“For anyone who is dating and in a serious relationship, I strongly recommend doing a background check on your significant other. This could save you much pain and heartache.”
That’s from a letter to the editor of the Tuscaloosa News headlined, “Before dating, check background.” Here’s the story.
The writer of the letter met a woman he thought was “drop dead gorgeous.” He doesn’t tell us how or where. They went out on a date and he caught her stuffing her purse with silverware and the tip money he’d left on the table.
Evidently this was no big deal for him, because he kept dating her. The last straw came when he caught her stealing the tires from his car.
So now our friend recommends background checks for everyone you date. I recommend common sense instead.
Background checks are great. They can help you do your due diligence in hiring and reduce the risks of problem hires. They can help you improve the quality of your tenants. But even background checks won’t save you if you shut your brain off.
You’ve got to pay attention to all the signs, whether you do a background check or not. You’ve got to exercise some common sense.
Our friend who recommends background checks for dates caught his date stealing silverware at a restaurant. Then he went out with her at least two more times and acts surprised that she stole from him.
The best background check is only one part of the hiring or tenant screening process. Use it wisely, but use other tools, too. And keep thinking.