Do's & Dont's - Permitted and Prohibited Uses
BeenVerified's mission is to give people easy and affordable access to public record information. However, laws such as the Fair Credit and Reporting Act (FCRA) regulate how you can use information you obtain from BeenVerified.
You are restricted from using BeenVerified for:
Employment Screening
You may not use BeenVerified when evaluating a person for employment, reassignment, promotion, or retention
Hiring of Household Workers
Including, but not limited to, nannies and domestic workers
Tenant Screening
Including, but not limited to, leasing a residential or commercial space
Educational Qualification
Including, but not limited to, a person’s qualifications for an educational program or scholarship
Credit or Insurance
- Accessing the risk of existing credit obligations of an individual
- Determining eligibility for issuing credit or insurance
Business Transactions Initiated by an Individual Customer
Reviewing a personal customer account to determine whether the person continues to meet the terms of the account
Using BeenVerified information in these ways violates both our Terms & Conditions and the law, and can lead to possible criminal penalties. We take this very seriously, and reserve the right to terminate user accounts and/or report violators to law enforcement as appropriate.
Below are a few examples of some of the ways you can and can’t use public record information from BeenVerified. If you still are not sure whether your use of BeenVerified is OK, we encourage you to review our complete Terms & Conditions, which provide the final say on how you can use information from BeenVerified, or to contact us at support@beenverified.com. If you wish to use information for a purpose that is not allowed by BeenVerified, please visit the website of a Consumer Reporting Agency.
Find Lost Love
BeenVerified loves hearing stories about how people use public records to reconnect with people.
Employer Background Checks
Employers can’t use BeenVerified to conduct background checks of employees and applicants. We take this very seriously and so should you.
Verify Potential Roommates
Before you commit to that lease, find out who you’ll be living with.
Screen Tenants
You have to use a special company called a Consumer Reporting Agency to conduct a background check potential tenants – it’s the law!
Scope Out Your Online Date
Public records are a great tool, but remember- Nothing replaces intuition and common sense.
Contact People Against Their Wishes
If they don’t want to be contacted, you should respect their wishes.
Find Someone’s Current Address
Sending invitations and greeting cards has never been easier.
Stalk or Spy on People
Use BeenVerified responsibly and respect peoples’ right to privacy.
Go Ahead, Check Yourself Out
It is not silly, it is important. You should know what is in your public record.
Steal an Identity
Identity theft is a serious offense with serious consequences. Don’t do it!
Verify Online Buyers and Sellers
Before you bid, make sure that person on the online auction site is who he says he is.
Mortgages, Credit Checks, Insurance
You might be committing a crime if you use BeenVerified to determine consumers’ eligibility for these.
Retrieve Public Court Records
Unless you prefer to spend your days running around Gov't buildings, court runners are here waiting – if you want them for permitted purposes.
Lookup a Nanny or Domestic Help
You must follow the same procedure for running a background check that employer's hiring an applicant must follow.
Some Other Common Use Cases
- Met a new crush online? Check 'em out.
- Thinking about setting up a new carpool for the kids? Have a look.
- Want to reconnect with people from back in the old neighborhood? Most welcome.
- Address book in need of an updating? Clean it up.
- Curious about distant relatives and other family members? Research away.
- Interested to see what is in your public record? Take a gander.
- Don't want to waste a day at the courthouse? Find court records fast, for permitted purposes of course.
- Trying to set up your friend with that lovely person you met on the plane? You are a matchmaker.
- Not sure who is behind that unknown number that keeps calling? Run a reverse phone search.
- Sending invitations or greeting cards? Life just got easier.
- Researching a story and need that big lead? I smell a Pulitzer.
- Writing a paper and want that authoritative quote? Welcome to the Dean's List.
- Organizing a reunion back in the old neighborhood? My how you've grown.
- New neighbors moved next door? Find some common ground.
- Relying on good old Craigslist? It need not be such a mystery.
- Looking to connect with someone on Facebook? Try a social search.
For Access to a Consumer Reporting Agency, Visit:
| Credit | Employment |
|---|---|
| TransUnion | Sterling Infosystems |
| Equifax | Integrascan |
| Experian | SentryLink |
Note: BeenVerified has no affiliation with any of these services and recommends them as a courtesy.
