CriminalSearches.com: Are Free Criminal Background Searches Risky?

Website Reveals Criminal Arrests on Anyone, Information May Be Wrong

Donna Porter
Donna Porter, Yahoo! Contributor Network
Jul 21, 2008 "Share your voice on Yahoo! websites. Start Here."
Many Web surfers have heard of free criminal background checks online that otherwise turn out to be limited in scope and charge a fee, but not CriminalSearches.com, much to the delight of most law-abiding citizens. Yet, these criminal searches produce fear and loathing for others, both guilty and innocent. While CriminalSearches.com offers valuable information to protect you and your family, some of the information is wrong or misleading.

Criminal searches, not always good for the innocent

Using CriminalSearches.com, I conducted a search on my name and found someone who was guilty of a drug/alcohol crime and resisting arrest. My name happened to be one of many aliases for this similarly aged woman. At least the arrest was in Texas, one of about 10 states I've never had the pleasure to visit.
My concerns seem to be shared.

As shown by a clip on Fox News, some real estate agents are worried about the validity of the information and how it may impact home sales.

Conduct a background search on your neighbors

Another double-edge sword with CriminalSearches.com is that one can plug in their physical address and learn the arrest records of neighbors. This is an invaluable criminal background search tool for parents, single women and most anyone with safety and property concerns.

Whether you desire to hire a babysitter or need a contractor, CriminalSearches.com can help people do so with greater peace of mind.

Yet, if a neighbor was not convicted and is otherwise innocent this may not matter to CriminalSearches.com. If you land on the list, prepare to save money on Halloween candy and rest assured you'll have a less cluttered social calender -- as word moves along about the free criminal background search website.

Does CriminalSearches.com replace common sense?

CriminalSearches.com does more good than harm as long as you don't mind the principles of sacrificing one's rights, a potential innocent, for many. Additionally, no longer will we need to rely on our judgment to assess someone's character and befriend them.

Of course, CriminalSearches.com only provides information on those who have been caught at a misdeed. Unfortunately, correct or inaccurate, such criminal background information -- minus background story -- is not always the best judge of character, except in regard to more serious offenses...if the person is guilty.

Other free background search tools

If CriminalSearches.com doesn't satisfy your information needs, try Spokeo.com when you possess an e-mail address. Here you can find the social networking activity of your loved ones, friends, enemies and neighbors. Unlike CriminalSearches.com, however, Spokeo's best background search information is for paid subscribers. It's friendly use is to find your friends and contacts online at the likes of Myspace, Facebook, Flickr, Digg and like sites.

Prior to the advent of CriminalSearches.com many concerned citizens enjoyed the free information at zabbasearch.com, which often leads to an address, phone number and date-of-birth.

Source:

CriminalSearches.com
Fox News

Published by Donna Porter

Writer / Journalist -- A Yahoo News! Contributor Donna began her writing and internet career in 1995 in the health industry and became an early dot-com entrepreneur soon after. Masters certified in Internet...  View profile

  • criminalsearches.com is a free background search tool.
  • Are criminal searches always a friend to the innocent?
  • Other free backgound search tools are available to support crime data.

42 Comments

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  • Anony6/2/2010

    Did anyone find out how to contact criminalsearches.com?? Peoplefinders.com says they only advertise with them, they can not remove information from criminalsearches.com

  • Hmmph12/8/2009

    Angie, I am facing the same problem as you. They still have my assault offense posted on there, when in fact, I had it expunged over three years ago. I sent an e-mail to contact the company sending them a link to my current municipal court records telling them to have it removed, and here it is three days later...the offense is still up there. I've had quite a bit of trouble finding employment, and I think I too will contact my lawyer and take legal action against criminalsearches.com. Oh, and for the person with the post telling us to "write a letter", why do you have an e-mail contact form on your site? Shouldn't your website have instructed people to write a letter in the first place, rather than tell us to send e-mails that won't get replies? See you in court.

  • angie5/29/2009

    this site had my sealed record posted. I am planning on suing them for libel. Has anyone else filed a lawsuit against this irresposible and hypocritical site?

  • anon5/22/2009

    If you are looking to remove your info from CriminalSearches.com...follow these steps with a CERTIFIED LETTER:

    We value your privacy and, upon request, can block your records from being shown in many, but not all, of our search results. To do so, you should contact us by writing a letter, signed by you (we do not accept any unsigned requests or substitute service), giving us your:
    First name
    Last name
    Middle initial
    Aliases and A.K.A.'s
    Complete current address
    Complete former addresses going back 20 years
    Date of Birth - including month, day, and year
    It is also very helpful to include a print out of the records that you wish to have suppressed.
    Please send this letter to:

    Opt-Out/PeopleFinders.com
    1821 Q Street
    Sacramento, CA 95814

  • Anon5/22/2009

    Hi Donna, the link you provided is no longer active. Do you remember the contact info/procedures for criminalsearches.com? I can't find a way to contact them...

  • Pam4/15/2009

    This site posts a lot of incorrect information. They say they will correct it but never do. My daughter has been unable to get a job because of their info even though it is not correct and we have the paperwork to prove it.

  • Lonnette Harrell11/2/2008

    This was quite interesting, Donna. Love your sense of humor as well!

  • Donna Porter8/22/2008

    If you are looking for contact information for criminalsearches.com, this may be helpful: Via FoxNews on CriminalSearches.com "Created by the folks behind PeopleFinders.com, the new site crunches monthly government data down to the state and county level, says Bryce Lane, president and chief operating officer of PeopleFinders.com. http://www.foxnews.com/wires/2008Jul18/0,4670,RealEstateTech,00.html

  • Jan8/18/2008

    Does anyone know how to contact the owner of criminalsearches.com? I want to have my attorney send a certified letter.

  • Harold Sink8/10/2008

    If you are going to pay for something pay the FBI for such information.

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