Due to the rising concerns of fraud, hiring of employees, identity theft, liability claims, and screening of new customers and clients; background investigations are a major concern for any business, institution, or individual. Our background screening experts are experienced in researching, securing, and verifying confidential information. The ability to conduct effective background research can reduce risk and improve your productivity. We can access a wide range of information sources to help answer the questions within the agreed scope. It is essential to find out accurate information, to determine the right choice for you and/or your company.
Potential sources, subject to lawful purpose, authorization, access, and the agreed scope:
- Federal Criminal Records
- Statewide Criminal History
- Arrest Record: Misdemeanor & Felonies
- Civil Lower & Upper
- Federal Civil
- Driver’s License Record
- Vehicle Ownership
- Real Estate
- Pre-Employment Credit Check
- Social Security Verification
- Personal Reference Check
- Character & Neighborhood Interview
- Workers’ Compensation
Pinpoint Investigations & Security Corp. provides these services throughout Staten Island, Brooklyn, Manhattan, Queens, and the Bronx.
Who uses this service
- Employers, human-resources teams, hiring managers, and business owners screening prospective employees, executives, and independent contractors.
- Law firms, corporate counsel, and litigation teams conducting due diligence or investigating fraud, conflicts, or credibility issues.
- Healthcare, financial-services, security, property-management, logistics, retail/luxury-goods, nonprofit, and other organizations filling positions involving sensitive data, money, property, medications, vehicles, or vulnerable people.
What to expect
Initial intake: we identify the lawful purpose, position or relationship being evaluated, jurisdictions, deadline, risk concerns, and the exact questions the client needs answered.
Required information: full legal name, aliases, date of birth, address history, and other identifiers; resume, claimed employers, schools, licenses, or references; and any authorization required for employment, credit, driving, tenant, or other regulated screening. Sensitive information should be transferred securely.
Agreed scope: identity/address development; county, state, and federal criminal or civil records; bankruptcy and other public filings; employment, education, and professional-license verification; sanctions or discipline; negative news and relevant public social media; and driving or credit information only when lawful, relevant, and authorized.
Verification: we cross-check identifiers, jurisdictions, dates, case status and dispositions, and source records; contact employers, schools, licensing bodies, or references when included; and distinguish confirmed information from similar-name results and unresolved leads.
Deliverable: a confidential written report explaining the scope, sources, verified findings, discrepancies, limitations, and recommended follow-up. We report facts and investigative assessments; the client makes the employment or business decision using its policies, counsel, and required legal process.
Timing and availability
Work can often begin within one business day after the scope, required identifiers, authorizations, and payment are complete. No start or completion time is guaranteed until the assignment is accepted.
A standard domestic background investigation often takes approximately three to seven business days, but a narrow records check may be faster and complex matters may take longer.
County or state court retrieval, New York OCA searches, federal PACER review, employment/education confirmation, professional licensing, reference interviews, and manual disposition research depend on outside response times.
Important limits
- There is no single complete, real-time national background database. Every search has jurisdiction, source, date, access, and reporting limitations.
- A matching name is not proof that a record belongs to the candidate. Reliable identification requires comparison of available identifiers, address history, age/date information, jurisdiction, and source records.
- An arrest, allegation, lawsuit, or negative online statement is not the same as a conviction or proven fact. Disposition, status, source reliability, age, and context matter.
- Private investigators cannot lawfully obtain sealed, expunged, restricted, or nonpublic information merely because a client requests it, and we do not hack accounts or bypass access controls.
- A report with no adverse findings is not a guarantee of character, honesty, future conduct, or the absence of records outside the agreed scope.
- The investigator does not make the hiring decision. Employers and other regulated users must follow their policies and any required authorization, notice, individualized-assessment, or adverse-action process with qualified counsel or HR guidance.
A de-identified example
An employer asked us to evaluate a candidate for a position involving access to company property, financial information, and sensitive customer data. The candidate authorized the agreed screening.
We verified identity and address history; reviewed relevant county, state, and federal criminal/civil and bankruptcy records; examined employment and professional information; searched negative news and relevant public social media; and analyzed an authorized credit report. Potential similar-name records and an older out-of-state matter were reviewed for identifiers, status, and context rather than automatically attributed to the candidate.
The client received a comprehensive report separating confirmed findings, nonmatches, and limitations, with a timeline of older issues, current financial concerns, and targeted follow-up questions. The employer used the report together with interviews, references, company policy, and its legal/HR process.
Service area and contact
Pinpoint Investigations & Security Corp. serves Staten Island, Brooklyn, Manhattan, Queens, and the Bronx. Call 718-667-6422 to discuss your needs.
Related services: Due Diligence.
Frequently Asked Questions
What information do you need?
Usually the subject's full legal name, aliases, date of birth, address history, and other available identifiers, plus the resume or claims to verify and any required authorization. We will identify what is necessary for the agreed scope and arrange secure transfer of sensitive information.
Do I need the person's consent?
It depends on the purpose and the type of information. Employment, credit, driving, tenant, and other regulated screening commonly require a lawful purpose, written authorization, and specific procedures. We require the appropriate basis and documentation before performing restricted checks; clients should obtain legal or HR guidance for their use.
What does a background check include?
It is tailored to the assignment. It may include identity/address research, criminal and civil courts, federal PACER, bankruptcy/public filings, employment and education, professional licenses/discipline, sanctions, negative news, relevant public social media, references, and authorized driving or credit information.
How long does it take?
Many standard domestic investigations take about three to seven business days after all information and authorization are received. Court retrieval, employer/school responses, common-name research, multiple jurisdictions, and international work can extend the timeline.
Will the report tell me whether to hire or trust someone?
No. We provide verified facts, discrepancies, context, and limitations, not a pass/fail decision or guarantee. The client evaluates job relevance, policy, references, interviews, and applicable legal requirements with appropriate counsel or HR support.
