O.S.INT. and Background Checks
In this entry of the Investigator’s Gazette, we’ll be discussing O.S.INT. and background checks; specifically, what those terms mean, and how Rainy Day Private Investigative Services [PIS] uses them to give you the best investigative experience possible.
A background check is when you select a specific entity, be it a person, place, thing, or any other asset [though typically the entity in question is a person], and use the resources you have available to ascertain as much information as possible about that particular entity. Even though people are the typical subject of a background check, that’s not the only use of them!
For example, a background check could be requested on a specific item such as a vehicle, or any other item of importance that may leave a paper trail. Sometimes these are requested to better estimate a specific item’s value, or by museums and scholars to understand the item’s history.
Pictured above: An edited graphic with the titles “Open Source Intelligence” and “Background Checks” over a royalty free image of two [2] individuals viewing and writing on pages, with their laptops also open.
Click on the above photo to return to the services section and see what else Rainy Day PIS can offer.
A good example of a place needing a background check would be when somebody is purchasing property. It’s very important to know who owns the real deed, how long the property has been severed or existed in it’s current state for, and if there are any liens or unsavoury conditions associated with the land itself. This can also come up when discussing divorce or general separation, in determining who owns a specific parcel and/or plot of land.
The term Open Source Intelligence [O.S.INT.] is an all-encompassing one that refers to the gathering of knowledge on a subject by utilizing tools that are available to the public, such as but not limited to;
Libraries
Courts
The internet
The legality these avenues of intelligence gathering vary from province to province; specifically, what is publicly accessible via the court system. In today’s world with technology advancing as fast as ever, many O.S.INT. operations are conducted mainly online; however, it is important not to forget the value of classic, “legacy” types of investigation methods such as utilizing court records, documents, and the vast amounts of data stored in older library books, newspaper archives, and microfiche.
After all, there is an issue with this new age of improved access to any information at your fingertips: it can be nearly impossible to sift through all of that data with even an entire investigative task force, never mind just one individual. With seemingly anything and everything being uploaded onto the internet, finding information about a subject and being able to sort through whats helpful and whats spam can’t be done without specific tools. Unfortunately, many competitive agencies do not specialize in background checks, and consider taking screenshots of subject’s social media as a sufficient background check. This is neglectful and dishonest to potential clients, as that is a job many clients know how to preform on their own, without having to pay an exorbitant fee.
On the online front, Rainy Day PIS is quite proud to report that they have access and experience to a relatively new piece of powerful software. This industry secret application possesses the capabilities to sort through a multitude of different information sources at once, while allowing an experienced investigator to organize the information gleaned into meaningful categories; completing an extremely comprehensive background check for any client. The reason many other private investigative agencies do not utilize this software is that there is a significant learning curve - especially with an unpolished user interface that does not appear very user friendly, as the program was not designed with a consumer mass market in mind. Many agencies don’t feel going the extra mile for their client is worth the effort and training to teach their researchers how to utilize the program, so they stick to social media reports.
The bottom line of the matter is simple: as a client, don’t get tricked into paying high fees from large agencies to conduct your background checks that offer an impressively formatted report with an unimpressive amount of content. Know your rights, shop around for the right rate for you, and ensure you ask the agency exactly what they’ll be providing you. When you work with Rainy Day PIS, you work with experienced industry professionals that sort out a budget that works for you; still get an impressively formatted report, but with an impressive amount of content - because that’s the Rainy Day Way.
Everybody has rainy days sometimes - just make sure you know who to call for yours.