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InstantCheckmate

How would you rate InstantCheckmate?
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California
1 review
7 helpful votes
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What a ripoff!
June 6, 2016

I use paypal, but do not check it often enough! I did not order this, and they were billing my paypal account $29.63 every month! I finally got them to refund 2 months charges, but I am out 2 more months. Scary!

Date of experience: June 6, 2016
North Carolina
1 review
14 helpful votes
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WRONG!
July 5, 2015

This claims to know everything which it did have some information that someone could very easily figure out by visiting my facebook profile... and it even got some of that wrong! I am 19 and it says im 20. It says i live 2 cities away from my home... this thing is not accurate... i wouldn't trust it.

Date of experience: July 5, 2015
Texas
2 reviews
14 helpful votes
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This webste is all about the initial page where enter a name and place, and the flashy interface portraying search of some database. In reality, they have no more than a phone white page has. Save your time and your money

Date of experience: September 26, 2015
California
1 review
0 helpful votes
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SAVE YOUR MONEY
March 23, 2022

This site could not provide basic information I already knew and could obtain on my own. I tried looking up several people with backgrounds I already knew. Always the same poor lack of information. A complete waste of money!

Date of experience: March 23, 2022
Nicholas K. InstantCheckmate Rep
over a year old

Hello Anthony,
We are constantly working on and updating our records and we appreciate you taking the time to give us constructive feedback. We apologize you were unhappy with some of the information in our reports. Since we rely on third-party data sources, we can only display the information that we were provided, which could potentially include incomplete or inaccurate data. We hope to continue to improve our services to make them better for you and future customers. Please feel free to contact our dedicated Customer Care Team at (800) 222-8985 or email us at support@instantcheckmate.com and we will try to make this right.

Thank you

Michigan
1 review
9 helpful votes
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100% FRAUDULENT!
November 28, 2016

Somehow, they got a hold of a debit card number, and e-mail, and charged $28 to my mom's account. Checked the email we were told was associated with the account when we called to dispute the charge, even looked in the spam folder, and nothing saying we created an account. The only email received from them (in the spam folder) was today giving a confirmation of a refund, and a cancellation of the account. Supposedly somebody ran a background check on my brother's wife using her maiden name. We never even heard of this scamming company before this, never signed up, never used their services. Now I have to alert my brother about this. 100% fraudulent.

Date of experience: November 28, 2016
Colorado
7 reviews
3 helpful votes
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This company released my data including a password in a breach. I requested a 2 dollar a month subscription to dark web monitoring which they won't do. Other companies have offered me full credit monitoring when they lost control of my data. This company wants me to pay them (after THEY LOST MY INFO) $35 a month to monitor my credit and then they will add the dark web monitoring. They lost my data but they want me to pay THEM to monitor my credit. Does that sound like a company that takes any responsibility? They take NO RESPONSIBILITY AT ALL FOR THEIR OWN MISTAKES AND FAILINGS. THEY WANT ME TO PAY TO COVER FOR THEIR MISTAKE. What pigs. This is a fine example of complete lack of care. DO NOT USE THIS COMPANY EVER. They will expose your data including password and do nothing about it and ask you to pay them to now monitor your credit! Sick. Very sad and sick people who could care less.

Date of experience: April 20, 2023
Nicholas K. InstantCheckmate Rep
over a year old

Hello Lauren,
Thank you for your message. You are correct that we unfortunately experienced a data security incident implicating limited account information for customer accounts created before 2019. We were the first ones to provide notice of the incident publicly by posting a statement on our website that you can read here (https://www.instantcheckmate.com/security-incident-alert/?ref=home). As the statement indicates, the disclosed list primarily included names, emails and phone numbers. It did NOT include payment information, means to compromise customer accounts or evidence user activity (such as search histories).
We are treating this matter with the utmost seriousness and urgency and will post new information of interest on our website as it becomes available. We remain committed to looking out for our subscribers’ interest in this, and all matters, involving the security of their information.

Idaho
1 review
10 helpful votes
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After trying out their services I found that given where I live their services couldn't really tell me much more than I already know. In fact, much of what I expected to show up didn't. I am also rather annoyed that I couldn't cancel my subscription from the site itself. I had to call an 866 number to do so. I did find however that the person I spoke to about cancelling my account was very polite and helpful. I would recommend the service to those who live in bigger cities. For those of us who live anywhere else however... I doubt you'll find anything u can actually use other than sex offenders, which u can find free on other sites.

Date of experience: October 17, 2014
Texas
1 review
12 helpful votes
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I accessed Instant Checkmate, was charged $22.86 for a month's subscription. The information they provided was minimal and they kept trying to sucker me into paying additional money in order to download the skimpy information they provided and they also kept trying to steer me into paying even more money to access their "Premium Database" service. This is a real crock of $#*!, and I really should have known better. I cancelled the subscription effective the end of the month I already got suckered into paying for. We'll see if they continue to automatically charge me for additional months. I just hope this SiteJabber site will not try to charge for posting this review.

Date of experience: April 18, 2016
Colorado
1 review
9 helpful votes
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Click-bait SCAM!
June 4, 2016

They say "Type any name, wait 15 seconds and be amazed." That is a flat-out lie. It should say "Type any name, wait 15 minutes, and get ready to use Pay Pal." If false advertising laws applied to the internet, they would be locked up. What a rip-off!

Date of experience: June 4, 2016
Texas
1 review
0 helpful votes
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Too many charges
January 4, 2024

If I were to buy another subscription from any of the sites on the internet I suggest using a cash app card etc and only the right amount in that account so they can't keep charging. Be sure to turn off over draft pertection. I only purchased one subscription for $29.99 then I added two extra features for $2.99 each. Within 2 weeks I was charged for another $29.99 and multiple charges for $13.99 $7.99 $4.99 $2.99. I've been haggling with them for over a week and don't think I'm getting anywhere. I tried one more. I tried another app for $0.95 for 5 day trial but on the same day they charged me 3 times for total $69.97 I canceled by the time the trial was up. It was bout a week later when I saw the charges so I contact them by email and was told that it's company policy NOT TO GIVE REFUNDS which I think it should be illegal to do that. They said I didn't give good enough reason to warrant a refund as well. I've had it with these companies. Even after I canceled the subscription I still get charges.

Date of experience: January 4, 2024
Nicholas K. InstantCheckmate Rep
over a year old

Although we are happy you gave us this feedback, we are sorry to see that this happened. If this issue has not been resolved, please call our dedicated Customer Care Team at (800) 222-8985 (our team is available from Monday - Friday 7:00am to 4:00pm PST, excluding some Holidays) or email us at support@instantcheckmate.com and we will try to make this right.
Thank you

California
1 review
14 helpful votes
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Info was very incomplete. Did a search on my friend to check how complete the service was. Even with the extra premium search it was very incomplete. I could find out more on Facebook. Dont waste your money

Date of experience: July 7, 2015
Florida
1 review
11 helpful votes
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Instant checkmate is no more than a scam. The information it present is not correct. Then in addition it charged my credit card for the last 6 months after it was cancelled. Do not fall for this scam.

Date of experience: February 2, 2016
Texas
1 review
0 helpful votes
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Nightmare alert. Once they get you for a month, you have no ability to cancel. They block even their 800 number once they get my number. Then I needed my password. On forget my password they promise to send a confirmation email and did not. I did this several times. Still no ability. I've reported them to the Attorney General.

Date of experience: November 8, 2022
Nicholas K. InstantCheckmate Rep
over a year old

Hello Rik,
Thank you for taking the time to leave us with your feedback. If you feel that you have been charged in error, please call us at (800) 222-8985, or email us at support@instantcheckmate.com, so we can make this right.

Thank you

Ohio
6 reviews
18 helpful votes
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Scam
April 18, 2023

Worthless site. Wants u to pay 4 info u can get 4 free with a Google search. Info is inaccurate, dated and usually about a completely different person

Date of experience: April 18, 2023
Nicholas K. InstantCheckmate Rep
over a year old

Hello Steve,
Thank you for taking the time to leave us with your feedback. If the information on your report was about a different person, it is most likely that you opened to report for a different person with the same name. If you have any other issues with completing searches, please feel free to reach out to our dedicated Customer Care Team at (800) 222-8985 (our team is available from Monday - Friday 7:00am to 4:00pm PST, excluding some Holidays) or email them at support@instantcheckmate.com and they will be able to assist you.

Thank you

New York
1 review
24 helpful votes
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This site should be banned! Its basically a scam! Payed $22.95 just to see an old address from 6 years ago! There's even pictures that were supposed to be of the person I was looking up but the pictures were not of this person! AFTER paying the $22.95 and only seeing the old address it says get more detailed info for only $19.95! I called And emailed to request cancellation and a full refund but they said once I viewed the report I am not entitled to a refund!... again, the Only accurate info on the "report" was the address but that's from 6 years ago! DO NOT WASTE YOUR MONEY OR YOUR TIME! Yes it sounds exciting when you read the FAKE reviews that say things like "your site saved my life", "I'm greatly appreciative to you and your website... it opened my eyes"... but it is NOTHING as it advertises! Yes these are all Fake! If it wasn't only $23 I'd be suing these people right now! Don't do it!

Date of experience: November 21, 2015
Ohio
1 review
12 helpful votes
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This is far too stupid
January 3, 2016

I did the search on a name under the name of that very person, and then these idiots tell me that the person I asked to do the search on will never know it!
You want to pay for that? Well, there is sucker born every minute.

Date of experience: January 3, 2016
Florida
1 review
0 helpful votes
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I needed to find someone so I could serve them with court papers. A whole year later I was still paying and not actively using the service. The customer service I received when I called to rectify my concerns was the best Ive ever encountered in any company Ive ever had to deal with. She listened to my whole story, understood my viewpoint and satisfied my request beyond my expectations. I could not say enough about how helpful she was and how impressed with her I am and I hope her supervisor knows how great she is at her job as well as how greatful I am. Thank you

Date of experience: March 23, 2022
Nicholas K. InstantCheckmate Rep
over a year old

Hello Christina,
Thank you for taking the time to leave us with your feedback. We are delighted to see that you enjoyed your experience with us and with our dedicated Customer Care Team! We will be sure to pass along your kind words, and we look forward to assisting you again in the future:)

Thank you,
Instant Checkmate Support

Virginia
1 review
13 helpful votes
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Not worth your time
February 23, 2016

Instant Checkmate is a terrible company to try to do business with. If you have used it once, then try to use it again they will not allow this UNLESS you use a new email address. I needed a one time background check, and because I used the service over a year ago I was told I needed a different email address to use it again. When I tried to get a explanation for this the idiot on the customer service line kept repeating the canned sentence over and over. When I asked for a manager I was put on hold for 20 min and was again told the same canned explanation. When I said I only wanted a single background check I was asked why I needed it. I said to check on a employee and was told the checks are not reliable and should not be used under any circumstances for this purpose. What purpose does one need to get a background check? I will go elsewhere.

Date of experience: February 23, 2016
Hawaii
1 review
4 helpful votes
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Was shocked to be charged for a 36$ fee that I don't remember paying for. After some time, I realized that I might have agreed to the charge. Regret having slightly abused the customer service representative for what I thought was a fraudulent service.

Date of experience: December 14, 2020
Nicholas K. InstantCheckmate Rep
over a year old

Hello Barnaby,
Thank you for taking the time to leave us with your feedback. We appreciate your apology and will be sure to pass it along to our Customer Care Team!

Thank you,
Instant Checkmate Support

California
1 review
16 helpful votes
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Stay away.
October 29, 2015

Instant Checkmate should be put out of business. Instead of revealing the criminal history of others, the criminal history of Checkmate should be exposed. Everything they do is designed to separate the visitor from his or her money. It's deceptive, a sham, and a joke.

Date of experience: October 29, 2015

Overview

InstantCheckmate has a rating of 1.5 stars from 344 reviews, indicating that most customers are generally dissatisfied with their purchases. Reviewers dissatisfied with InstantCheckmate most frequently mention credit card, phone number and email address. InstantCheckmate ranks 86th among Government Records sites.

service
83
value
87
shipping
30
returns
42
quality
72
This company responds to reviews on average within 2 days
+7