Instant Checkmate Reviews
A company’s ratings are a time-based and verification-based weighted average numerical calculation of the ratings submitted by consumers in the most recent 24-month period.
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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.
Visit www.instantcheckmate.com- Unlimited reports with subscription
- Detailed reports
- Easy to use
- Use 30 data points for reports
- Not a traditional background check
- Subscriptions automatically renew
Instant Checkmate Reviews
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Our review standards
- Our moderation team evaluates reviews to make sure they meet our guidelines.
- We require contact information to verify reviews come from real customers.
- Financial relationships do not influence whether we publish a consumer review.
Reviewed Jan. 29, 2015
Very thorough - fast return of information. To obtain this information it is often necessary to make judgment calls. I have been told different versions of certain statements - not intentional or lying - just guilty of "omission." Great site.
Hi Ruby,
We’re so happy to hear that our service helped you find what you were looking for. Thank you for the positive feedback and high rating! If you ever have a question, or need help with our website, our US-based member care team is standing by 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. You can reach us at (866) 490-5980.
Sincerely,Member Care Manager
Instant Checkmate
Reviewed Jan. 29, 2015
None of the information that I have been provided with in my search to find relatives has been accurate. I am extremely disappointed. The extra charge for a so called premium report has proven to be anything but.
Hi Mary Anne,
We’re sorry to hear you were unable to obtain information on certain people. Our data providers are always updating their information, but some state and local governments do not release their records to the public, or they may not update their databases annually, which can create gaps in our data. A manager from our member care team will contact you privately to resolve this issue.
Sincerely,Member Services
Instant Checkmate
Reviewed Jan. 28, 2015
The phone number search has been very helpful for me. The information appears accurate and is quickly delivered.
Hi Karen,
Thank you for your positive review and high rating. We really appreciate your feedback, and we’re so happy to hear that our service helped you find what you were looking for.
If you ever have a question, or need help with our website, our US-based member care team is standing by 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. You can reach us at (866) 490-5980.
Sincerely,Member Care Manager
Instant Checkmate
Reviewed Jan. 28, 2015
I was charged an additional $15 with my order with no explanation. My e-mail inquiries about this charge went unanswered and the charge was never removed from my credit card. Most of the information I was truly interested in requires even more charges to access.
Hi Diane,
Thank you for reaching out to let us know about your recent experience with our site. We're really sorry to hear that you had problems with billing. A senior member of our team will contact you privately to provide further assistance.
Sincerely,Member Services
Instant Checkmate
Reviewed Jan. 28, 2015
If all you want from this sham of a company is an address and social media info go to the Internet and get the info for free! This is all you get for your $22.86. They leave out the detail that in order to get the important data like criminal, credit etc. you'll need to pay another $19.99. But they do not tell you this until after you pay the $22.86. This company performs outright deceit and should be banned from doing business on the Internet and the FBI should take a look at any company that is in the business of duping the consumer.
Hi Barbara,
I'm sorry that you had a negative experience with our site. Our management team is currently looking into this issue. In the meantime, feel free to reach out to us if you have any additional questions or concerns.
Sincerely,Member Care Manager
Instant Checkmate
Reviewed Jan. 28, 2015
Info I requested on few people has come up incomplete. So far, it’s not worth the money spent to subscribe.
Hi Vicky,
We're so glad to hear that our member care team could help you out. Please feel free to contact us again if you need anything else. Our US-based member care team is standing by 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. You can reach us at (866) 490-5980. Thank you again for your feedback!
Sincerely,Member Services Manager
Instant Checkmate
Reviewed Jan. 28, 2015
The good news is you don't know me. No maiden name, first husband of 14 yrs., children, listing one state never lived in. Same as all other sites which give misinformation on self and others. Pay? Lol. Invisible can be nice as no one has known my location on computer either. If you got money to waste, go ahead but the only info you can verify to be true is yourself.
Reviewed Jan. 28, 2015
I have been divorced with a name change for over 9 years now. No record of my marriage or my divorce is on your site. I found out the person stalking me has a criminal record (from the police). You do not have that available unless I pay more money. I feel like I was ripped off.
Hi Kathleen,
We're very sorry to hear that you were unable to find information for certain people. We strive to provide our members with extensive public record information in our standard reports (including names, aliases, phone numbers, location history, possible related persons, arrest records, sex offenders, marriage and divorce records, licenses, social media accounts, and horoscopes). However, some jurisdictions do not release certain records to the public, or they may not update their databases annually, so we are unable to provide records for people living in certain areas. A senior member of our team will contact you privately to provide further assistance.
Sincerely,Member Services
Instant Checkmate
Reviewed Jan. 28, 2015
Information on your site is not accurate up-to-date information for the price.
Hi Jesennia,
I see that your issue has been completely resolved. I'm very happy that our member care team was able to assist you. Thank you again for your feedback, and please feel free to contact us at any time if you have additional questions or comments. Our US-based member care team can be reached at (866) 490-5980 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Sincerely,Member Services Manager
Instant Checkmate
Reviewed Jan. 27, 2015
I was checking on a man who I have been dating and found out he had lied to me about various things so wanted to check his personal data. The data you show is very out of date. He has lived in his current residence at least 4 years and the addresses you show are very old addresses. Not much help to me now.
Hi Carol,
We appreciate your honest feedback regarding your recent search results. Our data providers are always updating their information, however, some state and local governments do not release their records to the public, or they may not update their databases annually. This can potentially create gaps in the data that is provided to us. A senior member of our member care team will contact you privately to provide further assistance.
Sincerely,Member Services
Instant Checkmate
Reviewed Jan. 27, 2015
None of the info was up to date.
Hi Mark,
I see that your issue has been completely resolved. I'm very happy that our member care team was able to assist you. Thank you again for your feedback, and please feel free to contact us at any time if you have additional questions or comments. Our US-based member care team can be reached at (866) 490-5980 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Sincerely,Member Services Manager
Instant Checkmate
Reviewed Jan. 27, 2015
On their sign up page they say no hidden fees. I signed up for the PREMIUM package. Silly me, I thought I'd get the information I wanted. If you know a person's name it will give you an address and a bunch of junk you didn't ask for. In order to get a phone number or do a reverse phone number check (if you don't have a name) they want you to pay more. It's only 1.99 at first glance but if you read on, they bill you at a rate of monthly so it's 1.99 a day. Very deceptive indeed. So in essence it doesn't cost 25 a month it costs about 50 a month. In my opinion it is a big time rip off. Paying for premium should mean exactly that. They don't tell you about the extra fees up front. As the saying goes buyer beware. And because you aren't happy sorry they still nail you for a month of nothing.
Hi Michael,
I'm sorry that you had a negative experience with our site. Our management team is currently looking into this issue. In the meantime, feel free to reach out to us if you have any additional questions or concerns.
Sincerely,Member Care Manager
Instant Checkmate
Reviewed Jan. 27, 2015
I purchased a premium background check on myself before applying for a job working for a friend. The application requested any criminal records be listed. Having gotten into some minor trouble as a young adult, I enlisted Instant Checkmate to be sure of accuracy. Nothing turned up on my background report that I paid the premium report price for, so I figured I could check no to the criminal history box. Months later I received an offer contingent upon a background check. No problem, I pre-screened myself with Instant Checkmate right? Well, turns out Instant Checkmate was inaccurate and I had the job offer rescinded - my fault I guess, but I went off of information I paid good money for, and ended up losing a $72,000 a year job offer with the largest University in Michigan. I paid them $43 to lose $72,000.
Hi Michael,
We're really sorry to hear that you had a bad experience on our site. Our data is obtained from public records and various other records sources. We are always working with our data providers to get the best information possible, but as our Disclaimer states, there are some cases in which the information may not be 100% accurate. This is due to variables like clerical errors, slow processing times, and discrepancies between states over what is considered “public record.” There also exists the possibility of false positives, and more than one individual with the same name and basic information may match up with many other records. We sincerely apologize for any inconveniences you experienced, and we will contact you privately to work out a resolution.
Sincerely,Member Services
Instant Checkmate
Reviewed Jan. 26, 2015
I really got the info I needed!
Hi Erica,
Thank you for your positive review and high rating. We really appreciate your feedback, and we’re so happy to hear that our service helped you find what you were looking for.
If you ever have a question, or need help with our website, our US-based member care team is standing by 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. You can reach us at (866) 490-5980.
Sincerely,Member Care Manager
Instant Checkmate
Reviewed Jan. 26, 2015
I was amazed at all the information I found on myself.
Hi Carolyn,
Thank you for your positive review and high rating. We really appreciate your feedback, and we’re so happy to hear that our service helped you find the information you needed.
If you ever have a question, or need help with our website, our US-based member care team is standing by 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. You can reach us at (866) 490-5980.
Sincerely,Member Care Manager
Instant Checkmate
Updated review: Feb. 5, 2015
The customer service representative contacted me and explained why the report had discrepancies. I was offered and accepted a refund of the fee I paid. Thank you for addressing my concerns and refunding the fee.
Original Review: Jan. 26, 2015
I ordered a background report from this company on a person I know has a criminal record. The web page advertised you could get access to police and criminal records. I performed a search and selected the report for the person I was looking for. I paid the $22.98 fee and viewed the report. It was rubbish, riddled with errors and inconsistency. It contained records of the person I was looking for mashed in with records of other people with similar name. It did not even pull up the arrest records of the person in question.
The report told me the person I was looking for did not have a record existing, although I know there are at least 2 this year - they are in prison now. They gave me the arrest report of someone who didn't even have the same race or name as the person I was looking for. When I got to the arrest records, a pop up came and told me that it did not find arrest records for her but for $19.99 the database would do a premium search.
Frankly after paying $22.98 to find out incorrect information and silly information like astrology sign and amazon wish list settings, I was not about to put down more money for more incorrect information. I do not recommend this service. It did not provide me with the information I was looking for and worse, is providing information on unrelated persons. That might lead to libel or slander charges if I acted on any of the information in this report.
Hi Dorothea,
I see that your issue has been completely resolved. I'm very happy that our member care team was able to assist you. Thank you again for your feedback, and please feel free to contact us at any time if you have additional questions or comments. Our US-based member care team can be reached at (866) 490-5980 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Sincerely,Member Services Manager
Instant Checkmate
Reviewed Jan. 25, 2015
I have to repeat the process in order for info to come up.
Hi Karen,
I see that your issue has been completely resolved. I'm very happy that our member care team was able to assist you. Thank you again for your feedback, and please feel free to contact us at any time if you have additional questions or comments. Our US-based member care team can be reached at (866) 490-5980 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Sincerely,Member Services Manager
Instant Checkmate
Reviewed Jan. 25, 2015
Good job. Hope it will be more thorough reporting and more information in the days ahead.
Hi Ryan,
We’re so happy to hear that our service helped you find what you were looking for. Thank you for the positive feedback and high rating! If you ever have a question, or need help with our website, our US-based member care team is standing by 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. You can reach us at (866) 490-5980.
Sincerely,Member Care Manager
Instant Checkmate
Updated review: Jan. 31, 2015
I recently used the service for the background check called: Instant Checkmate. At first I could not understand the information that was shown as it appeared to be a compilation of two or more backgrounds. I made this known to the service and a "general" explanation was offered as to the accuracy. I was skeptical and concluded the conversation.
I was therefore surprised to receive a phone call from a customer relations individual who took the time to explain the procedures to follow. He immediately offered a refund as he understood the problem and made every effort to determine that the issue had been settled to my satisfaction. It was, and I commend the follow-up and the professional manner in which the issue was handled and would recommend the site and suggest, as was indicated, that any user should use the premier service for a complete view of a background.
Original Review: Jan. 25, 2015
I signed for a one time view of a record and after providing the required information, I received a report with a address that had not been used in twenty and a location that had not been lived in for that time. Half the report concerned another individual who is half the age of the individual being sought. The entire process of the site is to have a "come on" for a premium service--or the basic information that you believed you had paid for. When the company was contacted the only explanation was that they had limited access to information and could not tell if it was timely or accurate and perhaps extra money should be paid... "to see other information." This site is bogus in its representations and not recommended unless you want to continue to put coins into "their information slot machine." You will only receive lemons to view.
Hi Jeffrey,
We're so glad to hear that our member care team could help you out. Please feel free to contact us again if you need anything else. Our US-based member care team is standing by 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. You can reach us at (866) 490-5980. Thank you again for your feedback!
Sincerely,Member Services Manager
Instant Checkmate
Reviewed Jan. 25, 2015
This company promotes personal information about individuals on their complete background. However when you click to start the process it makes you believe that you will get the accurate information so you pay and then the report is a complete joke. Most of the information cannot be determined if it's actually the individual or someone else with a similar name and doesn't give you any more information then if you just Googled the individual for background information. Don't pay for this service! You will be sorry!
Hi Gina,
We're really sorry to hear that you had a bad experience on our site. Our data is obtained from public records and various other records sources. We are always working with our data providers to get the best information possible, but as our Disclaimer states, there are some cases in which the information may not be 100% accurate. There also exists the possibility of false positives, and more than one individual with the same name and basic information may match up with many other records. We sincerely apologize for any inconveniences you experienced, and we will contact you privately to work out a resolution.
Sincerely,Member Services
Instant Checkmate
Reviewed Jan. 24, 2015
With just the bare basic subject knowledge, I have been able to satisfy my curiosity on who is who and who is what! I have also been able to track down a few old friends I have been out of touch with since my (ten years of) army days, years ago.
Hi William,
Thank you for your positive review and high rating. We really appreciate your feedback, and we’re so happy to hear that our service helped you find your old friends. That is great news!
If you ever have a question, or need help with our website, our US-based member care team is standing by 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. You can reach us at (866) 490-5980.
Sincerely,Member Care Manager
Instant Checkmate
Reviewed Jan. 24, 2015
This is a joke. I just purchased the one-month membership. Since there was nothing there of any use, I had to pay the additional 19.99 for more information. Again, there was no information that I hadn't already gotten from FREE public records. I requested information on a person that I know for a fact has a long and active criminal background and yet nothing but the last 2 recent arrests was there. Again, free public records. What part of "background" did I miss here? A waste of money and time.
Hi Cynthia,
We know how frustrating it is when you don’t get the information you were expecting. We are constantly working with our data providers to get the best information possible, but due to some states’ laws regarding public records, and slow electronic processing times in certain counties, there may be gaps in our data for some jurisdictions. We sincerely apologize, and will contact you privately to work out a resolution.
Sincerely,Member Services
Instant Checkmate
Reviewed Jan. 24, 2015
I found it very easy to operate and get information I needed which was address and phone number.
Hi Juanita,
Thank you for your positive review and high rating! We're happy to hear that our service helped you find the address and phone number you needed.
If you ever have a question, or need help with our website, our US-based member care team is standing by 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. You can reach us at (866) 490-5980.
Sincerely,Member Care Manager
Instant Checkmate
Updated review: Jan. 28, 2015
After a response from Instant Checkmate and an unexpected phone call from my last review I am changing my rating. They have excellent customer service. Their are many people that have same name and I can see where there can be some confusion in compiling records.
As they said in their response to me some jurisdictions do not release certain records to the public, so they are unable to provide records for people living in certain areas. Users of this website should use their own judgment to determine if the information they receive is about the person they are searching for or if it for someone else with the same name.
Original Review: Jan. 23, 2015
From what I have seen most of the information on this site is wrong. The names and date of birth were correct. Some of the phone numbers are also correct. The rest of the information they give is a guessing game if not just plain wrong. Their site is putting up information from other people with the same name and misleading people letting them believe it is for the person you are looking up. The worst part is after paying $22 for a subscription they want you to pay another $19.99 to view the information they said they were going to show you for the $22.
Reviewed Jan. 23, 2015
Great site. Easy to locate old friends.
Hi Anna,
We’re so happy to hear that our service helped you find your old friends! If you ever have a question, or need help with our website, our US-based member care team is standing by 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. You can reach us at (866) 490-5980.
Sincerely,Member Care Manager
Instant Checkmate
Reviewed Jan. 23, 2015
If you happen to be a survivor of domestic violence this is a helpful tool to use.
Hi Michelle,
We’re so happy to hear that our service is helping you protect yourself from dangerous people.Thank you for the positive feedback and high rating, and if you ever have a question, or need help with our website, our US-based member care team is standing by 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. You can reach us at (866) 490-5980.
Sincerely,Member Care Manager
Instant Checkmate
Reviewed Jan. 23, 2015
I was very disappointed, as this report did not have the latest convictions and judgments!
Hi Dave,
I see that your issue has been completely resolved. I'm very happy that our member care team was able to assist you. Thank you again for your feedback, and please feel free to contact us at any time if you have additional questions or comments. Our US-based member care team can be reached at (866) 490-5980 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Sincerely,Member Services Manager
Instant Checkmate
Reviewed Jan. 23, 2015
Evidently due to a problem with the company's technical set up, an account was never created for my application. HOWEVER there was no problem taking my money ...TWICE...within seconds of each other. Of course I am told that a refund has been issued and that I should have my 90.00 in 5 business days. No report though. And the only way that I can get one is to pay yet another 45.00. Hmmm.....
Reviewed Jan. 22, 2015
Lots of useless information. Very long page that had nothing to do with actual person. I had no need for sex offenders in the area. Had no need people that could be a close match or the close match offenses, but this was 90% of the report. Local county report turned up information 15 years old that this service couldn't. Cost an extra 2 bucks just for useless PDF. Good for looking up old addresses but that's about it. Go somewhere else for information. Cost $22.86 RECURRING CHARGES!
Hi Joe,
We’re sorry to hear that you weren’t happy with your report. Our developers are always working hard to integrate current data into our reports, but due to variables like clerical errors, slow processing times, and discrepancies between states over what is considered “public record,” some reports may be incomplete for people living in certain counties. We apologize, and will contact you privately to resolve this issue.
Sincerely,Member Services
Instant Checkmate
Reviewed Jan. 22, 2015
I feel the reports are very non comprehensive and there are too many additional add on sales for more reporting. The reports that I pulled are non conclusive. No marriage and divorce records on the persons I pulled. I pulled my own record and it's old. These reports are not current at all. There was nothing of interest in my reports that concluded anything I was looking for. I will be leaving the membership of this site.
Hi Virginia,
We're so glad to hear that our member care team could help you out. Please feel free to contact us again if you need anything else. Our US-based member care team is standing by 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. You can reach us at (866) 490-5980. Thank you again for your feedback!
Sincerely,Member Services
Instant Checkmate
Updated review: Jan. 23, 2015
The company has issued me a refund; I hadn't expected this to be done at all let alone immediately. Their public response is fairly clear. When I signed up caps lock was on inadvertently and so I expect that when I went to log in to check if it had been canceled was unable to and so figured it had been done. This was a couple years ago so I don't really remember. Regardless, they have done what I consider to be the right thing and I am grateful for that.
Original Review: Jan. 21, 2015
I wanted to check on someone and did, it was lower cost to sign up and try and cancel later. I forgot to cancel and was not notified and didn't recognize monthly charge on credit card. Accidentally noticed it today when I did a web search to check on someone and found myself in the site and when I went to pay for a search found I had been signed up for over a year. I am afraid to check on how long. When I called support to ask for the password they informed me that the sign up had informed me that it would renew monthly. I wonder how many senior citizens this happens to. Also I had signed up with caps on and that is probably why I thought that I had ended the service. I couldn't get into the site because of that.
Hi Tom,
We’re really sorry to hear you were frustrated by our billing system. We have the system in place because we want to make it easy for all our members to get unlimited access to our reports for one low monthly fee. Please accept our apologies for your troubles. A senior member of our member care team will contact you privately to help resolve this issue as soon as possible.
Sincerely,Member Services
Instant Checkmate
Reviewed Jan. 21, 2015
I am so happy!!! I have been searching online for months because I KNEW I remembered hearing a story about a creepy guy down the street. Could not find him in the sex offenders reg but came here and found out he changed his name awhile back but not his license so when arrested they used old name... He is BACK in jail where he belongs. Way away from children!
Hi Courtney,
We're happy to hear that you were able to find out the truth about an individual living in your neighborhood. One of our main goals is to help people protect their families by helping them learn more about the people living nearby. If you ever have a question or need help with our site, please feel free to reach out to us directly at (866) 490-5980. Our US-based member care team is available 24/7 to provide assistance.
Sincerely,Member Services
Instant Checkmate
Reviewed Jan. 21, 2015
I was doing a background check on myself.
Hi Barbara,
Thank you for your positive review and high rating. We really appreciate your feedback, and we’re so happy to hear that our service helped you find what you were looking for.
If you ever have a question, or need help with our website, our US-based member care team is standing by 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. You can reach us at (866) 490-5980.
Sincerely,Member Care Manager
Instant Checkmate
Reviewed Jan. 20, 2015
You were the only one to report on an individual's demise. Keep up the good work.
Hi Raul,
We’re so happy to hear that our service helped you find what you were looking for. Thank you for the positive feedback and high rating! If you ever have a question, or need help with our website, our US-based member care team is standing by 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. You can reach us at (866) 490-5980.
Sincerely,Member Care Manager
Instant Checkmate
Reviewed Jan. 20, 2015
This site is helping me reconnect with all kinds of Old High School classmates of 20+ years ago. Also helps as a backup for using couchsurfing.com and allows me to more safely open up my home to people. Thank you for your investment in such a powerful tool.
Reviewed Jan. 20, 2015
I am VERY dissatisfied with the lack of information contained in the report especially the PREMIUM update. According to the information provided, certain data was found and would be provided. That is terribly misleading as it was NOT the case. The report information provided was essentially worthless and even mere pedigree information, (e.g. telephone number) was old and no longer in service. There is no way I am going to accept payment of the fee incurred for this lack of information. I will be taking this matter further and requesting a total refund.
Hi Madeline,
We know how frustrating it is when you don’t get the information you were expecting. We are constantly working with our data providers to get the best information possible, but due to some states’ laws regarding public records, and slow electronic processing times in certain counties, there may be gaps in our data for some jurisdictions. We sincerely apologize, and will contact you privately to work out a resolution.
Sincerely,Member Services
Instant Checkmate
Reviewed Jan. 19, 2015
I always have trouble getting my information. The first attempt says the user name is already in use or the password is incorrect. It takes a very long time for me to get my information. Otherwise, I like the site. This time I put my own name in for a search. Please let me know if I am doing something incorrectly. Thank you.
Hi Patricia,
We're so glad to hear that our member care team could help you out. Please feel free to contact us again if you need anything else. Our US-based member care team is standing by 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. You can reach us at (866) 490-5980. Thank you again for your feedback!
Sincerely,Member Services
Instant Checkmate
Reviewed Jan. 19, 2015
I paid my $20 and got a report that had nothing of value in it. Everything that I wanted to see (i.e., criminal background) required additional fees. EVERYTHING. The only information that my $20 had was data on his driving record. I immediately cancelled my account - and doing so meant I never even got a receipt. Smacks of fraud.
Hi Kevin,
I'm sorry that you had a negative experience with our site. Our management team is currently looking into this issue. In the meantime, feel free to reach out to us if you have any additional questions or concerns.
Sincerely,Member Care Manager
Instant Checkmate
Reviewed Jan. 19, 2015
I signed up for the 25 dollar 1 month. Only got general info and when requesting more, I had to upgrade to the premium report for 20 more. Afterwards I got the same general report then Instant Checkmate asked for another 20 to download the detailed premium report which I did NOT do. So I'm out 35 for nothing! Scam.
Hi Danny,
I'm sorry that you had a negative experience with our site. Our management team is currently looking into this issue. In the meantime, feel free to reach out to us if you have any additional questions or concerns.
Sincerely,Member Care Manager
Instant Checkmate
Reviewed Jan. 19, 2015
I expected it to be more pricey but relieved when it was not.
Hi Angel,
Thank you for your positive review and high rating. We really appreciate your feedback, and we’re so happy to hear that our service helped you find what you were looking for.
If you ever have a question, or need help with our website, our US-based member care team is standing by 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. You can reach us at (866) 490-5980.
Sincerely,Member Care Manager
Instant Checkmate
Reviewed Jan. 18, 2015
You keep having people add more and more and just when I think I've paid for unlimited everything I am billed $19.99 for a single report. Had I known it was that much I would never have done it.
Hi Justin,
We strive to provide our members with extensive public record information in our standard reports (including names, aliases, phone numbers, location history, possible related persons, arrest records, sex offenders, marriage and divorce records, licenses, social media accounts, and horoscopes). However, some jurisdictions do not release certain records to the public, so we are unable to provide records for people living in certain areas. Additionally, when premium data is available, we must pay to access these records, so we must charge a small one-time fee to compile premium reports for our users. We sincerely apologize for your frustrating experience, and we will contact you privately to resolve this issue.
Sincerely,Member Services
Instant Checkmate
Reviewed Jan. 18, 2015
Marriage and divorce records - Search went swiftly this search and hope I can locate what courthouse my records are located in quite swiftly also.
Hi Sylvia,
Thank you for your feedback. We're happy to hear that you were able to find the marriage and divorce records you were looking for. If you ever have a question, or need help with your search, please feel free to contact us directly at (866) 490-5980. Our US-based member care team is available 24/7 to provide assistance.
Sincerely,Member Services
Instant Checkmate
Reviewed Jan. 18, 2015
I get basic information on people. It is similar to other public information databases. I am satisfied, but would like more in depth information with the subscription service.
Hi Thomas,
We appreciate your honest feedback regarding your recent search results. Our data providers are always updating their information, however, some state and local governments do not release their records to the public, or they may not update their databases annually. This can potentially create gaps in the data that is provided to us. A senior member of our member care team will contact you privately to provide further assistance.
Sincerely,Member Services
Instant Checkmate
Reviewed Jan. 18, 2015
I took advantage of the 5-day free trial, and I've looked up some friends and relatives, even some I know their 'history'...all information was up to date and relevant. Thanks.
Hi Carolyn,
Thank you for your positive review and high rating. We really appreciate your feedback, and we’re so happy to hear that you're enjoying your 5-day trial!
If you ever have a question, or need help with our website, our US-based member care team is standing by 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. You can reach us at (866) 490-5980.
Sincerely,Member Care Manager
Instant Checkmate
Reviewed Jan. 18, 2015
Most of the telephone numbers are not working numbers, outdated information.
Hi Sandra,
We're so glad to hear that our member care team could help you out. Please feel free to contact us again if you need anything else. Our US-based member care team is standing by 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. You can reach us at (866) 490-5980. Thank you again for your feedback!
Sincerely,Member Services Manager
Instant Checkmate
Reviewed Jan. 18, 2015
I was looking for my best friend and found four numbers and two were disconnected, one just rang and the other was my friend's ex husband number so maybe I can get in touch with her that way. My info was very accurate.
Hi Victoria,
Thank you for your feedback. We're so glad to hear that our service helped you get back in touch with an old friend. That's great news! If there is anything we can do to provide further assistance please feel free to contact us directly at (866) 490-5980.
Sincerely,Member Services
Instant Checkmate
Reviewed Jan. 18, 2015
Even just the trial was very useful... can't wait to get full access.
Hi Deanne,
We’re so happy to hear that our service is helping you find the information you need. Thank you for the positive feedback and high rating! If you ever have a question, or need help with our website, our US-based member care team is standing by 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. You can reach us at (866) 490-5980.
Sincerely,Member Care Manager
Instant Checkmate
Reviewed Jan. 17, 2015
The information I am finding is not correct and to get the "additional" info, you want to charge more money? The initial info isn't right, why would I want to pay for more?! Incredible disappointment.
Hi Mary,
We know how frustrating it is when you don’t get the information you were expecting. We are constantly working with our data providers to get the best information possible, but due to some states’ laws regarding public records, and slow electronic processing times in certain counties, there may be gaps in our data for some jurisdictions. We sincerely apologize, and will contact you privately to work out a resolution.
Sincerely,Member Services
Instant Checkmate
Updated review: Feb. 5, 2015
I posted a review about the problems in information and received a phone call from Instant Checkmate and they were helpful and even gave me some pointers. I can't give it a 5 because of errors but I can say I'd give them a 4.5 now. Customer service is 5 star!
Original Review: Jan. 16, 2015
Love the site but finding a lot of misinformation on people. Quite a few areas seem incomplete. Or there's the correct name and info with the wrong picture. Thus far not as accurate as I thought.
Hi Donna,
I see that your issue has been completely resolved. I'm very happy that our member care team was able to assist you. Thank you again for your feedback, and please feel free to contact us at any time if you have additional questions or comments. Our US-based member care team can be reached at (866) 490-5980 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Sincerely,Member Services Manager
Instant Checkmate
Reviewed Jan. 16, 2015
I read that doing record checks may help when researching your family tree, so I decided to give this a try. I don't think your program was designed for that purpose. This was still a learning experience for me about what is public. Thanks.
Hi Linda,
Thank you for your feedback. Many of our customers use our service for researching their family tree or long lost relatives. However, some counties do not release certain records to the public, or they may not update their databases annually, so this can potentially create gaps in our data. A senior member of our team will contact you to provide further assistance.
Sincerely,Member Services
Instant Checkmate
Reviewed Jan. 16, 2015
All records provided are incredibly accurate. I had no idea that records of all previous addresses would be available.
Hi Ramon,
Thank you for your positive review and high rating. We really appreciate your feedback, and we’re so happy to hear that our service helped you find what you were looking for.
If you ever have a question, or need help with our website, our US-based member care team is standing by 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. You can reach us at (866) 490-5980.
Sincerely,Member Care Manager
Instant Checkmate
Reviewed Jan. 16, 2015
Turned up deceased. Would have liked more on criminal records, esp. of sex offenders and more relatives. He had children not listed which made search a bit harder. All in all, worth it.
Hi Georgia,
We’re so happy to hear that our service helped you find the information you needed. Thank you for the positive feedback and high rating! If you ever have a question, or need help with our website, our US-based member care team is standing by 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. You can reach us at (866) 490-5980.
Sincerely,Member Care Manager
Instant Checkmate
Reviewed Jan. 15, 2015
I paid to obtain information related to my ex-husband, whom I divorced in 1996. Before the purchase, the website indicated 11 arrest records were found on him. When I made the purchase, there were no arrest records at all, and not even my marriage was listed in the report. There was a lot of information for other individuals that didn't even have the same name (different middle name). Totally useless, deceptive and a complete rip-off.
Hi Catherine,
I'm sorry that you had a negative experience with our site. Our management team is currently looking into this issue. In the meantime, feel free to reach out to us if you have any additional questions or concerns.
Sincerely,Member Care Manager
Instant Checkmate
Reviewed Jan. 15, 2015
I found an article on Sony's Social Life News regarding Instant Checkmate and followed the link to their site. After viewing what they had to offer I proceeded to leave because of pricing. The next window that comes up is offering 5 days for $1 for very limited viewing reports. Wasn't really worth the money, but it was a novelty. Five days later they falsely charge me almost $30! I am pissed! I will be in touch with a lot of people on this! Stay away from this company! Corrupt business practices!
Hi Brett,
I'm sorry that you had a negative experience with our site. Our management team is currently looking into this issue. In the meantime, feel free to reach out to us if you have any additional questions or concerns.
Sincerely,Member Care Manager
Instant Checkmate
Updated review: Jan. 22, 2015
The company did contact me as publicly promised and promptly explained the situation and gave me a full refund of all monies I paid to them. They were very quick and I feel that they stepped up and resolved things professionally.
Original Review: Jan. 14, 2015
I accessed someone's info that I KNEW had specific records. It did not show any of his arrests, that he'd been married, any of his social media accounts, etc. YES, it was the right person. Do not waste your money.
Hi April,
We're so glad to hear that our member care team could help you out. Please feel free to contact us again if you need anything else. Our US-based member care team is standing by 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. You can reach us at (866) 490-5980. Thank you again for your feedback!
Sincerely,Member Services
Instant Checkmate
Reviewed Jan. 14, 2015
Everything has an additional charge!! Only the very minimal and very basic info is available. Can you email me back how I can cancel this service? Thank you.
Hi Theresa,
I see that your issue has been completely resolved. I'm very happy that our member care team was able to assist you. Thank you again for your feedback, and please feel free to contact us at any time if you have additional questions or comments. Our US-based member care team can be reached at (866) 490-5980 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Sincerely,Member Care Manager
Instant Checkmate
Reviewed Jan. 14, 2015
I saw the Facebook page of the person I was looking for, then it went away and I couldn't find it again. I know of at least 3 marriages that did not come up, for this person. Was easy enough - hoping I will be sent the information that is missing.
Hi Deborah,
We're so glad to hear that our member care team could help you out. Please feel free to contact us again if you need anything else. Our US-based member care team is standing by 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. You can reach us at (866) 490-5980. Thank you again for your feedback!
Sincerely,Member Services
Instant Checkmate
Reviewed Jan. 13, 2015
I was *very* surprised that, after having signed up and doing a test search, I was subjected to an additional (unexpected) charge to be able to 'download PDF'. Also, the 'option' to have to pay more for 'Premium'-- for search items that I thought were included in the original subscription--was a surprise. The searches seem to be adequate, although there might be some 'this is not the person I was looking for' options on a couple of other fields....perhaps they were there and just didn't show on my screen. Also, an option to go back farther, for example, a complete address history, along with an estimated timeframe (dates) of occupancy could be useful. Thanks.
Hi Larry,
Thank you for reaching out—we really appreciate your valuable feedback. A senior member of our team will be contacting you privately to help resolve this issue for you as soon as possible.
Sincerely,Member Services
Instant Checkmate
Reviewed Jan. 13, 2015
Very helpful in locating and getting phones numbers for members of our 1965 college graduating class.
Hi Ed,
We’re so happy to hear that our service helped you find students' contact information for your reunion. That's great news! Thank you for the positive feedback and high rating! If you ever have a question, or need help with our website, our US-based member care team is standing by 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. You can reach us at (866) 490-5980.
Sincerely,Member Care Manager
Instant Checkmate
Reviewed Jan. 13, 2015
I have paid for the premier package and I cannot get access to the additional reports.
Hi Enzo,
Thank you for reaching out. We appreciate honest feedback — it allows us to do our job better. We apologize that you experienced technical issues during your search, but we want to let you know that we’re committed to making things right. A senior member of our member care team will contact you to walk you through the issue.
Sincerely,Member Services
Instant Checkmate
Reviewed Jan. 13, 2015
I do not have any of those people as possible relatives y'all named on there and y'all said 9 criminal offenses are related to my name. I am me so I know that is false information about me. Joanie ** is what y'all got right and that is it. WHAT YOU GUYS ARE SAYING ABOUT ME COULD HURT ME AND IT'S NOT ACCURATE. If it was I wouldn't be complaining so much but even if it was which it is not y'all have no right to put anything on the web about me especially if I didn't put it there and I know I didn't ever in my life have 9 criminal offenses and if the people you say are possible relatives do take them off of my name please. They are not my relatives. Thanks for taking this seriously because I do when people can ruin my reputation over lies...
Hi Joanie,
Thank you for reaching out. All of the information on our site is public record and can be viewed by anyone through various public records sources. You do have the option to opt out, with will remove all of your information from our site only. A senior member of our team will contact you privately to provide further assistance.
Sincerely,Member Services
Instant Checkmate
Reviewed Jan. 13, 2015
Your services are utilized for locating family members, that unknown other than their names. I find my 35+ years to be less stressful than it was before using Checkmate.
Hi Carolyn,
Thank you for your positive review and high rating. We really appreciate your feedback, and we’re so happy to hear that our service helped you find what you were looking for.
If you ever have a question, or need help with our website, our US-based member care team is standing by 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. You can reach us at (866) 490-5980.
Sincerely,Member Care Manager
Instant Checkmate
Reviewed Jan. 13, 2015
Found my long-lost aunt & uncle!!!
Hi Jim,
We're so happy to hear that our service helped you find your aunt and uncle—that is wonderful news! We really appreciate your positive feedback, and please feel free to contact us directly at 866-490-5980 if you ever need assistance with our site.
Sincerely,Member Services
Instant Checkmate
Reviewed Jan. 13, 2015
Does not give me the current addresses.
Hi Jessica,
We know how frustrating it is when you don’t get the information you were expecting. We are constantly working with our data providers to get the best information possible, but due to some states’ laws regarding public records, and slow electronic processing times in certain counties, there may be gaps in our data for some jurisdictions. We sincerely apologize, and will contact you privately to work out a resolution.
Sincerely,Member Services
Instant Checkmate
Reviewed Jan. 12, 2015
You were misleading about the information that I would be able to obtain, once I got my report I had to pay more to get a full report. I will be putting this out there on my social accounts that this was misleading.
Hi Jennifer,
I'm sorry that you had a negative experience with our site. Our management team is currently looking into this issue. In the meantime, feel free to reach out to us if you have any additional questions or concerns.
Sincerely,Member Care Manager
Instant Checkmate
Reviewed Jan. 12, 2015
Misled into buying your service. Missing police/arrest records and family members. Easily found on another site.
Hi David,
I'm sorry that you had a negative experience with our site. Our management team is currently looking into this issue. In the meantime, feel free to reach out to us if you have any additional questions or concerns.
Sincerely,Member Care Manager
Instant Checkmate
Reviewed Jan. 12, 2015
I'm new with these computers, so I have many hurdles to overcome. I'm using a tablet so I could not access the report I ordered which I ordered with my tablet! Go figure! I can order it but I can't use it!
Hello,
I see that your issue has been completely resolved. I'm very happy that our member care team was able to assist you. Thank you again for your feedback, and please feel free to contact us at any time if you have additional questions or comments. Our US-based member care team can be reached at (866) 490-5980 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Sincerely,Member Services Manager
Instant Checkmate
Reviewed Jan. 12, 2015
You claim to have all this information, but other than simple things anyone could look up on Google, everything else you claim to have is only available for an additional charge. Shame on you for misleading me.
Hi Robert,
We're very sorry to hear that you were unable to find information for certain people. We strive to provide our members with extensive public record information in our standard reports (including names, aliases, phone numbers, location history, possible related persons, arrest records, sex offenders, marriage and divorce records, licenses, social media accounts, and horoscopes). However, some jurisdictions do not release certain records to the public, or they may not update their databases annually, so we are unable to provide records for people living in certain areas. A senior member of our team will contact you privately to provide further assistance.
Sincerely,Member Services
Instant Checkmate
Reviewed Jan. 11, 2015
Instant checkmate is one of the best. Love using instant checkmate. Best information and well-organized.
Hi Sherry,
Thanks so much for your positive review and high rating. We really appreciate your feedback and if you ever have a question or need help with our site, please feel free to contact us directly at 866-490-5980. We are available 24/7 to help!
Sincerely,Member Services
Instant Checkmate
Reviewed Jan. 11, 2015
Report info was actually less than I already found out on my own. Showed photos that were so off base. And the marriage/divorce info was way off and didn't even list his marriage of 7yrs. Wasn't even his name, so obviously it wasn't correct on any level.
Hi Brenda,
We're very sorry to hear that you were unable to find information for certain people. We strive to provide our members with extensive public record information in our standard reports (including names, aliases, phone numbers, location history, possible related persons, arrest records, sex offenders, marriage and divorce records, licenses, social media accounts, and horoscopes). However, some jurisdictions do not release certain records to the public, or they may not update their databases annually, so we are unable to provide records for people living in certain areas. A senior member of our team will contact you privately to provide further assistance.
Sincerely,Member Services
Instant Checkmate
Reviewed Jan. 11, 2015
I was explicitly looking for marriage and divorce information and prior to pay the initial fee there was a green checked mark next to marriage and divorce, and to my understanding that means that you had that info. I paid the initial $22 and didn't find marriage or divorce so I paid an extra $19.99 for the premium and still didn't get what was promised. All these companies rip people off. I don't have an order number, haven't even gotten a confirmation email when I created the account or receipt for the payments.
Hi Aura,
I'm sorry that you had a negative experience with our site. Our management team is currently looking into this issue. In the meantime, feel free to reach out to us if you have any additional questions or concerns.
Sincerely,Member Care Manager
Instant Checkmate
Reviewed Jan. 11, 2015
Criminal record rarely matches birthdates. I paid for the phone number look-up. When I select additional information for the phone number, the person's information is not given. Information nationwide is given for the person's name. The site give much information about many people with the same name.
Hi Christine,
We're really sorry to hear that you had a bad experience on our site. Our data is obtained from public records and various other records sources. We are always working with our data providers to get the best information possible, but as our Disclaimer states, there are some cases in which the information may not be 100% accurate. This is due to variables like clerical errors, slow processing times, and discrepancies between states over what is considered “public record.” There also exists the possibility of false positives, and more than one individual with the same name and basic information may match up with many other records. We sincerely apologize for any inconveniences you experienced, and we will contact you privately to work out a resolution.
Sincerely,Member Services
Instant Checkmate
Reviewed Jan. 10, 2015
I'm tired of thinking I am paying for a service for information... Only to find out that I am constantly being limited in receiving that info, and being asked to upgrade for yet another fee!! AND, I don't like that I can't discontinue online!! I don't like that you make it difficult on purpose!! That is BAD business!! #irritated!!
Hi Catherine,
While we try to provide our members with as much information as possible in our standard reports, we can’t show everything because some records are simply more expensive to access. Therefore, we must charge a one-time fee to compile premium reports for our users. We want to sincerely apologize for your frustrating experience. A member care manager will be in touch shortly to help you.
Sincerely,Member Services
Instant Checkmate
Reviewed Jan. 9, 2015
I signed into Instant Checkmate because I have not seen or heard from my Brother in 7(seven) years. I read their ad and thought they would have new info with all the places they were looking including Facebook etc. but that wasn't the case! The info they gave me was at least 10 (ten) years old! Some were addresses he did not live at for years. It did not include his divorce or marriage or an arrest I knew about. I paid $22.86 for info that was old plus there was no info they showed they had. I called the company and talked to a representative named Jessica. I tried to explain to her what my problem was, that there was only new info. There was not even a Facebook account, which I know he has and they show that they supposedly check. The representative Jessica had all the answers - when I said wasted my money she said "we can cancel your subscription and you won't be charged a recurring fee." Ok anymore jokes! I would like a refund but I guess they make their money this way! Also they charge you $19.+ for reports I thought would be included!
Hi Marie,
We’re sorry to hear that you weren’t happy with your report. Our developers are always working hard to integrate current data into our reports, but due to variables like clerical errors, slow processing times, and discrepancies between states over what is considered “public record,” some reports may be incomplete for people living in certain counties. We apologize, and will contact you privately to resolve this issue.
Sincerely,Member Services
Instant Checkmate
Reviewed Jan. 9, 2015
Fast, accurate and very helpful.
Hi David,
Thank you for your positive review and high rating. We really appreciate your feedback, and we’re so happy to hear that our service helped you find what you were looking for. If you ever have a question, or need help with our website, our US-based member care team is standing by 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. You can reach us at (866) 490-5980.
Sincerely,Member Care Manager
Instant Checkmate
Reviewed Jan. 9, 2015
I thought I would get more info, since I am a paying customer. Instead I get continuous badgering for more money for "premium" data. Barely worth it.
Hi George,
I’m sorry that you weren’t happy with our service, but glad to hear that our member care team could help you out. Please feel free to contact us again if you need anything else. Our US-based member care team is standing by 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. You can reach us at (866) 490-5980. Thank you for your feedback!
Sincerely,Member Services
Instant Checkmate
Reviewed Jan. 8, 2015
Have a very hard time using the website maybe because I’m a senior citizen.
Hi Donald,
Thank you for reaching out. We're sorry to hear that you had trouble with our site, and we will have a manager from our member care team contact you as soon as possible to provide assistance.
Sincerely,Member Services
Instant Checkmate
Reviewed Jan. 8, 2015
In general, I am satisfied with your service. There are a few problems, though.
2. You charged my bank twice for premium info on Jason ** but never gave me the info.
3. I do not know why the charge for premium info is $22+ when you say it will be $19.99. Is the extra for taxes?
4. I want to get rid of most of my searches, but I only see a way to archive some. Is it possible to delete any?
5. You have my father and my brother as married to each other! Where do you get your information?
Thank you.
Hi Debra,
I see that your issue has been completely resolved. I'm very happy that our member care team was able to assist you. Thank you again for your feedback, and please feel free to contact us at any time if you have additional questions or comments. Our US-based member care team can be reached at (866) 490-5980 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Sincerely,Member Services Manager
Instant Checkmate
Reviewed Jan. 8, 2015
These records don't seem to be current or up to date for David **. He is currently in the Linn County jail for drunk driving and there is no mention of this on his record. I paid for the premium information on David.
Hi Mary Anne,
We're so glad to hear that our member care team could help you out. Please feel free to contact us again if you need anything else. Our US-based member care team is standing by 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. You can reach us at (866) 490-5980. Thank you again for your feedback!
Sincerely,Member Services Manager
Instant Checkmate
Reviewed Jan. 8, 2015
Needed to find name of person with a cell number. Your search engine found it.
Hi Andy,
Thanks so much for reaching out to us. We're glad to hear that our service helped you find the person you were looking for. If there is anything else we can do to assist you with your current or future searches, please feel free to reach out to us directly at (866) 490-5980. Our US-based member care team is available 24/7 to help!
Sincerely,Member Services
Instant Checkmate
Reviewed Jan. 7, 2015
I signed up after reading what would be provided in the FREE report. I clicked on the UNLOCK MY REPORT button, entered my credit card information for the $22.88 report. I had to pay another $1.99 to get the report in PDF format. Then when I read it, there was NOTHING in it that couldn't be found by doing a simple GOOGLE search. If I wanted to get the business associates information or ANY other IMPORTANT information on the person I ran the search on, I had to UPGRADE for another $19.99. I will say that after asking to speak to a supervisor and voicing my displeasure with the results, I was refunded HALF of my fees ($11.44). It remains to be seen if they really refund anything. DON'T USE THIS SERVICE FOR ANYTHING.
Hi Clarence,
I’m sorry that you weren’t happy with our service, but glad to hear that our member care team could help you out. Please feel free to contact us again if you need anything else. Our US-based member care team is standing by 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. You can reach us at (866) 490-5980. Thank you for your feedback!
Sincerely,Member Services
Instant Checkmate
Reviewed Jan. 7, 2015
You advertise full background checks for a monthly fee. The information you provide, can be ascertained for free. The full background comes at an additional charge. Bait and switch comes to mind!
Hi Anthony,
We know how frustrating it is when you don’t get the information you were expecting. We are constantly working with our data providers to get the best information possible, but due to some states’ laws regarding public records, and slow electronic processing times in certain counties, there may be gaps in our data for some jurisdictions. We sincerely apologize, and will contact you privately to work out a resolution.
Sincerely,Member Services
Instant Checkmate
Reviewed Jan. 7, 2015
It took about 20 minutes to get into the system today. When I did a search, I got an empty page with the word "null". I hope it was a temporary problem. Otherwise, I have had a good experience using Firefox. Today I tried using Chrome.
Hi Glen,
Thank you for reaching out to us with your honest feedback, we really appreciate it! We did have a temporary technical issue with the site, but everything is back up and running. If there is anything else you need assistance with, we are available 24/7 to help. We can be reached directly at (866) 490-5980.
Sincerely,Member Services
Instant Checkmate
Reviewed Jan. 7, 2015
At the beginning your site assured me (and other users) that there were "NO HIDDEN CHARGES". Well, THAT was a bunch of bunk. To even look at my own personal information, I had to BUY a 5-day membership. Then, in order to get much information at all, it was going to cost even more. To obtain service for more than the 5 days, the costs went up pretty rapidly, and I'm assuming that there were additional costs even there. Entering the site KNOWING there would be charges involved at the beginning would have given me the information I needed to make a reasonable determination as to whether or not I wanted to proceed. As it was, I wasted a lot of time playing your game of "Do you want this, or this, or this???"
I had expected to send your URL to most of my internet friends, but now there is NO WAY I will do that. It would be both unreasonable and unfair to let them fall for your charade also. I won't be coming back to renew for a longer period of time, if I ever even use your service again after tonight. Lousy, unethical site... Just as the majority of information and sites on the internet. You're at least in company with the majority of internet scams.
Hi Kenny,
I'm sorry that you had a negative experience with our site. Our management team is currently looking into this issue. In the meantime, feel free to reach out to us if you have any additional questions or concerns.
Sincerely,Member Care Manager
Instant Checkmate
Reviewed Jan. 6, 2015
I am getting some generic info. I am disappointed that if I want more, I have to pay PER search. Doesn't seem right to me. I thought if I paid the $1 plus the $19.99, I could get into more of the info. AND MOST of it is dated, from years ago. I WOULD NOT recommend this to others at all.
Hi Shirley,
We're really sorry to hear that you had a bad experience on our site. Our data is obtained from public records and various other records sources. We are always working with our data providers to get the best and most up-to-date information possible, but as our Disclaimer states, there are some cases in which the information may not be 100% accurate. This is due to variables like clerical errors, slow processing times, and discrepancies between states over what is considered “public record.” There also exists the possibility of false positives, and more than one individual with the same name and basic information may match up with many other records. We sincerely apologize for any inconveniences you experienced, and we will contact you privately to work out a resolution.
Sincerely,Member Services
Instant Checkmate
Reviewed Jan. 6, 2015
Once I paid for the unlimited month ($22.86) and was able to access the records on the person I was searching. The only thing Instant Checkmate got correct was the person's name. The person's date of birth and address were incorrect and the person doesn't have a landline and the phone number the company provided was not correct either. If I wanted any additional information I had to pay more money on top of the extra $1.99 I paid to get a pdf version of information that was incorrect. I cancelled my membership immediately but I should be refunded my money as 3/4ths of the information was incorrect.
Hi Colleen,
I see that your issue has been completely resolved. I'm very happy that our member care team was able to assist you. Thank you again for your feedback, and please feel free to contact us at any time if you have additional questions or comments. Our US-based member care team can be reached at (866) 490-5980 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Sincerely,Member Services
Instant Checkmate
Reviewed Jan. 6, 2015
I've found some of the information out of order by time. I was hoping for more current information and recent phone numbers. Some of my searches I found information that was 5 or 6 years out of date. Other than that it did give me a lot of information to get started with. Thank you.
Hi Gary,
We appreciate your honest feedback regarding your recent search results. We're really sorry to hear that some of the information you obtained was out of date. Our data providers are always updating their information, however, some state and local governments do not release their records to the public, or they may not update their databases annually. This can potentially create gaps in the data that is provided to us. A senior member of our member care team will contact you privately to provide further assistance.
Sincerely,Member Services
Instant Checkmate
Reviewed Jan. 6, 2015
I had a terrible time finding records on the name I indicated and I received VERY little information. I could have gotten more information on Ancestry.com than I did on this site. Very dissatisfied.
Hi Sharon,
We're very sorry to hear that you were unable to find information for certain people. We strive to provide our members with extensive public record information in our standard reports (including names, aliases, phone numbers, location history, possible related persons, arrest records, sex offenders, marriage and divorce records, licenses, social media accounts, and horoscopes). However, some jurisdictions do not release certain records to the public, or they may not update their databases annually, so we are unable to provide records for people living in certain areas. A senior member of our team will contact you privately to provide further assistance.
Sincerely,Member Services
Instant Checkmate
Reviewed Jan. 6, 2015
I have had great luck in locating some of my classmates for our 50 year reunion. However, getting on the 2nd day was a problem. It would not accept my password. I had to call your toll free number to get back on the site without paying again. I hope my access without anymore problems.
Hi Paul,
Thank you for your positive review and high rating. We really appreciate your feedback, and we’re so happy to hear that our service helped you find your former classmates in time for your 50 year reunion—that is wonderful news!
If you experience any login issues in the future, or need help with our website, please contact us and we will look into it right away. Our US-based member care team is standing by 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to provide assistance. You can reach us directly at (866) 490-5980.
Sincerely,Member Care Manager
Instant Checkmate
Reviewed Jan. 6, 2015
I signed up for this service for unlimited reports. The reports I received were absolutely useless and were missing relevant information that I was able to find on my own using free public records site. I cancelled within 30 minutes of signing up. I was promised a refund, but they advised that it would take several business days to process. I still have not received the confirmation of my cancellation, even though my registration and payment showed up immediately. The only thing instant about their service is how quickly they take your money. Use Google and get the same information for free.
Hi Sherri,
I see that your issue has been completely resolved. I'm very happy that our member care team was able to assist you. Thank you again for your feedback, and please feel free to contact us at any time if you have additional questions or comments. Our US-based member care team can be reached at (866) 490-5980 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Sincerely,Member Services Manager
Instant Checkmate
Reviewed Jan. 5, 2015
I agreed to a one time charge ($19.99) for premium level but your system charged my account 5 times ($100) and took all money from my account. Your website system is not clear enough for Disabled Person with brain injury like me can understand it and use it without making serious mistakes. You took all the money I have for food for rest of January.
Hi John,
I see that your issue has been completely resolved. I'm very happy that our member care team was able to assist you. Thank you again for your feedback, and please feel free to contact us at any time if you have additional questions or comments. Our US-based member care team can be reached at (866) 490-5980 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Sincerely,Member Services
Instant Checkmate
Reviewed Jan. 4, 2015
Reading through the replies to consumer concerns - which I see are many - I also note you just cut and paste replies. Not impressed. This indicates you really don't care and are just going through a process to appease. I had planned to take out a company subscription however reading the comments from people with genuine gripes I now will Not be using Instant Checkmate as you clearly are taking advantage of data provision and not providing an honest service for money paid. Disappointing... Perhaps if you address the primary issues of ensuring you deliver a decent comprehensive service for fair payment then your volume of complaint posts will not be so frequent.
Hi Mark,
We appreciate you reaching out to us. In regards to the similar replies you may see on our responses, we prefer to respond to our customers privately with a more in-depth personalized response. The reason being that many of our responses include sensitive information about the customer's account, and we hold the utmost respect for the privacy of our customers.
Customer service is our number one priority and we often follow up with phone calls as well in order to address the issues that cannot be resolved through online communications. Our member care team is available 24/7 to provide assistance, so please feel free to reach out to us directly should you have any further questions or concerns. We can be reached at (866) 490-5980. Thank you again for your honest feedback.
Sincerely,Member Services
Instant Checkmate
Reviewed Jan. 4, 2015
Great search tool to find people.
Hi Cindy,
We’re so happy to hear that our service helped you find what you were looking for. Thank you for the positive feedback and high rating! If you ever have a question, or need help with our website, our US-based member care team is standing by 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. You can reach us at (866) 490-5980.
Sincerely,Member Care Manager
Instant Checkmate
Reviewed Jan. 4, 2015
I am very upset that the information is not complete. I even paid for Premium to get information regarding marriages and divorces so I could see if he was single and to see if he had children. None of that information is listed. Very Angry that I paid all the money to get nothing in return. It did not give me any more information than I already had and in fact, I have more information that you folks offer. I would like you to refund my money for the month subscription as well as the premium report that I paid for. I am very upset that you have no real information to offer.
Hi Tammy,
We’re really sorry to hear that you weren’t happy with your report. Our developers are always working hard to integrate current data into our reports, but due to variables like clerical errors, slow processing times, and discrepancies between states over what is considered “public record,” some reports may be incomplete for people living in certain counties. We apologize, and will contact you privately to resolve this issue.
Sincerely,Member Services
Instant Checkmate
Reviewed Jan. 4, 2015
They don't tell you that you're gonna have to pay 2$ extra to download the info or 20 more just to look at half of the reports and that's **.
Hi Kaylin,
We’re sorry to hear you were unable to obtain information on certain people. Our data providers are always updating their information, but some state and local governments do not release their records to the public, or they may not update their databases annually, which can create gaps in our data. A manager from our member care team will contact you privately to resolve this issue.
Sincerely,Member Services
Instant Checkmate
Reviewed Jan. 3, 2015
Not worth even the $1 trial. All info given was available online elsewhere for free. Very disappointed.
Hello,
We're really sorry to hear that you had a bad experience on our site. Our data is obtained from public records and various other records sources. We are always working with our data providers to get the best information possible, but as our Disclaimer states, there are some cases in which the information may not be 100% accurate. There also exists the possibility of false positives, and more than one individual with the same name and basic information may match up with many other records. We sincerely apologize for any inconveniences you experienced, and we will contact you privately to work out a resolution.
Sincerely,Member Services
Instant Checkmate
Reviewed Jan. 3, 2015
I was blown away that that much info was available on ME! Then I tried my children - all over 21 and was again amazed. Would love to have an entire package - but don't know the cost. Seems everything you want is an addition add-on cost!
Hi Thomas,
We’re so happy to hear that our service helped you find what you were looking for. Thank you for the positive feedback and high rating! If you ever have a question, or need help with our website, our US-based member care team is standing by 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. You can reach us at (866) 490-5980.
Sincerely,Member Care Manager
Instant Checkmate
Reviewed Jan. 3, 2015
In researching, I find that information is not presented in a way to decipher which is most current. For example, address information. You will list 10 known addresses, however, you do not identify which is the last known address. In addition, you do not have information on marriage and divorce for NY state. I know this because I researched my own records and it gave no indication that I was married or divorced. I also used additional individuals I knew to test my theory. This is where I have issues and find it prudent not to purchase the entire product. In the future consider providing up to date and accurate information in the trial period and individuals will purchase the premium content.
Hi Reshana,
I see that your issue has been completely resolved. I'm very happy that our member care team was able to assist you. Thank you again for your feedback, and please feel free to contact us at any time if you have additional questions or comments. Our US-based member care team can be reached at (866) 490-5980 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Sincerely,Member Services
Instant Checkmate
Reviewed Jan. 3, 2015
I search one person and that would "ME" and the whole thing was bogus! All the information was not up to date, incorrect, information missing and wrong. Website is fraudulent. Then of course here comes the unauthorized charge to my account.
Hi Holly,
I'm sorry that you had a negative experience with our site. Our management team is currently looking into this issue. In the meantime, feel free to reach out to us if you have any additional questions or concerns.
Sincerely,Member Care Manager
Instant Checkmate
Reviewed Jan. 3, 2015
Marriage license not here, no record of drivers license, no maiden name.
Hi Barb,
We're so glad to hear that our member care team could help you out. Please feel free to contact us again if you need anything else. Our US-based member care team is standing by 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. You can reach us at (866) 490-5980. Thank you again for your feedback!
Sincerely,Member Services
Instant Checkmate
Reviewed Jan. 2, 2015
Instant Checkmate provides a useful and easy to use service. Its website, customer service and PR are top notch. However, the following feedback might be useful to you.
1. BAIT and SWITCH tactics are used. I wanted to test drive this service a bit before making an investment. The Terms of Use section 1b mentions the availability of a 5 day $1 Trial Membership, so I elected to proceed. However, when billing information was required, there was no $1 Trial option (first bait and switch). So I opted for the $22.95 for 1 month option. And that's you subsequently discover after using the service that only basic data is provided at this rate. Other data like email addresses and financial information (I was keen to know what financial information on me was out there) was considered Premium data and would cost another $19.99. This should have been mentioned upfront before we committed to this purchase, not after (second bait and switch).
2. Some of the information provided is useless noise as understandably, matching based on limited criteria like name, DOB and location has its limitations and the data is as accurate as the sources they are derived from. However, under Marriage and Divorces, apart from not providing any correct matches, many of the entries showed exactly the same marriages getting divorces on the same date. Marriages may not last but this looks like an obvious retrieval error.
3. I opted for the $2 PDF saving capability (which incidentally should be included without extra charge) and kept encountering an error message when trying to save a PDF report. Based on a suggestion from a customer service representative, I closed my browser and opened it up again and now it works. The error message should have suggested this.
4. I called up Customer Service to cancel my subscription immediately and to voice my dissatisfaction. She was professional, polite and gave me a partial refund.
To Instant Checkmate - You have much going for your company. Don't blemish your reputation by using these bait and switch tactics and be upfront with the cost options including the Premium data and your customer satisfaction will be even better.
Hello,
Thank you for reaching out to us. We appreciate your honest feedback regarding your recent experience with our service. A senior member of our member care team will contact you privately to provide further assistance.
Sincerely,Member Services
Instant Checkmate
Reviewed Jan. 2, 2015
Not only do you pay for your initial payment but every payment has to be made for each guildline and question asked. I find this outrageous.
Hi Rita,
We know how frustrating it is when you don’t get the information you were expecting. We are constantly working with our data providers to get the best information possible, but due to some states’ laws regarding public records, and slow electronic processing times in certain counties, there may be gaps in our data for some jurisdictions. We sincerely apologize, and will contact you privately to work out a resolution.
Sincerely,Member Services
Instant Checkmate
Reviewed Jan. 2, 2015
I would have given an extra star, but I don't see why I have to pay an extra "Premium" price for my own records of $19.99. I would understand if it were another person I wanted more information for, but not myself. And October 24 is in Scorpio, not Libra.
Hi Susan,
Thank you for your positive review and high rating. We really appreciate your feedback!
If you ever have a question, or need help with our website, our US-based member care team is standing by 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. You can reach us at (866) 490-5980.
Sincerely,Member Care Manager
Instant Checkmate
Reviewed Jan. 2, 2015
Your site says You get more than do and then to see more about a person You have to pay more. Not worth the money I paid. Very misleading.
Hi Diana,
We're very sorry to hear that you were unable to find information for certain people. We strive to provide our members with extensive public record information in our standard reports (including names, aliases, phone numbers, location history, possible related persons, arrest records, sex offenders, marriage and divorce records, licenses, social media accounts, and horoscopes). However, some jurisdictions do not release certain records to the public, so we are unable to provide records for people living in certain areas. A senior member of our team will contact you privately to provide further assistance.
Sincerely,Member Services
Instant Checkmate
Reviewed Jan. 2, 2015
I really love the site, just not that it keeps asking for money.
Hi Bonita,
Thank you for your positive review and high rating. We really appreciate your feedback, and we’re so happy to hear that our service helped you find what you were looking for.
If you ever have a question, or need help with our website, our US-based member care team is standing by 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. You can reach us at (866) 490-5980.
Sincerely,Member Care Manager
Instant Checkmate
Reviewed Jan. 1, 2015
I looked up basic known information on certain people and it was either missing or completely wrong (including "current" phone numbers on dead relatives). Further, I was getting charged for services that were to be included. I am not happy.
Hi Kevin,
We're very sorry to hear that you were unable to find information on certain people. We strive to provide our members with extensive public record information in our standard reports (including names, aliases, phone numbers, location history, possible related persons, arrest records, sex offenders, marriage and divorce records, licenses, social media accounts, and horoscopes). However, some jurisdictions do not release certain records to the public, so we are unable to provide records for people living in certain areas. A senior member of our team will contact you privately to provide further assistance.
Sincerely,Member Services
Instant Checkmate
Reviewed Jan. 1, 2015
Seems like a reasonable search engine.
Hi Sam,
Thank you for reaching out. We appreciate honest feedback — it allows us to do our job better. A senior member of our member care team will contact you privately to provide further assistance in your search.
Sincerely,Member Services
Instant Checkmate
Reviewed Jan. 1, 2015
I have been a member for quite awhile now, I always get accurate, up to date information when I need it!! Best of all it's at a spectacular rate!
Hi Jacqueliene,
Thank you for your positive review and high rating. We really appreciate your feedback, and we’re so happy to hear that our service helped you find what you were looking for.
If you ever have a question, or need help with our website, our US-based member care team is standing by 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. You can reach us at (866) 490-5980.
Sincerely,Member Care Manager
Instant Checkmate
Reviewed Jan. 1, 2015
Every report has cursory information that I could gather anywhere. I thought when I subscribed to this service, the information I would have access to was more in depth. What I have found is that the more in depth information costs an additional $19.99 each time. I am not happy with this service.
Hello,
I see that your issue has been completely resolved. I'm very happy that our member care team was able to assist you. Thank you again for your feedback, and please feel free to contact us at any time if you have additional questions or comments. Our US-based member care team can be reached at (866) 490-5980 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Sincerely,Member Services
Instant Checkmate
Reviewed Jan. 1, 2015
The information your website provides is either non existent or inaccurate. I looked up people I know that have just been released from jail or committed murders and served time. Your note states 'no records found'. Even though I know they committed the crimes. Listen, there is a fugitive named Leeshawn ** who is hiding from authorities right now in Delaware. His targets are mcdonalds and pizza huts. He's under some fake name and is wanted for armed robberies in several states. I signed on here to try and find the fake names and get his previous criminal record with his real name from the mcdonalds robbery in Louisville in the mid 2000's. You have no information and I need it to turn him in. I have gone to police with this and they are trying to find him too. Why do you not have the information available?
Hi Angela,
We're so glad to hear that our member care team could help you out. Please feel free to contact us again if you need anything else. Our US-based member care team is standing by 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. You can reach us at (866) 490-5980. Thank you again for your feedback!
Sincerely,Member Services
Instant Checkmate
Reviewed Jan. 1, 2015
I wanted to see if I could find my ex-husband or numbers to find him. You didn’t even have his middle initial right. I picked him up from jail in 2007 and you didn’t have any of his incarcerations or his marriage or divorce records, his FAA license. NOTHING. My brother’s birthday and middle initial are wrong yet you have linked him to my father. My mom and dad were never divorced but you have Bob ** and Nancy ** divorced in 1974. If I wanted to pay more I could have looked in farther but with all the misinformation I found why would I want to do that. I wouldn’t know if the information is right or not. I am very disappointed that not only does he owe me over 80K in child support I have now wasted another 20 dollars trying to find the **. But if I had known it was going to cost more to find more detailed things I would have never gotten this. Way to go.. you got another 20.
Hi Cathleen,
I see that your issue has been completely resolved. I'm very happy that our member care team was able to assist you. Thank you again for your feedback, and please feel free to contact us at any time if you have additional questions or comments. Our US-based member care team can be reached at (866) 490-5980 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Sincerely,Member Services
Instant Checkmate
Reviewed Dec. 31, 2014
You only deliver only 40% of your product you promise. Very unhappy!!!
Hi Ray,
I'm sorry that you had a negative experience with our site. Our management team is currently looking into this issue. In the meantime, feel free to reach out to us if you have any additional questions or concerns.
Sincerely,Member Care Manager
Instant Checkmate
Reviewed Dec. 31, 2014
I am a member, but I can only get that instant checkmate found who I was looking for, but there isn't any information. Is this what I paid for?
Hi Gerri,
Thanks for getting in touch with our member care team. While we’re sad to learn you weren’t happy with the service, we’re glad they were able to get that issue taken care of for you. If you would like further assistance, please contact our member care department at (866) 490-5980.
Sincerely,Member Services
Instant Checkmate
Updated review: Jan. 6, 2015
After being dissatisfied with Instant Checkmate and posting a review saying so, the company contacted me the next business day and offered a refund and I accepted it. It was nice of the company to do so and they did the right thing.
Original Review: Dec. 31, 2014
I just checked my records on Instant Checkmate as I periodically check my online status. I have no problems but it's important to check. Instant Checkmate charged me $22.xx dollars for the search results and THEN an additional $1.99 for a pdf document of the results. Ok, I purchased it. The information was inaccurate about me with some phone numbers I never heard of linked to me and my astrological sign was featured. REALLY? There were also numerous chances to UPGRADE my search results to get more information. What a cash cow. Next I found out that my $22.xx dollar charge was RECURRING and I had to jump through all kinds of hoops to cancel that. I'd love a refund from this crappy information site.
Bottom line: don't use InstantCheckmate.com. I wish I would not have done so.
Hi Nolan,
I see that you had problems with the billing system. We started our recurring membership program to provide our customers with a convenient way to get unlimited reports. We want to apologize for the problems you experienced. We strive to provide excellent member care, so a manager from our member care team will be contacting you within 48 hours to resolve your issue.
Sincerely,Member Services
Instant Checkmate
Updated review: Jan. 16, 2015
I was contacted by the company and given a full refund, so I can say I had a very pleasant experience with their customer service. Thank you!
Original Review: Dec. 31, 2014
I was hoping this would show more information that I was able to find just by Google-ing this person. I was wrong. Not entirely thrilled that it continued to ask me for more money to find "more detailed" information.. I called and cancelled my account within just a few minutes. The gentleman I spoke with (Derrick) was very friendly and cancelled my accounts with no questions. The site may be good for just general information, but didn't help at all for the information I needed. I just feel like I wasted $23.
Hi Amanda,
We appreciate your honest feedback regarding your recent search results. Our data providers are always updating their information, however, some state and local governments do not release their records to the public, or they may not update their databases annually. This can potentially create gaps in the data that is provided to us. A senior member of our member care team will contact you privately to provide further assistance.
Sincerely,Member Services
Instant Checkmate
Reviewed Dec. 31, 2014
I barely got any information with the initial search for $22.86. They had two people showing up with the same name so I wasn't sure which one to choose. Chose the one that had more info showing, but that turned out to be useless. Then they ask you to pay $19.99 extra for a "premium" report. Paid for that and didn't get anything current or useful. There are also extra charges to do a phone look up, to print a PDF version of the "background check" or to have them "monitor" the report and notify you if any more information is added to that person's background check. I passed on all those, but in the end, I paid almost $43 for nothing. I had more info in my address book than I got from this service last night; I have her social security number, but there is no place to enter that information, which would allow you to narrow your search and improve the results. All I got was a list of old addresses and a phone number that's not hers.
One old address may be correct (I think it's her father's address), but I already had that. The two links to her Facebook page didn't work. I know what state she currently lives in, but there was no information on that at all. I'm on the phone with them now requesting a refund. The guy is being polite but insists they provided a service and that their web site has a disclaimer that the information provided may be incomplete or outdated. That's an understatement. I insisted on a refund but he said he couldn't authorize this. After I insisted on speaking to a supervisor, he offered to refund the $19.99 fee for the "premium" report. I thanked him, but insisted on speaking to a supervisor. He said they were short-staffed because it was the holidays, so I asked when a supervisor would be available. At this point, he asked if he could put me on hold so he could check. Then he came back to tell me they'd refund both fees. Justice! All those glowing reviews have to be fake.
Hi Diana,
I'm sorry that you had a negative experience with our site. Our management team is currently looking into this issue. In the meantime, feel free to reach out to us if you have any additional questions or concerns.
Sincerely,Member Care Manager
Instant Checkmate
Updated review: Feb. 3, 2015
I thought my response was fair and to the point. I didn't think the service worked as intended. Instant Checkmate refunded my money. I was satisfied that they handled the complaint very professionally, and while I did not get the desired result from my search, I was treated very well indeed by their staff. I don't have any complaint with the way they handled things.
Original Review: Dec. 31, 2014
I am afraid that my high hopes were not met with high results. I started out by trying to find info on a friend I had lost track of more than 10 years ago while on active duty because of 9-11. I saw some info on her, but was disappointed at other info because I knew it to be wrong. I started wondering whether I would be able to use any of the info when it crossed my mind to run checks on other people that I knew all of the info I would ask about. I repeatedly found that I was being given worthless phone numbers, addresses, incorrect names, incorrect relatives, and so on. Naturally some of the information was correct, but not nearly enough to make it worth additional money in hopes of getting different results.
Hi Claiborne,
I see that your issue has been completely resolved. I'm very happy that our member care team was able to assist you. Thank you again for your feedback, and please feel free to contact us at any time if you have additional questions or comments. Our US-based member care team can be reached at (866) 490-5980 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Sincerely,Member Services
Instant Checkmate
Reviewed Dec. 31, 2014
Instantcheck baits you in by advertising they will supply you with real factual information like "criminal background." It even shows the site going through multiple search modes and then tells you it has found information. After several minutes and searches, it prompts you for a payment to get this information. Once you pay it, you receive minor information (much of which is incorrect information and the wrong people). It also tells you at this point that the criminal information found will require an upgrade on top of what you have already paid.
I ran 5 names on Instacheck of people I know well and 2 of which have criminal backgrounds. Not only did the criminal information not come up, multiple addresses did not come up that were residences for years. I found that I can obtain the exact same information that Instantcheck supplied simply by Googling names. This is no exaggeration. Save your money. This company is a 100% rip-off!
Hi Mark,
I'm sorry that you had a negative experience with our site. Our management team is currently looking into this issue. In the meantime, feel free to reach out to us if you have any additional questions or concerns.
Sincerely,Member Care Manager
Instant Checkmate
Reviewed Dec. 30, 2014
False advertisement! Initial fee does not include hardly any information. You have to pay additional fees to get the information you were led to believe the initial fee provided and even information is not complete! I know for a fact that the person I did a search on has an arrest record yet no information on either arrest was returned!
Hi Danielle,
I'm sorry that you had a negative experience with our site. Our management team is currently looking into this issue. In the meantime, feel free to reach out to us if you have any additional questions or concerns.
Sincerely,Member Care Manager
Instant Checkmate
Reviewed Dec. 30, 2014
I paid $22.86 for a one-month trial. I actually was happy with the service. But I cancelled within the month, so I would not be billed in the future. Well, I was billed $22.86 for the next three months. I called on Dec. 28 to their company to ask what was going on. The lady on the phone said that the first person I cancelled with must have made an error, and that she would refund me the three months and that I would get a confirmation email of the call and the cancellation number. Two days later, and I can't find any email from Instant Checkmate, nor do I see any refund on my credit card. So, this seems like a giant scam to me and I will now go to the Federal Trade Commission about it, and make more detailed inquiries through my credit card company.
Hi Adrian,
I see that your issue has been completely resolved. I'm very happy that our member care team was able to assist you. Thank you again for your feedback, and please feel free to contact us at any time if you have additional questions or comments. Our US-based member care team can be reached at (866) 490-5980 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Sincerely,Member Services
Instant Checkmate
Reviewed Dec. 30, 2014
My wife used the services on Checkmate to make several inquiries in late September 2014. She got what she asked for and was satisfied with the service provided. Somewhat hidden in the process, however, was an automatic enrollment in their monthly service -- for an additional charge of $22.86 per month, which they have billed us since. I completely understand paying for services requested, but object to billing practices that include creation of an account and continued automatic billing until you cancel the account. I called Checkmate today to cancel and request a refund of the fees charged in October, November and December. They initially offered a courtesy refund of the December charge. Then 2months, and finally 3 months. The service provided is okay, billing practice is CRAP!
Hi David,
I'm sorry that you had a negative experience with our site. Our management team is currently looking into this issue. In the meantime, feel free to reach out to us if you have any additional questions or concerns.
Sincerely,Member Care Manager
Instant Checkmate
Reviewed Dec. 30, 2014
Although the information was somewhat correct, it was not up to date and for any new or updated (Premium) info, you want more money which is not noted when you sign up. Very dissatisfied with your site and would not recommend to friends. I made three separate payments for three different upgrades (sic) and still did not receive value for the money.
It is my first thought that your business is not totally honest because of the constant updates for more money that's not explained from the start. You have made me feel very dumb for being sucked into your business model while looking for my information and the info of my family. Having said that, I just had the thought that you really don't care what my thoughts are because of your business model. "Providing info that may or may not be the person in question" for profit does fall in the category of Capitalism; which I'm in favor of, but your shotgun method and extra payments falls into the category of slimy Capitalism. I figure I just got an approximately $80.00 lesson. Shame on the both of us because of your greed and my ignorance.
Hi Douglas,
I see that your issue has been completely resolved. I'm very happy that our member care team was able to assist you. Thank you again for your feedback, and please feel free to contact us at any time if you have additional questions or comments. Our US-based member care team can be reached at (866) 490-5980 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Sincerely,Member Services
Instant Checkmate
Updated review: Jan. 15, 2015
After posting this review I was contacted by customer service for this company. They issued me a full refund for the months subscription I had purchased! I was not expecting that and was pleased with the quick response time and courtesy of Jose **. Thanks for taking your customers seriously.
Original Review: Dec. 30, 2014
If I had come here and checked reviews BEFORE paying for a 6 month membership that I can't get out of and will have to remember to cancel or get billed for again in 6 months! I got nothing more than basic information I could have found for free on my own about myself, a lot of which was wrong! Constant pop ups to get premium information they claimed to provide for the fee you already paid... Sigh, I don't usually take the time to complain. But I hope this helps someone else. I just wish I hadn't been this silly. If I really wanted my zodiac sign and my horoscope I would open the daily paper!! The lesson I learned, look at the reviews first!
Hi Kerri,
We're really sorry to hear that you had a bad experience on our site. Our data is obtained from public records and various other records sources. We are always working with our data providers to get the best information possible, but as our Disclaimer states, there are some cases in which the information may not be 100% accurate. There also exists the possibility of false positives, and more than one individual with the same name and basic information may match up with many other records. We sincerely apologize for any inconveniences you experienced, and we will contact you privately to work out a resolution.
Sincerely,Member Services
Instant Checkmate
Reviewed Dec. 29, 2014
Companies like this are bad. They give out information in increments. You have to keep paying. Total rip off. Anyone who falls for this is stupid.
Hi Nancy,
I'm sorry that you had a negative experience with our site. Our management team is currently looking into this issue. In the meantime, feel free to reach out to us if you have any additional questions or concerns.
Sincerely,Member Care Manager
Instant Checkmate
Reviewed Dec. 29, 2014
If you search and find the county address, you can look up the birth, death, marriage, and divorce records of people in any state and county or parish in the U.S.A. but you did not even show me that I was divorced almost 20 yrs. ago. I have noticed a lot of public information on subjects I looked up is wrong, inconclusive or not available?? The original asking price for this service is one price but if you want certain information then you have to pay extra for pretty basic information like phone numbers??? Some things are a little overpriced I think.
Hi Joe,
We're really sorry to hear that you had a bad experience on our site. Our data is obtained from public records and various other records sources. We are always working with our data providers to get the best information possible, but as our Disclaimer states, there are some cases in which the information may not be 100% accurate. This is due to variables like clerical errors, slow processing times, and discrepancies between states over what is considered “public record.” There also exists the possibility of false positives, and more than one individual with the same name and basic information may match up with many other records. We sincerely apologize for any inconveniences you experienced, and we will contact you privately to work out a resolution.
Sincerely,Member Services
Instant Checkmate
Reviewed Dec. 29, 2014
Shuts off too quickly and I have to manually log on for practically every search.
Hi Alan,
We're so glad to hear that our member care team could help you out. Please feel free to contact us again if you need anything else. Our US-based member care team is standing by 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. You can reach us at (866) 490-5980. Thank you again for your feedback!
Sincerely,Member Services
Instant Checkmate
Reviewed Dec. 28, 2014
I was able to avoid potential high risk areas to reside. I was able to see the crime rate as well as registered sex offenders. That information is extremely valuable when you have younger family members..
Hi Velice,
We’re so happy to hear that our service helped you find the information you needed to keep your family members safe. Thank you for the positive feedback and high rating! If you ever have a question, or need help with our website, our US-based member care team is standing by 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. You can reach us at (866) 490-5980.
Sincerely,Member Care Manager
Instant Checkmate
Reviewed Dec. 28, 2014
Love the service, have found many of my friends from 40 yrs ago!
Hi Cipriano,
We’re so happy to hear that our service helped you find your old friend—that is wonderful news. Thank you for the positive feedback and high rating! If you ever have a question, or need help with our website, our US-based member care team is standing by 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. You can reach us at (866) 490-5980.
Sincerely,Member Care Manager
Instant Checkmate
Reviewed Dec. 28, 2014
No birth or death place given. Information listed including 'extra' for prem. is birthdate, names and address. Same info can be found online for free. Place of birth and place of death should be included.
Hi Ann,
We're very sorry to hear that you were unable to find information for certain people. We strive to provide our members with extensive public record information in our standard reports (including names, aliases, phone numbers, location history, possible related persons, arrest records, sex offenders, marriage and divorce records, licenses, social media accounts, and horoscopes). However, some jurisdictions do not release certain records to the public, so we are unable to provide records for people living in certain areas. A senior member of our team will contact you privately to provide further assistance.
Sincerely,Member Services
Instant Checkmate
Reviewed Dec. 28, 2014
Searching for a long-time friend. I found him!!! After 20 years!!! Many thanks!!!
Hi Jose,
Thank you for your positive review and high rating. We really appreciate your feedback, and we’re so happy to hear that our service helped you find your old friend.
If you ever have a question, or need help with our website, our US-based member care team is standing by 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. You can reach us at (866) 490-5980.
Sincerely,Member Care Manager
Instant Checkmate
Reviewed Dec. 27, 2014
Instant Checkmate is mostly a scam. I just searched someone and no criminal reports were listed on IC's report. I know for a fact this person has multiple arrests, and at least 1 conviction in the past 3 years, and several arrests prior to 2011. Also, the site scammed me for more money just to download a PDF of the report. Then they tried to get more money for so called "Premium Reports". Basically, IC stole my money.
Hi John,
I'm sorry that you had a negative experience with our site. Our management team is currently looking into this issue. In the meantime, feel free to reach out to us if you have any additional questions or concerns.
Sincerely,Member Care Manager
Instant Checkmate
Reviewed Dec. 27, 2014
Nothing but sparse tidbits of old data. Definitely a rip off. I cancelled within 30 minutes as I did not find any useful information on any of the many individuals I looked up. I was unwilling to throw away another $20 for your "Premium" info as I am sure it is just as outdated as the info I did review. Do not waste your money!
Hi Dana,
I'm sorry that you had a negative experience with our site. Our management team is currently looking into this issue. In the meantime, feel free to reach out to us if you have any additional questions or concerns.
Sincerely,Member Care Manager
Instant Checkmate
Reviewed Dec. 27, 2014
Anthony is my uncle! And to pay the amount plus the PDF charge.. I am VERY displeased. All of the information which is basic I already knew and we have been looking for him since 2010 bc his mom, my grandmother has died. I feel as if paying that much for so little information is unsatisfactory. I REALLY need to find my uncle. I will never recommend anyone to use this. This is the last of my money and I am upset!! SO NOT WORTH MY MONEY! NO HELP.
Hi Keosha,
I see that your issue has been completely resolved. I'm very happy that our member care team was able to assist you. Thank you again for your feedback, and please feel free to contact us at any time if you have additional questions or comments. Our US-based member care team can be reached at (866) 490-5980 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Sincerely,Member Services
Instant Checkmate
Reviewed Dec. 26, 2014
The company does what other dishonest companies do to increase revenue - they don't tell you that premium membership is needed to get all of the data - I would have rather paid the money upfront - but now I am calling my credit card company to fight the charge. I recommend anyone that is also disappointed call their credit card companies to fight the charge. Even if you don't win, it will cause all kinds of troubles for the vendor and eventually help solve the problem. At some point the merchant services provider will no longer allow them to accept credit cards. I don't care about the money, I care about BS charges that are not transparent to the consumer before purchasing.
Hi Alan,
I see that your issue has been completely resolved. I'm very happy that our member care team was able to assist you. Thank you again for your feedback, and please feel free to contact us at any time if you have additional questions or comments. Our US-based member care team can be reached at (866) 490-5980 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Sincerely,Member Services
Instant Checkmate
Updated review: Jan. 2, 2015
I called instant checkmate to complain about the services they provide. I spoke with a nice lady about the problems I had. She informed me of the things they went through to get information on people being searched for. She said that sometimes certain states don't release information so there were no guarantees to get all info on some people.
Also that it cost money for them to get info that's why the extra fees are involved. I told her that the info I got was wrong and that I tried to cancel my account but didn't have my credit card and the man I talked to wouldn't cancel because of this. They also charged me another month. I was put on hold while she spoke to her manager.
She told me they could give me until the middle of January free. I told her I didn't want that I wanted a refund. She finally got that approved. I just read the email that was sent to me. I would like to thank Ashley for being so kind. On the other hand I've yet to receive the phone call from the manager. I hope everything will be resolved.
Original Review: Dec. 25, 2014
I am very displeased with the information I received on the person that I checked on. The info was incorrect and upsetting. I paid 22 dollars and some change for this. Then was asked to pay more for further information. The pop ups are ridiculous. After all this I called to cancel my account and because I didn't have my credit card number with me they wouldn't do it. I've misplaced the card and can't find it. Called the credit card company and they deducted another bill! I can't understand why they couldn't cancel my acct. when they had the number to bill me again? Not very happy. Wouldn't recommend this company.
Hi Ron,
Thank you for reaching out. We appreciate your honest feedback and we sincerely apologize for any frustrations you experienced when trying to cancel your account. We will contact you privately to get this issue resolved for you as soon as possible.
Sincerely,Member Services
Instant Checkmate
Reviewed Dec. 25, 2014
My experience, hate in-site upgrades. One price, FLAT RATE at the start is how a good company does business. And... NO opinion or reference for phone support when you ask them "what do I get for the extra 20-25 for 'premium' data?" Judging by your accuracy on my info and others I know, I can't see how you can think I would buy any additional info... including phone as it's 25.00 AND it's only good for landlines. What is it, 1987 again? Good for a general look up for cross referencing data one already has done their own research on. Not once yet has you site had a THING more than me on any person I have actually researched using simply google and my brain.
Hi Damian,
Thank you for reaching out. We appreciate honest feedback — it allows us to do our job better. While our data providers are always updating their information, some state and local governments do not release their records to the public, which can create gaps in our data.
In addition, premium databases are also more expensive for us to access, so in an effort to keep our monthly membership costs down, we must charge a small, one-time access fee to compile premium reports for our customers.We want to let you know that we’re committed to making things right. A senior member of our member care team will contact you privately to provide further assistance.
Sincerely,Member Services
Instant Checkmate
Reviewed Dec. 25, 2014
The layout is great except I really don't want to know sex offenders in the area of the person I'm looking for. Very quickly I found my father but he had died in 1995. The possible relative section was good and found I had two bro and one sis. TY.
Hi Debborah,
Thank you for your positive review and high rating. We really appreciate your feedback, and we’re so happy to hear that our service helped you find your family members.
If you ever have a question, or need help with our website, our US-based member care team is standing by 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. You can reach us at (866) 490-5980.
Sincerely,Member Care Manager
Instant Checkmate
Reviewed Dec. 24, 2014
You advertise everything for one price and then you give the minimum. When you want what was advertised you're charge a premium. This is a rip-off.
Hi Gerald,
I'm sorry that you had a negative experience with our site. Our management team is currently looking into this issue. In the meantime, feel free to reach out to us if you have any additional questions or concerns.
Sincerely,Member Care Manager
Instant Checkmate
Reviewed Dec. 24, 2014
I've purchased three premium reports and none have had much more of any information in them than the regular report. If there isn't more, then it should say there isn't more information at this time.
Hi Charles,
We appreciate your honest feedback regarding your recent search results. Our data providers are always updating their information, however, some state and local governments do not release their records to the public, or they may not update their databases annually. This can potentially create gaps in the data that is provided to us. A senior member of our member care team will contact you privately to provide further assistance.
Sincerely,Member Services
Instant Checkmate
Reviewed Dec. 24, 2014
I am shocked that data regarding a person I searched did not reveal the fact he did 17 years for murder and was released from prison less than 5 years ago. This site is unreliable and a waste of money.
Hi Donna,
We know how frustrating it is when you don’t get the information you were expecting. We are constantly working with our data providers to get the best information possible, but due to some states’ laws regarding public records, and slow electronic processing times in certain counties, there may be gaps in our data for some jurisdictions. We sincerely apologize, and will contact you privately to work out a resolution.
Sincerely,Member Services
Instant Checkmate
Reviewed Dec. 24, 2014
I paid the monthly fee to have this service to track my violent ex-husband. However, it couldn't find his current address that is listed on his driver's license and only showed as a "possible match" his latest arrest. Rip Off!
Hi Elizabeth,
I'm sorry that you had a negative experience with our site. Our management team is currently looking into this issue. In the meantime, feel free to reach out to us if you have any additional questions or concerns.
Sincerely,Member Care Manager
Instant Checkmate
Reviewed Dec. 24, 2014
If you think that you will pay your monthly fee and get full access that is not the case. It shows basic information that can be found on most search site and if you want more information it will cost another $19.99. I can't say if it is worth the extra cash, I canceled my account within minutes of opening it.
Hi Todd,
We're very sorry to hear that you were unable to find information for certain people. We strive to provide our members with extensive public record information in our standard reports (including names, aliases, phone numbers, location history, possible related persons, arrest records, sex offenders, marriage and divorce records, licenses, social media accounts, and horoscopes). However, some jurisdictions do not release certain records to the public, so we are unable to provide records for people living in certain areas. A senior member of our team will contact you privately to provide further assistance.
Sincerely,Member Services
Instant Checkmate
Reviewed Dec. 23, 2014
I will be very clear. I paid for a full disclosure and can't seem to get it without the website asking for more money. Otherwise I like your website. You are however not up to date. The phone number for me at least is two years old and not even used.
Hi Charla,
We're so glad to hear that our member care team could help you out. Please feel free to contact us again if you need anything else. Our US-based member care team is standing by 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. You can reach us at (866) 490-5980. Thank you again for your feedback!
Sincerely,Member Services
Instant Checkmate
Reviewed Dec. 22, 2014
I found everybody I was searching for. Some are deceased, that needs to be rectified. Maybe you could publish an Obituary column, it would save search time. As I'm 73, it would be easier to find my friends are deceased than hunt for someone in a different state only to find they aren't the ones I'm searching for.
Hi Roy,
Thank you for your positive review and high rating. We’re so happy to hear that our service helped you find what you were looking for. We also want to thank your for your suggestion regarding the addition of obituary columns. We are always working to improve our site based on customer feedback such as yours.
If you ever have a question, or need help with our website, our US-based member care team is standing by 24 hours a day, 7 days a week . You can reach us at (866) 490-5980.
Sincerely,Member Care Manager
Instant Checkmate
Reviewed Dec. 22, 2014
I couldn't get any helpful information without paying which basically tells me that the safety of people in my financial situation isn't important. There really needs to be more people in this country that are willing to help people without charging for it!
Hi Christi,
I'm sorry that you had a negative experience with our site. Our management team is currently looking into this issue. In the meantime, feel free to reach out to us if you have any additional questions or concerns.
Sincerely,Member Services
Instant Checkmate
Reviewed Dec. 22, 2014
Provided basic information needed.
Hi Dominique,
Thank you for your positive review and high rating. We really appreciate your feedback, and we’re so happy to hear that our service helped you find what you were looking for. If you ever have a question, or need help with our website, our US-based member care team is standing by 24 hours a day, 7 days a week . You can reach us at (866) 490-5980.
Sincerely,Member Care Manager
Instant Checkmate
Reviewed Dec. 22, 2014
I will recommend to my friends.
Hi Janet,
Thanks so much for the positive feedback and high rating, and if you ever have a question or need assistance with your search, our US-based member care team is standing by 24/7 to help. We can be reached directly at (866) 490-5980.
Sincerely,Member Care Manager
Instant Checkmate
Updated review: Dec. 29, 2014
The company responded back to my review, apologized and gave me a full refund on my order. I really appreciated this and it made me feel good that they did not try to scam me in the end. I have seen a lot of good reviews for instant checkmate so it must be doing something right, it just did not work for me.
Original Review: Dec. 22, 2014
I had been looking to use Instant Checkmate for a while because I was told it was one of the more "legit" websites to use for background checks. However, when I put in all of my information and paid the $29, it only gave my very basic information. I did not realize that you had to pay an extra $20 just to see the information that I thought I had already paid to see. The site was misleading and I feel stupid for paying that amount of money to see records of mine that were not even correct. For example, it says on the site that I am married to my brother and it does not have any of my current information. Not happy...
Hi Nina,
We're really sorry to hear that you had a bad experience on our site. Our data is obtained from public records and various other records sources. We are always working with our data providers to get the best information possible, but as our Disclaimer states, there are some cases in which the information may not be 100% accurate. There also exists the possibility of false positives, and more than one individual with the same name and basic information may match up with many other records. We sincerely apologize for any inconveniences you experienced, and we will contact you privately to work out a resolution.
Sincerely,Member Services
Instant Checkmate
Reviewed Dec. 22, 2014
Accurate most of the time.
Hi Cheri,
Thank you for your positive review and high rating. We really appreciate your feedback, and we’re so happy to hear that our service helped you find what you were looking for. If you ever have a question, or need help with our website, our US-based member care team is standing by 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. You can reach us at (866) 490-5980.
Sincerely,Member Care Manager
Instant Checkmate
Reviewed Dec. 21, 2014
Good service, easy to use, just a bit expensive.
Hi Bill,
Thank you for your positive review and high rating. We really appreciate your feedback, and we’re so happy to hear that our service helped you find what you were looking for. If you ever have a question, or need help with our website, our US-based member care team is standing by 24 hours a day, 7 days a week . You can reach us at (866) 490-5980.
Sincerely,Member Care Manager
Instant Checkmate
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
Media
