Have you read a novel or watched a movie in which the rich guy hires a PI detective to get a background search of another person by paying a hefty amount or is there a totally free background check? We could do that too but now who’s going to go and find the best PI or who even has that money?
Every time we step out of the house, we are bound to meet new people. Be it at work, at the bar, an employee, an employer, a new friend, on your next date, etc.
While most people trust strangers randomly, others may be skeptical of the unknown. No more stress! Thanks to these free background check websites, now performing a background check on anyone is simple.
You can even search for yourself as well in the free background checks. You feed in the basic details of a person such as his name or a number and find out his complete bio data.
We’re not saying you can know how much money he’s stored in his bank account but yeah you can find out if he’s murdered anyone before or any other criminal background check, lol! The free background check services are offered by these websites. As you delve into the article further you will understand how the procedure works.
Best Free Background Check Services:
Here is the list of the best free background check services. Have a look on these lists:
– UnMask– Overall Best Background Check Site
– TruthFinder– Best Free Background Check Site
– Intelius– Topmost Criminal History Check
– Instant Checkmate– All-inclusive Free Background Check Service
– US Search– Prominent Online Background Check Service
#1. UnMask– Overall Best Background Check Site
UnMask is one of the best people search engines when you need fast and accurate results that you can rely on. It’s a public records search tool that’s connected to millions of databases around the country, so you’ll have no problem learning more information about the people you search for.
In fact, UnMask can help you learn about someone’s education, work history, criminal record, and much more. Ultimately, it’s the go-to tool for comprehensive public record reports about people in the United States.
When it comes to UnMask’s background check feature, you can verify someone’s identity, view arrest records, and even pull up information about their court hearings. Running the initial search is free and, when you open the full report, all of the information you’re looking for in a background check is available in one comprehensive full report.
UnMask’s background check tool is also 100% secure and anonymous. This means that nobody will know you ran the search, and you can run unlimited searches when you sign up with UnMasked’s premium plan. Furthermore, the process takes less than 10 minutes from start to finish, and the tool prompts you with questions to help you narrow down the search results.
Highlights
Anonymity
When you run a search with UnMask, you don’t have to worry about people being notified of your search. Everything is confidential, and UnMask also allows you to remove your information from their website if you want to avoid a search being run on you.
Fast and Accurate
UnMask is one of the fastest tools you can use to view someone’s public records. The process only takes a handful of minutes, and the results are accurate due to their connection with millions of databases across the country.
Comprehensive Full Report
What helps UnMask stand out is its comprehensive full report. All the information you need to view is located in one report that’s easy to scroll through. Plus, UnMask has a lot of information you can view compared to its competitors.
Saved Information
UnMask will update you when someone’s information changes. Therefore, if someone changes their job or commits a crime, UnMask will help you learn about it.
Great Ratings
UnMask maintains a 4.85-star rating with more than 12,000 reviews.
Pricing
UnMask’s pricing is second to none. You can run your initial search for free, and when you want to view the full report, there is a trial period for your first few full reports. Subscriptions allow for unlimited searches, and you can cancel at any time with transparent pricing and steps to activate or cancel your plans.
Pros
— Three ways to search, including a people search, address lookup tool, and phone search tool
— 4.85 out of 5 stars based on more than 12,000 reviews
— Fast and accurate results
— Affordable and transparent pricing
— All types of public information are available
— User-friendly interference that’s easy for anyone to use
— Prompts you to answer questions about the person you’re looking for to help you narrow down your options
— Connected to millions of databases across the United States
Cons
— You can’t use this tool to run a background check on domestic help; home nurses, babysitters, and other people who work in your home
— The trial period is shorter than some other search tools
— No email address lookup tool
#2. TruthFinder– Best Free Background Check Site
One of the best and leading sites to run a best background check service on anyone is TruthFinder. The interface of the site is clean and easy to use.
With Truthfinder, you can access all types of information about anyone in the United States. Truthfinder works by aggregating public records into reports made available to you.
Truthfinder membership offers unlimited research. They have access to a third-party database where all the records are stored. They provide premium services at reasonable pricing.
The services are efficient which can be proved by their customer reviews. With tons of positive reviews, TruthFinder can be considered a reliable site and can be used by anyone looking for valid information about anyone.
Highlights
Popularity
Truthfinder is the most used website. They have over 60000+ 5-star reviews. It has been featured on daily mail, the Huffington Post, c/net, and Uproxx. The site is preferred by many Americans making it a popular site.
Information you can find
You can find information about a person’s family members, friends, exes, roommates, business associates, and neighbors. It will also show phone numbers, previous job history, probable relatives and associates, probable relationships, criminal record, sex offender information, assets, etc.
Legitimacy
Truthfinder is a completely legit site. The website is highly appreciated by the customers and has received an A+ rating from the BBB.
Anonymity
Your identity on the website remains completely anonymous. The search history isn’t open to the public and you can delete a report from your dashboard once you’ve viewed it.
Safety
The website is safe to use. They have got a special team of computer scientists and tech gurus ensuring that your truth finder experience is completely free from malware, viruses, or bugs.
They keep your connection secure through 256-bit encryption and a verified, approved SSL certificate. All the information is stored with the PCI-certified partners and not on their systems.
Pricing
To use the additional services, you need to pay up on truth finder. You can buy a membership for one or two months. For one month of unlimited reports, you have to pay $28.05/m. For two months, you have to pay $46.56 initially and then the membership renews automatically every 60 days.
Membership cancellation
You can cancel your membership anytime. The process is given on the website. You can also call up the customer care team and speak to someone to cancel your subscription. You can even send an email ([email protected]) to their official email and get your subscription canceled
Pros
– They protect your information with the help of Dark Web Monitoring
– Quick services provided
– They have an address lookup feature as well
– They provide multi-featured information
– They have a mobile app
– The reports provided by them are accurate
– Efficient customer services are provided
– They have a simple interface and step-by-step search and sign-up process
– It is BBB accredited and has got an A+ Rating
– They have the ID protection feature
– Over 9.5 million checks each month
– It has a rating of 4.1 out of 5
– It has more than 1000 reviews
Cons
– An employer cannot do pre-employment background checks if I’m his employee, domestic worker, or tenant.
– The cancellation process is long
– Extra charges for PDF download
=> Click here to visit the official website “TruthFinder”
#3. Intelius– Topmost Criminal History Check
Intelius is a public provider of data about people. When you run a background check with Intelius, you can get details about a person’s free criminal background check, marriage, divorce history, lawsuits, bankruptcies, lawsuits, and liens against them. With the help of this site you can get the detailed report about the criminal and arrest records of the person. You can even access photos, assets, phone numbers, and much more.
Before starting a job, you can run a free criminal background check on yourself, or you can look up your online date. The website was started in 2003 and has since then helped many people conduct a background search on people.
You can visit the website and check the features we have mentioned below. The website is considered a popular one and is preferred by many Americans on the lookout for a person’s background.
Highlights
Anonymity
The site makes sure to keep your search confidential and classified. You can look up anyone and no one can know about it.
Safety
Intelius allows you to get the right information safely. You don’t have to feed in any of your details to use their information.
Fast Outcome
Intelius gives quick results. You might have to wait a few seconds but eventually, the results come out within a few minutes of loading. It’s better than waiting in long queues, right?
Intelius Connection
Only Intelius provides Intelius Connection services as a portion of the People Search report. They have a tool that allows you to click on each connection to uncover additional associations that can help you learn new information and expand your contact list.
Trusted Partners
Intelius has received an A rating from Better Business Bureau and Honor Roll Status from the Online Trust Alliance.
Pros
– You can reconnect with old friends
– Check someone’s criminal record
– Find out who is calling you
– Look up potential relationships
– Survey property data on the house you want
– They have an extensive background check feature
– They have the fast pass features
– Efficient services
– Customer care is good
– They’ve provided a number to contact customer service directly
– They are committed to providing transparency
Cons
– The information in the report may either be outdated, inaccurate, or basic
– There are recurring charges and unauthorized monthly subscription fees
– To get complete information, you will have to pay additional charges
=> Click here to visit the official website “Intelius”
#4. Instant Checkmate– All-inclusive Free Background Check Service
Instant Checkmate is a public records search service, which provides online background search services. You can check up on anyone in the USA with the use of this site. You can verify their arrest records, criminal records, court documents, real age, addresses, and known aliases.
The background search also includes employment history, location history, likely relatives, social media accounts, or bankruptcy history. On instant checkmate, no user is scammed. The company has a positive rating from the BBB. You can remove your information anytime from Instant Checkmate by using their opt-out option.
With over 12 years of experience, Instant Checkmate has reached millions of people and has earned its loyalty amongst people for the accurate information provided by them. You can check out the schemes offered by the website and make the best of them.
Highlights
Unlimited Searches
On Instant Checkmate you can carry out unlimited searches. You can look up friends, relatives, colleagues, etc. You can also run a search on yourself and delete the information that you don’t want visible to the public.
Accurate Results
Instant checkmate retrieves information from specialized sources to give you accurate information. You can discover the facts about anyone and expose their actual identities. Instant Checkmate guarantees 100% accurate findings of facts.
Positive Reviews
Instant Checkmate has over 70000 5-star reviews from actual instant checkmate users. It also has an A+ Rating from the BBB. It has over 1,462,870,530 and more followers increasing by the day.
Customer Privacy and Safety
They have a verified SSL Certificate, and the website is secured with 256-bit encryption. The site does not save the user’s credit card information on their systems. It is stored with their PCI Certified partners.
Member Care
Instant Checkmate provides efficient services to their customers and resolves all their queries timely. You can contact customer care from Monday to Friday between 6 am to 7 pm PST and 9 am to 10 pm EST.
Pricing
The monthly subscription fee is $34.78. They have a phone lookup option as well which can cost you $4.99 per month. The subscription is for a one-month, three-month, or six-month plan. The pricing plans vary over time.
Security
Your search remains anonymous and secure. Instant Checkmate will not alert the person you looked up to. Your search is going to be secured with a 128-bit encrypted connection and with verified Norton protection.
Customer Satisfaction
Instant Checkmate takes all the right steps to ensure that the customers are satisfied, and it can be seen in the reviews posted by the customers on their website. People who have used the services of Instant Checkmate have praised the website and guaranteed you a smooth experience.
Pros
– They have reliable tools that generate updated and accurate information
– Private data of the person you’re looking up is not sent by text message because instant checkmate respects the privacy of everyone
– The site is safe, secure, and reliable
– The site provides good customer service
– The interface can be used easily
– Can be accessed from anytime and anywhere
– They have a mobile application
– You can easily find customer reviews
– Premium services offered
– Quick and easy check on anyone
Cons
– Once lost, passwords cannot be recovered
– They do update the records timely however don’t expect instant updates of the person’s details such as phone number or criminal records
=> Click here to visit the official website “Instant Checkmate”
#5. US Search– Prominent Online Background Check Service
US Search is another popular website that can be used to find background information. Featured on CNBC, CNN, Entrepreneur, and CBS. On US Search you can find billions of records.
You can reconnect with old friends, find numbers, and emails, find records, look up prior employment history, etc.
The process is a simple one and takes very few seconds before you can reach the final results. It was launched in 1993 and has won the hearts of many people.
Their services aren’t limited to free online background checks. They have other features like reverse phone lookups, criminal record checks, etc.
They do not have an app; it can be accessed only via their website. It’s a simple-to-use website and can be used by anyone. You can visit the website to get more idea about what all services they offer.
Highlights
Access
With the help of US Search, you get access to public records, you can reconnect with old friends and family members. They provide data on unknown numbers, people you’re skeptical of, business partners or dates, location searches, and property records.
Customer Testimonials
People have raved about their experiences with the blog. They find their experiences on it a great hit.
People have mentioned how the services are premium and that the customer service takes great efforts at resolving your queries. In case of an overcharge, they make sure to return the amount.
Ways of Search
You can search by name, phone number, or address. Once you select the option you’re most comfortable with, you will be asked a few options to select further which will help refine your search.
Security
Your connection is secure and whatever you search for will remain private. The site takes extra caution to keep your browser history safe.
They have protected their website with advanced software which helps secure the site. It is protected by 256-bit encrypted protection.
Pricing
To get access to an additional search, you will have to pay a certain additional amount. The prices vary from time to time. You need to sign up to get access to premium membership to enjoy the additional benefits.
The monthly fee for unlimited people and phone searches is $19.95. You don’t have to pay recurring charges; you can pay a one-time fee.
Customer Service
You can reach their customer care team via their email address or phone number from Monday to Friday between 10 am to 8 pm EST. Their customer care team is helpful and efficient. They respond quickly and resolve all queries.
Pros
– Reasonable pricing
– Factual services provided
– Detailed information given
– Properly organized reports
– Membership cancellation is an easy process
– The database is updated every day
– They have trial memberships available too
– Services are reliable and efficient
– Simple user interface thus making it easy for anyone to use
– Let’s people search without membership
– You can print reporters for free
– US search is private, and the information is kept safe and secure
Cons
– Recent information not available
– Companies for duplicate data have been received
– Not very transparent
=> Click here to visit the official website “US Search”
How We Made Free Background Checks List:
After conducting intense research, we made this list based on the following factors. The factors are as follows:
Research
We researched multiple sites and chose these sites to be the best background check sites for free background check services.
Also, we probed all the services these sites offer and listed them for you in this article. The sites selected by us are the leaders in background check portals. They provide efficient and accurate services.
You can run a background check on anyone for any purpose. You can find their criminal records, their past work background, their childhood history, etc.
They update their records from time to time, however, they don’t have a daily update system. For instance, if someone has changed their phone number 2 days ago, you won’t be able to find them immediately.
Comparison
We have compared these sites with other sites providing similar services and concluded that these sites offer the best services in background checks.
We conducted a comparison between the pricing, services, customer care, accuracy, efficiency, speed, and data provided.
Out of all the sites we tried and tested multiple times, we’ve concluded that if you wish to look someone up, these sites can be relied on.
Convenience
These sites are efficient as they provide accurate services quickly. It’s given convenience to so many people because earlier to find details about a person, one had to go to the county office and wait in long queues.
At times, people even had to travel to another state to get the required data. It’s convenient, accurate, quick, and reliable data and you can have access to it anytime and from anywhere in the USA.
However, what is to be taken into consideration is that it can be accessed only in the United States of America. You cannot find data about people living in other countries.
Accuracy
We can’t guarantee you that all their data is completely accurate however they do provide accurate information to some level.
You can get accurate information like the states he’s lived in or whether he has any criminal history. We have read the reviews of articles written up by bloggers who have given these websites positive reviews.
Ease of Use
The sites are to be used online and can be accessed from any device and any place. You just need a good internet connection and some details about the person you wish to run a background check on.
They are simple and easy to use and can be used by anyone. All you need is information like the name of the person or his mobile number or where is staying or has stayed and you can get the information.
Pricing
Basic services such as free background checks are provided by these sites but some websites charge a certain fee if you wish to seek their services.
Basic information is provided at no additional cost however if you want more information, you will have to pay a certain amount to get the information.
You can compare the different pricing and decide which site suits your preference too.
Safety
The websites guarantee you complete safety. The person you’re doing a background check on will not know about your activity. Most sites are protected by 256-Bit encryption and a verified approved SSL Certificate.
Legitimacy
The sites mentioned in this article are legal and reliable. Most of them have the A+ certification given to them by BBB.
Customer Service and other services offered
These sites don’t just provide background check services to their clients. They also give other services such as phone lookup, criminal record history, people search, etc.
The customer services offered by these sites are efficient and sincere. You can reach them by call or just mail your query to them and they will respond to you soon.
Goodwill
These sites have made a decent name for themselves in the background check market. They are reliable and known for providing good services to their clients. It can be witnessed by the customer testimonials given on the website and other reviews.
Buying Guide: Apps To Get Free Public Records:
Compare The Sites
You need to compare all the sites and then decide which one you like more. Using a website to use their services is similar to shopping, you need to compare and compare till you finally reach the ultimate search. It’s beneficial as you can study all the different sites and decide for yourself which one will suit you best.
Carry Out A Research
The only way to benefit from something is to first research about that thing, be it anything. Now that you’re looking up a person, you need to research to find out which site can be reliable. How will you find that? You need to research unless you wish to hire a PI.
Compare The Pricing
Most sites offer the best free background check services so try to use those sites which won’t burn a hole in your pocket but that’s not always going to be possible. These sites don’t provide complete information at 0 pricing.
Some of them will charge you a certain fee. They will give you minute details for free but to unlock the rest of the details you need to pay a price. It’s better than traveling to another state and looking up the person, right?
Use Different Sites
Don’t just stick to one website. Explore! Explore! Explore! Do a background check of background checking sites. Call up their customer care and clear out your queries with them. Basic services are anyway free so use the policy of try and rely on.
Read Reviews
Read as many reviews as you can. Research the websites and survey the information provided by them on their official website.
So many reviewers or blogs write about their experience with certain services so we need to feed in the right keywords on the websites and then find the right information. Read customer testimonials and if possible ask people around.
Know Why You’re Using These Services
You can look up others, for instance, you have a date planned with someone you chatted with on social media or dating websites and now you wish to meet them but you don’t know if he or she is safe, so you can use these sites.
If you’re an employer of a small establishment and you’re hiring a new employee, you can use these sites to get your queries sorted.
Speak To Customer Care
The best part about these free background check sites is that they have good customer care services so in case you have any questions, you can contact their customer care team and get your issues resolved. You can mail them and for a quicker reply, you can call them and speak to their agents.
Don’t Expect 100% Accuracy
The websites guarantee accuracy however that’s not always true. At times the websites do not update their information routinely.
They aren’t always 100% accurate. Let’s take an example, if a person has moved to a new home, his home address won’t be updated the next day.
FAQs: Free Background Checks
What Is a Background Check?
To carry out a background check means to run a search of an individual’s past. It can be carried out by an employer, employee, financial lending services, landlord, or any individual. You can check a person’s criminal records, credit history, family background, etc.
Why Are Background Checks Important?
We need to conduct timely background checks, so it keeps you safe. In case you’re going on a date with a stranger and need to be sure that they are safe to deal with.
An employer might want to run a test on his new employee so he may consider using a background checker.
What Are the Options Available to Conduct Background Checks?
You can go the traditional way and hire a detective, lol, just kidding! You can stalk them on social media, but no one will post about their criminal records or public records on social media. Hence, online websites that perform background checks are a good option.
What’s The Benefit of Running a Background Check?
You can reconnect with old friends, check someone’s criminal record, public records, see what appears in your background check, access up-to-date contact information, review property data on the house you want, and look up your next date. The benefit of running a background check is that you can find people with quick results.
What Should You Not Expect from These Portals?
Do not expect to find personal details about people from these websites. You cannot find anyone’s personal information. Some sites do help you out with that, but you will have to pay a small fee.
What Can You Expect in Your Report?
A background report can include public records, sex offenders’ status, court and arrest records, marriage and divorce status, social profiles and dating profiles, census data, address history, relatives, and contact information.
Some websites even reveal sensitive information such as weapon permits, foreclosures, business associates, asset information, additional contact information, and more.
What Does a Background Check Show?
A background check shows the first name, middle name, last name, age, date of birth, known aliases, and possible photographs, you can find possible associates that include roommates, business partners, and friends.
The sites include social media profiles, Wikipedia pages, foreclosures, Identity, and Social Security Verification, fair Credit Reporting act, Criminal Records, public records, a summary of active accounts and credit lines, debts such as mortgage debts, car payments, student loans, etc.
How Do the Sites Get Information for People’s Reports?
These sites find information for people’s reports from multiple data sources such as county records, state records, federal records, deep web information, and social network data.
Can You Find Your Personal Information?
You can research yourself too. In case you’re applying for a new job and know there’s a probability that your prospective employer can run a background check on you, you can retrieve your personal information as well.
What Do You Mean by A Level 3 Background Check?
It is a common background check that comprises a criminal record, prior job, and education. In level 1 you can only retrieve basic information about a person. In level 2, state and national records are taken into consideration.
Does A Waiver Need to Be Signed to Run A Background Check?
In some states, it is necessary to obtain a waiver to run a background check on a person in many states. Other states have other rules about this. You can get a lawyer to check out the waivers.
Can You Get a Copy of Your Background Report?
Some sites report your background check whereas others don’t. You will have to check the policies of the website. You can also speak to the customer care team to solve any queries.
When Is the Background Check Inaccurate?
There are chances that the background check will not always be accurate. It depends a lot on the data you feed into the search forum. As there are millions of people with the same name, you don’t need to get the results you’re looking for.
Is A Background Check Restricted to Employment Background Checks?
Not exactly. You can carry out a background check on anyone for any purpose. You can find long-lost relatives with the help of background checks. Check up on your date, your new employee, etc.
It’s used by people to find long-lost relatives, by people who wish to go on a date and want to verify the details of their date, and by people who don’t trust new people, they come across.
It can be used by people for any purpose; however, these websites do follow the protocols of the federal laws and can’t misuse any information.
Are There Any Laws That Regulate Employment Background Checks?
Employers are bound by guidelines provided by FCRA, State Consumer Reporting laws, and Enforcement guidance by US Equal Opportunity Commission, 2012.
Employers have to follow the guidelines of the above 3 bodies and cannot violate the rights of the employees.
How Long Does a Background Check Take?
It usually varies as per different sites. However, the process doesn’t take more than a few seconds to run a background check once you fill in the details of the person you’re looking up.
The time taken by the websites varies and it’s not the same for all. Other factors such as connectivity issues and your location also matter when it comes to speed.
What Other Services Can Be Used Apart from Background Search?
You can use the Reverse Phone Lookup tool. It helps people find the person who called them up. It can identify the number of the mystery phone number.
Can You Run a Background Check on Yourself?
You can run a background check on yourself to verify your identity, find your criminal records, and verify your employment and education history. This is great if you’re applying for work somewhere. You can see what your employers can see.
Do All the Websites Provide Similar Services?
Not exactly, all the websites offer background checks, however, their services differ. Some sites offer the services for free background check online whereas others provide basic services for free and charge for advance search.
Conclusion: Are Free Background Check Services Trustworthy?
Earlier one had to visit the local county clerk and submit a written request for documents and to look up records in a different state one had to travel to the state and appear in person. Worse would be to go door to door and look up the criminal record of the person you want to look up.
But thanks to technology one can simply get the records of any person online. These websites are easy to use and can be used by anyone from anywhere.
They provide basic accurate information about the person you’re looking up to, however please do not expect them to give out confidential information because that is illegal and against a person’s basic constitutional rights and can be considered stalking.
Go through these best free background check services sites and decide which website appeals to you best and how you can benefit from their services. However, we’ve done the brainstorming for you so it saves your time and energy, and you can find everything in this article on a platter. You just need to compare the sites in the article and decide which one suits you best.
