Is Been Verified a Scam? 

If you’re thinking of using Been Verified, you need to know: Is Been Verified a scam? 

Below, we explain whether Been Verified is a scam and discuss some steps you can take to improve your safety when using this website. 

What Is Been Verified?

Been Verified is a people search site (i.e., a data broker).

It’s a website that lets you search for people’s personal information based on their name, phone number, email address, address, and username. 

Been Verified reports include information like people’s addresses, phone numbers, ages, and possible associates and relatives. 

Your personal information is more than likely on BeenVerified. If you don’t want others to be able to find it, you should remove it by opting out. See DeleteMe’s BeenVerified opt-out guide or subscribe to DeleteMe to have privacy professionals opt you out from BeenVerified and other people search sites. 

BeenVerified gets people’s data by aggregating public records. 

BeenVerified is owned by Intelius, alongside US Search and Instant Checkmate (two other people search sites).

Is BeenVerified a Scam?

No, Been Verified is not a scam. It’s a legitimate people search site that displays people’s personal data in comprehensive reports. 

However, BeenVerified’s reviews are mixed. 

TechRadar, for example, gives BeenVerified a 2.0 out of 5.0-star rating. 

Specifically, TechRadar pointed out the following issues:

• Slow searches that sometimes stall completely, leaving users waiting indefinitely for results.
• Varying quality of reports. 
• Paywalled results, forcing users to subscribe before viewing the outcome of their search.

Internet users also have mixed opinions about BeenVerified.

Most users agree that BeenVerified is a legitimate and reliable people search service that’s helpful for finding addresses, criminal records, and contact details. Many users feel it’s more effective than manually searching through Google or other free methods.

Others noted that reports vary in quality. One user said that the last time they checked their own report on BeenVerified, they only recognized one name among the listed “relatives.” 

BeenVerified is not Better Business Bureau (BBB) accredited. It has a “B+” rating on BBB. 

Common complaints include being charged without explicitly signing up or not realizing they signed up for recurring billing after a free or low-cost trial and trouble canceling memberships. 

The BeenVerified app gets a 4.0 out of 5.0-star rating (from 18,980 ratings) on Google Play and a 4.6 out of 5.0-star rating (from 21,805 ratings) on the App Store. 

The risks of people search sites like BeenVerified

You can use BeenVerified (and similar people search sites) to find personal information about other people. But others can also use the same site to find data about you. 

People search sites collect and sell extensive personal information without your explicit consent, often even without your knowledge. 

Having your personal information accessible on sites like BeenVerified is risky because:

• Your profile can contain false, outdated, or inferred data, which could cause harm like job denials or loan rejections.
• Exposed personal data increases risks of identity theft, fraud, and targeted cyberattacks such as spear phishing.
• Easy access to personal details can facilitate stalking, doxxing, harassment, or reputational attacks, especially for executives, journalists, and high-risk professionals.

BeenVerified allows you to opt out, i.e., remove your data from their site. 

However, opting out is rarely a one-time action, and personal data may continue to resurface on other data broker websites.

Read DeleteMe’s BeenVerified opt-out guide to remove your personal information from BeenVerified. Or, subscribe to DeleteMe to have privacy professionals do the same on your behalf. 

Security

According to its privacy policy, BeenVerified employs HTTPS and 128-bit encryption to secure user data.

Privacy

Below is everything you need to know about BeenVerified’s privacy. 

Privacy and data requests 

Users can opt out of having their personal data included in BeenVerified’s database and can also request to correct, update, or delete their account information. 

The opt-out email address provided by users isn’t sold or used for unrelated marketing. 

How to opt out of BeenVerified

Having your personal information available on BeenVerified is risky for many different reasons (identity theft, social engineering, stalking, etc.) 

For this reason, even if you use BeenVerified, you should still remove your own profile from being searchable by opting out.

Follow DeleteMe’s BeenVerified opt-out guide to delete your profile from BeenVerified. Or, subscribe to DeleteMe to have privacy professionals do the same on your behalf. 

Anonymity of searches

According to BeenVerified, the person you’re looking up is not notified. This means they will not know you searched for their personal information. 

BeenVerified’s privacy policy 

In its privacy policy, BeenVerified explains the kind of data it collects, why, and with whom it shares it. 

BeenVerified collects three types of information:

• Information submitted directly by users (e.g., name, email, address, payment details, etc.).
• Information collected automatically (e.g.,  IP addresses, browser types, usage patterns via cookies and tracking technologies).
• Information on individuals (“Search Subjects”) obtained from third-party data providers (public records).

BeenVerified uses this information to provide and manage its services, process transactions and verify payments, handle customer inquiries, conduct internal analytics and marketing, enhance user experience, and protect against fraud and misuse.

It may share your information with service providers for payment processing, marketing, and analytics purposes, as well as to comply with legal obligations, court orders, or law enforcement requests. It may also share data during mergers or acquisitions and to protect the company’s rights, property, and user safety. 

BeenVerified also says that aggregated, anonymized user data may be shared with third parties for analytical purposes.

So, Should You Use BeenVerified?

Depends on your expectations. 

If accuracy and transparent pricing are critical for you, BeenVerified might not be the best option. 

However, if convenience and quick access to general public records are your priority, the site could still be valuable. 

Just remember to remove your own profile from showing up on BeenVerified to protect your privacy. 

Follow DeleteMe’s BeenVerified opt-out guide for step-by-step instructions. Or, subscribe to DeleteMe to have privacy professionals opt you out on your behalf. 

How to Use Been Verified Safely

• Be clear on BeenVerified’s pricing. Understand BeenVerified’s subscription terms fully before committing. 
• Use a masked or secondary email when setting up your BeenVerified account. That way, you can minimize spam and/or unwanted marketing emails.
• Monitor your BeenVerified subscription. Set calendar reminders to cancel Beenverified before your subscription renews automatically. For additional assurance, confirm cancellation via phone or email to ensure it’s successful.
• Limit the amount of information you provide. Provide only the required personal details when signing up.
• Double-check BeenVerified report information. Cross-reference data obtained from BeenVerified with other reliable sources for accuracy. Never rely solely on one background check service for important decisions. 
• Be aware of limitations. Understand that while BeenVerified aggregates data from public sources, it may not always provide complete or current information.
• Use BeenVerified for legitimate purposes only. Avoid using the service for tenant screening or employment background checks, as these require specialized consumer reporting agencies. 
• Opt out of BeenVerified. Anyone can use BeenVerified to find your personal information, including your phone number and address. Remove your profile by opting out or subscribe to a data broker removal service to have privacy professionals opt you out of BeenVerified and other people search sites on your behalf, and do so continuously (people search sites are known for relisting people’s data when they come across more of it).