Public Records
In the State of South Carolina, matters about individuals and businesses that are related to government administration are public information. These records include land ownership, property, tax, and court records. Nothing about these records is private, and a lot of information about both individuals and businesses can be found online.
Using Public Records
In an investigation, public records may be useful for several purposes. They may explain details related to files found on digital devices. In some cases, they may also reveal fraudulent activities, especially those related to real estate transactions. In addition, public records may yield information about parties in prior civil or criminal transactions.
Although public records are public, as the name implies, they should still be used in an ethical manner. Public records should never be used for illegal or unethical purposes, such as to stalk or intimidate a person. Most people are not aware that these records are public and incorrectly assume that certain information they consider sensitive, such as the size of mortgage they took to buy a home, are private. Therefore, it is important to use discretion when discussing the results of any public records search, as some people will find these search capabilities to be creepy.
