Dujanovic: Does your date have a criminal record? 8 sites I use for DIY background checks

Editor’s note: This is an editorial piece. An editorial, like a news article, is based on fact but also shares opinions. The opinions expressed here are solely those of the author and are not associated with our newsroom.

For most of my 35-year career, I’ve been a TV news reporter. I spent a decade working in the investigative unit at KSL TV in Salt Lake City. My profession taught me how to research criminal rap sheets, bankruptcy filings, property records, tax liens, sex offender registries, jail and prison logs, divorce filings and much more. During those years, I amassed a list of public databases I could search to confirm facts for my news reports.

As I entered the dating world in my 50s, after 21 years of marriage, I tried to separate the journalist in me from my dating life. At first, I approached dating with a “most people are honest” mindset. It didn’t last long. 

As I ventured on to dating apps and connected with single men through friends of friends, I found myself in the company of strangers who had left out unflattering details about their past. Several failed to mention their tax problems, criminal charges, prison time and restraining orders — not to mention the men who claimed to be single yet still had a wife and no divorce decree.

In one instance, it was my gut, not my date’s online dating profile, that alerted me something was “off”. He was far too skittish for our low-key coffee date.

My mind flashed back to convicts I’d interviewed for news stories. Understandably, people who have served time in the company of dangerous felons can become jumpy. I wondered to myself — had this man I was sipping coffee with spent time in prison?

Searching your date for a criminal record — aka the DIY background check

In a soon-to-be-released episode of my podcast, “Dating at Her Age,” I interviewed Lt. Pat Evans of the Draper City Police Department who urged single women to do our research.

“Google is your best friend. Google names, find out where they live, use your open information,” Evans said. “There are online ways to search people. Do your research for sure and just protect yourself.”

Most important is our physical safety, and for single moms, the safety of their children as well. But we also need to think about our financial security. Falling in love with a man we met on a dating app, only to find he has a track record that threatens to bury us in debt, could put us on a course for financial doom.

In April, I posted a lengthy video to my TikTok page listing websites I used in my professional life that I now use to protect myself in my personal life. I call this my DIY background checklist. Because that video was shared thousands of times, I knew that I, along with my “Dating at Her Age” co-host Caitlyn Johnston, needed to dedicate a full episode to this incredibly important topic.

@debbieradiogal I don’t take my safety for granted when dating so I’ve compiled a list of public, searchable websites I’ve used that help me determine if a person I am meeting has a criminal background. Please read: 1.) while these sites are helpful, they may not be comprehensive. For example, if a person is criminally charged in state court in Mississippi & I am searching state court records in Utah I won’t see their Mississippi court records. 2.) I also keep in mind that court records get expunged or may be under seal, so I can’t view them. 3.) I am also cautious when looking up names that I have the correct person based on other factors like date of birth. 4.) This is not meant to be a comprehensive list of sites, only the sites I’ve used to see if the person I’ve connected with has a history that doesn’t fit what I’m looking for in a partner. 5.) If this isn’t a search you feel confident doing, many license private investigators offer these services for a fee. 6.) I always say, if something feels “off” don’t forget to soul search your gut & listen to it! #dating #relationship #relationships #single #safety #women #men #utah #unitedstates #usa ♬ original sound – debbieDujanovic ♥️

 

Verifying info, and dealing with what you find

In this episode, we delve into specifically how and why I use these sites, how I verify I have found information on the correct person, and how I’ve dealt with unsavory details I’ve discovered. Some of the sites I’ve listed require payment and some are free. Some sites require users to set up an account using an email, others don’t.

A word of warning: If a search in your DIY background check comes up empty, I don’t assume a man I’ve connected with has a spotless past. It could be that I missed something during my search, a record is sealed from public view, or I’ve entered an incorrect spelling of his name. But, given that I’m meeting perfect strangers I’ve connected with online, researching potential love interests is, as Lt. Evans urges, vital to protecting myself.

Oh, and as for that gut feeling I got from my skittish coffee date? After we finished our coffee, I drove straight home, jumped online, and discovered my gut was spot on. Court documents I found in my DIY background check showed that he was charged with attempted murder and had served several years in prison. It was a good reminder that our gut protects us too.

Debbie’s DIY background checklist

• Google: It’s free! This is the first site I enter a prospective date’s name. It can reveal news articles that enlighten me about past behaviors, and much more.
• Google reverse image search: Also free! Look for the camera icon in the Google search bar. I download photos from men’s dating profiles, or selfies they’ve posted on social media, and upload the pictures to the Google image search. This can alert me to fake online dating profiles.
• State Court Websites: In Utah, Xchange is a public website that can be used to search criminal court cases filed by district and county attorneys, and the state’s attorney general’s office. including divorce records, state tax liens, small claims filings, and other court records. There’s a small fee for searches. State courts across the U.S. have similar sites.
• PACER: This website warehouses bankruptcy records and federal criminal court cases. I frequently used this site as an investigative reporter to search for cases that involved investigations by the FBI and other federal law enforcement agencies. This site also provides bankruptcy records that can reveal a person’s financial track record. There are fees with this site as well.
• Bureau of Prisons: This website provides an inmate search tool that allows for searches of federal inmates back to 1982. Even prisoners who’ve long since been released from custody can be found on this site. It’s free to use.
• State Prisons: The State Department of Corrections across the United States offers searchable databases. These can reveal if an individual has served time and is still on probation or parole. If a person served time in Colorado, for example, you would need to search Colorado’s prison site. I’ve found that these databases are free to search. You can find your state’s DOC sites by searching online, but here are a few to get you started:
  • Utah
  • Colorado
  • Arizona
  • California:
• Jail records: Many county jails have searchable databases for current inmates. Some will provide details as to why an individual was booked into jail. The sites I’ve used are free.
• National Sex Offender Registry: This site provides photos, descriptions, locations, and offenses of sex offenders. Yes, states have free searchable sex offender registries, but if a sex offender has moved from state to state, using the National Sex Offender Registry’s search tool may be a faster way to locate an offender’s name. These sites are free to search.

Debbie Dujanovic is the co-host of Dave & Dujanovic on KSL NewsRadio and the podcast “Dating at Her Age”. Follow her on Facebook and TikTok.