Background checks are extensively used for some of the following reasons: check someone's criminal record; check into someone's background before committing to a relationship; or to confirm the legitimacy of a potential employee. Through background checks, you can find someone's criminal record, employment record, driving record, and credit information. Background checks are regulated by the Fair Credit Reporting Act, the Drivers Privacy Protection Act, and the Gramm-Leach Bliley Act, in addition to other state laws and regulations as they pertain to background checks. Background checks can be conducted by an investigator or by one of the hundreds of websites that provide instant background checks for a small fee.