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If you’re looking for a job, an apartment, or a loan, there’s a good chance that someone will be looking at you — closely. They may search for your name online or order a background report. They’re looking for red-flag warnings that another candidate may be a safer bet.
 
 
 
According to a lawsuit announced today, MyLife.com, which sells background reports, raised red flags by posting deceptive “teaser” reports online. The lawsuit says MyLife promoted these reports to employers, landlords, and others to convince them to subscribe to its services. The Department of Justice filed the lawsuit on behalf of the FTC.
 
 
Here’s how it worked: MyLife displayed the teaser reports when someone typed a person’s name into a search bar at MyLife.com. If the person had no criminal, traffic, or sex offender records, the report typically suggested the person had such records. It also prominently displayed large, clickable buttons, one inviting the user to “View [searched-for person’s] Court, Arrest, or Criminal Records,” and another inviting the user to “View [searched-for person’s] Sex Offender Records.” Mylife.com users could view the full records only after paying for a subscription.
 
 
In many instances the searched-for people did not have criminal or sexual offender records, or they had minor traffic citations only. As a result, the lawsuit says, the reports were deceptive, violating the FTC Act.
 
 
The lawsuit also charges that MyLife didn’t take reasonable steps to make sure its background reports were accurate, violating the Fair Credit Reporting Act, used misleading billing practices, violating the Restore Online Shoppers’ Confidence Act, and didn’t clearly and truthfully disclose that MyLife “had a policy of not making refunds and of discouraging cancellations,” violating the Telemarketing Sales Rule.
 
 
Before applying for a job, apartment, or loan, try to fix inaccurate information about you that someone considering your application might see. Start by ordering your free credit reports at AnnualCreditReport.com and disputing any errors you find.
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125 Comments

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Joe
July 27, 2020
I have had my eye on MyLife for a number of years. I have been aware that the information they post is misleading to say the least. Best case scenario, they put out false information that could potential put someone's life in danger. I know this might sound a little over the top but you would be surprised what people can do with that information from MyLife.
Person
November 22, 2020

In reply to by Joe

I am also very concerned. My home address is on that thing along with a social media photo from a time I lived in a secure area. I no longer live behind that wall of defense and that photo, from a deleted account, should not be following me to new address. This is not something just anyone would get from searching public info. I feel I am being stalked by this site. Someone who may not have had the knowledge or motivation to get that information can now easily pull it up. Most the things are ridiculously inaccurate; but, unfortunately, the dangerous information isn't wrong (Though the wrong things could explain the weird looks I get from a wanna-be techie neighbor). This so called "public" information is REQUIRED by LAW or other necessity and gathering it up into a single database is seriously abusive. It is wrong that my privacy is violated this way. My safety isn't a game. And we shouldn't have to "correct" the information; further victimizing ourselves and violating our personal privacy.
Don't like IRS…
April 14, 2021

In reply to by Joe

I looked at my life free it's a reputation score well it said wrong age and information for me.
Kayzee
July 30, 2021

In reply to by Don't like IRS…

I have asked my life to get my info off their sight for over a year. They are posting decievous info about me. Like i have a criminal background. I been arrested. I am under watch. I have had speeding tickets but i have NEVER BEEN ARRESTED . I tried opting out but they refuse. People are getting my address and phone number calling at all hours of the night. I dont even feel safe in my home
don
July 27, 2020
wow!!
Fin
October 14, 2020

In reply to by don

I was discriminated against because my ex boyfriend edited my information. He put I was divorced, I’ve never been married. I was harassed by a manager because he was a catholic and did not believe in divorce.
MicheleM
July 28, 2020
My information was on “MyLife”, how do I remove it? How does someone know if they or their likeness were used as a pawn in such a scam? And finally, what kind of recourse can someone expect, say if they were a victim of this company and their scam?Thank you
rebel46
July 27, 2020
should be put out of business
Companies Prof…
August 01, 2020

In reply to by rebel46

I agree. Making money off of inaccurate information should be a crime.
Lily Darcey
October 06, 2020

In reply to by rebel46

As far as I am concerned, Mylife should be the one's removing information about us. I have never used Mylife, and I keep my home address private. It is not even listed in the phone book where I live for security reasons. However, Mylife has placed my address on the world wide web. I have demanded they remove my profile or I would seek out a lawyer to file a lawsuit, but they say I need to remove it myself. Again, my profile got on their website through their own doing. They gave me a bad rating, because there is a felon who lives across the street from me. Somehow, they say I am associated with this guy simply because he lives across the street from me. They also accuse me of having some sort of crime record, and yet I have never been in trouble with the law in all my life!!! Imagine if an employer were to look at this!!!!!
Identityprotection
October 12, 2020

In reply to by rebel46

I have requested privacy.MyLife.com mutiple times to remove my profile concerning identity theft. There is no opt out option available. Is it even legal practice posting personal info without any consensus? Do they have government connection?
Upset Senior
September 06, 2021

In reply to by rebel46

Absolutely! This kind of site should be shut down. I just spoke with someone named "Kisha,' who said she would remove my profile. This probably won't happen. I agree that this site is completely deceptive and portrays someone as having a criminal record, acquaintances I have never known and states I make hundreds of thousands per year! I am a single 80-yr-old lady and do not need this stress. Incidentally, my credit rating is sky-high.
Deborah
July 27, 2020
They not only give out misleading credit reports they also allow people to use other peoples identities. The reason I know this is because I received an email from mylife.com asking me for updated credit card information, I told them I had never heard of them. The lady stole my identity got pictures from my Facebook page of me and my kids claimed she worked at the places I did and claimed my children were hers. She even took out student loans in my name and now I am being held responsible for them. I can't complete my bachelor's degree because of this mess.
FTC Staff
July 28, 2020

In reply to by Deborah

You can go to IdentityTheft.gov and to make an Identity Theft Report, and get help fixing the problems caused by the theft. When someone steals your identity you have rights to get the fraudulent information removed or blocked from your credit report, stop creditors from reporting the fraudulent accounts, and other rights. 

chilihuahua
July 27, 2020
I reported this to you when I saw what they were doing. I asked them for cease and desist. Have they been shut down? They supposedly grade your reputation and you can't see what they have without paying money. Slanderous.
Ghost
December 23, 2020

In reply to by chilihuahua

They not been shut down. I just recently been fooled by them and now I feel completely stupid. They need to be locked up and shutdown.
P.J.
July 27, 2020
Why would someone use mylife.com in the first place? I'm not sure where they get their information, but it isn't anywhere near accurate. According to them, I'm Chinese and a Budhist. I don't happen to be either.
Grateful Consumer
July 27, 2020
Thank you to the DOJ and FTC for pursuing this company's misleading tactics that have caused unquantifiable harm to people's reputations. Now, for all those robocallers....Keep up the great work!
Old
July 27, 2020
Good for you! Many of these websites do this.
TheresaHann
July 27, 2020
I wrote to them numerous times because they were showing that I had court records, when I know for a fact, that this is completely false and damaging information. They told me that, in order to see my records, I would have to pay for a subscription. I would like to file a lawsuit against them for repeated harassment. I had to block them eventually but I still have the emails.
Bigblue8743
July 27, 2020
Thank you for the excellent advice. In a big government department or organization anyone can ruin your career because you rub them the wrong way.
bigbc21
July 27, 2020
I would like to be a part of the lawsuit. I get emails every other day from MyLife trying to get me to buy their report or warning me that there are bad things out there about. I know it’s not true. I worked in Law Enforcement for 11 years. Hard to become a cop with a criminal record like MyLife claims is out there.
D Goodman
July 27, 2020
All that is stated is true and more. I was regularly charged $19.99/mo to use their service and when I called to cancel they offered to lower it to $9.99/mo, etc. flash forward 24 mos. later and I was finally able to cancel. Be careful what you subscribe to. They currently offer a 7-day trial for $1 and auto subscribe you with the credit card you sign up with.
usernameNI 618…
July 27, 2020
My life has a teaser page for free with incorrect information about me. They have a button "MY ACCOUNT" to make changes. Nothing happens. I do not care. If a company is doing a background check on My Life........I do not want to work there.
Angry in Ohio
July 27, 2020
I checked out my profile on MyLife.com and they had all kinds of incorrect information including my race, family names, and legal history. They said I had been in jail for various crimes (which is entirely untrue) and they hinted that I had some kind of sexual misconduct on my record.
Jordan21ga
July 27, 2020
I hate this site and am having trouble cancelling it. I has given a lot of bad information.
dough
July 27, 2020
My concern is how these people get any information legally in the 1st place
JAFcolo
July 27, 2020
These people are a pain. I never open the emails. Hope they pay for their lies.
Me
July 27, 2020
I have looked at mine in the past and shows relatives that I have never heard of and a business that I own, a company that I have never heard of. Since I have never owned or ran a business, the profiles aren't accurate in any way.
Dpestes
July 27, 2020
My ex husband looked up my name on MyLife and he stated it made him think I was some awful criminal with a rating of 1.2 out of a 5 . I had no idea what he was talking about. So I went to the sight and looked up myself. It was horrible said I was a person with a reputation of a criminal infact it said my rating was worse than some people that were real criminals. It horrified me. They state on the page that you can correct your information if inaccurate. Really .... it lets you go through all theses steps to change it and then bam you have to pay to correct the information that they placed on the site or the information that lead you to believe you are a corrupt individual. This is wrong in so many ways.
Don't use what…
December 16, 2021

In reply to by Dpestes

How do you think people who have been charged with a crime who’s innocent feels!? Try that one on for size, not being able to get a decent job, people talk about you constantly, and your always having to defend yourself when you are innocent! Everyone just needs to mind their own business
bexx69
July 27, 2020
I saw this when they sent me some spam mail. I was horrified at their implications on nearly everyone's name, people I knew were not guilty of what they snarkily trying to hint at. They should be shut down. They made me sound like a real low-life just by what they don't say i.e. "may have criminal activity" ~ Well I don't but I'm not defending myself against these losers. Take 'em down, FTC.
BrooklynGuywho…
August 03, 2020

In reply to by bexx69

MyLife needs to be prosecuted for fraud and RICO crimes. I also attempted to remove/correct the misinformation on MyLife pertaining to myself. The so called process they set up for one to do so is a scam in and of itself. Lots of “click here” and redirecting is done during this farce of a process supposedly for one to make necessary corrections to what is reported on MyLife about themself. Eventually, after an obscene amount of redirects from their program, you are finally instructed to pay them a fee first in order to make the changes. It is designed to wear you down and ultimately have you cave in and pay them to allow you to do something which by law states you are entitled to do for free via their company.
Caren1959
July 27, 2020
This MyLife had such wildly WRONG and misleading info on me, the least of which my using several aliases. I have NEVER used anything but my LEGAL name. I had contacted them directly, and they said that the info had been removed, but the info that they had on there seriously harmed my reputation. I’ve no idea how to go about setting the record straight.
Dani
July 27, 2020
Good. They got exactly what the deserve. Hopefully the penalties will put this crooked company out of business. Good work, FTC. One of the few government agencies working for the people in these times.
Johnnienathan
July 28, 2020
Thank you for discovering the abuse and filing a lawsuit. I am a person who who somehow became one of their victims of their practices. I even get daily emails from them telling me people have seen my info or searched for me. They have my name , but when opening up the page, they have info posted showing my ex husband's name. Is there someone I need to contact?
D Phillips
July 28, 2020
MyLife is a very deceptive program that collects information without verification and the requires you to pay them to remove the incorrect information and or pay to completely remove all information about you off their site. I have been trying for a several years to get information corrected without success. I have now requested ALL information to be removed but they will not comply. One piece of information connects me to a felon it says I’m related to. I’m not related. It also has addresses I have never lived and says I have a criminal record. I’ve never been in trouble, ever. Something needs to be done about this site! It’s ruining people!!!
terriw9
July 28, 2020
I've had the same problem with them for many many years and I don't know how our names but the information is defamatory and incorrect it makes me look like I was a criminal and I've never even had a traffic ticket it's horrible.
zozo123
July 28, 2020
I've been a victim of these hacks they have contacted me multiple times despite never using their service pure fraud on their end trying to obtain information
discouraged
July 28, 2020
Yes I noticed that about all of these background check companies, also they set you up with monthly fees to search, then you do it again, they don't recognize you as a subscriber, making you subscribe again. They don't pull up much info either only a week or two worth. Would like to find a reputable background check company.
SKH
July 28, 2020
I came across this site about a year ago by accident and was very disturbed at the information they posted about me such as annual income, political affiliation, education. I sent them several email messages requesting my name & information be removed. That finally happened, but now they are still using my name, but with different information. I knew this was a scam from the get-go and hope they have to shut-down completely.
Chilihuahua Do…
July 30, 2020
They are still operating .mylife. com/ Also, there is no place that you can communicate with them if you try to pull up your information. They want you to pay money.
EJM
July 28, 2020
Thank goodness or the FTC! I hope the FTC continues to monitor the information 'mylife' provides. Making sure false teaser information is removed is critical. Many would believe the information exists and would back out without paying. Assuming such records existed under the name they searched. Misleading and damaging. The public wants to see a heavy fine on this business.
Gray
July 28, 2020
Associates look like supposed family members of people with your last name, including a dead neighbor. There's info. about another neighbor who's a SENIOR passed her 70s & while looking for myself discovered a DISABLE relative whose had their info. put out there too.
Mia
July 28, 2020
They have false information on me and I've tried removing it.
Steven Farley
July 29, 2020
I searched my name with MyLife and they claim I have a criminal record which was actually a speeding ticket going 80 mph in a 65 mph zone when it actually was 76 mph according to radar. MyLife continues to send me a daily reminder to get the full report alleging new information. It is fraudulent.
Linda
July 29, 2020
I have tried using removal instructions with no luck. This site is despicable. Thank you DOJ!!!!!
causes4cure
July 30, 2020
To this day, I continue to receive "alerts" regarding web-sites selling my personal information; xxx # of people who have viewed my reputation score (always notified as needs to be improved,) etc.
Jo Anna
July 30, 2020
I get emails from My Life several times a week. They all say the same thing that I have 1 criminal record and to see details to open the email which then runs a report which I can only access if I pay to open it. I do not and have never had a criminal record. How do I stop this misinformation about myself? I really feel violated!
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