If you've used the web at all, the odds are that you've seen lots of ads, billboards, banners, and other advertisements for free background checks online. If you've ever actually followed one of those ads, then the odds are that you only met with disappointment, since so many of the sites offering those services online have very limited efficacy. The information typically provided by those sites is essentially the same type of data you could have discovered from a local phone book.

Essentially, if you want to benefit from a background check that is entirely free, then you will need to conduct it yourself with a great deal of time and effort on your part. If you're willing to do your own grunt work, then this may be exactly the type of option you've been waiting for to save yourself a couple of dollars.

To do a background check fee-free, then you'll need to think outside the box. Try the following techniques and places to look:

- Social Networking Websites - the internet is riddled with social networking sites that range in their popularity. A large percentage of the people in North America, Europe, and Australia who have a computer and regularly use the internet have a profile on one social networking site or another. By using the search functions on these sites, you can gain more information on the person you're investigating.

- Phone Search Sites - these are ideal for discovering a person's current telephone number and mailing address. These are sites that have databases of most - if not all - of the telephone books across the country.

- State/Count Records - many websites of states and counties are now offering records online. These are generally free and can contain information about everything from driving histories to criminal records and even marriage and divorce records.

- Search Engines - though it may seem as though search engines are on the basic side for performing an investigation, it is exactly that simplicity that can work to your advantage. If you use several searching variations with the name and key information you're investigating, then you might come across sites that have information that you never would have considered.

As you can see, if you're willing to do your own work and spend some time on the effort, then a free background check is perfectly possible.