Contractor background check
Before you pay a deposit, hand over keys, or let someone onto your site — confirm the person is who they say they are. Start with a name and a phone number or email; a full person report lands in your dashboard in minutes.
Single report $29.99 · no subscription required
Both sides of the job site.
The same report answers two very different questions — and both start with the same handful of details.
You are hiring a contractor
A roofer, plumber, electrician, remodeler or handyman is about to work on your property — often with a deposit up front and access to your home.
- Confirm the name and identity given to you
- Check address history against what you were told
- Look for public court or criminal records
- See whether the phone number matches the name
You are the contractor hiring crew
Subcontractors and day labour go into client homes under your name. Their behaviour becomes your reputation and your liability.
- Verify identity before they represent your business
- Review public records before site access
- Check the phone and email you were given
- Keep a record of the diligence you performed
Six checks, one plain-English report.
Every report runs the same full scope — the categories below are compiled into a single downloadable PDF.
A phone registered to another name is the most common flag — partly because numbers get reassigned, as covered in Recycled phone numbers: a hidden risk in screening pipelines. The check itself uses reverse phone number lookup data. Also see background checks for small business.
Identity & SSN trace
Confirms the legal name and age tied to the identifiers you provide, including the state and years the SSN was issued, plus known aliases and name variations.
Address history
Every address linked to the person, with first and last reported dates — useful when the address on the quote does not match the record.
Court & criminal records
Searches authoritative court and criminal databases and returns matching criminal, civil, administrative, and traffic cases with case numbers, courts, and dispositions.
Watchlist & sanctions
Screens the person against watchlist and sanctions databases and states clearly whether any records matched.
Phone & email consistency
Flags when a phone number is registered to a different name or business, and lists the apps and websites where the email address is used as a login.
Social & web references
Public social profiles, web references, and profile photos linked to the person, checked for consistency with the name you were given.
Every report ends with a verdict.
You do not have to interpret raw records. Each report opens with one of three plain-English results.
Identity lines up, no criminal records matched, and no watchlist hits. Proceed with normal caution.
Common examples: the phone is registered to another name, or civil court matters were returned. It is a prompt to ask a question, not a verdict on the person.
The report explains exactly what was found and where it came from, so you can decide with the facts in front of you.
What you need to run a check
You can start with very little. The more identifiers you add, the more precisely the report matches the right person.
- Full name — the minimum to begin
- Phone number or email address
- State — narrows court record matching
- SSN — optional, but deepens the identity and address trace
Reports cover people in the United States.
| Identity | Confirmed |
| Aliases | 3 name variations |
| Criminal records | None matched |
| Civil / administrative | 1 record returned |
| Watchlist / sanctions | No matches |
| Phone consistency | Registered to a business name |
| Address history | 5 addresses · TX |
One report costs less than an hour of most trades.
A single report is $29.99 with no subscription. If you vet crew or subs regularly, monthly plans bring the cost per report down to as little as $17.
Before you run a contractor check.
No. TellData reports are for general information and personal due diligence only. They are not consumer reports and cannot be used for employment, credit, tenant, or insurance decisions as defined by the FCRA. If you are making a formal hiring decision about an employee, use a Consumer Reporting Agency that provides FCRA-compliant screening.
No. Trade licences, bonding, and insurance are issued by state and local boards and should be verified directly with the issuing authority. TellData verifies the person — identity, address history, public court records, watchlists, and digital footprint.
No. Searches are private and the person is not notified.
That is a common Review result and often has an innocent explanation — a business line, a family plan, or a recently transferred number. The report tells you what was returned so you can simply ask.
Most reports are ready within minutes and appear in your dashboard as a downloadable PDF.
Each report runs an SSN trace, a court and criminal database search, watchlist and sanctions screening, phone and email enrichment checks, a public web reference review, and a social profile review.
Related checks and guides
Small business checks
The wider guide for owners hiring and lending.
Verify someone
Start a lookup with a name and a phone or email.
How a report is built
Six checks, one PDF, one plain-English verdict.
Nanny and caregiver check
The same checks, for people in your home.
SOURCES & FURTHER READING
Reverse phone number lookup · Recycled phone numbers: a hidden risk in screening pipelines · Email lookup · Our data platform
Check before the work starts.
A few minutes now is cheaper than a dispute later.