Source-backed guides for checking registrations, licenses, reviews, and the warning signs that matter before money changes hands.
Run a free background check on any business with this step-by-step source order: state registration, licensing, BBB, court records, WHOIS, and news search.
July 16, 2026
8 min
A before-and-after teardown of business website red flags - domain age mismatches, what the SSL padlock doesn't mean, and contact-page tells.
Summer pest-control sales crews often sell contracts for a company you've never verified. Learn how to check the real business and avoid auto-renewal traps.
A state-by-state comparison of which trades require licensing in California, Texas, Washington, Michigan, and Florida - and the real gaps between them.
The storefront name and the registry name are often different things on purpose. A glossary of DBAs, franchise structures, and how to connect brand to entity.
UCC filings show liens against a contractor's equipment or receivables. Learn what's normal, what signals distress, and how to search records yourself.
Learn how to verify Contractor Before You Hire using public records and a 17-check ProofScore before you hire or pay. Backed by 17 public-record verification
A memorable, repeatable routine for verifying a business before any payment over $500 - four named steps that take about ten minutes total.
Scare-tactic HVAC diagnostics are common. Learn the second-opinion rule, how to check a technician's license, and how to spot parts-warranty games.
Learn to read Secretary of State business search results correctly: entity status, registered agents, foreign qualification, and formation-date red flags.
A BBB grade and a state license protect you in different ways. See what each actually guarantees, which matters more, and how to read a BBB profile correctly.
Learn how to verify When to Refresh a Business Report using public records and a 17-check ProofScore before you hire or pay. Backed by 17 public-record