Background Checks Gone Wrong: The Story of Poor Carol Ann

KCTV 5 recently reported on the background check woes of Carol Ann Williams, a Kansas City, KS, resident who shares her name and birth date with another woman. Unfortunately, the other Carol Ann has a criminal record. The beginning of this name doppelganger nightmare was in 1997, when Williams went to the police department for a job-related background check. She was arrested on the spot. For almost 20 years, she's experienced arrests, denial of employment, and a long struggle to disentangle her identity from that of her name-twin.

It has been a long battle for Williams, with many hurdles, including a listing in the national criminal database that she is trying to have corrected. She's had some official help here and there along the way, including from her congressperson. He helped her to get a new Social Security number, something that is almost never done. It's an amazing story, highlighting not only the importance of quality background checks, but also how some situations really need the touch of an experienced, skilled investigator.

Background Check Yourself Using a Reliable Service

Just like it is a good idea to review your credit reports periodically for signs of identity theft, it is also a good idea to background check yourself every now and then. Had Williams taken that step, she would have known there was a problem, rather than finding it out through the humiliation of being arrested during the process of an employment application related background check. With the help of an interested, skilled private investigator, perhaps her situation wouldn't have taken almost two decades to be partially resolved. After all, it's not yet fully resolved, since she is still listed in a criminal data base.

Be wary of free background check services!

Be aware: Free background check services are very rarely free. They will give you a smidgen of information, not always accurate, and then begin a series of upselling techniques, loaded with extra charges, to get you to purchase more information. This can result in an expensive final bill, information that is confusing to decipher, and data that is not always accurate. When you work closely with an experienced background check service provider, you will be handed the most accurate information available with a sound explanation of what everything means.

When you need a background checked, have it done professionally, especially when the details matter. To protect your personal, professional and financial reputation, have your own background checked periodically. This is especially important in the new era of identity theft. If you've had strange occurrences due to identity confusion, don't let it drag on for years, building its own paper trail that will have to eventually be dismantled piece by piece. Taking the time to clean up your background check results now can save you a great deal of time, energy and heartache down the road.

Hire a Los Angeles Private Investigator for Reliable Background Check Services

Get professional help from an investigator with the expertise you need. Mike Garroutte, a licensed Los Angeles private investigator  since 1982 years and owner of Linked Investigations, is a background check expert accustomed to handling complex situations. Call 877-464-5374 to schedule a consultation today.

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