These days, it's more common than ever before for online friendships to turn into real life relationships. There used to be something of a stigma to say that you met your friend or significant other in an internet chat room or through an online dating service, but that's not the case anymore. Telling others that you met your partner online would hardly even raise any eyebrows now. But one thing that hasn't changed is the need for safety. It's very important to check out someone's history before meeting in person so you have a better idea of what you're getting into by performing free background checks.
Some folks think that the only way to get reliable information about someone is to pay for professional services like those provided by the Net Detective software or a company like Intelius. Again, that was perhaps the case 5 or 10 years ago, but now with almost all state and federal government agencies having an online presence, it doesn't take much for the average person to run unlimited free background checks. You just have to know where to search.
Most free background checks begin with a particular state's vital records, which typically falls under the purview of the Department of Public Health. There you can check birth certificates (to verify someone's age), confirm a social security number (if you know it), or view marriage and divorce records. Obviously, these free background checks don't go very far, so there are still a couple of other databases you should search through before agreeing to meet your new friend in person.
You can tell a lot about someone from their driving records, so a quick search through circuit court databases or the DMV is something that should be included in all free background checks you perform. Most civil and criminal proceedings are a matter of public record, meaning if the person you're investigating has ever been part of any kind of trial, you'll be able to get hold of that information. Similarly, you can call up driving records to see if the subject has ever been in an accident, or has recently received citations or moving violations.
Some folks like to take their free background checks to the limit by utilizing the Freedom of Information Act to request FBI files -- if any exist about the person in question. There are specific steps that must be followed, but this is easy enough to do by checking the official FBI website for details.
Free background checks obviously take quite a bit more time than paying for the service, and often you must mail or fax request forms before getting the information you need. But if you meet lots of people online, then it makes financial sense to do these investigations on your own. With a bit of practice, you'll soon be adept at finding out exactly what you need to know about someone with as little legwork involved as possible!