Please select the topic to see answers to the most common questions about our search tools and services.
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SearchBug Account Changes My Account and Billing Using Services without an Account Finding People, My Listing and Privacy Business Listings Using Research Tools
Important Changes
Your Account
Recently, we consolidated all SearchBug payments and accounts, including subscriptions, public records and
professional services into a convenient new system that offers many new features, including discounts on all pay searches and access to usage reports.
If you have 24 hr or 30 days Public Records Membership, you can go to the
old Public Records Website and run searches until your memebership expires.
Then you can create new SearchBug personal or business account to access similar services from a new source.
If you have $9.95/mo or $99.00/year SearchBug Subscription that you've opened through PayPal,
you can continiue using that account as-is or upgrade it.
Upgrading Considerations
For a limited time, we offer $20.00 service credit to those who upgrade.
There are two ways to get a similar subscription (see below):
get it for free with a
prepaid plan
of $100.00 or higher
In either case, you need upgrade first and save your credit card information on SearchBug.
Please log in and visit "My Account" page for further instructions.
If you signed up mostly for landline or cell phone lookups or text messaging,
Unlimited Access to Phone Tools
is now available separately from People Search for only $4.95/month.
About your current subscription through PayPal:
You can cancel it on PayPal Website or ask us to do it for you.
Your current access will stay active till the end of the term.
If you upgrade and do not cancel, you will continue to be charged on regular basis through PayPal.
All other featues of the new upgraded account will still be available to you.
If you do NOT upgrade ...
If you decide not to upgrade at this time, your account will stay active and you will continue to have access to the services described below.
Since SearchBug does have your credit card information (it's at PayPal), you will not be able to order any services without reentering your card information or receive any discounts.
Some features like free SSN Verification are available only to new account holders.
What's Included in the New Basic Subscription
Unlimited searches in People Directory (White Pages), otherwise limited to 50/day
Additional listing details (county, phone service provider, years at address, residence type)
Sorting of people search results
No ads on SearchBug website
Unlimited Phone Number verification (landline or cellular)
Unlimited sending of Text Messaging
Unlimited IP Address verification
Unlimited E-Mail Address verification
Not Included Services
Access to Premium data (e.g. public records, unpublished phone numbers).
About People Search
Remove & Modify Listings
SearchBug people listings originate and frequently updated from the local telephone directories, public records and many other sources.
It is not possible correct the information or add a new record, however you can block your record from appearing on SearchBug Website.
The Remove
link is located in the upper-right corner of the Listing Details page.
Search for your listing and click on the name on the Results page to get to the Listing Details.
If you wish to remove a listing from Premium People Search results (public records), you need to purchase search results to access Listing Details page for your record.
To remove your name from free preview of Premium Results, send the details to
Removal is immediate, but it only affects SearchBug database.
You may want to check with your local phone company to make your phone record is unlisted.
This will prevent your listing from showing up in most of the online people databases on the Internet, but not Public Records sites.
Limitations, Passes & Subscriptions
Users with no account, a pass or subscription can perform 50 free people searches per day.
When limit is reached you can still search for people in the Premium (public records) database.
Members can get unlimited free searches by either...
Click on the links above to learn more about those options.
Search Tips
Simple Search
The search form located on the homepage is the most simple way to search for people.
Simply enter person's name and location. Acceptable name formats: [Lastname], [Firstname Lastname], [Firstname M Lastname], [Lastname, Firstname] or [Lastname, Firstname M.].
Acceptable location formats: [ZIP Code], [City, State], [City] or [State]. Don't enter the brackets. To find people anywhere in the United States, leave the location field blank.
Advanced Search
This is the most flexible search option. It has very few limitations or required fields. Enter as much or as little information you know.
If you know the name, enter any name part or just initials. The first initial will return results for all first names starting with that letter.
Check the "Similar" box to include similar name matches (e.g. Rob, Robert, Bob, Bobby, Bobbi or Smith, Smyth, Olsen-Smith, Smith-Boone), otherwise we will search for the exact matches only.
You can get a list of all people living at a particular street if you don't specify the house number and enter street name only in the address field.
Street address can be entered in any format. Here are some examples: 123 Main, 351 W 42nd St, 900 5th Ave, Main Avenue E, Broad St West, Taft Blvd, Crystal Cove, etc.
If you know the location, specify either city and state, just a city, just a state or zip code.
If you specify ZIP code, we will ignore the city and state, and will automatically determine a valid city/state combination for the entered ZIP code.
SearchBug can resolve city aliases even if the entered city is not a standard postal city. For example, you can enter NYC or Manhattan and get the results for New York, NY.
We also verify if the specified city is valid for the selected state.
When you check the "nearby" box, we will search the metro area or county based on the entered city-state combination or zip code.
The name of the searched nearby area will be indicated on the top of the results page.
If you know the phone number, you can type-in full or partial number starting with area code in any format. At least 6 first digits are required.
Sometimes area codes change/split and the old number you have may now be associated with a new area code.
To address this issue, we allow you to select a state and enter phone number without the area code. In this case, you need to enter at least 3 digits that follow the area code.
Search Results
If matching listings are found, summary of search results is displayed.
The maximum of 100 results is shown. You may want to narrow down your search criteria to see more reasonable number of relevant records.
We simultaneously search online phone directories (free information) and public records databases (premium data).
The two tabs on top of the page will show you the count of found records in each group.
If free data is found, you will see it first. Otherwise, the preview of premium data will be presented. You can switch between free and premium records by click on the tabs.
Free preview of premium data (unless you have a Business Account) will help you decide if you want to purchase that set of records.
The price will shown on the top of the page.
Once you pay with a Credit Card, PayPal or your Balance you will be able to see all the details for all premium records.
In needed, you can go back to free listings and return to premium results without a need to pay again.
Search Results can be displayed in a printer-friendly format. The "Print" button is in the top-right corner of the Results page.
Subscribed users will be able to sort people search results by name, address or phone number.
To see the listing details click on the person's name.
Listing Details
The details page shows the complete name and address with the zip code.
Under the listing you will find Additional Info that may include age, date of birth, county name, residence type (house/apt/rural route/etc.), year record verified, how long the person
was listed at this address, if a person moved within the same city and home phone service provider.
The map of the address is displayed below. Click on the link under the map to see a larger map that can be zoomed in and out.
For PO Boxes and addresses without a street address only city will be shown.
Listing details with a map can be displayed in a printer-friendly format for easy printing.
The print button is in the top-right corner of the Details page. Click on it and on the next page push the "Print this Page" button.
You can send found listing to a cell phone as a text message. Click on the link "Send to Phone" located in the top-right corner of the Details page
To remove your personal listing click on the "Remove" link in the top-right corner of the page.
You can order background check, property records another additional information of the subject person from the Details page.
About Company Search
Remove, Add & Modify Listings
SearchBug business listings come from Superpages.com. You can add or modify your business listings.
You will need to create a free account to maintain the listing. In addition to name and address you can create a business profile with URL, product or service description, methods of payment, etc.
There is also "Report Incorrect Listings" link on top and the bottom of business listings. Use it to quickly report the problem.
Search Tips
Simple Search
The search form located on the homepage is the most simple way to search for a business. Select "Search for Companies" radio button and enter keyword and location.
A keyword could be a business type, particular product, brand or service (e.g., airport taxi, flowers, plumber).
Acceptable location formats: [ZIP Code], [City, State], [City] or [State]. Don't enter the brackets. To find businesses anywhere in the United States, leave the location field blank.
Advanced Search
Use this form to find businesses by enetring any information you know.
Enter a word related to the type of business you're interested in, for example "starbucks", "flowers" or "wedding flowers".
You can find businesses on a particular street (e.g. East Main) or at particular address (e.g. 100 Main). Enter street address.
Be sure to enter a city and a state, or a ZIP Code, when searching for a particular street.
To search in a particular location you need to enter either city and state, just a city, just a state or zip code.
To find businesses anywhere in the United States, leave the location field blank.
If know the phone number, you can enter full or a partial number in any format.
Entering a partial telephone number -- at least the area code plus a 3-digit exchange number -- will match all businesses within that particular exchange.
It is also possible to set a distance for your search from a particular location.
For example, you can search for a pizza restaurant within 5 miles of your workplace.
Matching listings will be sorted according to distance, with the closest businesses being displayed first.
About our Tools
Limitations & Subscriptions
Users with no account and no subscription can perform 10 phone verifications (landline vs. cellular), send 10 text messages
and run 20 IP address and e-mail searches per day.
Members can get unlimited access to those tools by either...
subscribing for unlimited access to people search (includes tool access)
Click on the links above to learn more about those options.
Verify Phone Number
The "Landline or Cellular Phone" tool is using first 7 digits of the entered phone number to check what phone company the number was assigned to.
We do not take into the account changes made by customers as a result of number portability act. As a result, it is possible that the tool will report not current phone carrier.
However, research shows that people predominantly switched from one cell phone carrier to another and very few moved numbers from wireless to landline and visa-versa.
So, the tool is pretty accurate when reporting landline or cellular.
The data is updated monthly from the official sources (NANPA, CNAC, Regulatory, etc.).
About our Services
Sign up Process
There are no sign-up fees, but you will need to provide a valid US credit card.
The credit card information will be securely stored and used to pay your future orders.
Your e-mail address will be used as a login ID.
The password should be at least 8 characters long and contain one or more number or symbol.
You will be able select Personal or Business account type
(compare). You can change it later.
SearchBug Business Account supports multiple users and detailed reporting. Business users also receive additional 25% discount.
You will become the account administrator after you sign up. If someone else in your company will be managing users and billing, ask that person to open an account and add you as a user.
There is a separate application for regulated data access for qualified businesses that you can submit after you create online business account.
You have a choice of how you pay for the services that are not free
(compare).
With the Pay As You Go option, your credit card will be charged a regular price for each transaction.
Prepaid plan is a better choice if you want to receive discounts and consolidate small charges. We will charge your card the same amount each time your balance runs out.
Prepaid balances never expire and can be adjusted.
In you have a Business Account, all users can share the same credit card and prepaid balance.
Detailed usage statistics, billing reports and the receipts of all charges are available.
After signup we will send you a confirmation e-mail. Please check your Inbox. To ensure that you receive important communications about your account,
please add to your Contacts or Address Book.
Manage Your Account
To manage your account,
please login and select My Account tab on the right of the navigation bar.
Account Overview page shows summary of your profile, recent payments and other details.
You can change your name, email, account type and password in the My Profile.
If you have a legacy SearchBug Subscription paid through PayPal ...
To view details on your charges, change method of payment or cancel go to PayPal.
You can also update your credit card information (e.g., type, number, expiration date). We can only store one card for the account.
To see details on your charges and print the receipts go to the Reports section (see below).
Payment plans can be adjusted at anytime (compare).
If you increase the prepay amount, your card will be charged to raise the balance to the selected amount. The new discounts will apply immediately.
If you lower the amount, the change will take the effect when your current balance runs out.
If have active paid People Search or Phone Tools subscription and upgrade to $100 or more prepaid plan, your paid subscription will be automatically canceled, as it's free with the a $100+ payment plan.
If have active free People Search subscription (includes Phone Tools) with your $100+ payment plan and downgrade to $50 prepaid or Pay As You Go plan, your free subscription will be automatically canceled.
If you an administrator for a Business Account you also can ...
Deatailed usage statistics, previous searches, spending trends, billing details and the receipts for fee-based searches are available
in the Reports area of the My Account section. You need to login to access the reports.
The Reports Summary shows daily averages and totals for search costs and counts during the selected period.
You can also see cost summary per search type and a user, if you are an administrator of a multi-user business account.
For any report you can select preset date ranges (e.g. This Month, Last 7 Days, All Time) or enter custom dates.
Usage History report shows details for each search performed, inlcluding the user, date, cost and the query. The report can be sorted and filtered.
Billing Details report allow you to see all the charges to your credit card. You can also view and print a Receipt/Paid Invoice for all those charges. The billing report can also be sorted and filtered.
Using Our Services without an Account
Service Availability
Account is not required to use SearchBug services, however some features are for members only.
We encourage to sign up to take advantage
of fast ordeing with a stored credit card and progressive discounts with the prepaid plans.
Limited Availablity for All Users
Limited access to People Directory / White Pages (50 searches a day).
Limited access to phone number (10/day) and IP address (20/day) verifications tools.
Memebers Only
Unlimited Access to People Directory (subscription)
Unlimited Access to Phone Tools (subscription)
Day Pass for Premium Results
Limited Free SSN Verification
Unlimited Access to SSN Verification (subscription)
SSN and Name Matching
Limited Free Death Records Search
Discounts with a Prepaid Plan
Detailed Usage Statistics
Paying for Services
You can pay with a valid US Credit Card for the services that are not restricted to members only.
If you prefer, you can pay with PayPal. This option is also suitable to anyone who
does not have a credit card and use bank account as the source for PayPal payments.
