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By W. David Gardner, TechWeb Technology News
Attention online dating surfers: there's now a way to determine whether that Perfect Person you've met on the Web isn't a murderer, or a sex offender, or even is married. A startup Internet dating agency is offering free criminal background checks to its members.
TheBadge.org said in an announcement Wednesday that the 500 members of its web site will have free access to a powerful online database that enables users to discreetly check out the backgrounds of potential friends or dates. According to the site's operator, Kenneth Bachman, the site is likely to discourage criminals to begin with, because it is aimed at law enforcement and public safety workers.
"We target law enforcement officers, fire fighters, and emergency personnel as well as people seeking to date or meet them," said Bachman, a New Jersey policeman, in an interview. "And, if you feel uncomfortable about the person you've met online, you're welcome to do a background investigation."
TheBadge.org, which went live in March, has a clientele that is about evenly divided among police officers, firemen and EMT workers on one hand and people wanting to meet them.
Bachman said site members can use www.investigationsnow.com to check backgrounds, noting that the law enforcement-oriented site has access to more than 100 search engines. Members are offered two plans for the dating service -- a $4.99-a-month plan that includes unlimited searches and e-mails, and a $9.95-a-month-plan which also includes access to a chat room and instant messaging capability.
The investigative database, which is in wide use by law enforcement officers and private investigators, provides public and vital sources to go along with individual searches. TheBadge.org members can learn whether the person they have met online is already married, bankrupt or has a criminal record.
Noting that some Congressional members and several states are promoting legislation designed to regulate online dating agencies, Bachman said his company that operates the Web site, Shore Network Connections, couldn't wait and decided to implement the criminal background investigative service for TheBadge.org. "There has been a lot of controversy about online dating sites," he observed.
Of the free investigative service, Bachman said: "This will help convince people that our site is safe and probably encourage those who had previously never considered dating on the Internet to go online."
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