Anonymous
map-marker Spring Valley, Nevada

Instant Checkmate - Background Check Review from Spring Valley, Nevada

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Kenneth Leroy Thompson,Nashville Tn

53 yrs.old

Instant Checkmate Reply:
Hello,

We are more than happy to hear any feedback you have regarding the person you searched. Please feel free to call us at any time. Our US-based member care team is standing by 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. You can reach us at 1-800-222-8985.

Sincerely,
Customer Support
Instant Checkmate
View full review
Anonymous
map-marker Four Oaks, North Carolina

Instant Checkmate - Background Check Review from Four Oaks, North Carolina

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I am livid! The advertisement said free.

After I wasted, at least 10 minutes, of waiting for it to scan this and scan that, of course at the end, the only option to see the report is to pay. Total ***!

Wish companies, like you, would stop this baiting *** by always advertising FREE!! You should pay me for the *** time I wasted, only to be disappointed and pissed at the end.

Instant Checkmate Reply:
Hello,

We hate to hear you had a bad exerience with Instant Checkmate. We do not advertise ourselves as being a free service. Instant Checkmate’s Terms of Use, like the Billing Details and Frequently Asked Questions also prominently displayed on the website, fully and conspicuously explain Instant Checkmate’s billing terms. Specifically our Terms of Use states:

2) Billing and Services
a) Standard Membership Plans
Instant Checkmate offers two standard Membership Plans for Background Reports. All Membership Plans are billed up front for the entire term selected.
Standard Background Report Membership Plan with a 3-Month Term: For a standard 3-month Membership Plan, the debit or credit card or other payment account you provide will be billed $54.71 immediately upon purchase and $54.71 every 3 months thereafter, unless and until you cancel.
Standard Background Report Membership Plan with a 1-Month Term: For a standard 1-month Membership Plan, the debit or credit card or other payment account you provide will be billed $22.86 immediately upon purchase and $22.86 every month thereafter, unless and until you cancel.

If you have any questions regarding the foregoing, please do not hesitate to contact Customer Support at 1-800-222-8985.

Sincerely,
Customer Support
Instant Checkmate
View full review
Reason of review:
Pricing issue
Dairon Jkw

This review is from a real person who provided valid contact information and hasn't been caught misusing, spamming or abusing our website. Check our FAQ

Verified Reviewer
| map-marker Toledo, Ohio

Review in Internet category from Toledo, Ohio

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I janay marie davis didnt realize who sergio love was, he told me he was 26. But his real name is ellsworth demetrious love.

So Ohio who is Sergio? When his name is Ellsworth Love? Thank you for teaching me to NOT trust sergio love. Cause the state of Ohio just said his real name is ellsworth.

Ohio can YOU explain what sergio just taught me about life. Please i have been begging the state of ohio to tell me, but they say that its not my business. I had to go to court for domestic violence twice.

So my real question to Ohio is who is Ellsworth Demetrious Love? I dont play about back ground checks so ohio please help Janay Marie Davis not Mariah Junne Beese cause people have lied to me, so can YOU ohio tell me who is this man that i met on plentyoffish??

Instant Checkmate Reply:
Hi Ricanmaria1991,

Thank you for contacting us regarding your recent experience with Instant Checkmate. 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 1-800-222-8985.
View full review
Myna Yqw
map-marker Pacific Palisades, California

Absolutely No Basic Information -- Rip Off

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I understand that as a business they don't give you the info before you sign up, but it would be nice if they would disclose whether they actually DO have info or not before you have to pay. I paid $27 for access to their "basic service" only to find out my grandfathers date of birth and his horoscope.

They then say you need to pay another $18 to get extended access but don't tell you if there is actually any additional information. The customer service rep, who was rather rude, said that criminal records are not available if they are over 1 year old. Would have been nice to know that upfront. Perhaps that info is in the small print but it should be more apparent for the consumer.

The lack of basic disclosure and transparency is really upsetting.

I just threw money away. Really shady in my opinion.

Instant Checkmate Reply:
Hi lisedupuis01,

We’re sorry to hear you were unable to find the information you were looking for in your grandfather's report. 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,
Customer Support
Instant Checkmate
View full review
Cons:
  • Lack of information bad customer service
Reason of review:
Poor customer service
Loss:
$27
Preferred solution:

Full refund

Anonymous
map-marker Winston Salem, North Carolina

Instant Checkmate - Account Review from Winston Salem, North Carolina

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I wanted to remove my subscription with Instant Checkmate, so I called the Memeber Care number and talked with a representative who supposedly canceled my subscription...but I have reoccurring fees on my bank statement from Instant Checkmate, and I want it to stop...

Instant Checkmate Reply:
Hello,

We apologize for your frustrating experience with Instant Checkmate when trying to cancel your account. A senior member of our member care team will contact you privately to help resolve this issue as soon as possible.

Sincerely,
Customer Support
Instant Checkmate
View full review
Anonymous
map-marker San Ramon, California

Instant CheckMate is a scam

I am a corporate security professional with a Fortune 25 company. I used InstantCheckmate.com several years ago in the hope that they would have information for a case where I'd been unsuccessful in using my usual resources.

The website provided no information other than that I'd input, but did offer additional information for a premium. I declined. Three years later, and I recently discovered this company had charged my credit card $22.86 a month for the last three years. I should review my statements.

And do business with reputable firms. I will ensure my colleagues won't make this mistake.

Instant Checkmate Reply:
Hello,

We appreciate your feedback, and we apologize for any confusion you encountered regarding our membership plans and/or billing policies. In order to complete the enrollment process, each user is required to check a box to agree to Instant Checkmate’s Terms and Conditions.

Instant Checkmate’s Terms of Use, like the Billing Details and Frequently Asked Questions also prominently displayed on the website, fully and conspicuously explain Instant Checkmate’s billing terms. We’re very sorry that a recurring membership wasn’t what you wanted. 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,
Customer Support
Instant Checkmate
View full review
Cons:
  • Lack of integrity
  • Misleading
Reason of review:
On-going monthly charges
Loss:
$549
Preferred solution:

Full refund

Anonymous
map-marker Huntsville, Alabama

Instant Checkmate - Background Check Review from Huntsville, Alabama

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No state list for Alabama

Instant Checkmate Reply:
Hello,

We apologize that you did not find what you were looking for. We will contact you privately to work out a resolution.

Sincerely,
Customer Support
Instant Checkmate
View full review
Eldred Iqo
map-marker Jupiter, Florida

DON'T DO IT ! Misleading advertising, Poor servicE &, Tricks its customers.

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Last year I had a 6 month subscription to beenverfied.com I was very pleased. Even when they renewed my membership after 6 months I emailed and said I wasn't able to afford it right now please refund me the money and I will use their service later and they did.

They refunded me right away. When I was able to afford it again I wanted to try something new. All these sites say that instant checkmate is better than Been verified. All these so called polls and surveys.

So I purchased it. NOT EVEN CLOSE. I was and still am devastated. My very 1st report I had to pay an additional 19.95 just to get 1/10 of the info been verified included in its package.

Checkmate advertisements is VERY MISLEADING. Im sure those pools and surveys were all written bu instant checkmate themselves. Why cant you just get what you pay for? Aren't you happy to have my money?

Why can't you just provide the service you claimed you would? But NO, you have to be greedy and trick us into paying more. Well guess what? You will loose just about every repeat customer.

I'm in a very serious situation in which my family is being taken advantage of. And I need these services, unlimited services. I don't have time to deal with *** companies like these. Now the info I really needed I cant afford to get because everything is additional billing.

Everything including NAMES AND ALIAS, EMAILS, OLD PHONE NUMBERS, ADDRESSES, RELATIVES, ASSOCIATES, LIEN AND MORE all things that come with your package at Been verified for no additional charge I had to pay 19.95 from instant -checkmake. I deeply regret using this service and they should be ashamed of themselves misleading honest people like this. Its companies like these that make this world a hard place to live.

I would like my money back for the service and the additional 19.95 I paid for. Laura

Instant Checkmate Reply:
Hello,

We're sorry to hear you had a bad experience with Instant Checkmate. 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, licenses, social media accounts, and horoscopes). While we provide as much information as possible in our standard reports, some records are expensive to access and can only be offered for an additional charge. Therefore, we charge a one-time fee to compile premium reports for our users.

We do our best to explain to customers what they can expect from a standard subscription. As stated on the FAQ page of our website:

Instant Checkmate's Standard Report contains, where available, a person’s date of birth, phone numbers, address history, related persons, arrest records, government license information, social media profiles including email addresses, and nearby sex offenders. A subscription with Instant Checkmate allows you to obtain unlimited Standard Reports about persons during your subscription period. After subscribing, you will also have the opportunity to upgrade your Standard Report to a Premium Report, which will supply additional and supplemental data about a person, for $19.99.

Any additional charges for features such as premium data or pdf service are completely optional. Our Premium Reports supplement our standard reports by including data collected from additional sources. Customers choose to buy a Premium Report only for the people they want, ensuring the lowest cost for our standard reports.

We apologize for your frustrations and will contact you privately to resolve this issue.

Sincerely,
Customer Support
Instant Checkmate
View full review
Cons:
  • Hidden cost scam
  • Mislead you on services provided
  • Takes advantage of paying customers
Reason of review:
many above, poor quality, not as described, pricing issue.
Loss:
$76
Preferred solution:

Full refund

SmashK S
map-marker Austin, Texas

Resolved: Fraudulent Billing

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Updated by user Jan 27, 2016

I was pleasantly surprised that Instant Checkmate did contact me hours after writing this review. I was not expecting that.

While I do not agree with the auto-billing practices that they use, they did resolve the issue professionally after leaving this review.

I believe they offer a good service for pulling public records easily and affordably, however it would be much more ethical to not use auto-billing practices or to make them extremely noticeable and send the account holder monthly billing statements so they can realize they are being billed. Owning a company you can over look these small charges on bank statements as a legitimate expense an employee is using.

That being said I do appreciate their follow up and pain-free resolution to the issue.

Original review Jan 21, 2016

Instant Checkmate makes it extremely hard to realize you are being setup for an autobill. They say they do this to "make it easy to access unlimited reports". However this is really no different than all continuity programs that generate massive revenues when people forget to cancel.

As is the case with an employee that used the service with a company card. Today we realize they have been billing $300 over the year with the website never being used. It is a disgraceful ripoff that is going to open up legal liability for them.

The FTC is cracking down on these kinds of programs that make it difficult for the consumer to easily understand they will be billed each month and never get a follow up or invoice from the company, only occurring charges.

We just won a class action suit against RVW for something similar and just sent this over to Tauler Smith to line up an attorney for us. Their customer service should have taken it more seriously.

Instant Checkmate Reply:
Hello,

Thank you for taking the time to update your review! We’re so glad to hear that our member care team was able to get your issue resolved. 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 1-800-222-8985. Thanks again for your feedback!

Sincerely,
Customer Support
Instant Checkmate
View full review
Cons:
  • Hidden cost scam
Reason of review:
Problems with payment
Loss:
$300
Preferred solution:

Full refund

Anonymous
map-marker Clayton, California

Instant Checkmate - Background Check Review from Clayton, California

I payed and I can not go back to my account what the *** is going on

Instant Checkmate Reply:
Thank you for reaching out. We apologize that you ran into some technical issues when trying to log into your account. Our member care team is standing by 24/7 to provide assistance with any questions or issues you may have. They can be reached at 1-800-222-8985 or support@instantcheckmate.com. Again, we're very sorry for your frustrating experience. A senior member of our member care team will contact you privately to help resolve this issue as soon as possible.

Sincerely,
Customer Support
View full review
Reason of review:
Bad quality
Anonymous
map-marker Lawrenceville, Georgia

Instant Checkmate - Background Check Review from Lawrenceville, Georgia

I do not want to be charged again for any background checks. When I logged on your site , it said the search was free.

I have since been charged $26.85 since October 6, 2015. I want my account credited for all charges immediately.

Instant Checkmate Reply:
Hello,

We're sorry to hear that a recurring membership was not what you wanted. 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. All users are required to check a box to agree to Instant Checkmate’s Terms and Conditions. Instant Checkmate’s Terms of Use, like the Billing Details and Frequently Asked Questions also prominently displayed on the website, fully and conspicuously explain Instant Checkmate’s billing terms. 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,
Customer Support
Instant Checkmate
View full review
Anonymous
map-marker Arlington, Texas

Instant Checkmate - Background Check Review from Arlington, Texas

You people charged my card for a account that i clearly stated i did not want i cancelled it right away..You owe me money

Instant Checkmate Reply:
Hello,

We're sorry to hear you had a bad experience when trying to cancel your Instant Checkmate account. A senior member of our member care team will contact you privately to help resolve this issue as soon as possible.

Sincerely,
Customer Support
Instant Checkmate
View full review
Reason of review:
Problems with payment
Anonymous
map-marker Saint Louis, Missouri

Website title says search free. I did not even sign up for this. And they are taking 44. + a month out of my account. I found out when the fraud department from my bank contacted me.

I did not apply for this membership. They said I joined on Christmas.

I had no money as I live on disability and it doesn't even cover my medication and testing, surgeries etc. there's a reason my bank from the fraud department called me. That aught to say a lot that my bank kicked it out under fraud alert. When checking site, title says search free and if you join $20 something a month will be deducted.

So why is it even 40 something that they are hitting my bank acct with twice already. Especially since I was suppose to have done this on Christmas. I want what ever membership I'm suppose to have canceled and my money refunded or I am taking action. Legally if need be.

I sent them an email since I'm not even sure how to approach this mess.

How do you cancel something that you didn't even do. I will write a follow up on what or if anything is rectified.

Instant Checkmate Reply:
Hello,

Thank you for reaching out. We're sorry to hear that you experienced a problem with Instant Checkmate. We will contact you privately to get this issue resolved as quickly as possible.

Sincerely,
Customer Support
Instant Checkmate
View full review
Reason of review:
Poor customer service
Emeree Yzf
map-marker Urbana, Ohio

Instant Checkmate - Account Review from Urbana, Ohio

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I cancelled my account with "Checkmate.com" in 2013. My husband takes care of my bills.

I cancelled my account, have not used the service since I have. Yet I have been charged almost $30.00 a month, for three years!!!

Instant Checkmate Reply:
Hello,

We apologize that you experienced an issue with your Instant Checkmate account. A senior member of our member care team will contact you privately to help resolve this issue as soon as possible.

Sincerely,
Customer Support
Instant Checkmate
View full review
Anonymous
map-marker Mays Landing, New Jersey

Instant Checkmate Fraud

Apparently in late June or early July 2015, I must have fed a name into Instant Checkmate!. I don't remember doing it but I must have because they billed my Pay Pal account.

For July, they billed $11.41 and then $22.83 per month for August, September, October, November and December! I NEVER agreed to pay their monthly membership amounts. I might have agreed to try to get one result free or pay a couple of dollars. I don't know who I would have even looked up!

I was shocked when I saw these charges on my Pay Pal payment history!. I called my credit card company and they immediately blocked the December payment but can't credit me for July and August. I was told that they get a lot of complaints about fraudulent billing by this company. Why are they allowed to stay in business??.

I am a 78 year old retired woman and why would I have a need for this website!. Beware of Instant Checkmate!.

Betty Seamans. Bobette03@***.com

Instant Checkmate Reply:
Hello,

We're sorry to hear you had a bad experience with Instant Checkmate. Our records show that you signed up for an account by entering in your name and payment information. We will have someone from our member care team reach out to you privately to resolve your issue.

Sincerely,
Customer Support
Instant Checkmate
View full review
Reason of review:
Problems with payment