Do background check sites actually work? (lemmy.world)

submitted 1 week ago by TheTwelveYearOld@lemmy.world to c/privacyguides@lemmy.one

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Fastbackgroundcheck. com says there's info on me on truthfinder, spokeo, peoplefinders and instantcheckmate. When I try going through all four of those sites takes a super long time, including a few times in the past when I tried getting reports on myself.

The progress bars reach 100% and reset continously. If these sites are legimate like some reddit users claim, then why or be upfront about wanting me to pay? Right now I'm convinced that these sites are snake oil, maybe they work if you pay but the behavior of the free options turn me off. They act 100% like typical scam websites, the kind that asks you to complete three surveys on external sites with fake progress bars.

Basic info like my full name, address, age, and siblings can be found with search engines easily but I feel like there's no point in trying to wipe it if there aren't methods that could definitely work.

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[-] Xanza@lemm.ee 5 points 1 week ago

No. They do not, and they eventually sell the information they collect at checkout. Your credit card information will be leaked and someone will eventually attempt to charge it.

this post was submitted on 19 Mar 2025

7 points (76.9% liked)

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