that is all over the internet. But does it really exist and is it really free? If you have ever wanted to do a search on someone and wondered if this is really true, then read on. You will be surprised at the answer.

The Good - What is available to people nowadays is something that only the federal government or professional private investigators had access to. It is a good thing that if you want to check out your neighbor, potential mate, online dating service candidate, future business partner and prospective employee, it is very available to you. Free background checks are real. But is it really free?

The Bad - Those search companies are right at your fingertips, so you go to one and it still says free. They ask you for name of the person you are investigating so you type it in and hit enter. It is searching, searching and then suddenly it stops. Yes! They found the person you are looking for! But now they want a fee from you to view the results. So close yet so far. You debate; should I or shouldn't I? In a high moment of impulse you decide that it's worth it and you put the number on your piece of plastic. So that's what they call free background checks.

The Ugly - Companies rely on you reacting impulsively because you are so close to getting the information that you seek. This is how they operate. This is how they make money. But don't fall for it. Yes, they have the information that you want, but so will many, many other companies. At this point you have to read the fine print and see exactly you are paying for. Are you buying a day of access to their databases or are you paying just for that one name? Do you want to look up many names? If so, perhaps you should find a company that you pay an annual fee.

Free background checks are out there. They will do a search for you for nothing, but if you want the results of that check, you will have to pay. They really don't exist. They all operate the same way. But since the fee is usually small enough, it's still worth finding the information that you need if it might mean keeping your family and business safe.