Pros
- Convenient mobile app available
- User-friendly interface for easy navigation
- Inclusion of a sex offender search feature
- Added functionality to search social network profiles
- Comprehensive search across multiple databases
Cons
- Report generation may be slow
- Lower ratings compared to similar services
- Lack of option to purchase individual reports
About Instant Checkmate
Instant Checkmate stands out as one of the most straightforward public record search platforms available. With its user-friendly interface, the site offers a variety of search options, including access to a people directory, criminal record database, and sex offender database. Operating around the clock, it’s suitable for users who require frequent searches each month.
Instant Checkmate is a reliable website offering background check services, giving users to access public record information about individuals. It is recognized for its trustworthiness and comprehensiveness in the realm of background checks.
Individuals often utilize the service on a personal level to gather information about their neighbors, acquaintances, and even potential romantic partners. However, it’s important to note that it cannot be legally used for professional purposes such as screening new employees.
Instant Checkmate offers access to a wide range of searchable databases, encompassing various types of information including:
- Phone numbers
- Email addresses
- Postal addresses
- Social media accounts
- Criminal histories
This comprehensive database allows users to conduct thorough background checks and gather detailed information about individuals across different aspects of their lives.
Available Reports
Although having extensive data can be valuable, it’s not always essential or feasible for every user. In many cases, basic contact details and address history suffice. Recognizing this, Instant Checkmate provides three distinct report types tailored to varying needs: email reports, standard reports, and premium reports. Email reports and standard reports are included in your membership subscription, with unlimited access each month. However, premium reports require an additional fee.
The most basic report available, an email report, provides the subject’s name, address history, social media details, and known relatives. Standard reports offer greater depth, providing the following additional details such as criminal backgrounD (including arrest and prison records), government licenses, and sex offender data.
Premium reports represent the pinnacle of Instant Checkmate’s offerings, boasting the highest level of detail and coverage. However, accessing these reports requires an additional fee of $19.99 on top of your monthly subscription.
People Search Function
The people search feature within Instant Checkmate is widely utilized by users, serving as one of the platform’s primary functionalities. By inputting basic information about an individual, users can access a wealth of information regarding that person’s history.
To retrieve information about a particular individual on Instant Checkmate, it’s essential to input both their first and last names. While the location field is optional, specifying a state can refine the search results for better relevance. This search function enables users to look up anyone, including themselves.
You can choose to request the removal of specific information about yourself that you find on the Instant Checkmate website. It’s important to note that selecting this option will only delete your information from the Instant Checkmate website and will not impact any external data sources.
The search tool on the website is anonymous, and users are not notified of the results of their queries. By adding more specific information about the person, such as their age, gender, and family, users can refine the results they see.
The search tool on the website operates anonymously, and users do not receive alerts about the results of their queries. Providing more specific information about the person, such as their age, gender, and family details, can help refine the search results.
The person search feature may be sluggish at times, but once it loads, it will present verified results for you to review. Take your time to examine the results and select the profile that best matches the person you are searching for. To further investigate that individual, simply click on the “Open Report” tab.
Reverse Phone Number Lookup
The reverse phone number lookup feature on the Instant Checkmate website is one of its most valuable offerings. It allows users to obtain information about the owner of an unknown number by conducting a reverse phone search.
This feature proves useful when dealing with calls from unknown numbers. Complete records typically include the caller’s full name, address, demographic information, and any associated addresses. Additionally, users may discover if the number is registered to a specific organization through the provided data.
You can access this feature from the home page, although it may not be immediately visible. For frequent use, it’s advisable to save the website to your bookmarks for easy access.
Criminal Record Search
The ability to conduct a criminal records search is one of the most valuable features of our website. With this function, you can determine whether individuals in your life have any criminal convictions or a history of violence. For best results, it’s recommended to input specific information such as the individual’s name, exact location, and age.
The database is comprehensive, providing all pertinent information, including felony and misdemeanor convictions, active warrants, pending lawsuits, and traffic offenses. If the individual has a criminal history, the database will offer specifics about the offense, including the location where it occurred.
You can search both your own name and the names of others you know. If you find anything in your personal background report that you want to remove, you can request its deletion. This is a useful way to understand what information others can access about you.
Sex Offender Database
The sex offender search tool is one of the most frequently used functions on the website. By inputting the location and name of the individual you want to investigate, the database will provide details on any registered sex offenders in the area.
Many individuals use the search feature to gain a sense of security and peace of mind when relocating to a new area or when new neighbors move in. The database contains a wealth of information about sexual offenders, including their names, mapped locations, and, if available, photographs.
Bear in mind that data on sex offenders is already available to the public, so it may be difficult for agents to erase any information you have discovered about yourself.
Pricing
Instant Checkmate offers a higher price point, but it proves to be more cost-effective in the long run by providing unlimited background check reports for the price of one. In contrast to other companies offering background checks, Instant Checkmate offers only two bundle options that cover background checks for a person, their relatives, and other acquaintances. Instant Checkmate is the ideal choice for situations where you need to conduct background checks on multiple individuals using a single platform.
Instant Checkmate offers two pricing plans:
- Recommended: $35.12 a month for unlimited reports for one month
- Power User: $28.09 a month for three months of unlimited reports
Please note that Instant Checkmate does not offer a free trial period. However, it does provide access to special discounts and promotions, such as a five-day trial for just one dollar. You can take advantage of this offer now, and if you decide to cancel your membership before it expires, you will receive a refund of your one-dollar payment.
Legitimacy Check
Instant Checkmate is indeed a legitimate background check service that offers customers authentic public records information on individuals. As a genuine business, it is transparent about its services and does not engage in deceptive practices with its customers.
In fact, Instant Checkmate has earned an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau, indicating its commitment to customer satisfaction and ethical business practices. However, the company has faced challenges, including a lawsuit filed by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) in 2014 for violating the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA).
The lawsuit stemmed from instances where Instant Checkmate provided reports to customers for unauthorized purposes like tenant and job screening, despite not being a consumer reporting agency. As a result, Instant Checkmate has since taken steps to clarify how its services may and may not be used through explicit notices on its Frequently Asked Questions website.
Ease of Use
Instant Checkmate offers practical and user-friendly interfaces for its customers. Conducting a basic record search requires only a name and location, and organizing search results is straightforward. The interface is intuitive, and the registration page provides a comprehensive list of frequently asked questions with answers.
The Instant Checkmate mobile application is currently available only for users of the Android operating system. There are no indications of its development for iOS users in the foreseeable future. Customers have praised the Instant Checkmate Android app for its ease of use, accuracy, and convenience, resulting in positive reviews and high ratings in the Google Play Store.
Customer Support
Instant Checkmate offers customer support via email and phone from Monday to Friday, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Eastern Standard Time (EST). Instant Checkmate distinguishes itself with its excellent customer support, providing a wealth of helpful information directly on its website. The comprehensive FAQ page offers answers to common queries, ensuring users can easily access information about the service and resolve any issues they encounter.
Final Thoughts
Instant Checkmate proves to be a valuable tool for tracking individuals or gathering information on someone of interest. Beyond basic background checks, the service also endeavors to educate and entertain through its active presence on social media platforms and two informative blogs.
While it’s true that the report generation process with Instant Checkmate can be occasionally slow and frustrating, the quality and detail provided in the reports, as well as their overall ease of understanding, more than compensate for this minor inconvenience.