Culver City, Calif.-based USSearch.com offers various online people search and background check services. For the DateMate report, the company combines public records and assets searches with a criminal background check to provide a comprehensive view of things like a romantic interest's marriage (or divorce) history, past bankruptcies or civil suits.

USSearch.com is pegging the service as an option for social network hounds as well, as the personal info and anecdotes that Facebook and MySpace users post may not be truthful--and even arranging a casual meeting could end up being dangerous. "It is a matter of being careful, of confirming your trust," said Rod Stoddard, president of USSearch.com. "If you knew that the person you were communicating with online had an unsettling background, would you still want to meet that person?"

Indeed, the need for more transparent online social interactions has fostered the emergence of dating sites like Palo Alto, Calif.-based SayHeyHey, where daters must submit videos of themselves along with a text-based profile. For DateMate, users only need to know the first and last name of their potential date, and can purchase a report for roughly $25.

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