While prenuptial, or premarital agreements, have been popular for years, the Wall Street Journal recently published an article stating that private investigators are increasingly performing background checks on prospective spouses. Investigators around the country report that their business has boomed with people wanting to confirm whether their prospective spouse has any “deal-breaking habits and secrets.”
The new trend is driven by the increase of online dating and online relationships. While many have income or assets to protect, many simply want to make sure that they are getting involved with someone legitimate and not any type of scam. Costs will range depending on how in depth an investigation is sought, but an individual can sometimes learn a significant amount of information just by googling a person. Investigators may find nothing, but in some cases find “undisclosed debt, criminal convictions, hidden addictions and infidelity.”
The article notes that a background investigation on your prospective spouse can raise “moral questions for some couples. If a relationship is based on trust, “what does a background check say about the person pay for it – and the relationship itself.” A background check can be particularly problematic if the person being investigated finds out. For some hopeful, especially those who have had a problem relationship in the past, are better safe than sorry.