Cyber-sleuthing as a prelude to meeting and greeting an online date is on the rise. Online-dating site eHarmony and some matchmakers sanction Googling match candidates — even going so far as to pay for background checks. Some agencies will also do an in-depth background check for a small fee. And for some, especially after being burned by previous online-dating experiences, this gives peace of mind. If you want to do some of your own sleuthing, here are some online resources:

• Find out if someone has been charged with a crime or has been involved in a lawsuit in Los Angeles County: www.lasuperiorcourt.org
• Find out where your date lives: www.argali.com
• Find out where he or she works: www.zoominfo.com
• Their true birthdate: www.birthdatabase.com
• Find out how much their house is worth: www.zillow.com
• Where they have lived for the past 10 years: www.zabasearch.com
• Check out their house, swimming pool and more: earth.google.com
• See what people say about them on blogs: www.feedster.com
• Were they a horrible date? www.dontdatehimgirl.com

Have you ever done any cyber-sleuthing yourself? Please share your experience with us.