The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is concerned about six background checking apps that are available on smartphones.  These apps include: Police Records app, Criminal Pages app, Background Checks, Criminal Records Search, Investigate and Locate Anyone, and People Search and Investigator apps.  The FTC sent out letters to the makers of these apps to warn them of their concerns.

The FTC is concerned that these apps may violate the FCRA regulations about privacy of consumer report information and the accuracy of the reports being provided from these apps.  Some of these apps include criminal reports, which are mainly used for employment and tenant screening, so if these companies are to use these apps they must meet with the terms of the FCRA.  The FTC has told the makers of these apps to review their apps to make sure none of the regulations by the FCRA are being violated.