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Intelius, Inc. is an American public records business headquartered in Seattle, Washington.[1] It provides information services, including people and property search, background checks and reverse phone lookup. Users also have the ability to perform reverse address lookups to find people using Intelius’ services and an address.[2] Intelius, founded by former InfoSpace executives, was started in 2003. It is owned and operated by PeopleConnect, Inc.[3]

Key Information

History

[edit]

Intelius was founded in 2003[4] by six former Infospace executives: Naveen Jain, Kevin Marcus, Niraj Shah, Ed Petersen, Chandan Chauhan and John Arnold.[5] Intelius submitted plans for an initial public offering on January 10, 2008,[6] but withdrew in October 2010.[7]

On December 5, 2006, Intelius acquired Bothell, Washington-based IntelliSense Corporation, a background check, fingerprinting and drug screening company. The acquisition of Intellisense eventually became TalentWise. TalentWise was then spun off to Intelius stockholders in May 2013.[8] On April 30, 2009, Intelius acquired Spock, a people-oriented search engine.[9]

In November 2011, Intelius purchased the Facebook genealogy app Family Builder.[10] In 2012, Intelius was renamed "inome" to serve as the corporate umbrella, and the Intelius name was given to the division focusing on background checks.[11] By 2015, inome was doing business once again as Intelius. On July 1, 2015, Intelius was acquired by private equity firm H.I.G. Capital. As part of the transaction, Abani Heller replaced Jain as the company's CEO. On August 12, 2015, PeopleConnect Holdings Inc., bought the social media business Classmates.com for $30 million. The early social media site Classmates.com was created in 1995 to connect school, work and military colleagues.[12]

Information services

[edit]

Intelius has created an app available for both Android and iOS that allows users to perform people searches, reverse phone lookups and background check services directly from their mobile device.[13][14]

PeopleConnect operates four people search websites including Intelius.[15]

Class action lawsuits

[edit]

On September 30, 2009, before the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, a class action lawsuit was filed alleging that Intelius automatically enrolled California consumers into programs of its partner, Adaptive Marketing, without permission.[16] The complaint showed evidence as to how the defendants allegedly automatically charged California consumers' credit cards for "memberships" and intentionally frustrated the victims' abilities to dispute the charges.[17]

On October 19, 2009, in the Federal Court in Seattle, Intelius was accused of violating Washington's Consumer Protection Act.[18] In the class action lawsuit Lee v. Intelius Inc., filed by Ohio resident Donovon Lee and Washington resident Bruce Keithly, it was alleged that after purchasing background reports through Intelius, the plaintiffs were each charged recurring $19.95 monthly fees for multiple subscription services which were not requested from both Intelius and its partner, Adaptive Marketing. Plaintiffs sought damages for the Class alleging deceptive practices against Intelius. On March 7, 2013, the United States District Court ruled in favor of the Plaintiff Class. Intelius appealed to the US Court of Appeals (9th Cir.), which on December 16, 2013, also ruled in Lee's [et al.] favor for the Class as follows: "We hold that Lee did not enter into a contract with Adaptive to purchase the Family Safety Report, and did not enter into a contract with Adaptive to arbitrate. We therefore affirm the district court."[19]

After losing this appeal, Intelius sought arbitration with the Plaintiffs and subsequently agreed to two settlements of this lawsuit in favor of the class (one for Mr. Lee and one for Mr. Keithly on different case merits) resulting in a combined $10.5 million settlement for Class Plaintiffs.[20]

Consumer complaints

[edit]

In 2008 the company discontinued its phone directory services after legal threats and negative press attention focused on allegations that the opt-out process was unreasonably difficult.[21][22] Among other things, it was also criticized for providing private cell phone numbers.[23]

On September 30, 2009, before the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, a class action lawsuit was filed alleging that Intelius automatically enrolled California consumers into programs of its partner, Adaptive Marketing, without permission.[16] The complaint showed evidence as to how the defendants allegedly automatically charged California consumers' credit cards for "memberships" and intentionally frustrated the victims' abilities to dispute the charges.[17] On October 19, 2009, in the Federal Court in Seattle, Intelius was accused of violating Washington's Consumer Protection Act.[24]

Intelius received thousands of consumer complaints regarding post-transaction marketing practices and allegedly deceptive credit card charges. The Washington Attorney General sued Intelius, and a $1.3 million settlement was reached in August 2010.[25] In November 2011 the company announced the inclusion of TrueRep to its services. This program allows consumers to provide explanations for any indiscretions on their records.[26]

References

[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

Intelius

View on Grokipedia
from Grokipedia
Intelius is an American online service that aggregates and provides access to for searches, background , reverse phone lookups, and verifications, founded in by a group of executives including , Marcus, , Ed Petersen, Chandan Chauhan, and John Arnold. The company experienced rapid early growth, expanding revenues from $18.1 million in 2004 to $88.5 million by 2007 through aggressive online marketing and data aggregation from billions of public records, and it filed for an initial public offering valued at $143 million in 2008. Acquired by private equity firm H.I.G. Capital in 2015 and later integrated into PeopleConnect, Inc., Intelius continues to operate as a subscription-based platform emphasizing tools for informed decision-making, such as criminal record searches and identity verification, while maintaining an A rating from the Better Business Bureau for its data privacy measures like 256-bit encryption. Intelius has faced significant controversies over its marketing and data practices, including a 2010 settlement with the Washington Attorney General for $1.3 million after over 120 consumer complaints alleging deceptive tactics that tricked users into unintended subscriptions via post-search pop-up ads. The company has also been subject to multiple class-action lawsuits accusing it of unauthorized commercial use of individuals' personal information in promotional ads, failure to disclose automatic subscription renewals, and privacy violations under state laws, reflecting broader scrutiny of the people-search industry's handling of sensitive data.

Overview

Founding and Corporate Structure

Intelius was founded in 2003 in Bellevue, Washington, by six former executives from InfoSpace: Naveen Jain, Kevin Marcus, Niraj Shah, Ed Petersen, Chandan Chauhan, and John Arnold. The company started as an online provider of people-related data, aggregating public records for background checks, reverse phone lookups, and identity verification services. By 2004, it had achieved $18.1 million in revenue through rapid expansion in consumer-facing information services. Initial operations focused on proprietary data aggregation technologies, positioning Intelius as a pioneer in the information commerce sector. As a for-profit corporation structured as Intelius, Inc., the company maintained a privately held status from inception, with early funding supporting domain acquisitions and service integrations, such as the 2005 merger with Qwil Company to secure key assets like domain names. Headquarters later shifted to San Diego, California, reflecting operational scaling. Intelius incorporated subsidiaries for specialized functions, including sales and data processing entities, to handle public records analysis and consumer subscriptions. In 2015, Intelius and its parent Inome Inc. were acquired by H.I.G. Capital, a private equity firm, in a transaction exceeding $100 million, marking a shift from founder-led operations—Naveen Jain departed to pursue health tech ventures—to institutional ownership. Currently, Intelius operates as part of PeopleConnect Holdings, Inc., an H.I.G. affiliate that integrates it into a portfolio of people-search platforms, including Classmates.com, while retaining its core brand for background and records services. This structure enables shared data resources across subsidiaries but raises internal data-sharing considerations within the family of companies.

Mission and Core Operations

Intelius operates as an information commerce company focused on aggregating and delivering public records data to consumers for personal use, such as verifying identities, locating individuals, and assessing potential risks like scams. The company's stated purpose is to empower users' decision-making by providing robust, objective information drawn from vast public sources, enabling informed choices in everyday scenarios without serving as an official reporting agency. Founded in 2003, Intelius emphasizes reliability and confidentiality in its services, utilizing encrypted connections to deliver instant results while disclaiming any role in formal decisions like employment or credit evaluations under the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA). Core operations center on searching and compiling non-FCRA public records, including details on individuals' histories, relatives, addresses, phone numbers, and criminal records where available. Users can initiate queries via name, phone, or address lookups, yielding reports that may encompass age verification, property associations, social profiles, and traffic or court records aggregated from governmental and proprietary databases. Unlike FCRA-compliant providers, Intelius explicitly prohibits its data for tenant screening, hiring, or eligibility determinations, positioning its offerings for personal safety and curiosity-driven inquiries rather than professional vetting. This model relies on algorithmic processing of millions of public records to generate predictive insights, such as potential connections or historical data points, though accuracy depends on source freshness and completeness. In addition to basic searches, operations extend to identity protection features, including credit monitoring and theft insurance up to $1 million, integrated with ongoing alerts for data changes. The platform supports unlimited searches through membership plans, with mobile apps for iOS and Android facilitating on-the-go access, all while maintaining user privacy by not sharing search histories. Headquartered in San Diego, California, these activities are conducted under strict terms that limit liability for data inaccuracies, underscoring a consumer-oriented approach to public information access rather than guaranteed evidentiary standards.

Historical Development

Early Years and Expansion (2003–2010)

Intelius was founded on January 7, 2003, in Delaware as an online provider of public records information, with its headquarters in Bellevue, Washington. The company was established by six former executives from InfoSpace—Naveen Jain (who served as CEO), Kevin Marcus, Niraj Shah, Ed Petersen, Chandan Chauhan, and John Arnold—with an initial focus on delivering consumer-accessible intelligence services such as people searches, background checks, and related data aggregation from public sources via the internet. In its first year, Intelius generated $5.3 million in revenue, reflecting early adoption amid growing demand for digital background verification tools. The company experienced rapid revenue expansion in the mid-2000s, driven by partnerships with major online portals like MSN and Yahoo, which integrated Intelius search capabilities and broadened its user base. Annual revenues grew to $18.1 million in 2004, $44.0 million in 2005, and $54.7 million in 2006, with employee headcount increasing from 43 at the start of 2006 to 139 by the end of 2007. By November 2007, Intelius ranked among the top 100 U.S. web properties by traffic, and it had amassed over 4 million customer accounts by early 2008. This period also saw operational enhancements, including the November 2006 acquisition of IntelliSense Corporation, a Bothell, Washington-based firm specializing in background checks, fingerprinting, and drug screening, which expanded Intelius's service portfolio into employment verification. Further growth initiatives included strategic acquisitions and attempts at capital market access. On April 30, 2009, Intelius acquired Spock, a people-oriented search engine, to integrate advanced aggregation and search functionalities into its platform. In January 2008, the company confidentially filed for an initial public offering aiming to raise up to $143.75 million on Nasdaq under the ticker INTL, signaling ambitions for scaled operations amid its revenue trajectory of $60.2 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2007. However, the IPO was withdrawn in October 2010, coinciding with regulatory scrutiny, including a Washington Attorney General lawsuit settled for $1.3 million over data practices. These developments underscored Intelius's evolution from a startup to a prominent player in the online information services sector by 2010, though with emerging challenges in accuracy and compliance.

Ownership Transitions and Growth (2011–Present)

In June 2011, Intelius acquired Family Builder, a Facebook-based genealogy application, for an undisclosed amount, subsequently rebranding it as Live Family to expand its offerings in family history and social networking tools. On July 7, 2015, affiliates of private equity firm H.I.G. Capital completed the acquisition of Intelius and its parent company Inome Inc. in a transaction valued in excess of $100 million, marking a significant ownership shift from founder Naveen Jain, who departed to launch new ventures in health technology. Prakash Kondepudi, a veteran executive from Jain's prior companies, assumed the role of president and CEO under the new ownership, later succeeded by Abani Heller. Post-acquisition, Intelius pursued growth through strategic purchases, including the $30 million acquisition of Classmates.com on August 12, 2015, which integrated the social networking platform focused on school alumni connections into its portfolio, enhancing user engagement in people-search services despite Classmates' reported quarterly revenue decline to $18.8 million in Q2 2015. This deal, executed via H.I.G. affiliate PeopleConnect Holdings, represented the second major integration following the Intelius purchase, broadening the company's reach in consumer-facing identity and reunion tools. Under H.I.G. Capital's stewardship, Intelius has maintained operations as an active portfolio company in the consumer technology sector, headquartered in Bellevue, Washington, with no further ownership changes reported as of 2025, sustaining its position as a provider of public records and background information services.

Services and Features

People Search and Background Checks

Intelius offers people search functionality that enables users to query individuals by name, phone number, or address, retrieving details such as full names, current and historical addresses, phone numbers, ages, dates of birth, relatives, and aliases. These searches leverage a proprietary data aggregation engine drawing from over 20 billion public records, allowing anonymous queries without notifying the subject. Results are presented rapidly and can serve as an entry point to deeper investigations, though the service emphasizes that data reflects publicly available information, which may vary in completeness based on record availability across jurisdictions. Background check reports extend beyond basic locator data to include criminal and traffic records, employment history, education details, lawsuits, bankruptcies, liens, and foundational personal information like birth records. Users initiate a search by entering a first and last name, optionally narrowing by location, with reports compiled from billions of aggregated public records sourced from federal, state, and local databases. The platform claims continuous updates to maintain relevance, but independent assessments note that while Intelius performs adequately for consumer-level inquiries, reports are not infallible and may contain outdated or incomplete entries due to the inherent limitations of public data aggregation. Access to these services typically requires a subscription providing unlimited reports, with searches conducted securely via 256-bit encryption to protect user privacy. Intelius explicitly positions its offerings for personal use, such as verifying acquaintances or enhancing safety, and complies with guidelines under the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) by prohibiting applications in employment, credit, or other regulated decisions where FCRA-compliant screening is mandated. This restriction underscores that reports are not substitutes for professional investigations, as they rely on secondary compilations rather than direct primary verifications, potentially leading to discrepancies in sensitive areas like criminal histories.

Property and Asset Information

Intelius aggregates property information from local, state, and federal public records, accessible via reverse address lookups and dedicated address reports. These reports detail location specifics, including street address, city, county, ZIP code, property type (residential or business), mailing status, congressional district, and geographic coordinates such as latitude and longitude. Ownership history in address reports encompasses current and former owners, deed records, property dimensions like number of bedrooms, bathrooms, and floors, as well as estimated property value and historical assessed values. Additional contextual data includes possible past residents with names, ages, and residency dates; census-derived statistics on local households, average home values, persons per household, and median income; and neighborhood crime statistics. The platform's public records search explicitly categorizes assets as a searchable domain, alongside criminal records, death records, and bankruptcies, enabling users to query an individual's asset holdings through name-based searches of aggregated public data. While specific asset types beyond real property—such as vehicles or watercraft—are not prominently detailed in service descriptions, the inclusion draws from standard public filings like liens and deeds that may reflect broader holdings. Address reports are provided at no extra cost with qualifying searches, emphasizing publicly available data without additional verification processes.

Identity Protection and Monitoring

Intelius offers identity protection via its Identity Protect service, which provides monitoring for potential identity theft risks through credit alerts, dark web scans, and recovery support. The service includes monthly single-bureau credit monitoring from one of the major bureaus (Experian, TransUnion, or Equifax), along with access to a one-time credit report and score, enabling users to track changes in their credit profile automatically after enrollment. Additionally, it features dark web monitoring to detect if personal data appears in breaches or illicit markets, with alerts sent for any matches or suspicious activity. Complementing these, Identity Protect covers up to $1 million in identity theft insurance, underwritten by affiliates of American International Group, Inc., though exclusions and jurisdictional limitations apply. Users gain access to dedicated identity resolution agents for recovery assistance, including guidance on fraud resolution and hotline support. The service also leverages Intelius's public records aggregation to monitor changes in associated personal data, such as addresses or records that could indicate misuse, though it emphasizes credit and dark web focus over comprehensive triple-bureau scanning. Pricing for Identity Protect stands at $9.95 per month or $119.40 annually, with options for a free trial in some promotions. While effective for basic monitoring tied to public data sources, reviews note its limitations compared to full-spectrum services, such as reliance on single-bureau updates rather than continuous three-bureau oversight, potentially missing broader fraud signals. Enrollment requires verification, and all monitoring operates under encrypted, confidential access without notifying monitored parties.

Data Aggregation and Technology

Sources of Public Records

Intelius aggregates public records primarily from federal, state, county, and local government databases, including court documents, criminal records from state and local repositories, property assessments, voter registrations, and vital statistics such as birth, marriage, and death certificates. These sources are accessed through third-party data providers and direct compilation from publicly available government records nationwide, enabling reports on addresses, assets, and legal histories. The company supplements government data with information from social media profiles, published telephone directories, and commercial databases containing publicly reported business records or financial notices, such as bankruptcies filed in public courts. This aggregation occurs via scanning millions of records from diverse providers, without direct user submission except through site interactions like searches or opt-outs. Intelius emphasizes that its services compile non-consumer report data under the Fair Credit Reporting Act, relying on verifiable public accessibility rather than private investigations. Accuracy depends on the timeliness and completeness of source updates, as government records may lag due to reporting delays, and social media data can include self-reported details prone to changes or inaccuracies. The platform's database exceeds 20 billion records, drawn exclusively from legally obtainable public and third-party sources to facilitate people searches and background overviews.

Search Algorithms and Accuracy

Intelius employs a proprietary data search engine that aggregates billions of public records from federal, state, local government sources, courthouses, and commercial databases to generate user reports. The system cross-references disparate data points—such as names, addresses, phone numbers, and employment histories—using algorithmic matching techniques to build contextual profiles, including fuzzy matching for variations like nicknames or aliases and confidence scoring for ambiguous results involving common names. This process typically completes in 2-4 minutes, drawing from over 20 billion records to link individuals across categories like property ownership and professional licenses. Accuracy of Intelius reports is constrained by the inherent limitations of public records, which may be outdated, incomplete, or inconsistently digitized, leading to potential errors in compilation. The service includes a disclaimer acknowledging that results may not be fully accurate, complete, or current. Independent testing indicates 85-90% accuracy for recent employment history (within 10 years) but lower reliability for older records or rural violations, with strengths in verifiable addresses, phone numbers, and property data but risks of outdated associations. Broader analyses of similar background check services reveal systemic issues, including false positives in over 50% of cases and false negatives in about 90%, often due to mismatched records for individuals with common names or incomplete court data. User complaints documented by the Better Business Bureau frequently cite incorrect personal details, such as mismatched ages or locations, even when precise search inputs are provided, underscoring algorithmic vulnerabilities in disambiguating similar profiles. Consumer reviews average low satisfaction ratings, with reports of erroneous criminal record linkages that require manual verification for critical uses. Intelius results are thus best suited for preliminary screening rather than definitive judgments, as unverified aggregations can propagate source inaccuracies.

Business Model and Practices

Revenue Generation

Intelius generates revenue primarily through direct sales of background checks, people searches, and related reports to consumers, offered via pay-per-use or subscription models. Customers pay for access to aggregated public records data, including phone numbers, addresses, criminal histories, and property information, with pricing structured around individual reports or unlimited memberships. As of 2024, options include single reports starting at low introductory rates, such as $0.95 for a 5-day trial membership, escalating to recurring monthly fees of $34.95 for unlimited phone, address, and people reports. Bi-monthly plans provide discounted access, averaging $19.43 to $21.13 per month, while premium tiers like Premier Plus offer enhanced features for higher fees. Historically, the company supplemented this with commissions from post-transaction marketing partnerships, where users were directed to third-party services like identity protection or credit monitoring after completing a primary search. Between 2007 and 2008, such arrangements, notably with Adaptive Marketing, generated over $35 million in commissions for Intelius from consumers nationwide. This model contributed to overall revenue growth, with the company reporting $88.5 million in 2007, up from $18.1 million in 2004, driven by expanding sales of information products including background checks. More recent estimates indicate revenue around $11.5 million, largely sustained by subscription renewals and one-off purchases amid a competitive market. Intelius also explores B2B opportunities through services like Intelius , providing insights and market to enterprises, though consumer-facing subscriptions remain the core revenue .

Marketing and Partnerships

Intelius has utilized affiliate marketing programs as a primary channel to drive customer acquisition and revenue, offering partners commissions for referrals that result in paid searches or subscriptions. Affiliates receive promotional tools such as banners, text links, and custom campaigns, with Intelius emphasizing high payout rates to incentivize participation. The company has employed targeted digital advertising strategies, including bidding on individuals' names in search engine results to display ads promoting background checks and personal reports. This approach, active as of 2011, leverages consumer curiosity about their own online presence to generate leads, with similar tactics extended to platforms like Bing. Intelius previously relied on post-transaction marketing, a practice involving upselling additional reports or services immediately after an initial purchase, often through bundled discounts presented as time-sensitive offers. This method drew criticism for exploiting consumer confusion during checkout, culminating in a 2010 settlement with the Washington Attorney General requiring a $1.3 million payment and operational changes to ensure clearer disclosures. In terms of partnerships, Intelius collaborated with Friendster in September 2009 to integrate its people search technology into the social network, aiming to enhance user discovery features amid competitive pressures in online directories. Following its integration into PeopleConnect Holdings, Intelius's platform supported synergies with acquired services like Classmates.com, combining proprietary search algorithms with social networking data to offer expanded user insights as of 2015.

Major Lawsuits and Settlements

In August 2010, Intelius agreed to a $1.3 million settlement with the Washington State Attorney General to address consumer complaints that the company tricked users into enrolling in its Identity Protect program by obscuring the shift from a $10 one-time offer to recurring $19.95 monthly charges. The terms required Intelius to provide restitution to eligible customers, pay $300,000 toward attorney fees and costs, and discontinue the Identity Protect service entirely, without any admission of liability by the company. The most significant litigation involved the class action Keithly et al. v. Intelius Inc. (U.S. District Court, Western District of Washington, Case No. 2:09-cv-01485), filed in 2009, which alleged deceptive "in-cart" marketing practices during online purchases that enrolled consumers in the Identity Protect subscription without clear consent, resulting in unauthorized monthly fees after an initial free trial period. On December 6, 2012, the court issued final approval of a partial settlement allocating $5 million for class compensation, including pro-rata cash refunds or vouchers (up to 100% for some categories and at least 70% for others), plus $2.5 million for attorneys' fees, expenses, and incentive awards to named plaintiffs; the agreement also imposed injunctive reforms on marketing disclosures and cancellation processes. Intelius denied all allegations of wrongdoing but settled to avoid further protracted litigation. As part of the same Keithly proceedings, a separate partial settlement resolved claims over post-transaction upselling of third-party membership programs (such as Family Safety Report and Privacy Matters via Adaptive Marketing), creating a $9.5 million cash fund and $1 million in product vouchers for affected class members who submitted valid claims by the deadline. These resolutions, totaling over $18 million across components, stemmed from assertions that Intelius failed to disclose subscription terms transparently, though the company maintained its practices complied with applicable laws.

Consumer Protection Investigations

In 2010, the Washington State Attorney General's Office conducted a two-year investigation into Intelius's billing practices following thousands of consumer complaints about unauthorized monthly subscriptions and deceptive marketing tactics that obscured the shift from one-time purchases to recurring charges. The probe alleged that Intelius exploited consumer confusion by failing to clearly disclose subscription terms, leading to a $1.3 million settlement that included refunds to affected customers and mandates for improved transparency in disclosures and cancellation processes. This action highlighted systemic issues in the company's revenue model, where fine-print terms allegedly allowed charges to continue indefinitely without explicit user consent. Earlier, in 2008, Intelius faced scrutiny from public officials and consumer advocates over its cell phone directory service, which aggregated unlisted numbers without consent, prompting the company to discontinue the offering amid widespread backlash but without a formal settlement at that time. At the federal level, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) included Intelius in a 2012 inquiry into nine major data brokers' practices regarding the collection, use, and sale of consumer data, issuing compulsory orders for detailed submissions on data sourcing, accuracy, and consumer notice mechanisms. The investigation revealed opaque practices, such as inferring sensitive attributes like ethnicity or health status from public records without verification, and limited consumer access to opt-out or data correction options. Culminating in a 2014 FTC report, the probe recommended legislative reforms for greater transparency but did not result in enforcement actions against Intelius specifically, emphasizing instead industry-wide risks of privacy harms from unconsented data aggregation. No subsequent federal consumer protection investigations targeting Intelius have been publicly documented as of 2025.

Compliance and Reforms

In response to allegations of deceptive post-transaction marketing practices, Intelius entered a $1.3 million settlement with the Washington State Attorney General's Office on August 10, 2010, which included $1 million in consumer restitution and $300,000 in legal fees. As part of the agreement, Intelius agreed to cease accepting advertising from third-party vendors Vertrue, Inc., WebLoyalty, Inc., and Affinion, which had facilitated unauthorized subscriptions via misleading pop-up offers during checkout processes. This reform aimed to eliminate mechanisms for hidden enrollments in monthly services, addressing consumer complaints about unintended charges for identity protection programs. To maintain compliance with the (FCRA), Intelius explicitly disclaims status as a reporting agency in its terms of use and service descriptions, prohibiting use of its reports for , , , or other FCRA-regulated decisions such as tenant screening or eligibility. The company mandates that users affirm non-FCRA purposes prior to accessing detailed reports and provides guidelines emphasizing responsible handling of to avoid legal violations. These measures, reiterated in updates as recent as July 18, 2025, position Intelius's services as permissible aggregations of publicly available rather than regulated . Intelius maintains a dedicated compliance framework for law enforcement interactions, outlining policies on data retention, disclosure thresholds, and cooperation with subpoenas or warrants to ensure adherence to privacy statutes like the Stored Communications Act. Following class action settlements, such as the $5 million resolution in 2012 over alleged misleading enrollment in Identity Protect subscriptions—where Intelius denied wrongdoing but provided refunds or credits—the company enhanced transparency in subscription confirmations, though specific injunctive terms beyond financial remedies were not publicly detailed. These adjustments reflect efforts to mitigate risks from prior marketing disputes without admitting liability.

Reception and Impact

Utility and Achievements

Intelius delivers utility through its aggregation of public records from diverse sources, enabling users to perform efficient people searches, reverse phone lookups, and background checks that reveal contact information, relatives, property histories, criminal records, and court filings. This functionality supports practical applications such as personal safety assessments before dating, reconnecting with lost contacts, verifying tenant or employee backgrounds, and general due diligence, often generating organized reports in minutes via a straightforward interface. The service's anonymous search capability allows users to investigate without alerting the subject, enhancing privacy during inquiries, while its mobile-optimized dashboard and multiple entry points—like email or address lookups—facilitate broad accessibility for individuals and small businesses seeking reliable public data without advanced technical skills. By compiling fragmented records into comprehensive profiles, Intelius reduces the time and effort required for manual verification across government databases and other repositories. Founded in 2003 by former InfoSpace executives, Intelius marked early achievements with the 2006 acquisition of IntelliSense Corporation to strengthen background screening, followed by the 2009 purchase of Spock for advanced people-oriented search and the 2011 acquisition of Family Builder for genealogy integration. These expansions solidified its position in the information commerce sector, contributing to rapid scaling that reportedly exceeded $150 million in annual revenue and over 500 employees by the early 2010s. The company earned the American Awards' Best New recognition in and placement among the top 15 corporate philanthropists by the Journal, reflecting and contributions. In , Intelius ranked in the top 50 overall for and excellence among members, highlighting robust handling practices amid growing concerns over services.

Criticisms and Privacy Concerns

Intelius, as a people-search service aggregating public records, has faced scrutiny for facilitating the widespread dissemination of personal information, including addresses, phone numbers, and relatives, which critics argue heightens risks of identity theft, stalking, and harassment despite the data's public origin. Users and privacy advocates have highlighted the platform's opt-out process as cumbersome, often requiring manual submissions and verification that do not guarantee complete removal, leading to persistent exposure. In 2010, the Washington State Attorney General settled with Intelius for $1.3 million over deceptive post-transaction marketing practices, where consumers were automatically enrolled in an "Identity Protect" service without clear disclosure, violating consumer protection laws by banking on confusion to generate unauthorized charges. The settlement mandated refunds for affected Washington residents and reforms to marketing transparency, underscoring concerns that Intelius prioritized revenue over informed consent. Multiple class-action lawsuits have targeted Intelius for privacy violations, including a 2021 case alleging breaches of the Illinois Biometric Information Privacy Act (BIPA) by displaying residents' names, images, and personal details in targeted ads without consent, potentially enabling unauthorized surveillance or profiling. Another suit claimed violations of financial privacy through deceptive trade practices and conversion of user data in background reports. A $5 million settlement resolved claims related to the Identity Protect service's misleading billing and data handling. Consumer complaints, as aggregated by the Better Business Bureau and review sites, frequently cite privacy invasions where exposed data led to reputational harm or unwanted contact, with some users reporting difficulties in suppressing outdated or erroneous information that perpetuated risks. In 2008, amid backlash over unsolicited calls depleting cell minutes, Intelius discontinued its cell phone directory service, acknowledging consumer expectations of cellular privacy. These issues reflect broader criticisms of data brokers like Intelius for commodifying personal details without adequate safeguards, though the company maintains compliance with public records laws.

Market Position and Competitors

Intelius occupies a niche position in the consumer-oriented people search and background check market, offering services such as public records aggregation, reverse phone lookups, and identity verification tools primarily to individuals rather than large-scale enterprise clients. In the employment background checks subcategory, it commands about 1.98% market share, trailing behind dominant players focused on high-volume corporate screening. The overall background screening industry, valued at USD 14.72 billion in 2025, is expanding at a compound annual growth rate of 11.98% through 2030, driven by rising demand for due diligence in hiring, personal safety, and online investigations, though Intelius remains a mid-tier provider without leading market dominance. Key competitors in the consumer segment include Spokeo, which aggregates billions of public records for address and contact searches; BeenVerified, noted for affordable unlimited reports and vehicle history checks; and TruthFinder, praised for comprehensive criminal and social media scans but criticized for accuracy inconsistencies. Other rivals such as PeopleFinders, Instant Checkmate, and Whitepages emphasize rapid access to demographic data and property records, often overlapping with Intelius in pricing models featuring subscription trials starting under $1 for limited access. In the business-to-business space, Intelius faces stiffer competition from enterprise-grade firms like HireRight, First Advantage, and Accurate Background, which provide FCRA-compliant screenings with integrations for HR systems and higher scalability for volume checks. These larger entities benefit from partnerships with Fortune 500 companies and advanced automation, contrasting Intelius's more fragmented consumer focus, where differentiation hinges on report depth rather than proprietary data sources or regulatory certifications. Intelius's positioning is further challenged by free alternatives like Zabasearch and evolving privacy regulations that constrain data aggregation across the sector.

Recent Developments

Integration with PeopleConnect

In July 2015, an affiliate of H.I.G. Capital acquired Intelius, incorporating it into PeopleConnect Holdings, Inc., a portfolio company focused on public records-based people search services. This move established Intelius as a core brand within PeopleConnect's portfolio, alongside platforms such as TruthFinder, Instant Checkmate, and US Search, enabling operational synergies in data aggregation and service delivery. The integration centralized key functions, including a unified suppression tool launched by PeopleConnect that allows individuals to request removal or suppression of their personal records from Intelius and other affiliated sites simultaneously, streamlining privacy management across the network. This shared infrastructure reduces redundancy in opt-out processes, with suppressions typically processed within 24-48 hours and reflected across brands after a verification period of 2-3 weeks. Data resources from Intelius's proprietary people profiles were combined with those from other PeopleConnect entities, such as Classmates' social networking archives, to enhance search accuracy and cross-referencing capabilities for users seeking background checks, reverse phone lookups, and address verifications. This fusion supports PeopleConnect's emphasis on connecting online identities with real-world public records, purportedly aiding consumer protection through informed decision-making in areas like employment screening and personal safety. In January 2020, PeopleConnect merged with PubRec, LLC, further deepening Intelius's integration by incorporating additional databases from brands like BeenVerified, which expanded access to criminal records, property data, and vehicle histories. The merger, advised by Livingstone Partners, bolstered the overall platform's scale without altering Intelius's standalone branding or core search engine, founded in 2003. Post-merger, Intelius continued to operate from its established infrastructure while benefiting from PeopleConnect's aggregated resources, maintaining its A rating from the Better Business Bureau as of 2025.

Innovations and Expansions (2020–2025)

During 2020–2025, Intelius maintained its established platform for people searches, background checks, and reverse phone lookups without publicly announcing major technological innovations or service expansions. The company emphasized aggregation of public records, including addresses, relatives, associates, and criminal histories, with reports generated from sources updated daily to reflect recent changes. Features such as employment verification, education records, and contact mapping remained core to its offerings, as noted in user evaluations from 2025. As part of PeopleConnect, Inc.'s portfolio—which includes related services like TruthFinder and Instant Checkmate—Intelius operated within a broader ecosystem of data aggregation tools, benefiting from shared operational infrastructure following PeopleConnect's 2020 merger activities. The Android app, updated as of November 2022, continued to support mobile access to these functions, enabling users to uncover phone number owners and social media profiles tied to individuals. No acquisitions or product launches specific to Intelius were reported during this timeframe, with focus instead on service reliability amid evolving privacy regulations.

References

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