Is BeenVerified Safe? Legit, Cost, Accuracy and How to Opt Out (2026)

Is BeenVerified safe? If you’re the one searching, mostly yes: it is a real, long-running company and a visit won’t harm your device, though a low-cost trial can turn into a monthly charge. If you’re the one being searched, it’s a privacy issue: BeenVerified can show your address, phone numbers and relatives to anyone who pays. You can opt out for free.

Key facts

• BeenVerified is run by The Lifetime Value Co. (LTVCO), a New York company that also runs PeopleLooker, NeighborWho, Ownerly, PeopleSmart and other brands.
• It says it is not a consumer reporting agency, so it can’t be used for hiring, renting, credit or insurance decisions.
• It is subscription-only. Monthly prices in 2026 reviews run from about $23 to $37, and it renews until you cancel.
• Its data comes from public records and partner data feeds and can be wrong or old.
• You can opt out free at beenverified.com/app/optout/search, but you may need to opt out of sister sites too.

Last updated October 28, 2026. Prices come from 2026 reviews and vary with promotions. Confirm them before you pay. This guide is based on public sources, not our own purchase of reports.

What Is BeenVerified Used For?

BeenVerified started in 2007 and is one of the best-known US people-search sites. People use it to check someone before a first date or an online sale, find a lost relative or friend, identify an unknown caller, run a quick check before renting a room to a stranger, or look up a vehicle’s basic title and ownership records.

Who Owns BeenVerified?

BeenVerified is the flagship brand of The Lifetime Value Co. (LTVCO), based in New York. Its sister brands include PeopleLooker, PeopleSmart, NeighborWho, Ownerly, NumberGuru and Bumper. It is not owned by PeopleConnect, the group behind TruthFinder, Intelius and Instant Checkmate, so those are separate companies with separate opt-outs. See our TruthFinder guide.

How Does BeenVerified Get Its Information?

It pulls from public records such as court filings, property records and marriage and divorce records, from social media profiles you’ve made visible, and from licensed data from other aggregators and marketing databases. None of it is hacked. The risk is that scattered public information becomes one profile that is far more revealing than any single piece.

Is BeenVerified Legal?

Yes. BeenVerified says it is not a consumer reporting agency under the Fair Credit Reporting Act. That is what allows it to operate the way it does, and it also means you can’t legally use a BeenVerified report to decide whether to hire, rent to or lend to someone. If you do, the legal risk is yours. See the FTC’s Fair Credit Reporting Act page. We didn’t find an FTC enforcement action against BeenVerified, unlike its competitors Spokeo and TruthFinder.

Is BeenVerified a Scam?

No, but the main complaint is billing. Many reviews describe signing up for a $1 trial or a single report and then being charged a full monthly price when the trial ends. This is disclosed, but it’s easy to miss. Set a reminder to cancel the day you sign up.

How Accurate Is BeenVerified?

Mixed. Because it combines many sources on different schedules, it’s common to see an old address, a disconnected number or an employment history that’s wrong. BeenVerified doesn’t independently verify records before showing them. It’s good enough to point you in the right direction, but not good enough for a legal or financial decision.

BeenVerified and Vehicle (VIN) Checks

BeenVerified offers a vehicle lookup based on public records such as title status, registration history and ownership. It doesn’t use the same sources as dedicated vehicle history services, which include insurance claims and service records. Use it as a basic first check, and use a full vehicle history report before you buy a used car.

How Much Does BeenVerified Cost?

There is no single-report option. The membership includes up to about 100 reports a month and renews until you cancel. Reviewers report different prices because promotions change, so check the pricing page. To cancel, log in and use your account or billing settings, or contact support. If you subscribed through the Apple App Store or Google Play, cancel there. Deleting the app doesn’t cancel billing. For ways to limit card risk, read our guide to financial data security.

Does BeenVerified Notify the Person You Look Up?

We found no notification feature, and reviewers report that the person isn’t told. That is convenient for an old friend, but it also means you can’t know who has looked you up.

How to Opt Out of BeenVerified

1. Go to beenverified.com/app/optout/search, or click “Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information” in the site’s footer.
2. Enter your first name, last name and state, and search.
3. Find your record and click to opt out.
4. Enter an email address. Consider using a secondary one.
5. Click the verification link BeenVerified emails you.

Reports put processing at about 24 to 72 hours. Opting out is separate from canceling a paid membership, so if you have one, cancel it too. Each sister brand has its own opt-out, and sources disagree on how much carries over, so check PeopleLooker, PeopleSmart, NeighborWho and Ownerly as well. Search again every three to four months, because profiles can come back.

BeenVerified is one of many sites. Our guide to removing your information from the internet covers the rest, and you can compare automated tools in our Incogni vs DeleteMe guide. Exposure matters most if you’re worried about doxxing or cyberstalking.

Is BeenVerified Safe? FAQ

Is it safe to use BeenVerified?

Yes for your device and your data if you’re the one searching. Watch the trial and billing. If you’re being searched, you can’t control who looks, so consider opting out.

Is BeenVerified legit?

Yes. It’s a real company operating since 2007 and run by The Lifetime Value Co.

Is BeenVerified free?

No. Searching shows a preview, but full reports need a paid membership or a low-cost trial that renews.

Can I use BeenVerified to screen a tenant or employee?

No. It isn’t a consumer reporting agency, so it can’t be used for those decisions.

Does BeenVerified notify the person I look up?

We found no notification feature, and reviewers report that it doesn’t.

Can I remove my information from BeenVerified?

Yes, free. Use the opt-out page and confirm by email, and then check the sister sites.

Bottom Line

BeenVerified isn’t a scam and isn’t secretly illegal. It’s a legitimate company in a legal gray area: it isn’t covered by the credit reporting rules, bills on a subscription model that catches people out, and makes your address easy to find. Go in with your eyes open, cancel on time, and opt out if you’d rather not be listed.

Sources

• BestGuide, BeenVerified review 2026
• TechRadar, How to opt out of BeenVerified
• ProPrivacy, How to opt out of BeenVerified
• Federal Trade Commission, Fair Credit Reporting Act
• Pricing from CreditDonkey and Betterteam (2026)