Key terms used in background checks, public records research, and intelligence reports. Plain definitions, no jargon.
A process of researching an individual's or entity's history using public records, court filings, and other available sources to assess risk or verify claims. Background checks range from basic identity verification to comprehensive investigations covering criminal, financial, and professional history.
Background checks are one of the most common reasons people use CROW. Unlike data-aggregator sites, CROW provides analyst-grade reports with confidence ratings and recommendations.
Related: CROW Products
A federal court proceeding in which a debtor seeks relief from some or all debts. Bankruptcy filings are public record and appear in federal court databases (PACER). Common types include Chapter 7 (liquidation), Chapter 11 (reorganization), and Chapter 13 (individual repayment plan).
Bankruptcy filings are significant findings in CROW reports because they indicate financial distress. They remain on public record indefinitely, though credit bureaus remove them after 7-10 years.
Related: Clarity Brief
A rating (HIGH, MEDIUM, or LOW) assigned to each finding in a CROW report indicating how well-corroborated the information is across independent sources. HIGH confidence means at least two independent sources confirm the finding. MEDIUM means one strong source. LOW means the finding is plausible but unconfirmed.
Confidence scores help you decide how much weight to place on each finding. CROW is one of the few services that openly rates the reliability of its own findings.
Related: Methodology
A document filed with a state's Secretary of State office to register or maintain a business entity. These include articles of incorporation, annual reports, amendments, and officer/registered agent designations. Corporate filings are public record in all 50 states.
CROW searches corporate filings to identify business interests, roles, and relationships that may not be apparent from other sources. They can reveal shell companies, inactive entities, and undisclosed partnerships.
Related: Business Intelligence
An official document created by a court during a legal proceeding, including case filings, dockets, judgments, orders, and dispositions. Court records exist at the federal, state, and local levels across civil, criminal, family, and bankruptcy divisions.
Court records are the backbone of most CROW reports. They reveal lawsuits, criminal charges, restraining orders, divorces, and other proceedings that indicate patterns of behavior or risk.
Related: Court Records Explained
A proprietary 1-10 digital exposure rating assigned to every subject in a CROW report. It measures how much personal information is publicly accessible across six categories: court records, property filings, business registrations, social media presence, data broker listings, and media mentions.
A score of 1-3 indicates minimal public footprint. A score of 7-10 indicates extensive exposure. The CROW Score helps you quickly assess how visible someone is in the public record before reading the full report.
Related: CROW Score
The totality of an individual's online presence, including social media profiles, domain registrations, data broker listings, forum posts, review site activity, and mentions in public databases. A digital footprint can be active (content you create) or passive (data collected about you).
CROW's entry-level product, the Digital Footprint report ($49), maps your online exposure and provides cleanup recommendations. It is the fastest way to see what others can find about you.
Related: Digital Footprint Report
A comprehensive file or report containing detailed information about a person or entity, compiled from multiple sources. In intelligence contexts, a dossier synthesizes findings from public records, open-source intelligence, and verified databases into a single narrative document.
CROW's higher-tier reports (Due Diligence and Executive Intelligence) function as full dossiers, providing a complete picture of a subject's public record presence with analysis and recommendations.
Related: Due Diligence Report
A thorough investigation of a person, business, or investment opportunity conducted before entering into a transaction or relationship. Due diligence typically covers financial history, legal record, regulatory standing, reputation, and operational risks.
In business contexts, due diligence is standard practice before acquisitions, partnerships, and major investments. CROW provides due diligence reports starting at $299 for individuals and businesses.
Related: Business Partner Due Diligence
The process of determining whether multiple records across different databases refer to the same real-world person or organization. Entity resolution accounts for name variations, aliases, address changes, and common-name ambiguity to link records accurately.
Entity resolution is critical to accurate background checks. CROW uses multi-factor matching (name, date of birth, address history, SSN fragment) to ensure that findings are attributed to the correct subject, not a name-match coincidence.
Related: Methodology
A federal law that regulates consumer reporting agencies and governs the use of consumer reports for employment, credit, housing, and insurance decisions. The FCRA requires specific disclosure, consent, and dispute procedures when consumer reports are used for these purposes.
CROW is not a consumer reporting agency and CROW reports are not consumer reports under the FCRA. They cannot be used for employment screening, credit decisions, or housing decisions. For FCRA-compliant checks, use a licensed consumer reporting agency.
Related: FCRA Disclosure
A court's final decision in a lawsuit, often involving a monetary award. Civil judgments are public record and indicate that a court ruled against the subject. Judgments can arise from breach of contract, personal injury, debt collection, and other civil disputes.
Multiple judgments against a subject are a significant risk indicator. CROW reports list all discovered judgments with amounts, dates, and case details so you can assess the pattern.
Related: Clarity Brief
A legal claim against property as security for a debt. Common types include tax liens (unpaid taxes), mechanic's liens (unpaid construction work), and judgment liens (court-ordered debt). Liens are recorded at the county level and appear in property records searches.
Liens are important findings because they indicate unresolved financial obligations that could affect a person's reliability or a property's clear title. CROW reports flag active liens with amounts and filing dates.
Related: How to Find Property Records
A U.S. Treasury Department agency that administers and enforces economic sanctions. OFAC maintains the Specially Designated Nationals (SDN) list of individuals and entities prohibited from conducting financial transactions with U.S. persons. The SDN list is publicly searchable.
CROW checks OFAC sanctions lists as part of Due Diligence and Executive Intelligence reports. An OFAC match is a critical finding that indicates severe legal and financial risk.
Related: Due Diligence Report
The collection and analysis of information from publicly available sources, including government databases, media outlets, social platforms, commercial records, and academic publications. OSINT is used by journalists, analysts, law enforcement, and due diligence professionals.
CROW's methodology is rooted in OSINT principles: systematic collection from public sources, cross-referencing for accuracy, and structured analysis to produce actionable intelligence rather than raw data.
Related: Methodology
An individual who holds or has held a prominent public function, such as a head of state, senior government official, judicial or military leader, or senior executive of a state-owned enterprise. PEPs and their close associates are subject to enhanced due diligence under anti-money laundering regulations.
CROW's higher-tier reports screen for PEP status because it changes the risk profile of a relationship or transaction. PEP matches require deeper scrutiny of the subject's financial and political connections.
Related: Executive Intelligence
Public documents related to real estate ownership, including deeds, mortgages, tax assessments, liens, and transfer histories. Property records are maintained by county recorders, assessors, and clerks and are publicly accessible in most jurisdictions.
Property records reveal asset ownership, financial obligations, and transaction patterns. CROW searches property records to identify real estate holdings, liens, and ownership structures that may not be apparent from other sources.
Related: How to Find Property Records
Government-imposed restrictions on individuals, entities, or countries that prohibit certain financial transactions and business dealings. In the U.S., sanctions are administered by OFAC and can include asset freezes, travel bans, and trade restrictions.
Sanctions screening is a critical component of compliance-focused due diligence. CROW checks multiple sanctions lists (OFAC SDN, EU, UN) in its higher-tier reports to identify subjects who may pose legal risk.
Related: Due Diligence Report
The process of verifying a finding by corroborating it across multiple independent sources. CROW uses a 2-of-3 standard: every material finding must be confirmed by at least two independent sources before it is reported as verified. Sources are graded A through F based on reliability.
Source confirmation is what separates CROW from data aggregators that report unverified matches. It reduces false positives and ensures that findings in your report are reliable enough to act on.
Related: Methodology
A Uniform Commercial Code filing that records a creditor's interest in a debtor's personal property, commonly used to secure business loans and equipment financing. UCC filings are recorded with the state's Secretary of State and are publicly searchable.
UCC filings reveal business debts and financial obligations that do not appear in court records. CROW searches UCC records in Business Intelligence and higher-tier reports to provide a complete picture of a subject's financial commitments.
Related: Business Intelligence
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