In a Nutshell
pros
- Gives you unlimited background checks per month
- Search for actual mugshots
- Provides a single, easy-to-read report
cons
- Unclear how much user data is collected or how it is used
- Website does not make a guarantee to safeguard user security
- No 24/7 customer service chat
The thing is, it’s still much better to have the help of professionals when you start sleuthing. Online background check companies have the tools and the know-how to find all types of information that you might not know how or where to search for. Sites like CheckPeople have an entire tool kit at their disposal and serve as a sort of one-stop portal to find the information and answers you’re looking for.
CheckPeople scans a vast array of public records—including phone book listings, marriage and divorce records, criminal records, sexual offender databases, and more, and performs instant “deep web searches” in order to find hidden social media accounts, websites, and posts made online. All of this information is put into a single comprehensive report. You pay a low monthly fee and get unlimited searches, which only take punching in the person’s name and then scrolling through the results when they come in.
Ideal For
- Performing multiple background checks
- Screening harassing phone numbers with reverse phone number lookup
- Finding information on the “deep web”
Why Go With CheckPeople
With so much data available online, it can get confusing knowing where to get started and how exactly to keep all your findings organized and clear. With CheckPeople, customers receive a single, comprehensive report that clearly lays out all of the findings made by the company, keeping things simple.
CheckPeople uses a series of public databases to find information for background checks, including arrest records and all sorts of public records. The company also does deep web searches that can dig up old, forgotten social media accounts or blog posts, and dig up things that you may have thought were lost in the online ether.
You can also carry out a reverse phone lookup through CheckPeople, which will give you details about harassing phone calls or telemarketers and help you get a better handle on your incoming calls.
Pricing
CheckPeople doesn’t provide a single, cheap 5-day or one-week plan, but it still has some pricing options that are appealing. In particular, you can pay $27.65 for a single month of unlimited reports. This is a far better deal than the $29.95 charge to access a single report. In addition, if you think you may need the plan for more than 1 month, you can sign up for the “savvy users” deal, which includes 2 months of unlimited reports for $22.97 per month. The membership automatically renews at the end of the term though, so make sure to cancel before the next billing cycle if you’ve already carried out the tests you needed.
Reports Offered
Background checks - Combs through billions of public records to find information on criminal records and arrest records, current and previous contact details, court documents, marriage and birth certificates, former places of residence, and more. CheckPeople searches all types of county, state, federal, and municipal legal documents, providing you access to information including bankruptcy filings, personal injury and small claims court cases, legal rulings, and more.
Instant “deep web” search - CheckPeople uses a proprietary algorithm to search for hidden social media accounts, long-lost websites, blog posts, forum posts, images and more, to bring you information that may have been “lost” to the internet sands of time.
Reverse phone lookup - CheckPeople allows you to search for any suspicious or unknown caller and find their name and address. This can help you protect yourself and also avoid unwanted phone calls.
Customize Search
When you search for someone on CheckPeople, you simply need their first and last name, and if possible, the city and state as well. Chances are you will receive multiple results for the name, and it’s up to you to determine which one is the person you’re looking for. Typically, as long as you know the person’s age this should help you narrow it down.
You don’t need to know highly-detailed information about someone before you start searching them.
Is it Legit?
CheckPeople’s website includes a FAQ section that doesn’t make any guarantees about your security or how and if the company will use your data. That said, the company does say that it uses “commercially reasonable safeguards” to protect unauthorized access to your personal information.
It should be noted that if you’re using CheckPeople—or any other background check company—you must comply with the Fair Credit Reporting Act. The FCRA prohibits the use of background checks for potential employees or tenants, except in the event that you informed them beforehand and they agreed in writing.
How it Works
CheckPeople uses its own proprietary algorithm to conduct deep online searches of public databases and online content in order to find reams of information on people.
One of the main avenues used is court documents that can show any prior convictions or legal measures, as well as any civil cases that the person may have had in the past. Police records are used to show if a person has been arrested or charged with a crime, and the sex offender database can provide lengthy details on people who are on their lists. You can also find “related relatives” to find connections that you might not have known the person had.
City and state documents can help you find property and business listings, as well as marriage and death records.
The company also casts a wide net across the depths of the internet, searching for all types of online content—including social media profiles and blog posts—that people may have written years prior.
Put simply, what CheckPeople and companies like it do is search all types of legal routes for information, searching in places that, left to your own devices, you might not know to check, or how.
Ease of Use
Part of what has made background check companies popular is that they are easy to use.
You simply sign up in a matter of minutes and then use the search bar at the top of the screen to get started. The search bar has spots for first name, last name and city and state and you just punch in your guy and hit enter.
Unless the person has a highly unique name, there should be multiple results. If you know your person’s age and places they have lived in the past, this will make it very easy to narrow down the results and find the person you’re looking for.
Clicking through, you will then be taken to a comprehensive report that will include all of the person’s found information on a single page. This can be printed out or emailed easily, and all of the various details should be easy for even a novice to understand.
When performing a reverse number lookup, the same principles apply. Simply punch in the number in the search bar, and within moments you should be able to view your answer.
Help & Support
If you’re trying to reach CheckPeople, you can contact them through an online email form and receive an answer. There is also a 24/7 toll free 1-800 number that you can use. There is no 24/7 online chat window where you can instantly speak to a representative.
The company also has an extensive FAQ section online that should sort out any questions you have about the service.
Bottom Line
If you’re looking to find out information about someone in your life—or in your past—CheckPeople can be a great tool for finding the details you didn’t know about, or even confirming things you may have wondered about.
To put it simply, the company offers to use its algorithm and search tools to comb through all types of public records, in order to present you a single report on your person. Think of it this way—there are tons of places to look but you might not know where or what they are, or have the energy to go searching. With CheckPeople, the company has the know-how and tools that can do the legwork for you.
About CheckPeople
According to CheckPeople, the company was founded in order to “put your mind at ease knowing exactly who you are dealing with.”
The company was founded by a team of people with over 20 years of experience in internet businesses who wanted to start an “intuitive, easy to use service that allows people to conduct background searches affordable and in a format that is simple to use and understand.”
CheckPeople has received mixed reviews from users which can be easily found online, and some of its assurances about security are not as ironclad as other companies. In addition, the pricing structure presents a rather short list of options.
Nonetheless, the service can help simplify a fact-finding mission and give you the tools to access places you never even knew to look and put it together in an easy-to-read report.
Phone Number
1-800-267-2122
Note: CheckPeople is not a consumer reporting agency, and CheckPeople’s products and Services do not constitute a “consumer report,” as defined by FCRA. CheckPeople’s products and Services may not be used to determine eligibility for credit, insurance, employment, or used for any other purpose governed by the FCRA, including, but not limited to the following: credit and/or loans, employment, education, scholarships or fellowships, tenant, housing or other accommodations, benefits, privileges or services provided by any business establishment, to spy on or stalk people, to commit identity fraud or theft.
