When searching for a match online, it can be a good idea to do a background check on them to make sure they are who they say they are. Even if your conversation on the site or app seems to be going well, there are plenty of scammers that work hard to trick you, so it is better to be safe than sorry. We review the best of the best background checks for dating services on the Internet today. Keep reading!
If you are in a hurry, here are the top picks:
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Best Background Check for Dating
If you want to do a background check for someone that you’re planning to go on a date with, then there are a few good options to choose from. Each one is slightly different but will still give you the tools you need to run it successfully.
Instant Checkmate Review
Founded in 2010, this background check site only takes a few simple steps to search for someone. It does cost a bit more than some of the other options, but its results have been known to be extremely accurate.
Pros
- It is quick and easy to use.
- It provides you with a lot of specific information.
- There is a 5-day trial for only a dollar.
- It generally has pretty good reviews.
- Millions of searches have been made on it.
Cons
- It is at least $34.78 for one month, making it more expensive.
- Phone or email search costs extra.
Reports Included
You can start using this site by simply searching a name and location. This site includes real police records, photos, background reports, address information, and court documents. You can also search specifically for criminal records or sex offenders if needed.
Make sure to read our hands-on review of Instant Checkmate.
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TruthFinder Review
The design of this background check very closely resembles Instant Checkmate, but this is because they are both founded by the same people. TruthFinder was founded in 2015, just a few years after Instant Checkmate was released. It has a few different categories, but ultimately, it runs almost the same.
Pros
- It has a variety of different reports.
- It is easy to use.
- Results are organized with most recent shown first.
- It also has a 5-day trial for a dollar.
- You can purchase single reports.
Cons
- You have to pay about $27 to use this site for a month.
Reports Included
TruthFinder includes all the same reports and records that Instant Checkmate does, but instead of having ways to search that involves criminal activity, it has ways to search for public records, dark web information, and relationship information. Therefore, this site would be a better option when it comes to doing a background check for dating since it has a tab specifically dedicated to it.
Make sure to read our hands-on review of Truthfinder.
PublicSeek Review
Formerly known as SeekVerify, this background check site allows you to search over 10 million public records. All you have to do is search up a person by their name, phone number, email, or address.
Pros
- It is easy to use and navigate.
- You can get a one-day trial for only a dollar.
- Their records are updated every 24 hours.
- It provides accurate data.
Cons
- You have to pay about $26 a month to use this site.
- It cannot be used for any type of professional assessment.
Reports Included
In addition to the four items you can search by, there are a variety of other reports that can be found on this site. Some of these reports are social media profiles, job histories, criminal records, and financial information. One of the recommended reasons to use this site is to background check a date, but you can also use it if you want to check out a specific phone number, learn more about your neighbors, or reconnect with a friend or relative.
Check People Review
Check People is another background check website that makes searching for someone fast and easy. While it is not as highly popular as some of the other options, there are still thousands of people that use it to search for records.
Pros
- It is fast and easy to navigate.
- It provides you with reports that are easy to read.
Cons
- You will need to pay between $20 and $30 to use it.
- It has been reported to lag sometimes or be unresponsive.
- There is not a 24/7 customer service.
Reports Included
This site has a wide selection of reports that can be looked up by typing in someone’s name and location. Some things that you can search for are court records, mugshots, criminal records, and dark web scans.
What is a Background Check?
A background check is the process of looking up information or records of a specific person. This is not only for dating sites, but it is also a common source that employers use to ensure that their employees are not giving them false information.
There are plenty of sites out there that can give you additional information about someone that you are hesitant about or someone that you just want to know more about. Not all background checks are exactly the same, but they typically consist of education, employment, criminal records, licenses, and credit history.
Background Check Your Date or Online Friend: Top 5 Reasons
It is a good idea to be safe while meeting people online, which is why background checks are an important part of online dating. The price may steer you away from taking these extra precautions, but here are some reasons why you should always do a background check for someone that you meet on an app or website.
1 – To Make Sure They’re a Real Person
As real as they may seem while you’re talking to them, there’s always a chance that they’re not. They could just be a bot trying to scam some money out of you or someone pretending to be someone else. They will try to bond with you at first, then once they gain your trust, they will start expecting things from you. If you background check them early on though, then you can avoid problems like this altogether.
2 – To Make Sure They Aren’t Giving You False Information
Even if they are a real person, they could still be lying to you. Oftentimes, people will try to be someone they’re not and use fake pictures to lure people in. You could go on talking to someone for a while without even knowing that they gave you some false information along the way. Scammers are usually pretty good about figuring out how to make you fall for their tricks.
3 – It’s Better to Be Safe Than Sorry
A background check might seem like a bit too much just for some person online, but it is always better to be safe than sorry. Being extra cautious means that you are less likely to get scammed online and it will help you stay safe if you plan to meet someone in person.
4 – It Can Ease Any Worries You Have
If online dating is stressful for you, then running a background check can help to ease those fears. It can feel a lot better going on a date with someone from a dating app if you know that they are not a scammer. Of course, you may still be worried that the date will not go well, but at least you shouldn’t have to worry about the extremes anymore.
5 – It’s Easy to Do
By using any of the background checks discussed in this article, you can easily find out some extra information about a person. You don’t necessarily have to take a ton of extra time out of your day to complete this task.
DIY Background Checks
If you don’t want to have to pay to do a background check on your date, then there are some ways to do it yourself instead. It may take extra work to find exactly what you’re looking for, but sometimes it can be easier to at least try to find some information yourself before buying a service.
Ways to Do It Yourself
An easy way to start off is simply by using a search engine to search the person’s name to see what comes up. If you also know their phone number or email, you can search these as well to see if they’ve ever been marked as a scam.
Likely, your search will lead you to some social media accounts, which can help you to gain some extra information on them. Some people keep a lot of images and information about themselves on social media, so by looking through this, you may be able to decide if they are really who they say they are or not. If they have limited information or not images on their accounts, then this could be a red flag.
Also, if there is an image on their dating site account, you can try doing a reverse image search. If that image comes up under someone’s else’s name or as a stock photo, then you know that your date is trying to be someone they’re not.
There are also some free ways to search for specific reports, such as criminal records. Therefore, if you want to see if their name or number will come up for any of these sites, you will have to do some extra searching to find it, but it is another option to try.
DIY vs. Paid Services
While there are ways to do a background check yourself, it is definitely easier to use a background check site to get all the accurate information in one place. You may be able to find a decent amount of information on your own, but it may not work for every person that you search. Therefore, to ensure accuracy and convenience, you may just want to lean toward a paid service, especially if you are not having any luck searching it on your own.
Verdict: Which is Best?
While all the background check sites have similar functions and results, Instant Checkmate ranks as the best of the best background check for dating sites. It has a large number of users and good reviews, while some of the other sites are not guaranteed to be quite as effective.
* Instant Checkmate and TruthFinder provide free trial offers for a subscription service. If you purchase the trial service, you will be charged at the expiration of the trial period unless you cancel. Please check the destination site’s terms of service for further details