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Tuesday, May 17th
For almost 20 years, InfoTracer has been helping individuals look up people by name, phone number and address, as well as email address, license plate, VIN or IP address. There are over five billion records here - and counting.
Fast searches
We're pleased with how quickly InfoTracer runs reports. When we started with a first and last name plus a probable state of residence, it only took a minute to give us a list of results. This service accurately matched the details we entered with the right individual, and we didn't have to wait through minute after minute of questions and "database searching" like many of InfoTracer's rivals did.
Low-cost trial
Once you've identified the corresponding person you'd like to background check and click to see the results, you'll land on the payment page: $2.95 for a report plus a seven-day trial of InfoTracer's basic search services.
Basic membership benefits
If you don't cancel after your trial, you'll be subscribed to InfoTracer's basic search features for $24.95 per month. But, you should be aware that this only gives you access to one level of information, like address history and known relatives, aliases, and so forth. We had to reach out to InfoTracer's online chat support (which answered very quickly, even on a weekend) to find out more about how customers access the kinds of details traditionally desired in a background report: eviction records, criminal convictions, and so on.
Costs add up
We didn't love the answer: instead of being able to upgrade to a higher membership plan, users have to pay per report to the tune of anywhere from $9 to $25. On the one hand, it's nice that you only have to buy the reports you actually need. But, on the other hand, it's going to get spendy if you need in-depth background checks on a large number of people.
Costs
Users are happy with this service
Despite the pricing structure, InfoTracer clients are overwhelmingly satisfied. This background check service shines in the customer service arena: people say that the support team is readily available (as we also discovered) and always willing to resolve issues quickly and fairly. InfoTracer's reps can even pitch in and help you find answers on a tricky search problem, going above and beyond what you'll find with some rival services. More than 1500 customers have rated this background check platform with a flawless 5/5 stars.
Trustworthy and detailed
You should have no qualms about using InfoTracer to run background checks. Even though the pay-per-report aspect isn't our favorite thing, we still see the overall value provided here - particularly if you only need that level of investigation once in a while and primarily need access to more basic info. We suggest giving InfoTracer a thorough trial for a week to see if it's the right background check service for you.
You're already well aware of the fact that you can find out lots about people with a simple Google search, but what if you need to know more? There are plenty of reasons to pay for a background check, from vetting your newest love interest to making sure a childcare provider doesn't have a criminal past.
These paid platforms can access records that won't show up in a traditional search - and they save you time by pulling together information from thousands of databases into one place. When you run a background check, most services will give you two tiers of pricing: basic and "premium" . What's the difference? A basic search typically renders results showing a person's known aliases (like maiden names) and relatives, address history, phone number, email addresses, and possibly social media accounts.
To get to the kinds of records you've probably got in mind, like criminal and court proceedings, you'll have to upgrade to the premium service. That may be included as an add-on to a monthly subscription cost or as a one-off fee each time you conduct a search.
As you consider whether or not to conduct a background check, it's important to understand that some uses are strictly prohibited - and every service will require you to acknowledge those limitations at some point during the process (usually with an "I accept" or "I agree" checkbox). Identified as FCRA (short for Fair Credit Reporting Act), this regulation means that you can't use a background check service to influence decisions on employment, tenant applications, insurance, and several other scenarios. There are a small number of services that offer FCRA compliant searches, but expect to pay accordingly.
No matter which background check service you ultimately select, there's one good reason to visit more than one site: to protect your privacy by requesting that your own records be removed from their listings. Look for a link at the bottom of the site that says "Opt Out" or "Do Not Sell My Information" . From there, you'll either conduct a search for your own records (at no cost) or provide the URL you got when you looked up your own profile previously. Once you click the link sent in a confirmation email, it can take several business days for your info to be deleted (though we've seen it happen almost instantly as well).
With so many platforms offering background checks, which one is right for you? Keep in mind these criteria as you make your decision:
To help you get all of the information you need. TopConsumerReviews.com has evaluated and ranked the most popular background search providers available today. Are you ready to find out more about your neighbor, date, or coworker? Choose one of our highest-ranked services and see what you discover!
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