This segment includes links to resources commonly used in background investigations.
Federal Trade Commission—Identity Theft
The Federal Trade Commission—Identity Theft Web site provides information for individuals, businesses, and law enforcement regarding identity theft, such as appropriate laws, how to report identity theft and how to receive free credit reports, testimonies, and scams. This Web site also provides information on the Identity Theft Data Clearinghouse, a national searchable identity theft victim-complaint database containing information on identity theft victim and/or suspect information across the country.
National Vital Statistics System
Through the National Vital Statistics System, the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) collects and disseminates the nation's official vital statistics, including births, deaths, marriages, divorces, and fetal deaths. Data on vital events are published in reports, including, but not limited to, Vital Statistics of the United States, National Vital Statistics Reports, and the U.S. Vital Statistics System. NCHS also makes available electronic microdata files and customized files containing individual vital-event records, including births, deaths, fetal deaths, linked birth/infant death, and matched multiple births.
Social Security Administration
The Social Security Administration Web site can assist law enforcement during an investigation that may require a check on the validity of a social security number or which state the subject or target received their social security number. The Social Security Administration lists the first three digits of the social security numbers assigned to cards according to the state or territory of residency.
VINELink.com
VINELink.com provides a map of the 50 states that links to a site where the county, state, and/or Department of Corrections can be searched for the offender custody status.