- Who runs Spokeo and what it does
- The FTC settlement with Spokeo in 2012
- Why you shouldn't use Spokeo for hiring or renting
- Spokeo v. Robins and accuracy
- How to remove your own details from Spokeo
- Safe ways to use Spokeo
- Spotting fake Spokeo sites and removal scams
- Spokeo at a glance
- My verdict on whether Spokeo is legit
- Frequently asked questions
Spokeo is a real, privately held people-search site founded in 2006, according to Wikipedia, that gathers records from online and offline sources. The catch is how those records are used: in 2012 the FTC alleged Spokeo marketed information to employers in breach of the Fair Credit Reporting Act, and it agreed to pay 800,000 US dollars to settle. Treat its reports as leads, not proof.
When people ask whether Spokeo is legit, the worry usually comes from two directions. Some are thinking of paying for a report on someone, others have found their own address on the site and want it gone. Both are fair. Spokeo blocked my attempts to read its own terms, so I've relied on Wikipedia and the FTC's case page, and I'll be clear about what that leaves out.
Who runs Spokeo and what it does
According to Wikipedia, Spokeo was founded in 2006 in Mountain View, California, by four Stanford graduates. It's privately held and headquartered in Pasadena, California. Wikipedia describes it as a people-search site that gathers data from online and offline sources, which you can search by name, email, phone number, username or address.
In plain English, it collects scattered public and commercial information about people and puts it in one profile. That's why it feels both useful and unsettling. The information was out there already, but Spokeo makes it easy to find in one place.
The FTC settlement with Spokeo in 2012
The FTC's case page records the main regulator action. It says the FTC alleged that Spokeo marketed consumer information to employers and recruiters in violation of the Fair Credit Reporting Act. Spokeo agreed to pay 800,000 US dollars to settle the charges, and the complaint and consent decree were filed in 2012.
Wikipedia adds that the order requires Spokeo to submit compliance reports to the FTC for twenty years. I'm reporting this neutrally: it's an allegation resolved by a settlement. But it tells you something important about how the site shouldn't be used.
Why you shouldn't use Spokeo for hiring or renting
The FTC's allegation concerned employers and recruiters, which is the practical lesson. The Fair Credit Reporting Act sets rules for background checks used for decisions like employment, and a general people-search site isn't set up for that. I couldn't read Spokeo's terms to quote its exact wording, so I won't put words in its mouth. Read the terms before you pay, and if you hire staff or let property, use a screening service designed for that and ask a professional about your obligations.
Spokeo v. Robins and accuracy
Spokeo is also behind a well-known US Supreme Court case. According to Wikipedia, Thomas Robins sued Spokeo in 2010 alleging Fair Credit Reporting Act violations over a profile that wrongly described him. In 2016 the Supreme Court ruled 6-2 for Spokeo on the question of standing, vacating the Ninth Circuit's decision and sending the case back. Wikipedia says the case later settled through mediation in 2019.
It's a legal point about who can sue, not a ruling that Spokeo's profiles are accurate. But the underlying complaint, a profile that got a person's job and circumstances wrong, is a fair reminder that compiled data can be wrong. Check anything that matters from a second source.
How to remove your own details from Spokeo
Wikipedia says users can request removal of their listings through an opt-out process, and that in 2019 the CEO pledged an easier opt-out. I couldn't open Spokeo's opt-out page, so I can't give you the steps. Look for the privacy or opt-out link at the bottom of the Spokeo site, and follow what it asks. You'll typically need to identify the listing you want removed, so have the profile address ready.
Removal from one people-search site doesn't remove you from others, and details can reappear when sites refresh their data. Checking what turns up about you in search every so often helps, and my guide to online reputation management covers how to do that.
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Safe ways to use Spokeo
- Use it to check your own listing or to confirm a person you already have a good reason to contact.
- Don't use it to decide on a job applicant, tenant, loan or insurance.
- Don't use it to find or contact someone who doesn't want contact with you.
- Treat each fact as unconfirmed until you've checked it elsewhere.
- Read the checkout terms and cancellation steps before you enter card details.
If someone is harassing you, report it to the platform it's happening on and, if you're in danger, contact the police.
Spotting fake Spokeo sites and removal scams
Sites that sell personal data attract look-alikes and fake removal services. Type the address yourself, don't trust a message saying a stranger has searched for you, and be careful with anyone who charges to remove your listing when the site's own opt-out exists. My piece on spotting scams before you fall for one covers the same urgency tricks.
Spokeo at a glance
| What I checked | What the sources say |
|---|---|
| Who runs it | Privately held, founded in 2006, Pasadena (Wikipedia) |
| What it does | People search from online and offline sources |
| FTC action | Alleged FCRA breach in marketing to employers, 800,000 US dollars, 2012 |
| Court case | Supreme Court ruled for Spokeo on standing in 2016 |
| Opt-out | Exists per Wikipedia; steps not confirmed here |
| Own terms and billing | Not confirmed here: read before paying |
My verdict on whether Spokeo is legit
Spokeo is a real, long-running company, and nothing I read suggests it doesn't deliver reports. The catch is what those reports are: compiled data of uneven accuracy, a regulator history over how it was marketed, and a clear limit on using it for hiring or renting decisions. Use it for curiosity or to check your own footprint, read its terms first, and remove your listing if you don't want it there.
Frequently asked questions
Is Spokeo legit?
It's a real, privately held people-search company founded in 2006, according to Wikipedia. The FTC alleged in 2012 that it marketed information to employers in breach of the Fair Credit Reporting Act.
Is Spokeo accurate?
Not reliably. It compiles data from many sources, and a famous lawsuit, Spokeo v. Robins, concerned a profile that wrongly described a person. Check important facts elsewhere.
Can I use Spokeo to check a job applicant or tenant?
I couldn't read Spokeo's terms to quote them, but the FTC's 2012 action concerned marketing to employers and recruiters. Use a screening service designed for that and seek professional advice.
How much did Spokeo pay the FTC?
The FTC's case page says Spokeo agreed to pay 800,000 US dollars to settle the charges, in 2012.
Can I remove myself from Spokeo?
Wikipedia says users can request removal through an opt-out process. Use the privacy or opt-out link on Spokeo's site, since I couldn't confirm the steps.
