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Best People Search Sites
In the last couple of years, people search sites have become increasingly effective and more popular as more data ends up in their databases. People use them to find people and search for long-lost relatives, old friends, vet new neighbors, possible family members and do background checks on their dates and business acquaintances.
Regardless of their taboo nature concerning privacy, people search sites are a completely valid and legal way to find publicly available information about an individual, most of which is made available by the government through public records. People search sites are a widely used tool in both the private and business sphere, similarly to the White Pages of old.
If you’re in need of information about an individual, you can find the most reputable sites below, which we’ve listed in this simple format to help you decide which service is the right one for your needs.
FCRA Disclaimer: You should know that the sites featured here and that people search sites in general are not consumer reporting agencies regulated by the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) and thus should not be used for generating consumer reports. You can’t use the information they provide for tenant screening, reviewing a person's consumer credit or to vet potential employees through their employment history. If you’re a landlord and you wish to get detailed information on future tenants, we have compiled a list of the best tenant screening services which you can check out here.
If you’re concerned about your privacy and wish to know how to remove yourself from people search sites here’s an article from the FTC about this very topic.
Best People Search Sites for December 2024
Spokeo
Fortunly's Rating: Our editorial team determines the rating based on a set of evaluation criteria developed for each product and service category.
Spokeo
- PDF reports
- Screen incoming calls through their app
- Competitive pricing
Truthfinder
Fortunly's Rating: Our editorial team determines the rating based on a set of evaluation criteria developed for each product and service category.
Truthfinder
- Unlimited reports
- Better Business Bureau (BBB) rating of A+
- Dark web scan
Instant Checkmate
Fortunly's Rating: Our editorial team determines the rating based on a set of evaluation criteria developed for each product and service category.
Instant Checkmate
- Reputable platform
- Quick and accurate reports
- Advanced search filters
Intelius
Fortunly's Rating: Our editorial team determines the rating based on a set of evaluation criteria developed for each product and service category.
Intelius
- Ease of use
- Different trial plans
- Educational resources
US Search
Fortunly's Rating: Our editorial team determines the rating based on a set of evaluation criteria developed for each product and service category.
US Search
- Reputable platform
- Unlimited searches
- First-class customer support
BeenVerified
Fortunly's Rating: Our editorial team determines the rating based on a set of evaluation criteria developed for each product and service category.
BeenVerified
- Comprehensive mobile apps
- Great for car history search
- Discount pricing model
PeopleFinders
Fortunly's Rating: Our editorial team determines the rating based on a set of evaluation criteria developed for each product and service category.
PeopleFinders
- Comprehensive database
- Long history
- Detailed premium reports
Top 5 People Search Websites - Our Picks for 2024:
Spokeo - Best choice for cheap people search sites
TruthFinder - Best for fast people search sites
Instant Checkmate - Best for background checks
Intelius - Best for user experience
US Search - Best for legal professionals
A Short Guide to People Search Sites
People search sites are online services where anyone can get detailed information about another person by entering basic information such as their name, ZIP code, state they live in or phone number.
These websites, similarly to the White Pages of old, compile publicly available information and deliver reports so that those interested can get information about another person.
Sites made to search for people are understandably a sensitive topic given the scale and availability of the information they provide, however, all of this information is publicly available through government records and social media accounts like Facebook, X, LinkedIn and Reddit.
These websites simply aggregate data and provide a compilatory service to those willing to pay for it.
What Information Can People Search Sites Provide?
There is a lot of public information out there and most people search sites offer similar information for a rather varying price. Here’s a list of the things you may expect to find about a person on these sites.
- A person’s name, previous names and aliases
- Their current and previous places of residence
- Age and gender
- The people they live with
- Their phone numbers and email addresses
- Information about their marital status and martial records
- Government divorce records
- Information about family members, including children, parents and extended family
- Social media profiles, dating site profiles
- Online activity
- Their occupation and estimated income
- Political affiliations
- Education history
- Government property ownership records
- Criminal and civil records, misdemeanors, bankruptcies, liens and judgments
Are These Sites Legal?
People search sites operate legally and are legal to use. They function as an aggregation tool for data that is already available publicly. Most of this personal data is publicly available in the US through the government, things such as your address, name, prior names, marital status, etc., other data comes from social profiles, also publicly available information.
These sites compile this information and provide a complete report for anyone interested enough to pay for their service. However, there are ways to opt out of this data collection.
How to Delete Your Information From People Search Sites
If you’re concerned about your privacy and wish to opt out of data collection on these sites here’s an article from the FTC about this very topic. In-short, there are two ways to go about it:
- You can either manually send requests to these sites in order to get your data wiped or,
- You could hire a company that specializes in this type of data cleanup such as DeleteMe, as well as Incogni, among others.
The FTC article goes into detail about how to stay safe online and what to do if you’re concerned about your privacy. If you wish to learn more it’s best that you read about this from a government source.
Why People Use People Search Sites
There are many reasons why people use these services. Finding long lost friends, classmates or possible relatives, conducting background checks on a person they’re dating or doing business with are just a few reasons why someone may search for this type of information.
Granted, the nature of these searches can be divisive as many consider them to be a breach of privacy, however, as we’ve mentioned numerous times, the data provided is already public data and is thus within the bounds of the law. When it comes to people search sites, it boils down to the intent behind the search for this information.
As with many other things, the act of searching for information about people is a question of intent and whether or not that information will be used for malicious purposes, which is of course illegal.
People may also use these websites to find information about themselves in order to have it removed from the internet. All of these sites are required to stop collecting information about you if you send them a request to opt out. As mentioned above, there are companies out there that can do this manual work for you.