| Confused by all of the "Instant
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| | years and now lives a block away.
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| Background Check" hype? Maybe you're
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| | Unfortunately, anyone who tracks people
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| frustrated because you tried "free" or
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| | for a living will tell you that this
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| low-cost access to public records but the
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| | seemingly outrageous example is very
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| information you received wasn't worth
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| | close to the norm. In fact, where I have
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| much either. If this describes you, then
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| | seen this most is when one or more people
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| this article should help.
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| | in a family are involved in criminal
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| No, I don't represent a public records
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| | activity and the confusion is
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| information company. I am, however, an
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| | intentional. For example, neither James
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| investigator who has used many of the top
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| | Browne Sr. nor Jr. has a record, but,
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| public records services to physically
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| | Robert Browne and a James Brown (no "e")
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| track down hundreds of people for civil
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| | both have felony records. Criminals also
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| and criminal court matters. I have also
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| | use other intentional misrepresentations
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| wasted many dollars and hours on the road
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| | that look like typing errors such as
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| being led to wrong or outdated addresses.
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| | using a 1 instead of a 7 in their social
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| What follows are the basics of
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| | security number.
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| discussions I found myself having
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| | Not All Phone Books Are Created Equal
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| everyday with my clients and others who
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| | "Find Anyone's Phone Number and Address-
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| have found themselves in the same
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| | Millions Available" is the ad which I may
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| situation.
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| | or may not admit I responded to on
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| You Already Know An Internet Search
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| | several occasions. At the time I never
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| Engine Has Its Limits
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| | thought to ask - which phone numbers?
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| If you are reading this, I will assume
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| | Â a. Historical - Every number in every
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| you are at least vaguely familiar with
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| | phone book in the US for the past 10
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| internet search engines. When you enter
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| | years.b. Current - Every current phone
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| search words like "background check", the
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| | number as reported by every phone company
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| search engine combs through millions of
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| | in the US as of this morning and updated
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| pieces of data to try to bring back the
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| | hourly.c. Relational - Every phone
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| most relevant sites. In most instances
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| | number people put down on utility bills
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| you get what you need. Yet, you may still
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| | and credit reports.
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| get results where the "background check"
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| | The answer is critical because all of
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| site is a place where you choose the
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| | them are needed. In most cases, people
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| actual background color on the checks you
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| | never ask. When you do ask - I can tell
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| get from the bank and not a site where
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| | you that the reps at the company
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| you can get personal information.
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| | providing the data won't know the answer
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| In the same way, background check
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| | for sure or will make one up.
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| databases sift through millions of pieces
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| | Take, for example, the recent trend in
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| of information. Some of that information
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| | promoting "cell phone directories". A
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| may have a name and address (utility
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| | reasonable person could believe that such
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| bill) or maybe a name and date of birth
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| | a database would be the current records
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| (some court records). Most records do not
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| | as reported by each cell phone company.
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| have enough information to definitively
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| | In the instance I know about - you would
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| connect it to other pieces of
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| | be wrong. As confirmed by one of their
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| information. In order to tie those data
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| | company reps on a TV news show - the
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| together, the database uses a process
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| | records they have come from self-reported
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| similar to your internet search engine
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| | cell phone numbers that people used as
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| with, in many cases, similar results.
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| | references on other records. How long ago
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| You probably would not consider believing
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| | the number was reported and whether or
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| every fact in every article on the first
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| | not the number is active is unknown by
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| page of internet search results. Instead,
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| | them.
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| you would probably try to see which
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| | The 5 Hard Lessons Learned On Background
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| articles really apply to your search and
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| | Checks
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| then determine which facts in which
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| | 1. Use an Investigator
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| articles you can actually verify, believe
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| | From the examples above, you can see why
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| and use. You have to use the same
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| | I laugh when anyone tells me about an
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| approach of human intervention, quality
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| | "instant" computer background check.
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| control, and filtering when analyzing
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| | Good background checks take interaction
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| data from personal records databases in
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| | between the requestor and investigator.
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| order to have any substantial success.
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| | The results naturally raise more
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| I Thought I Was Unique - I'm Not!
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| | questions than they answer.
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| Like most people, I have never met anyone
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| | 2. Expertise is Invaluable
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| with my same first and last name.
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| | In order to get the right answer, you
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| However, it shocked me to know that in
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| | have to know what to ask. One common
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| the state of Texas there are 167 of "me".
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| | mistake is when someone is checking for
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| That means when I visit Texas, there is
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| | past spousal or child violence by
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| another "me" within 40 miles of wherever
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| | researching criminal records. If the
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| I am.
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| | person was actually convicted of beating
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| In my defense I then convinced myself
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| | or molesting there should be a criminal
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| that they really aren't "me" because "me"
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| | record. However, in many states
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| is my age with my middle initial.
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| | protection from abuse and restraining
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| Unfortunately I had to then learn there
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| | orders are civil matters - not criminal.
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| are 9 "me"s in the country with my first
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| | Ask the wrong question and even a good
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| name, middle initial and last name, who
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| | answer could put someone in jeopardy.
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| are also within 2 years of my age. Since
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| | 3. A Full Check on a Person is Only Half
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| then I no longer hope for unique, now I
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| | of What is Needed
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| just hope that all of those "me"s have
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| | People's lives are webs of relationships
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| good credit and pay all of their speeding
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| | with family and friends. It does little
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| tickets.
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| | good to perform a background check on
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| Coincidences, and lack of coincidental
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| | only the daycare provider when her
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| data, can easily make two people look
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| | husband is a registered sex offender.
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| like one, split one person into two, or
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| | 4. No Guarantee - No Deal
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| link two unrelated people. I have seen
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| | You should not have to pay for incorrect
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| entire family trees linked because John
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| | or outdated information. You don't pay
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| Doe's mom is Jane Doe who lives 200 miles
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| | for shoes first and then see if they have
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| away, but John is linked to a second Jane
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| | the style and size you need. Finding
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| Doe who is only 50 miles away.
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| | people and background checks should be no
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| The James Browne Effect
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| | different except that you may need to pay
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| Consider a fictitious family: James
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| | the investigator some small fee for the
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| Robert (Dad) and Joan (Mom) along with
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| | effort of trying.
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| their sons James Robert Jr. and Ronald
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| | 5. Never Give Them Financial Information
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| John. Now imagine a bucket filled with
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| | It amazes me when people know I have
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| 100 of their public records you need to
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| | access to most if not all of their
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| match with the correct person. The names
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| | personal records and then turn around and
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| on those records are Joan, James, Robert,
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| | want to give me their credit card or
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| Bert, Jim, Bob, Jim Bob, John, Jack,
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| | other banking information. The company
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| Ronald, Ron, Ronny, Bobby, Johnny, Jimmy,
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| | that maintains access to both is asking
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| Jay, JR, RJ and Butch. To confuse things
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| | for an identity theft nightmare.
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| more, half of the records have the last
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| | Â
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| name "Brown" and the other half "Browne".
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| | I hope this helps you more fully
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| One more thing - the father's Uncle Ron
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| | understand the situations surrounding
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| Browne shared the same address for 5
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| | background checks.
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