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Legal

Is it legal to look someone up?

Reading public information about a person is legal. What is regulated is the decision you make with it. That single distinction covers almost every question people have here.

What is allowed

Anyone may read what a person has published or what a public registry holds: profiles, posts, company filings, news, academic records. Checking a stranger before meeting them alone is ordinary personal safety and is not restricted.

What is restricted

In the United States, the Fair Credit Reporting Act governs reports used to decide on employment, housing, credit or insurance. Those decisions require a licensed consumer reporting agency and the subject's written consent. Proofile is not a consumer reporting agency, so its reports must not be used for any of those purposes.

Where the line sits in practice

Outside the United States

Rules on personal data vary. In the EU and the UK, personal use of public information is generally outside the scope of data protection duties, but professional use is not. If you are checking someone for business reasons in those regions, take local advice.

Check them before you meet

Enter a name, pick the right person, and read a free preview in about a minute. The full dossier is $25. They are never notified.

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Common questions

Does the person have to consent?

Not for reading public information for your own safety. Consent is required for FCRA covered screening, which Proofile does not provide.

Can they find out I ran a report?

No. Nothing is sent to them and no profile is visited in a way that records you.

Can I ask for my own data to be removed?

Proofile does not keep a database of people. Each report is generated live from public sources when someone runs it. To reduce what is findable about you, remove or lock down the source accounts.

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