Skip Tracing vs. Background Checks: Understanding the Differences

When entering into a business partnership or a personal relationship with someone, you want to be certain that person is trustworthy. If you choose to trust that person on blind faith, you could end up being the victim of fraud or theft. Learning the difference in skip tracing vs. background checks can help you avoid becoming a victim or gain justice for a theft.



A background check helps you determine the trustworthiness of a person before you enter into a relationship, while skip tracing helps you track down someone who possibly stole from you or defrauded you.

Why Background Checks Are Important

A background check from a professional firm lets you source public records to investigate a person’s background. You can see things like credit reports and criminal histories. You can even match employment verification with what appears on a resume, ensuring the person is telling the truth.

Some people use a background check for personal relationships, too. Non-profit organizations may use background checks to ensure volunteers are safe to work with the elderly or children.

When you hire a professional firm to do a background check, some of the information uncovered may include any civil and tax liens they have and their driving history. 

With this information in hand before entering into an agreement, you have a better chance of avoiding becoming a victim of fraud. Perhaps the background check shows multiple convictions for theft in a person’s criminal history. You may not want to hire this person for a job where access to company resources or petty cash is possible.

When You Should Turn to Skip Tracing vs. Background Checks

Should someone exit a relationship with you after committing fraud or theft, they probably don’t want you tracking them down, in which case you could turn to skip tracing to find them. 

Organizations that may use skip tracing include:

• Private investigators
• Debt collection agencies
• Lawyers
• Law enforcement

When you hire a private investigator to find someone, this professional can use a credit report to look for any new lines of credit opened by the person. This information may lead to a new address and location, allowing for closer surveillance.

Background checks that include current employment records or new criminal charges could also be helpful when skip tracing.

Understanding Skip Tracing vs. Background Checks

Because of their similarities, skip tracing and background checks are easy to confuse. Both processes involve using public records, credit reports, and other records. 

Background Checks Can Occur During Skip Tracing

Investigators may use background checks when they deploy skip tracing. However, not all skip tracing efforts require a full background check. 

Background checks for things like employment or volunteering with an organization will not involve skip tracing. 

Background Checks Are a Normal Part of Employment

When an employer or another person deploys a background check on you, it doesn’t mean you did anything wrong. Background checks can be a means of identity verification. 

Skip tracing typically enters the picture when a person violates the law or backs out of an agreement, causing financial harm to the other party.

We Can Help With All Your Background Check and Skip Tracing Needs

Understanding skip tracing vs. background checks can be a challenge. At Professional Process Servers & Investigators, Inc., we can explain the difference. We’ll help you understand how to use skip-tracing services to recover business assets. We can also deliver any background checks you need for new employees, new business partners, or any other reason.

Call us today at (844) 722-8835 to learn more about how we can help.