Intelius
reviews and complaints

this just happen to me and I did authorize this I want my mony back

We never signed up for this service and have been billed over $60. The website doesn't seem to allow cancellation and neither does the phone number. How to stop?

If you pay for a person search they charge you $5.95 or .95 and give 7 days to opt out of their program with no refund. I just talk to them and will file a complaint to the FTC and State Attoney General. Their opt out is not very weel advertise on information. Maybe the BBB is another good place to complain

Same complaint here...signed up for intellious 95 cent program but now charged $19.95 for some kind of ID protect monitor...what the heck is this? I agree with SLWILL, someone needs to do something about this!

Can't someone do something about this company? How can they just automatically sign you up for this stuff? Aren't there laws against this type of SCAM?

I did not sign up for this service and somehow it has been on my statement the past 4 months! This company is a SCAM! Never use this company for anything! I'm going to my bank to have this stopped!

ok...So apparently we DID somehow sign up for this ID Protect nonsense BUT they can't do anything but give me another 60 days for free and a few free people searches...they can't issue a refund...so there goes $60 down the toilet! What a rip off!

Just figured out that my husband has been charged $60 over the past 3 months for this service. He originally bought info on someone for almost $11 through the Intelius service. We never signed up for their ID Protect service. On the phone with them now er, still on hold to speak to someone...it's been about 5 minutes already. Good thing I have unlimited minutes. Tried to log on to their web site last week and I had to get a new password sent to my inbox because I never had a password to begin with. So I get the temporary password, copy and paste in the box and it tells me that the password is incorrect...?

change your bank acct. info

I am waiting for a return on unauthorized charges for the People Search. I am currently on hold on the telephone and cannot reach anyone. If this continues I will have to contact the Attorney Generals Office in my state. As I'm holding I am reading all the other complaints from very unsatisfied customers. Is this one of the companies my tax dollars is bailing out? I hope not.
I will be happy to help your company learn what good customer service is, because you currently don't seem to have skills in this area.

Company says no information, no charge. The information for the reverse phone number search I requested came back with someone who had the phone "several" years before. When I called with my concerns they told me to read the entire disclosure statement which says they might not have "current" information and that in such a situation there would be no refunds. I asked to speak to a supervisor and was informed that they do not accept calls. I sent an email to customer support stating my case and have never received a response. What is the difference between wrong information and no information? Complete ripp off!

I purchased a one time people search from intellius. Not only did I not recieve a seach as advertised, my next months' bank statement showed an unauthorized withdrawal of $19.99. I have tried to cancel and recieve a refund but fear I will have to change my bank account number to accomplish this. Their results fed me back only the name I had given them. no other information was obtainable although a thourgh search is advertized. Obtaining a response by phone or email is impossible. Do these people really exsist?

I was searching fro a friend and thought I was paying for the service of obtaining information. Next thing I know I am having 19.95 a month deducted from my checking account for 24 hour internet protection service! Kind of ironic! I called the protection company (the number was on my statement), found out what was happening and how it happened. I told them to stop and refund my money. They canceled and stated they will refund the last payment, but not the first. That I will dispute with my bank system. I called Intellius who told me when I purchased the information a pop up screen came up with a 19.95 charge and I accepted. She stated there was a small box on the bottom of the pop up I could have chosen and I would not have had this "protection" A VERY DECEPTIVE PRACTICE FROM PEOPLE WHO ARE SAYING THEY PROTECT!

I am glad this complaint exsist. If I owe you any money using it, CANCEL IMMEDIATLY! Deborah Trotter

9.4.10
So I just got off the phone with a supervisor named Gloria from Value Max. Of course, I was infuriated.
Because I mentioned that I was researching the Intelius/ValueMax scam and seeing numerous complaints online, she offered to refund the August and July ValueMax charges that were showing up on my account.

I asked her if that was it? She asked me how many charges were showing up on my checking account and I told her that since she had her computer open to my account, that she could tell ME, and if not, I would contact my State Attorney General's office, just like the other people threatened to on this site.

She then told me that she would refund the TEN charges of $24.95 that had hit my account, it would take 3-5 business days to see it on my statement.

I then demanded a phone number and my membership number (since I had NO idea about my "membership", should I need to call back if the charges where not reimbursed.

If you need to call to deal with your own situation, call a supervisor named Gloria at ValueMax #[protected].

My Notes:
6.15.10 Cancelled Intellius and People Seach (Rep: Crystal/Record #5140C/[protected])
9.4.10 Cancelled ValueMax w/Rep Lydia, bank should be credited in 2 business for August (Record #700226)...but I asked to speak with a supervisor to get all of the charges reimbursed. ***Supervisor Gloria #[protected], Record #4789 - will refund 10 charges for $24.95 3 biz days, Membership #[protected]

From what I can tell, when I used Intelius, there must have been fine print about a trial ValueMax membership that would activate if I didn't cancel in 7 days. But how would I know to cancel if I didn't even know about the membership? I am now going to research back in my checking account to see if I was charged for BOTH Intellius and ValueMax...

Additionally, I'm going to forward this link and a complaint to my State Attorney General and some local/national news stations in hopes that one of them will blow this scam wide open.

I, too, found that after using Intelius once or twice that I was covertly enrolled in a membership for Identity Protect that was charging $24.95 to my checking account!
When I finally called on 6.15.10 [My note to self: Cancelled Intellius and People Seach on 6.15.10 (Crystal/Record #5140C/[protected])], it is not easy to find out how to cancel on their website, they supposedly cancelled it, but now it is showing us as something called ValueMax.
What the hell kind of scam is this?
Major inconvenience as I will prob close that account with my bank.
DO NOT USE THE INTELIUS SITE FOR ANYTHING OR YOU WILL BE SORRY!

I just found months worth of Valumax charges on my credit card. I have used Intelius in the past with no problem and am very much aware of the hook attached to all these "free trial" offers. I never sign up for anything that I'm going to have to remember to cancel later. It is a load of BS that I somehow agreed to some promo offer outside of the immediate search I was doing. I know FOR SURE that I never agreed to anything like a "special promotional" rate. I called Valumax today and really went off on them. At first they only offered to refund the most recent charge, but when I started talking about bringing in my state's Attorney General Office they agreed real quick to refund all charges. This is sleezy beyond belief, especially in times like this. It's even sleezier to try to put the blame for this kind of ripoff back on the victims. I WILL NEVER USE THE INTELIUS SITE AGAIN FOR ANY REASON! NO ONE ELSE SHOULD EITHER IF THEY VALUE THEIR PRIVACY, MONEY AND PEACE OF MIND!

I have no idea how and why they began charging my credit card $19.95 per month. They must have some kind of trick. To the best of my knowledge, I never signed up for the service but somehow they managed to start charging my account. I will call them to try to get back my 7 months of charges, but judging from other complaints, I anticipate resistence and may have to sue.

I received an unauthorized charge to my visa check card from INT*IDPROTECT in the amount of $19.95. When I called the phone number on my bank statement there was never an answer. When I searched the name on-line this is the only page I could find and as you can see it is of people comlaining of the same thing happening to them.

I FOUND AN UNAUTHORIZED CHARGE ON MY CREDIT CARD DATED ON AUG16, 2009 FOR INT*IDPROTECT.

unauthorized charges on my visa debit card . did not sign up for any such services.

UNAUTHORIZED CHARGES

I did not authorize a charge of $19.95 .

The $19.99 has been taken out of my bank account more than one time. I have no recollection of authorizing this company to draft this from my account each month. Please refund my money.

there was an unauthorized withdrawal to my debit card and cant get anyone on the phone using the number on my bank statement and i want it fixed.

On December 24th an unauthorized withdrawal of 19.95 showed up on my bank statement. I did not make that charge, nor have I even heard of this company before this happened. This caused an overdraft of my checking account.

I recently wrote a reveiw on a charge of $19.95 on my checking account each month. I finally found out what company (other than INT*IDPROTECT MNTR SVC) REALLY is! The actuall company is INTELLUS. This is a people seach engine. If you ever go to this site and pay to find a lost loved one this company automacitally signs you up for this fake PROCTECTION program. I called [protected] and spoke to "Angela" she stated I agreed to this "Protection Plan" when I was on their site! NOT TRUE! I never signed up for anything on this site other than the one time of looking up a lost relative. She did give me a confirmation number and a one time refund, so she said. I am waiting now to see if this is for real.
Good Luck,
Teresa Hyatt in NC

Do NOT accept anything less than a full refund! I demand you call them back and get harsh with them. They know what they are doing. They tried to tell me no refund then I told them about all the fraud complaints of them stealing money. They agreed to give a full refund immediately with no argument. Call them back ASAP and tell them you already know about their fraud.

Got charged for a service I didn't sign up for. Spend lots of time on the phone to straighten it out. Almost 2 months of unanswered calls and emails only to be told today via email from intelius customer service to "*** IN A SHOE". I asked why he was so rude and was then told "THAT IS WHAT IN OUR MANUAL. Yup, no joke, copies of the email will be mailed, emailed and faxed to anyone important I can find in that company. I am just shocked! People work in the customer service industry and have no customer skills. I'm tired of them getting away with it. They ruin it for the people who work hard to make customers happy and for us customers who PAY for their services!

I ran a report on myself. I lived in the area 60 years. They have no report or any other reference on me. They will not refund. I will contract my credit card and issue a complaint. They are a scam. Do not use them as they are multi-teared scam system making you pay for more services thinking you will get your information if you pay the added price. Scam...!

I don't know if other companies can provide this service. It is good to run a background search when you are constructing a resume. But, you need to deal with a proper company which isn’t a scam, if there is such a company. I tried another company and they also are a scam. Good luck.

The whole thing is a scam

12/08/2008

Authorized $ 2.95 for a people search and was charged $19.95 for two months and also was signed up for At Home Rewards. And was also charged $19.95 for that. I cancelled my check card so this should stop them from getting any more money out of my account. Had to call twice to get them to cancel both the People Search and At Home Rewards. Something needs to be done about these people. I'm on a fixed income and this hurts.

reveloves@yahoo.com

The pretent to help you out, they have the information but they will charge usa monthly fee without you noticing/or accepting and if you decided to accept a disct amount you will be enroll and other things for additional charges of $19.95 per subscription and an additional $19.95 a month until you notice. Oh and neither company will give you your total refund only portion of it. I called them both and they have an attitude when answering the phones and they would not give you more information than "Ican only refund you one not both charges".

I called the telephone number provided by my credit card company. After about a three minute wait the representative told me how I agreed to the Ident. add on during my one information search (which did not provide any usable information). When I said this to the representative, he said that is what you get for .95 cents. How Professional. I had not rec'd any email or information, just a charge for $19.95. I asked if there were some sort of box that you checked to agree to accept the monthly add on, but I was told that I had a choice of paying .95 cents which is 51% off or $1.95 full price. I selected the .95 cent price and that automatically enrolled me in the monthly program. So had I selected the 1.95 service, I would have saved $19.00 hmmmmm. Sounds strange to me. I feel this is a scam and if they are providing a true desirable service, they would not need to stoop to such a low level to obtain customers and membership/subscription.

Provide a desirable service and you will have happy customers. Scam them into being charged a monthly fee and you have people like myself posting on every possible place to report the poor business ethics of this company.

This is a scam. I paid $28.00 for a report and can't access the info unless I first agree to a monthly payment? This is pathetic. I paid for a report - where is it? They took my money but did not deliver. They want me to agree to pay them $20 a month, automatically removed from my credit card, before I can see the report a already paid for. I should have googled Intelius first before I tried to do business with these idiots. I have canceled my account with them and hope they don't try to steal any more money from me.

By all means - avoid these crooks.

Don't use this company's telephone check service it's nothing but a scam. I did 3 telephone number inquiries at $4.95 each and got 3 one word returns back that was suppose to be subscriber information. By their rules you don't pay unless they find something and I guess making up a word and sending it to the customer "is something". There is no similarity between what is shown as a sample report and the return that you get. When I asked about the poor service delivered I got a "kiss off" form letter. DO NOT USE THIS COMPANY!

I thought I was looking up a number for 95 cents instead they charged me $19.95 for a membership and another $19.95 for identity protection. I did not authorize any of this and they will not refund my money. When I called to to deny purchasing, Intelius would not refund my money and then got very defensive when I asked them if this was a scam. Now I am out forty dollars for looking up one phone number. Visa would help me either. This company is a scam. BEWARE I am going to report them to my state's attorney general's office. That probably won't work either.

Intelius is a SCAM. I just discovered they have been charging my card 9.95 for the past 5 months and I never signed up for there service. I called and made a complaint and she said all she could refund was 2 months. I will not stop harassing, posting, blogging and will even bring them to court if I have to. I will not rest until I get all of my money back and either shoudl anyone else. After all the reviews I have seen I cannot believe that they are getting away with this. The woman on the phone was rude and told me that her manager does not speak to customers and had the nerve to also say that her agents do not make mistakes. UNBELIEVABLE!

what did you do - i have the same charges for months now...

Used site for a one time charge of $2.99. Site said it was a one time charge, they are now charging me $19.95 a month. As soon as I used it the first time, I sent them an e-mail stating I did not need or want their service beyond that one time and to not make any further charges to my credit card. They have now charged me twice. How do I stop them?

I had used your services to inquire about some information some months ago, but I did not realize that I get charged $19.95 every month since then. I spoke with my bank and was informed that I have been charged for the past 6 months and I feel that I should be refunded for something that I didn't know about or use

INTELIUS BACKGROUND CHECKS:
Their background checks all contain inaccurate information. Once you pay for a single report Intelius records your credit card information and will start charging you $20 dollars each month. EVERY SINGLE MONTH ! Unknown to me I thought I was paying a one time fee of $2.95. I was very upset when I called Intelius and they informed me that I signed up for a monthly subscription. I never signed up for anything. I just wanted a single report. Getting them to stop the recurring charges on my credit card was a complete headache and they will not refund any money to me nor will they credit my credit card. So, I lost over $100 for a report that I thought would only cost me $2.95.

INTELIUS IDENTITY PROTECTION IS A FRAUD:
This company is a total scam. All they want is your money. They will not protect your identity nor your credit report file. They will instead take your data and sell it to the public. They are not a credit reporting bureau such as Experian, Equifax or Transunion. Therefore, they do not have to follow the FCRA law. Be very careful ! Do a Google search of Mr. Naveen Jian as he is the CEO of Intelius. The guy is a total scam and throughout his entire life has been involved with fraud and many lawsuits against him.

I also missed the box that said they will charge my card $49.95 for a service. So I called the customer service number...had to call it twice as it disconnected on the firs try. I now have a confirmation number that the charge will be refunded in 507 days. I will post more if this does not happen. I would be interested to know how much sales income is generated by customers missing the "we have charged you account" without specific authorization (charging automatically).

Why would Intelius charge my credit card after they refused to accept it due to general decline prompted by its automated processing system. We all should take them down through legal action and that way the owners would be sent to jail for a very long time. Hence, it will serve as a deterrent factor to other similar companies who enjoy ripping their customers apart rather than keep to the norms.

See above, this was my complaint, I just did not register yet.

This company is a complete scam, the people that work there DO know what they are doing, and they are taking advantage of businesses and individual persons. I did the OPPOSITE OF ALL THE ABOVE. I signed up for credit protection and monitoring, and fraud protection. I used to own a business 3 years ago, and recently needed to see if the business name was still listed in the online Yellow Pages (( which it was!) But on one of the sites, underneath the ad of my business name, there was a reference to my own personal name, saying go to Zoominfo.com for personal background info (paraprase)...by Intelius. I had NO IDEA I was signing up for a company that told me they were protecting my identity, and then giving away my personal information and identity info at the same time they were supposedly protecting it. After I gave them my social sec number etc, they use it against me! Do not sign up for this company anyone! cr123

[protected] or Identity and Credit Protect COMPLETE Fraud.
This is a scam. I had to search a few people in order to fill out a job application (government jobs need the last 10 years of everyone you have lived with, worked with, etc). I decided to take advantage of their "7 day trial" in order to finish my application.
After I finished my searches I cancelled my account...so I thought.
I followed their instructions and did as I was told. I received an e-mail of cancellation..
Two days ago I was charged $19.95. I just called their customer service and was told that when you sign up, you are supposedly signed up for 3 other services! And if you don't cancel all three, you will be charged $19.95 every month! WOW. I, still very calmly, said I was never notified of this multiple membership...not even by e-mail! And she told me that when you fill in your e-mail you give them the right to sign you up for all 3.
In short, this is a scam. DO NOT sign up for ANY free trials. These are the sort of people that will ALWAYS have a gimic. DO NOT try [protected] Int* Intelius Sb (also known as Identity and Credit Protection).
FRAUDS.

Identity and Credit Protect COMPLETE Fraud.
They will try to take your money even after you cancel!
This is a scam. I had to search a few people in order to fill out a job application (government jobs need the last 10 years of everyone you have lived with, worked with, etc). I decided to take advantage of their "7 day trial" in order to finish my application.
After I finished my searches I cancelled my account...so I thought.
I followed their instructions and did as I was told. I received an e-mail of cancellation..
Two days ago I was charged $19.95. I just called their customer service and was told that when you sign up, you are supposedly signed up for 3 other services! And if you don't cancel all three, you will be charged $19.95 every month! WOW. I, still very calmly, said I was never notified of this multiple membership...not even by e-mail! And she told me that when you fill in your e-mail you give them the right to sign you up for all 3.
In short, this is a scam. DO NOT sign up for ANY free trials. These are the sort of people that will ALWAYS have a gimic. DO NOT try [protected] Int* Intelius Sb (also known as Identity and Credit Protection).
FRAUDS.

Ever heard of a phonebook?...lol

The Census-online link posted above is NOT related to the US Census Bureau. It's a 3rd party search endorser.

This is from that site's ABOUT page: "We are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or connected with the U.S. Census Bureau or any other government agency in any way."

This is sad and problematic. Someone need to stop this, it is insane. If someon wants to black mail you all he has to do is pay.99 cent to intelius to find out your relatives info.

I couldn't agree more.
If you go to the US census site and look under your name (e.g. http://www.census-online.us/search/Last, First ) it lists what it finds for that name.
If you then click on one of the "FOUND" links, it takes you to an intelius.com site list for that name.
Does the US Census data get collected, processed or shared with Intelius?
Why does an official US Census site link to Intelius?
I wonder...
Also makes you wonder (or not) why folks are reluctant to fill out the US Census when you are required by law to provide this information and the next thing you know it's accessible on the internet in a time of increasing identity theft...