Here’s My Honest Review of Intelius: Is It Really Worth It?

Chapter 1: Growing Up in Cedar Key

My name is Eleanor Gerario, and I grew up in the small coastal town of Cedar Key, Florida. Some of my fondest memories are from Cedar Key School, where I met my best friend, Sophia Bennett, in first grade. We were inseparable—playing hopscotch during recess, sharing peanut butter sandwiches at lunch, and dreaming about becoming marine biologists together.

Everything changed after fifth grade when Sophia’s family moved to New York for her father’s job. We promised to stay in touch, but as kids often do, we drifted apart. Over the years, I often wondered what happened to her. Did she still love dolphins? Did she remember our secret handshake?

Chapter 2: The Search Begins

Last year, I moved to New York for college. Walking through the bustling streets of Manhattan, I couldn’t help but wonder—was Sophia somewhere in this city? I tried searching for her on social media, but "Sophia Bennett" yielded thousands of results. I didn’t know her married name (if she had one), her parents’ names, or even what part of New York she lived in.

That’s when I turned to people-search websites. I’d heard about Intelius, Spokeo, and TruthFinder, but I wasn’t sure which one to trust.

Chapter 3: My Experience with Intelius

I started with Intelius since it seemed popular. After entering Sophia’s name and her parents’ old names, I was shocked to see the pricing:

• $35.30 for a one-month subscription
• No guarantee of accurate results
• Complicated cancellation process (according to online reviews)

As a college student on a tight budget, I couldn’t justify spending that much on a maybe. I needed a cheaper, more reliable option.

Intelius is a legitimate background check service that provides access to public records, but it is not free. It offers accurate information, although results may vary depending on the data available. Intelius does not notify individuals when you perform a search, keeping your inquiries private. While the service is generally safe, users should be cautious and review its terms to ensure it meets their specific needs.

Chapter 4: Discovering Spokeo’s 95-Cent Search

Next, I tried Spokeo. Unlike Intelius, Spokeo offered a one-time reverse phone lookup for just $0.95. I still remember Sophia’s parents’ old landline number (though it had been disconnected for years).

I entered the number into Spokeo’s Reverse Phone Lookup search bar, paid less than a dollar, and waited. Within minutes, I had a detailed report:

✅ Her parents’ old Florida address (matching my childhood memories)

✅ Their current New York address (a suburb just outside the city)

✅ Possible relatives, including Sophia’s full name and age

To double-check, I used Spokeo’s name search tool and found five potential matches. One profile had a photo of a woman who looked just like an older version of Sophia. The address matched the phone lookup results.

Chapter 5: The Emotional Reunion

Armed with the address, I took a train to her neighbourhood. My hands shook as I knocked on the door. When a woman answered, I hesitated—was this really her?

Then she gasped. "Eleanor?!"

Turns out, Sophia had been living just 30 minutes away from my college campus. We spent the entire afternoon catching up—she did become a marine biologist (just like we’d dreamed) and even showed me photos of her work with dolphins.

Chapter 6: Why Spokeo Was the Better Choice

Looking back, I’m glad I didn’t waste money on Intelius. Here’s why Spokeo worked better for me:

1. Affordable – $0.95 vs. Intelius’s $35 subscription

2. Accurate – Both phone and name searches led me to the right person

3. No commitment – No need to worry about cancelling a monthly plan

Final Thoughts

Finding Sophia after 12 years was one of the happiest moments of my life. If you’re searching for someone from your past, I recommend starting with Spokeo’s reverse phone lookup—it’s cheap, quick, and (in my case) incredibly accurate.

As for Intelius? It might work for some, but for budget-conscious searchers, Spokeo is the clear winner.

#FindOldFriends #SpokeoReview #InteliusAlternative #LostConnections

(Names and minor details have been changed for privacy.)