BeenVerified background checks
Image by Megan Rexazin Conde from Pixabay

This article is a review of BeenVerified, the online people search, background search, and public records research service. In this review, I’ll provide a high-level overview of the company, the features and benefits of its public records search services, discuss how much it costs, and explain how to access it. Plus, I’ll answer a few of the most frequently asked questions, such as how to opt-out of having your data available and contacting support for assistance. Note: This review includes web-based (browser-based) and downloadable mobile apps.

What is BeenVerified?

BeenVerified is a public records search engine that can be used to run a people search for information about people, their history, associates, and their lives. The company has been around for over ten years, and over 1 million people have used the service.

Joshua Levy and Ross Cohen founded BeenVerified in 2007 in New York City. Joshua Levy is the company’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO), and Ross Cohen is the Chief Operating Officer (COO).

The company has more than 50 employees and more than 100,000 subscribers. According to SimilarWeb, their website is one of the top 400 most visited sites.

BeenVerified’s mission is simple and sensible: “to help people discover, understand, and use public data in their everyday lives.” Running an online people search and digging through public records can be daunting, and most people don’t know where to start. BeenVerified’s goal is to make public records accessible to everyday individuals, not just research professionals and private investigators. Based on my analysis of the company, its products, services, and support, I can confirm that it is legit and can be trusted.

I’ve been using the internet since 1994, and I’ve always thought that accessing public records was more difficult than it should be. Above all, if you learn only one thing from this article, it should be that BeenVerified makes searching for public records easy. If all you’ve done up to this point is to type someone’s name into a Google search and sift through the results, you’ll be pleasantly surprised with this service.

Before I describe the features and benefits, let me suggest a few reasons you might need to use the service. There are many good reasons:

  • Run a People Search. Use it to locate old friends, long-lost loves, and family members. If you’re planning a family or class reunion, having access to a public records search engine makes the process fast and easy. Running a name search, reverse phone number search, or reverse email search can significantly reduce the time you’ll have to spend searching.
  • Use it to identify unknown callers. For instance, I get at least five daily calls from numbers I don’t recognize. With BeenVerified’s reverse phone number lookup tool, I can easily enter the number and learn who owns it. In addition, I can see feedback from other users who searched for the same number. This alone makes it worth the subscription price.
  • Determine if someone is telling the truth about their past. I used the service to uncover details about someone’s past. Then, I learned they weren’t telling the truth about where they lived or their financial history. The amount of data available and how far down you can drill into the information is impressive. 
  • Search for information and data on your background and historical information. Knowing what a potential employer might see about you beforehand is good if you’re looking for a job. Indeed, it is better to know and prepare for questions about your personal history—also, an automated function searches for almost any data breaches associated with your account email. In addition, the system provides an overview of the information about the breach. Plus, it suggests practical actions you should take that may help you protect yourself.

Notable Benefits

  • Save Time—Technically, you could uncover all the information independently, but it would likely take you a long time. The BeenVerified background search aggregates public records information from multiple sources quickly and makes it available in one convenient place, saving you a lot of time. Also, they have a new Monitoring function that will alert you if there are any updates on someone you are tracking.
  • Be in the Know – If your daughter brings home a new boyfriend, do your homework and learn more about them. Learn whether they have a criminal history, their real name, where they have lived, and who they are associated with.
  • It’s Affordable—The company offers membership plans for online searches for less than $30 monthly, comparable to its competitors’ prices.
  • Privacy – The company commits to maintaining the privacy of its users. Your search history will never be shared with anyone, and the subjects you search for will not be notified.

How to Access BeenVerified

Access the Service via a Web Browser

You can visit the site on any mobile device with a web browser, including personal computers, laptops, tablets, and mobile phones. To access the system via a web browser, click the button below. 

The service works with all major web browsers, including Chrome, Internet Explorer, Firefox, Opera, Safari, and more. As with any website, you may experience problems using an out-of-date version of these browsers. If you’re having trouble, upgrade to the latest version. If that doesn’t help, contact the company.

Use the BeenVerified Mobile App

In addition to accessing the site through a web browser, you can download the BeenVerified Mobile App directly to your cell phone. This gives you a better mobile experience when you’re on the go.

The BeenVerified Background Checks Mobile App
The BeenVerified Mobile App

All of the services described here are available via the BeenVerified Mobile App. I downloaded the app from the Google Play Store for this review, but you can also download it from Apple iTunes.

The app has an intuitive, easy-to-use design and layout and is visually appealing.

Access via a mobile device is handy when referring to information on the go. For example, you can quickly log in, easily pull out your cell phone, and look up people you just met. I did this on more than one occasion. I used the app to look up the person we were talking about, and it impressed my friends.

Also, you can quickly look up phone numbers you don’t recognize. So, when you get a phone call from someone who isn’t on your contacts list, don’t answer. Then, use the app to look up the number. This allows you to avoid telemarketers and scammers.

When I downloaded the app to my mobile phone, the BeenVerified Mobile App had over 1 million downloads. Also, it has a rating of 3.4 out of 5 stars, based on more than 10,000 reviews.

List of BeenVerified Background Search Features

Before I signed up for the service, I wondered, “What will I have access to?” and “What will it show on the screen?” If you’re wondering the same thing, here is an overview of the primary features and a few screenshots.

Member Dashboard

When I first logged in to explore my member dashboard, I was pleasantly surprised to see that BeenVerified is a legit people search service. I was very impressed with their dashboard, the ease of use, and the overall look and feel of the site. Compared to other people search engines that compete in this space, this tool has the best usability.

A sample screenshot of the member account dashboard.

When you sign up, you can run online searches, including background reports, contact info, phone search, email lookup, address search, criminal records, and more. However, you must understand that the information you obtain from this service cannot be used in employment decisions, credit screening, tenancy decisions, or any other purposes restricted by the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA).

Their most popular feature is the People Search, which scans billions of public records to locate data and information.

To search for a person, click the People Search tab and enter the First Name, Middle Initial, Last Name, City, State, and Age. You can leave some information blank, but your results improve the more specific you are. For example, leave them blank if you don’t know the city and state.

BeenVerified People Search
A screenshot of the People Search form interface.

The BeenVerified Background search system will use the information you enter to search through data and records and return a list of potential matches. Once you select a name, the system will compile a tremendous amount of information from a variety of different public records resources and returns information for you to review, such as:

Address History and Real Property Information—The Address History results plot all addresses on a U.S. map and show the individual address plotted on a local map. The results indicate approximate dates when the individual lived at the location.

You can investigate each address further and obtain information such as the county where the property is located, the dwelling’s square footage, the year of construction, tract number, subdivision name, approximate market value, active loans, and the number of bedrooms and bathrooms. In addition, you can view a list of registered sex offenders and photos.

Aliases (other names) – This section shows other names the individual may go by. In the tests I ran, this section was of limited value. It usually includes variations such as “First Name, Last Name,” “Nickname, Last Name,” “First Name, Middle Initial, Last Name,” etc.

Associated persons—The search results provide data and information on almost any associated person, such as spouses, children, parents, and others. This is a beneficial feature because you can drill down into the details for family members to better understand the person’s household. You may discover what you’re looking for under a family member’s information rather than in your subject’s online profile.

The associated person’s section will also suggest the neighbors’ names associated with each address found. This can be helpful if you need to locate a missing person. Neighbors may know their whereabouts or have other helpful information.

Bankruptcies—The Bankruptcy section provides details of any bankruptcies filed by the individual. It gives the debtor’s name, date filed, type (Chapter 7 or 13), appointed trustee, attorneys, and disposition date. Learn more about Bankruptcy.

Personal Details (Overview)—The Personal Details section includes the person’s name, age, month and year of birth, and marital status.

Note: License plate numbers and VIN numbers are not available in the database.

Professional and Education Credentials

Education History – The system makes searching for publicly available information on the subject’s educational history easy. Information will only show up in this area if the person disclosed or posted their information. However, if nothing shows up in this area, it doesn’t necessarily mean the person has no degrees or diplomas. It just means they aren’t available in public records databases.

Professional Background – The system will search for almost any publicly available sources for positions the individual holds.

Results Navigation Menu
Results Navigation

Then, the system presents the information on a logically arranged, easy-to-understand, and easy-to-use page. Honestly, the amount of data and information it provides is quite impressive.

The BeenVerified Background search system is an excellent tool for finding a missing person, locating an old friend, or locating a long-lost love. It helps you quickly gather a vast amount of public records information to help you locate the person.

The results page could be very long, depending on what records are available for your particular search. To navigate the results, use the left navigation menu (sample to the left).

Note: In some cases, public records have not been “digitized.” You can’t access them online because they aren’t in electronic format. In this case, you must visit the courthouses in the counties where your subjects lived or lived in the past.

The Reverse Phone Number Search feature allows you to search for landline and cell phone numbers and match them to a person. Honestly, I get many spam phone calls from telemarketers, so this is a feature I could always use.

The system provides information on the possible phone number owner and their address, the line type (landline or cell), the mobile service provider, and the locale (based on the area code).

BeenVerified even looks at the phone number to see if there are any complaints associated with the number.

To use the reverse phone number search feature, click on the Phone Search tab at the top of the screen, enter the phone number, and click the Search button. The system will search and return a list of possible matches.

BeenVerified Reverse Phone Number Search

Once the results are displayed on the screen, the most likely match is shown first. In addition, other possible matches are displayed at the top of the screen to help you easily navigate back and forth.

Click the button below to get started with a Reverse Phone Number Search.

Comments from Other Users About a Particular Phone Number

The BeenVerified background search also has a new feature that allows users to provide feedback about specific phone numbers. For example, if you sign up and use the service to search for an incoming call that you received from a telemarketer, you can add that feedback directly on the results page. In addition to adding comments, you can indicate if the call was from a telemarketer or if you received a text from the number.

The information you enter about the scammer will help people search for the same number.

Recently Added Features

The following are new features and functionality that help enhance your ability to locate the information or the person you are searching for.

Alerts and Notifications – A nice feature they just added is that you can set an alert to be notified if almost any of your reports change. This handy feature allows you to avoid running another search to see if new information is available.

Reminder Emails – After you run a report on an individual, you will receive a reminder email suggesting other ways to get more out of your report. The email has quick buttons that allow you to launch a search immediately. Examples include “run a report for their phone number, run a property report, run an email report, and more. I like this feature, as it exposes me to other reports I may not have considered otherwise.

Blog – The company also publishes a helpful blog with various information. Topics include Crime, Law, Real Estate, Relationships, and many more. You can use the blog resources to learn more about a particular subject. Then, you can join and log in to perform the search you just learned about.

How Much Does BeenVerified Cost?

BeenVerified has two membership plans: a monthly plan and a three-month plan. Below is a recap of how much it costs. The prices you pay for access are as follows (note: these prices may change at any time. In fact, the price went down since I first wrote this article.):

Pricing PlanPrice / Cost
1 Month Membership$22.86
3 Month Membership$44.58 ($14.86 per month)

Premium Data

Several categories are specified as “BeenVerified Background Search Premium Data.” This means you can access the information by paying an optional additional fee. Categories of premium data include Judgments and Liens, Licenses and Permits, Voter Registration, UCC Filings, Weapons Permits, Aircraft Registration, Business Affiliations, Sporting Permits, Pilot licenses, and more. The cost of the premium data varies based on the report.

Forms of Payment

You can pay for the cost of the service via several different payment methods, including:

  • Debit / Credit Card
  • PayPal
  • Apple Pay
  • Google Pay
  • Visa Checkout
  • Amazon Pay

When you sign up for a subscription plan, you pay the initial charge upfront. Then, they re-bill you automatically at the end of the term. You can cancel your membership at any time.

I found the cancellation process to be quick and easy. To cancel, you can either call 1-855-904-6469 or email the support group at support@beenverified.com.

The company offers a 100% money-back guarantee. If you cannot locate who you’re looking for, you will receive a refund for the total cost.

Please note that prices may change, so visit the website to access the system for the most recent cost. Make sure you understand the pricing cost before you checkout.

I am unaware of any free trials the company offers and haven’t seen any free logins. When I registered, a free trial was unavailable, and I have not seen any coupon codes that work. However, the company may run promotions from time to time. If I see any notices of coupon codes or free trials, I’ll update this article.

Notes about the Initial Signup Process

As part of the BeenVerified Background Search’s signup process, you must acknowledge that you are at least 18 and agree that the information you obtain from the service cannot be used to determine someone’s eligibility for employment, tenant screening, or education admission.

There are seemingly a lot of steps in the sign-up process. I feel this is both good and bad. It is bad because I’m impatient and want to quickly log in and access the report I’m trying to run. It is good because the thorough signup process helps to lend a feeling of legitimacy to the service.

Once you sign up, the delivery of results is super fast. Of course, you can sign in to your account using the login credentials you established during the signup process.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who are BeenVerified’s Competitors?

The company competes directly with companies such as Intelius, Spokeo, etc. Yes, there are many alternatives, but based on my research and testing, BeenVerified has the best interface and provides the best user experience. If you’d like to see how the others compare, read our review of Intelius and Spokeo. In addition, there are other options, such as TruthFinder, Instant Checkmate, and many more.

How Can I Contact BeenVerified?

If you need to contact the company directly, the following is their primary contact information:

Address48 W. 38th Street, 8th Floor, New York, NY 10016
Phone Number1-888-579-5910
Email Addresssupport@beenverified.com
Contact FormContact Us

How Do I Cancel My Account?

To cancel your BeenVerified Background Search account, send an email (preferably using the same email account you used to sign up) to the customer service team at support@beenverified.com. Provide your nine-digit ID account number and clearly explain that you wish to cancel. If you need your ID number, log in to the service, click on your name in the upper right-hand corner, and then check on the My Account screen. The ID number will be under your full name. Your member ID is also in the welcome email you receive after signup.

You can also cancel your account via phone by calling 1-888-579-5910 and providing the information described above.

You will receive a confirmation of the cancellation email that includes the exact date and time.

The first time I used the service, I submitted a cancellation request via email. Just 16 minutes later, I received an email confirmation from their customer service that they canceled my account. Once you cancel your BeenVerified account, you still have access through the end of your subscription term. Note: I was satisfied with my experience and did not request a refund. I canceled my membership at the end of the regular term.

However, while I think the cancellation process is pretty simple, there is one thing I don’t like about it. I don’t like that you can’t cancel your account within BeenVerified. Many online services have a “Delete My Account” feature within the Account Settings. I hope they decide to add this functionality in the future. At least, it would be convenient to log in to your online account and initiate the cancellation process.

Yes. BeenVerified Background Searches are legal, legitimate, safe to use, and are not a scam. If you do a Google search, you may see articles and posts suggesting it is a scam. I feel those criticisms are entirely unfounded. I signed up for the service on multiple separate occasions. Honestly, I did not feel the process was unsafe, deceptive, or trying to trick me in any way. I always understood what I was buying, how much it cost, and how to get support, login, and cancel or unsubscribe.

Use the services to search public records and information about people. However, you cannot use it for credit, tenant, or employee screening.

Phone Tracker

Does it include a phone tracker? Well, it depends on how you define the phone tracker. If you’re asking if the service allows you to track the location or activity on someone’s phone, then no; however, if you’re asking if the service will enable you to see phone numbers associated with a particular person, then yes.

On a related note, it does not allow you to access phone usage records, which are not public data. A subpoena is required to obtain phone records.

Can I use it to find an unclaimed property?

Not specifically. The service doesn’t provide access to state databases of unclaimed property. However, you can use the service to search public records to find the people who might own the property. Some private investigators offer the location of unclaimed property as a service.

Reviews and Ratings

If you do a Google search for BeenVerified reviews, you are likely to see a wide variety of results. The ratings vary from horrible to excellent. Why are people posting negative reviews? In my opinion, it has to do with expectations.

If you want to do a background search for new employees or dig deep into someone’s finances, you will likely be disappointed with the results. While the data and information you can compile on an individual via their service are impressive, it still pulls records from public sources. Also, you cannot use BeenVerified Background to make employment decisions.

Also, you will be disappointed if you need a free background service. It costs the company money to purchase access to these public records and make them available to you. Naturally, they are going to pass those costs along to you. If you come across any advertising for a free background tool, it is either a fraud, or you won’t get what you pay for. BeenVerified is a genuinely legitimate service that provides access to actual records and real reports.

My advice is to have realistic expectations. If you understand that BeenVerified is an online public records search tool that pulls together information from a wide variety of sources in a short amount of time, you’ll be extremely happy with the service. Usually, I’m skeptical about sites like this, but I am impressed with the service.

How Many Records are Available Online?

BeenVerified Background searches through billions of public records aggregated from various publicly available data resources. And it is designed in such a way as not to be overwhelming. The system suggests associated people, relatives, neighbors, education, etc., and allows you to dig into their information quickly. 

How Do I Opt-Out, Cancel, and Remove My Personal Information?

If you want to remove your personal information from BeenVerified, visit their Opt-Out page. Some people prefer not to have their information on services like this. Fortunately, the company offers a simple way to do so.

To opt out, visit the link, enter your full name in the search form, select your state, and click the Search button. A list of matching search results is displayed on the screen. Click on the box with your name. You can submit your opt-out request to remove your information on the next page. Enter your email address. The company will send you a verification email. Then, check your email and click the link to complete the opt-out/removal process.

You don’t need to be a member or have an account login to remove your information. And you don’t have to pay anything to complete the opt-out process.

Can Private Investigators Use BeenVerified Background Tools?

Yes. Private Investigators can use it to sign in and run online public records searches just like anyone else. However, most private investigators use one of the leading full-service background check companies.

Questions and Comments

Please post a message below if you have questions or comments about the BeenVerified Background and People Search service.

Also, please read our reviews of TruthFinder, Intelius, and Spokeo.

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Michael Kissiah is the owner of Brandy Lane Publishing, LLC, which owns and operates a small portfolio of websites, including eInvestigator.com. Michael created eInvestigator.com more than 20 years ago after working as a private investigator in the state of Florida. Since that time, he has become an expert at how to find information online and has written over 1000 articles on topics related to the investigation industry. In addition, he is the author of the "Private Investigator Licensing Handbook", available at Amazon.com.
beenverified-public-records-people-search This article is a review of BeenVerified, the online people search, background search, and public records research service. In this review, I'll provide a high-level overview of the company, the features and benefits of its public records search services, discuss how much it costs,...

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