Instant Checkmate Reviews
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About Instant Checkmate
Instant Checkmate is one of the leading public records search tools on the internet, providing instant access to millions of documents. Instant Checkmate’s information is generated by searching public records that include federal, state, and county databases and compiling them all into one report. Users can look up addresses, phone numbers, social media profiles, driving records, arrest records and more. Just enter a name and state to start your search.
Pros & Cons
- Unlimited reports with subscription
- Detailed reports
- Easy to use
- Use 30 data points for reports
- Not a traditional background check
- Subscriptions automatically renew
Featured Reviews
Checkmate does what it advertises - reveals otherwise difficult to obtain information about individuals. We found it useful recently when a home inspector gave misleading informat...
Read full reviewI have never felt so unsafe in my life with scammers who claim to be one and they are not. Instant Checkmate helped me tremendously to remove those who are not legitimate and are ...
Read full reviewConsumerAffairs operates independent of Instant Checkmate and does not offer background check services. Per the Instant Checkmate terms, you may not use this service or the information it provides to make decisions about consumer credit, employment, insurance, tenant screening, or any other purpose that would require Federal Credit Reporting Act compliance. Instant Checkmate does not provide consumer reports and is not a consumer reporting agency.
What is Instant Checkmate?
Instant Checkmate lets you look up a person’s information by typing in their name, age and location in the search console. Instant Checkmate asks you questions about the person as it searches databases to narrow results down to the right match.
Once you have a match, you purchase a membership subscription to access the report. A subscription gives you access to unlimited reports for as long as you are enrolled.
You can look up the following information and more using Instant Checkmate:
- Phone numbers
- Email addresses
- Age
- Location history
- Job histories
- Criminal records
- Sex offenders registration
- Arrest records
- Census data
- Social media profiles
- Bankruptcy history
Strict guidelines dictate how and why you can use a public records search service. Instant Checkmate is not a consumer reporting agency, and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) prohibits using Instant Checkmate to look up any information governed by the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA). Before using Instant Checkmate, make sure you review the guidelines of what you can and can’t do with the information found on its site.
Instant Checkmate cost
Instant Checkmate offers two subscription plans. Both plans give you access to unlimited reports. The company bills one-month subscriptions every 30 days and three-month subscriptions every 90 days.
| Plan | Price per month |
|---|---|
| One-month | $35.12 |
| Three-month | $28.09 (Billed at $84.28 every three months) |
| Reverse phone lookup | $5.99 |
Membership subscriptions automatically renew every 30 or 90 days unless you cancel before the start of the next payment period. You can cancel your membership through your online account or by phone.
Instant Checkmate FAQ
Is Instant Checkmate safe?
Yes, Instant Checkmate is safe. The company has a verified Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) certificate and uses 128-bit encryption. Instant Checkmate also runs malware checks with Norton Antivirus software daily.
Does Instant Checkmate notify the person you’re searching?
No, Instant Checkmate does not notify any search subjects.
Is Instant Checkmate legal?
Yes, it is legal to use Instant Checkmate, but it is illegal to use the service to look up any information governed by the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), including screening someone for employment, a lease or credit eligibility. Make sure you follow the search guidelines when using Instant Checkmate.
Is Instant Checkmate free to use?
No, Instant Checkmate is not free. You must sign up for a membership. Memberships start at $35.12 a month and give you access to unlimited reports.
Is Instant Checkmate worth the price?
Yes, if you need the company’s service, it is worth the price. Even though the information on Instant Checkmate comes from public records, you would have to search through each individual federal, state and county database to find the information. Instant Checkmate compiles it all into one easy-to-read report, and all subscriptions include unlimited reports.
Is Instant Checkmate legit?
Instant Checkmate saves you time searching through numerous government databases to find the information you need. Sometimes people aren’t who they say or keep things from you that they don’t want you to know. Using Instant Checkmate helps you verify someone’s identity before meeting them in person or going into business with them, which protects you in the long run. Instant Checkmate is not a substitute for a traditional background check, however.
Instant Checkmate Reviews
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Reviewed March 14, 2024
Hello, my name is Wendy ** and I’ve been very unhappy with Instant check mate. I have tried to cancel my subscription multiple times and multiple months. My account has been locked as well. I have canceled online and I am still being charged. I’ve been charged for four months straight. I’ve been trying to cancel it. I’ve talked to many representatives and they have all said they have canceled it, however I’m still being charged every time I keep getting charged I keep reporting it but they say they can do nothing besides they cancel it for the future. I get the same robotic response every time.
Wendy - Thank you for taking the time to leave us with your feedback. If you feel that you have been charged in error, please call us at (800) 222-8985, or email us at support@instantcheckmate.com, so we can investigate and rectify the issue as soon as possible. Thank you for bringing this to our attention.
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Reviewed March 8, 2024
Alright, I was simply signing up for Instant Checkmate again after only 10 years as I had the first time in 2013. Now moving forward, I only did that so I check on the people that I know and see how they're doing.
Thank you for sharing this review Myra and for choosing Instant Checkmate!
Reviewed March 7, 2024
This company are a bunch of thieves! Do not trust this company. They are just after your money! They refuse to refund me my money! Keep making up excuses! Stay far far away from this company! Worst experience!
We’re sorry that you were unhappy with our billing system. Instant Checkmate provides all of the billing details to its users before they sign up for our services, and these terms can also be reviewed at any time in our Terms of Use. If you have any questions regarding our billing system, please contact the Customer Support team at 1-800-222-8985.
Sincerely,Instant Checkmate Support
Reviewed Jan. 20, 2024
Having been in law enforcement for years and investigating (Background Checks, Fraud, etc.) I can relate to the fact that this company IS NOT trustworthy! Upon running two different reports with info that I am familiar with, it was found that they do not have accurate information. Up to the point I believe it is probably falsified in order to scam consumers! DO NOT FALL FOR THIS SCAM!
We are constantly working on and updating our records and we appreciate you taking the time to give us constructive feedback. We apologize you were unhappy with some of the information in our reports. Since we rely on third-party data sources, we can only display the information that we were provided, which could potentially include incomplete or inaccurate data. We hope to continue to improve our services to make them better for you and future customers. Please feel free to contact our dedicated Customer Care Team at (800) 222-8985, or email us at support@instantcheckmate.com, and we will try to make this right.
Reviewed Jan. 12, 2024
I researched Background Check information on their website & what they indicated they could provide and/or uncover, the price and the reviews. I thought it to be a little pricey, but considering the information they promise to provide & the numerous sources they indicated they use to locate the information, decided to pay the price they quoted of $35.12 for a month of unlimited reports, which they also stated would be updated as new information is located. I paid for a background check on a person very close to me at their quoted price of $35.12. Upon filling out their requested information necessary to provide the report, before letting me access the report they then came back and said there would be an additional charge of $3.99. Since I’d gone this far I paid the additional fee. Upon receiving the report I was shocked to see most of the categories say “no information was found on this category.”
The only pertinent information that was provided other than the persons name & address (which I already knew) was registered sex offenders who live in the vicinity of the persons house I was doing the search on. I knew the school this person attended, which the report again stated “no information found” and I also knew the county, state and city this person was married in and the person's name they married and again the report found “no information.” I am 100% sure this information is on record with the county the marriage took place in, so it seems unrealistic the “numerous sources” they use to locate this information couldn’t find any records at all. And as I stated earlier, almost all the categories they checked records on (supposedly) came back “no information found.”
The pitch they gave on finding “secret/hidden” websites used by the person your searching and that you’ll be surprised at what they can find and what you’ll read when they provide the report, in my opinion, was blown out of proportion and used to lure you into buying their services. The report provided the searched persons Facebook & My Space addresses, but when you clicked on those links to see what & who they were talking with, you needed to use the searched persons sign in information to log into their account & pages they may have been on or who they talked to.
Providing the searched persons account website addresses and then saying “no further information found” is not the same as being surprised at what they were looking at & who & what they said to each other. I feel I wasted $39.11 and would have found more information spending the time searching records myself on free Internet sites. I would not recommend their services! Very unsatisfied with what they promised vs. what the report stated.
We are constantly working on and updating our records and we appreciate you taking the time to give us constructive feedback. We apologize you were unhappy with some of the information in our reports. Since we rely on third-party data sources, we can only display the information that we were provided, which could potentially include incomplete or inaccurate data. We hope to continue to improve our services to make them better for you and future customers. Please feel free to contact our dedicated Customer Care Team at (800) 222-8985, or email us at support@instantcheckmate.com, and we will try to make this right.
Reviewed Dec. 22, 2023
They indicate that they will provide a free list of your military time but upon giving them all the information requested and 20 minutes later they indicate that the record is ready but you have a high cost that will be charged. Do not use this service for your military time!
Although we are sad to see you were unhappy with your experience, we appreciate you taking the time to offer us feedback. While we wish we could provide all of the information to our customers for free, we do pay to access our data sources and it costs money to maintain our website. Please reach out to us at (800) 222-8985, or email us at support@instantcheckmate.com, if there's anything we can do to improve your experience.
Reviewed May 2, 2023
I chose the 5 day trial for it said $1.00. I got charged the $1.00, then right behind it came another charge of $3.99! It didn't say anything about a $3.99 charge! Why are you taking more money than you are authorized to? Very upset! Cancelling and never returning!
We’re sorry that you were unhappy with our billing system. Instant Checkmate provides all of the billing details to its users before they sign up for our services, and these terms can also be reviewed at any time in our Terms of Use. If you have any questions regarding our billing system, please contact the Customer Support team at 1-800-222-8985.
Sincerely,Instant Checkmate Support
Updated review: Dec. 7, 2022
Awesome company. Everything is fixed.
Original Review: Dec. 4, 2022
Second weekend in a row and site has not worked. No way to contact anyone, I called, emailed the support center. No one answers, if it happens next weekend I will be forced to cancel my account, it seems no one cares.
Reviewed April 19, 2022
Did not provide accurate information on background check at all. There is nothing worth paying for. All categories are empty. (Even life long job status). This page was presented poorly. You don't have any of the basic answers on here. You get address and phone number for 27.00$? You should regroup and provide an answer to at least a few elementary questions.
Sincerely,
Instant Checkmate Support
Reviewed Jan. 11, 2022
Should be on a month to month basis for some people. I’m on a fixed income and can’t afford a subscription. But all information was correct and I was very pleased with what I found out about certain people. I would highly recommend this site.
Instant Checkmate Company Information
- Social media:
- Company Name:
- Instant Checkmate
- Company Type:
- Private
- Year Founded:
- 2010
- Address:
- 3110 Camino Del Rio N Suite 400
- City:
- San Diego
- State/Province:
- CA
- Postal Code:
- 92108
- Country:
- United States
- Website:
- www.instantcheckmate.com