Do’s & Don’ts - Permitted and Prohibited Uses
ReversePhone offers easy and affordable access to public record information. However, laws such as the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) regulate how you can use the information you obtain from ReversePhone.
Below are a few examples of some of the ways you can and can’t use public record information from ReversePhone. Using ReversePhone information in the ways marked as “Don’t” below violates both our Terms & Conditions and the law, and can lead to possible criminal penalties. We take this very seriously, and reserve the right to terminate user accounts and/or report violators to law enforcement as appropriate.
Don’t – Employment screening
Employers can’t use ReversePhone to conduct background checks of employees and applicants. ReversePhone may not be used to evaluate a person for employment, reassignment, promotion, or retention.
Do – Look yourself up
It is not silly, it is important. You should know what is in your public record.
Don’t – Hiring of household workers
Including, but not limited to, nannies and domestic workers. You must follow the same procedure for running a background check that employers hiring an applicant must follow.
Do – Check out your new neighbors
If you’ve just moved or have just had new neighbors next door, find out more about your new community.
Don’t – Considering someone looking to be an adoptive parent or pet-owner
You are not permitted to use our services to evaluate someone as a candidate to adopt a pet, service animal, human or any other item under consideration for entrusting in someone’s care or custodianship.
Don’t – Check educational qualifications
Including, but not limited to, a person’s qualifications for an educational program or scholarship.
Do – Find old friends and family
ReversePhone loves hearing stories about how people can use public records to reconnect with people, whether it’s friends from an old neighborhood, distant relatives or a long lost love!
Don’t – Vetting someone in connection with a charity or non-profit
Eligibility or fitness of someone to participate in, be considered for, admitted to, or to be a beneficiary or recipient (or otherwise entitle someone to gain from), any non-profit, grant or charitable program or activity.
Do – Verify Online Buyers and Sellers
Before you bid, make sure that person on the online auction site is who he says he is.
Don’t – Stalk, Spy or Contact People Against Their Wishes
Use ReversePhone responsibly and respect peoples’ right to privacy. If they don’t want to be contacted, you should respect their wishes.
Don’t – Steal an Identity
Identity theft is a serious offense with serious consequences. Don’t do it!
Do – Roommate worthy?
Check out potential friends before you decide to live with them.
Don’t – Tenant Screening
Including, but not limited to, leasing a residential or commercial space. By law, you must use a Consumer Reporting Agency to conduct a background check on potential tenants.
Do – Scope Out Your Online Date
Met a new crush online? Check ’em out! Use our social profiles information to learn more about any upcoming dates you have planned.
Don’t – Credit, Insurance or Mortgages
You might be committing a crime if you use ReversePhone for assessing the risk of existing credit obligations of an individual or determining eligibility for issuing credit or insurance.
Don’t – Business Transactions Initiated by an Individual Customer
Reviewing a personal customer account to determine whether the person continues to meet the terms of the account.
Do – Find out who’s calling you
Not sure who is behind that unknown number that keeps calling? Run a reverse phone search.
Do – Find Someone’s Current Address
Address book in need of updating? Clean it up and make sure those invitations and greeting cards get to the right person.
If you still are not sure whether your use of ReversePhone is OK, we encourage you to review our complete Terms & Conditions, which provide the final say on how you can use information from ReversePhone, or to Contact Us. If you wish to use information for a purpose that is not allowed by ReversePhone, please visit the website of a Consumer Reporting Agency.