Dating Background Check – A Complete Guide for Online Daters

Online dating is fun and exciting. You meet someone new, the conversation flows, and the chemistry feels just right. But… how much do you really know about them?

The truth is, not everyone on dating apps is who they claim to be. It’s easy to fake an identity behind a screen – age, job, marital status, or even a criminal history can be hidden. A survey by eHarmony found that 53% of people have lied on their dating profiles^[1]. Worse, some aren’t just stretching the truth – they’re scammers using fake or stolen identities (aka catfish) to manipulate people for personal or financial gains.

Most dating apps don’t run background checks on users^[2], and even when they claim to verify identities, it’s usually limited. That’s why many online daters choose to do their own research. And luckily, running a dating background check is easier and faster than ever. With a few simple steps, you can verify an online match and dig deep into their details.

You might need a dating background check if…

Well, it’s up to you whether and when to do a dating background. It may seem excessive to check everyone you meet on dating apps, but in some situations, it can definitely give you peace of mind, for example:

• You want to verify your online match is genuine and who they say they are before meeting in person.
• You’re starting to get emotionally involved and hope to know more about their past.
• You’ve noticed sketchy inconsistencies in their stories or found them vague about important details. 
• You want to prioritize your safety, especially if you have children or have experienced a harmful relationship in the past.

How to do a dating background check

Now let’s walk through the steps to do a dating background check. We’ll cover everything you might need along the way.

Before getting started: gather details for your search

To run a dating background check, you’ll need the person’s full name and city + state they live in. This is essential for identifying the individual you’re looking for, especially if they have a common name. Additional details like their age or middle name can also help narrow things down.

Don’t know their last name? No problem. You can try looking up their phone number or dating app username (or any other social media handle they’ve shared) to uncover the full name. 

Also, collect any other info they’ve shared with you, like photos,  job title, company, past relationships, or places they lived in, in order to cross-check your findings and spot inconsistencies.

The best bet: use a people search tool for deep background checks

People search tools are like digital detectives that find information about people across the Internet. They aggregate publicly available data from sources like public records, social media, phone directories, and web pages to create a detailed profile of an individual, giving you a clearer picture of a potential partner.

Step 1: Choose a reliable tool for your needs

There are plenty of people search tools around, each with its strengths and weaknesses. Some specialize in certain types of information, while others may be better at tracing social media activity or offering a range of search options. When picking a tool, think about the kind of information you’re looking for, what details you already have, and how often you plan to run background checks. 

We’ve tested dozens of reputable products and here are some top options:

BeenVerified
Great for checking court records and marital status
Versatile searches for one price, ideal if you only have the person’s phone number or username

TruthFinder
Best for the depth of information
Unlimited people search reports, great for long-term use and various purposes like reconnecting with old friends

Spokeo
Best for uncovering social media profiles across 120+ networks
Offers insights into the person’s interests and lifestyles
Excellent for one-time background checks with affordable 7-day trials ($0.95)

Social Catfish
Specializes in spotting catfish through image search

Still not sure which tool suits you? Tell us what you need in the comments, and we’ll help you pick the best option.

Are there free people search tools?

In fact, there are no truly free background checks. Although some people search sites advertise themselves as free, their free results are only the basics, like name, age, or contact, which may not be sufficient to fully understand a potential date. For more valuable data like court records or social media profiles, you’ll still need to pay. 

We’ve compared two popular free people search sites with our top paid option, so you can see exactly what you’d be missing out on:

	TruePeopleSearch Free	FastPeopleSearch Free	BeenVerified Paid
Name
Address history
Email addresses
Phone numbers
Social media profiles
Photos
Possible relatives & associates
Possible marital records
Possible divorce records
Criminal & traffic records
Bankruptcies, judgements & liens
Jobs
Education
Assets

If you really want to do it free of charge and don’t mind investing extra time, we’ve put together a list of methods for manually searching public records.

Step 2: Conduct a background search

Below I’ll use BeenVerified as an example for the process.

1. Go to the people search site. 
2. Choose your preferred search option and fill in the details. 
   
   
   The search is private and anonymous, so your date won’t know you’re checking them out.
3. The search will take about 2-3 minutes. During this time, you may be asked for additional details like the person’s city or age to refine the search. Skip them if you’re unsure.
4. Once it’s ready, sign up for the service to unlock the full report.

Step 3: Review the results and look out for key details

A people search report typically contains both basic information and more in-depth details such as jobs & education, criminal and traffic history, marriage & divorce records, and more. When reviewing the report, here’s what to focus on:

Check full name, alias, photos, addresses, jobs & education to see if these details line up with what they’ve told you.

Does the report reveal a marriage or divorce record that you weren’t aware of? Or is there a hidden family member appearing in the possible relatives and associates list? If you discover relationships or marital history that your date has kept secret, be wary.

Read more: How to find out if someone is married – a thorough guide

While minor infractions like traffic violations or old misdemeanors might not be a big deal, serious offenses especially related to domestic violence, harassment, sex offenses, or fraud should be treated with caution.

Read more: How to see if someone is a registered sex offender

Through someone’s online activities, you can often have a deeper sense of someone’s interests, personality, and lifestyle. See if they hide anything significant or present a different persona than they do on the dating app. You may also want to learn if your values align before getting too invested.

Bankruptcies or liens can be warning signs of financial trouble and even hint at deceptive intentions. Asset information in the report, like possible properties or vehicles, can give you further insights into their financial stability and help you tell if they’re exaggerating their wealth.

DIY option: search manually for free

Free searches can be effective but will require a bit of patience and persistence. Here’s how to dive in.

Google is a great starting point

Google is often the first place we turn to when looking for information about someone, and for good reason, it’s fast and easy. Type in the person’s name or any other details you know, and voilà, a world of results.

Most people today have some sort of digital presence unless they deliberately keep a low profile for privacy reasons. Particularly, if the person claims to hold a high-profile position at a well-known company or is supposed to be active online, there should be some trace of them. If you find nothing at all, consider it a red flag.

You can search for public records through government sources

In the U.S., a wide variety of records such as court records, marriage licenses, and property records are made available to the public, and you can usually access them through the appropriate government sources.

1. Check local court records

Since most crimes are handled at the county level, the county court records are often the most reliable source of criminal history. Not sure what county your date is living or has lived in? No worries, state records can work too. But be aware that some states might not include all county records in their databases.

1. Search county + state + criminal/court records on Google to locate the official website (e.g. clay florida court records in the screenshot).

💡 Make sure you visit an authentic government website, which typically ends in .org or .gov. Many sketchy sites are posing as official government sources. Take a closer look at the top or bottom of these websites; third-party ones usually have a disclaimer like “Our website is privately owned and is not owned by any state government agency”

2. Once you’ve found the official source for court records, enter the person’s full name in the required format and review the information presented.

2. Check sex offender registries

The National Sex Offender Public Website (NSOPW) allows you to search for sex offenders in all jurisdictions at once. You can search by name to see if someone is a registered sex offender or by address to check sex offenders nearby.

3. Check federal criminal records

Federal crimes are often more severe than state-level charges and may span multiple jurisdictions. Most daters won’t need to search for federal criminal records. But if you want to be extra thorough, you can check it on PACER (Public Access to Court Electronic Records), an online federal record system.

1. To use this tool, you’ll need to create an account first and provide your credit card information.
2. You can search for federal court records by case number or part name.
3. The search comes with a fee, based on the amount of pages generated. If you search for a common name, it may return a large number of pages and rack up a higher bill.
4. If your total charges are $30 or less within a quarter, the fees will be waived for that period. For more pricing details, refer to PACER FAQs.

Don’t forget to check their photos

A common tactic of romantic scammers is using fake or stolen pictures to create an appealing persona. Fortunately, it’s not hard to catch them with a reverse image search tool. Just upload a photo of your date to these websites and they will tell you where the pictures (or visually similar ones) have appeared online.

Here’s a list of tools to try:

• Google Image
• TinEye
• PimEyes
• Sightengine (for detecting if an image is AI-generated)

If the results show that the image is a stock photo or tied to a different name, that’s a strong indicator of catfishing. If the photo is genuine and your date has used it on other websites or platforms, like Facebook or Instagram, you might find those sources. 

Don’t be surprised if you don’t find anything. That’s because many people will use unique photos for dating profiles that they haven’t posted anywhere online. Besides, these free tools aren’t built for precise facial recognition. They focus on analyzing the image itself, so people-based results can be limited.

Local networks might offer insider clues on romantic scammers

The Facebook group “Are We Dating The Same Guy” is designed for women to share information and protect each other from potential liars, cheaters, or abusers. To find your local group, simply search are we dating the same guy + city or state on Google.

Once you’re in (you’ll need to request access), you can ask if anyone has information about someone you’re dating or planning to date. It’s also a place where you can warn others of any red flags or harmful individuals you’ve encountered.

What to do if you find something suspicious

If you find something that raises an alert, take a moment to pause and think things through calmly.

• Your safety is the top priority. If you’ve found something serious like a fake identity, a hidden marital status, or a criminal history that could threaten your well-being, it’s best to cut off the communication and walk away. Some minor discrepancies might not be a deal-breaker, but if you feel uneasy, it’s ok to step back.
• Have an open conversation. Just because something seems off doesn’t necessarily mean there’s a major issue. Everyone has a past and past mistakes don’t always define who they are now. If you feel comfortable, talk to your date about what you’ve discovered and see if they have a reasonable explanation. 
• Seek advice and support from someone you trust. If you’re feeling unsure or overwhelmed, it’s always helpful to talk things over with a friend, family member, or anyone who can offer an unbiased perspective.

Final thoughts

It’s crucial to stay vigilant and informed when you’re online dating. While many people online are genuine, some may not be who they say they are. Doing a little research, whether it’s a quick Google search or a thorough check using a people search engine or government sources, can better protect you from physical or emotional harm. 

Remember, a dating background check is just one piece of the puzzle. Trust your intuition and how you feel – it’s just as important in making the right decisions.

1. eHarmony Editorial Team. (2021, March 18). 10 Online Dating Statistics You Should Know. eHarmony. https://www.eharmony.com/online-dating-statistics/↩
2. Match Group, the owner of popular dating platforms like Tinder, Match.com, OkCupid, Hinge, and Plenty of Fish, had partnered with Garbo, a non-profit organization, to offer background checks. It let users run a limited number of free background checks on a potential date using their last name and phone number. However, the partnership was discontinued in 2023.↩
3. Pheaden. (2024, September 10). Which States Have Consumer Data Privacy Laws? Bloomberg Law. https://pro.bloomberglaw.com/insights/privacy/state-privacy-legislation-tracker/↩
4. The Criminal Justice System: Statistics. Rainn.org. https://rainn.org/statistics/criminal-justice-system↩

There’s no guarantee you’ll find the information you’re looking for with the tools discussed in this article. They all source their information from publicly available data sources, such as county, state and federal courts, government departments, and police records, and those sources may contain incorrect or incomplete data. It’s illegal to use these tools to make decisions about employment, admission, consumer credit, insurance, tenant screening, or any other purpose that would require FCRA compliance. Read the Fair Credit Reporting Act to learn more....

By Brinksley Hong

Brinksley is a dedicated content writer for Super Easy who's on a mission to discover efficient ways to tackle everyday tasks and enhance daily routines.

With over 5 years of experience in content creation, she has explored a variety of domains including computer issues, tech news, social media, digital marketing, life hacks, and more. The diverse expertise empowers her to craft well-informed content that genuinely benefits the audience.

When she’s not writing, Brinksley immerses herself in the enchanting world of books. She’s also an enthusiast of live shows, relishing the magic of various concerts and band performances. Her rich life outside of work, together with a wealth of experience and passion for writing contributes to unique insights in her writings.

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