BeenVerified review

BeenVerified was founded in 2007 and is a reliable people search tool owned by Intelius, which also owns US Search and Instant Checkmate. All three of these search platforms utilize data from public records. With BeenVerified, you can conduct an informal background check on a new acquaintance or look up an old friend. The platform allows you to search using various data points, including name, address, phone number, vehicle details, and more. They provide access to billions of records and claim to have assisted over a million customers.

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In our BeenVerified review, we will take a closer look at the features offered by this people search tool and help you determine whether it is worth the investment.

BeenVerified: plans and pricing

BeenVerified does not allow users to purchase a report for a single individual, a pricing model many might prefer. Instead, users are required to sign up for a subscription. The subscription costs $36.89 monthly if paid monthly or $71.94 for three months, which breaks down to $23.98 monthly. When we tried to find the pricing details online, we found that the information was not very transparent, as users must complete the entire search process to see the price. This frustratingly involves several screens and a significant time commitment.

Major credit cards, including Visa, MasterCard, American Express, and Discover, can be used for payments. PayPal is also accepted. Payments can be processed via iTunes or Google Play if you purchase a subscription through the app.

It's important to note that canceling your BeenVerified subscription can be pretty challenging. There is no straightforward way to do this from within your account. Instead, you need to call the company’s support line or send an email to turn off auto-renewal. Additionally, ensure you request the cancellation before your next billing cycle to avoid being charged.

BeenVerified: features

BeenVerified is a comprehensive background check and public records search service that provides users with an extensive array of features designed to facilitate in-depth information gathering. Among its key offerings are people search, reverse phone lookup, email lookup, address lookup, and property search.

The people search feature allows users to locate individuals by name, revealing essential information such as contact details, social media accounts, and past addresses. The reverse phone lookup tool enables users to identify the owner of a phone number, which can be particularly useful for handling unknown calls or verifying strangers' identities. Similarly, the email lookup function helps track the ownership of email addresses, providing insights into a person's digital presence.

Address lookup allows for a thorough investigation of a property’s history, including past owners and transaction details, and can be particularly beneficial for potential homebuyers or real estate professionals. The property search feature offers additional layers of detail, including property valuations, tax information, and more.

Beyond these search features, BeenVerified includes a monitoring service that actively tracks changes in a person's report. This means users can receive alerts when updates occur, such as changes to contact information or new public records, thus promoting ongoing awareness and safety.

BeenVerified: interface and in use

Getting started with BeenVerified is a relatively straightforward process. Users can choose from various search types, such as background checks, people searches, or reverse phone lookups. After selecting the desired search category, you enter your information about the individual, such as their name or phone number, to initiate a comprehensive database search. Throughout this process, BeenVerified may prompt you with additional questions to refine your search results. These follow-up questions often pertain to the person's location, age, middle name, or known relatives, which can help narrow the options and provide more accurate results. If you don't have answers to these specific questions, you can easily skip them, which may result in broader search outcomes.

Unfortunately, our experience with the search process didn't go as smoothly as anticipated. During our tests, several searches were initiated but stalled indefinitely—the progress bar ceased its movement for over 30 minutes, and we were left waiting without any option to view a report. This lack of responsiveness can frustrate users who expect timely results. On the other hand, some searches were completed successfully, but we encountered a significant drawback: access to the search results requires a paid subscription. This means that users could invest money only to discover that there isn’t a report available for the individual they were initially interested in, leading to potential disappointment.

Moreover, the quality of the information in BeenVerified’s reports appears highly inconsistent. While some reports provided a wealth of detail, including complete criminal records and contact information, others were alarmingly sparse, lacking critical data that users might rely on. It’s particularly troubling that users cannot preview the data fields in a report before committing to the paid subscription. This absence of transparency adds an extra layer of frustration for users looking for specific information and may feel hesitant to invest without knowing what they might receive in return. Overall, while BeenVerified offers a convenient service, the user experience can vary significantly, and there are essential considerations to remember before proceeding with a subscription.

Support

BeenVerified offers customer support through various channels to assist users with their needs. You can reach their customer service team by phone at +1 888-579-5910, or you can email them at support@beenverified.com. They also have a contact form on their website that you can fill out. If you prefer live chat, they have that option available on their website as well. BeenVerified aims to provide comprehensive support to ensure a positive user experience.

Security

BeenVerified only shares information that is available in public records, so the company doesn’t put a huge amount of effort into security. That said, your account is secured with HTTPS and 128-bit encryption.

If you’re looking to opt out of having your data included in BeenVerified’s records, you can also do that easily. Just search to find your record, and BeenVerified will remove it within 24 hours of your request.

BeenVerified: the competition

BeenVerified competes against two of Intelius’ other people search finders, US Search and Instant Checkmate. All three search public records but they differ slightly.

US Search offers a cheaper monthly subscription and enables you to view search results before you run into a paywall. Also, you can pay for a single search, rather than having to take a monthly subscription to see a result. However, the information in the reports is often inaccurate, so we wouldn’t trust this service for running even basic background checks.

Instant Checkmate charges the same price as BeenVerified and offers far more information in its reports, including data about weapons licenses, vehicles, and traffic incidents. Instant Checkmate can be very frustrating to use since it entails clicking through numerous pop-ups. But thanks to the added report details, it offers a better bang for your buck than BeenVerified.

BeenVerified: final verdict

BeenVerified is a practical people search tool that offers a wide range of search methods, making it a versatile option for anyone needing to track down information about individuals. One of its standout features is the ability to search using various data points, such as vehicle identification numbers (VINs) or social media handles. This functionality is handy, as many competing platforms do not support searches based on these specific types of information, potentially saving users time and effort.

However, there are notable downsides to using BeenVerified. One is that users must sign up for a subscription before accessing their search results. This lack of transparency can be frustrating, as potential subscribers cannot preview the type of information they'll receive, making it difficult to determine whether the service will meet their needs.

Moreover, the quality of the reports generated by BeenVerified is inconsistent. While some users might find the information helpful, others may discover that the reports lack depth and detail. This inconsistency means that what you pay for may not always reflect the quality of information you receive, leading to a perception that the service is overpriced, given its value.

Overall, while BeenVerified offers some unique search capabilities that may appeal to specific users, the subscription requirement and the uneven quality of reports make it less attractive than other services in the market.

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