2024 's Spokeo Reviews: Is It Legit or a Scam? [Pros & Cons] (2024)

Spokeo was created in 2006. Over the past 16 years, they evolved into a social search engine that has over 20 million monthly visitors. As part of the Deloitte tech fast 500 and Inc. 5000, Spokeo collects over 12 billion records from over 1000 data sources to ensure you know who you are dealing with online.

With an A+ BBB rating and hundreds of positive Spokeo reviews, the intelligence service has helped millions of people connect with old friends and even prevent online fraud.

We delve deeper into Spokeo to see whether it truly is the all-in-one online background investigation site.

In our review of Spokeo, we will cover everything from types of background checks available, to plans and pricing to ease of use.

So stay around to find out more.

Key Highlights

Spokeo uses court records to unveil any criminal records, sex offenses, and DUIs.

Results are always guaranteed and accurate.

Using billions of records: property records, social networks, consumer and business records.

All basic searches are free of any costs.

Types of Background Checks Offered

Spokeo uses a wide variety of search options to help you get the information you need. Numerous Spokeo background check reviews have testified that users could find the person they were looking for by only inputting limited information.

You can run a basic online Spokeo background check with the following information:

Name and Surname
Email address
Physical address
Profile usernames for social media and dating profiles
Mobile number
Phone contact number

Spokeo also offers an advanced search option with which you can include:

What Is Spokeo Background Check Service Best For?

The Spokeo people search tool can be used for a variety of purposes. Numerous reviews on Spokeo have reported that the service can be used to look for lost friends or loved ones, check spouse’s online activity, or prevent fraud.

With the main aim of using billions of public sources, Spokeo only provides background screening based on information gathered through these public records. The online service should not be used to determine an individual’s eligibility for employment, credit, insurance, or tenancy, or anything else that falls under the FCRA law (Fair Credit Reporting Act). In case that is your purpose, you should consider using tenant screening or other background check services that offer such reports.

Spokeo gathers information from countless sources and combines it for you to browse through. They do not evaluate or verify the data collected.

Plans & Pricing

Here are the Spokeo plans you can choose from:

Plan	Background Reports	Background Check Process	Cost	Plan Includes
Basic Business	200	Instant results	$35.95/m	Valuable contact information, property details, and criminal records
Professional Business	500	Instant results	$69.95/m	Valuable contact information, property details, and criminal records
Enterprise Business	1,000	Instant results	$119.95/m	Valuable contact information, property details, and criminal records
1 Month Membership	100 per month	Instant results	$24.95/m	Family members, location, birth month, and much more
3 Month Membership	100 per month	Instant results	$19.95/m	Family members, location, birth month, contact details, and much more

All Spokeo subscription plans can be canceled at any time, no questions asked. There are additional add-ons that can be purchased. You’ll be charged $2.95 extra for court records search and historical record search.

How to Perform a Background Check With Spokeo

Let’s take a closer look at the sign-up process:

Step 1: Visit Spokeo’s websiteand choose a membership plan.

Step 2: Provide email and bank card details for payment. Accept Terms and Conditions and click on ‘See results now’.

Step 3: Once payment has been approved, you can log into your account and start searching.

Spokeo provides an easy search sheet where you can input as much info as you wish. The site will automatically go through billions of sources to find the data you are looking for. You can filter your search and sort it by relevance.

Upon registering, you can download the free Spokeo mobile app. The app can be downloaded from the Google play store and is accessible to all Android devices. Reviews of the Spokeo mobile app are very positive, stating that it’s extremely easy to use.

Pros	Cons
Affordable service	Not accredited by the FCRA law (Fair Credit Reporting Act)
Quick sign-up process	Can’t be used to screen potential employees or tenants
Easy to use site and mobile app	Only available in the United States of America
Uses billions of sources for an accurate online background check
Online Spokeo reviews are positive and any complaints have been resolved

Spokeo Reviews and Online Reputation

Spokeo BBB rating of A shows that it is seen as a go-to social search network. From a total of 390 Spokeo complaints within the last 3 years, 177 have been resolved during the last 12 months. 144 of the overall complaints were listed as billing issues while 108 complaints were listed as problems with the service. From what we’ve gathered the majority of complaints dealt with pricing misunderstandings which the Spokeo company issued refunds to. Many other complaints also come from non-members who requested their personal information to be removed. Spokeo does use public information that is listed on business websites, social networks, real estate listings, phone books, and marketing surveys.

Some Spokeo reviews state that the information provided isn’t accurate, whilst others sing it praises. Legit Spokeo reviews can be found on their website itself.

Spokeo Alternatives

Here’s an overview of Spokeo alternatives and what they offer.

Spokeo vs BeenVerified

BeenVerified shares and provides almost the same features and services as Spokeo. The main difference is that Spokeo offers a limited number of searches per member whereas BeenVerified’s membership includes an unlimited search. Also, BeenVerified’s advantage over Spokeo is that it has an iOS mobile app and Spokeo does not. On the other hand, Spokeo rating is an A+ on BBB while BeenVerified is a B- BBB.

Read our full BeenVerified review here.

Spokeo vs TruthFinder

The main difference between Spokeo and TruthFinder lies in the free people search tool that Spokeo provides. Although the free option gives you only basic information such as a name, last name, and perhaps address or a phone number, it is still free. TruthFinder, in comparison, has a better rating earned through its detailed and accurate reports.

Read our full TruthFinder review here.

Spokeo vs Instant Checkmate

Instant Checkmate and Spokeo don’t differ much in services as they both offer a wide range of search parameters and extensive reports. Spokeo wins the game by having more plans to choose from but Instant Checkmate is a bit more affordable.

Read our full Instant Checkmate review here.

Wrap Up

By using Spokeo’s online search, members are able to obtain numerous background reports, to protect themselves from online scammers and fraudsters. Individuals who want to track down family members or lost friends will also benefit from using Spokeo.

Referring to hundreds of Spokeo reviews, it is clear that the identity and address verification service can bring peace of mind to members. Spokeo is your one-stop online verification site, no matter your needs.

Legal Disclaimer: Spokeo is not a consumer reporting agency under the Fair Credit Reporting Act guidelines. You may not use the service or the information it provides to make decisions about consumer credit, employment, insurance, tenant screening, or any other purpose that would require FCRA compliance.