Question 1

Is this legal?

Accepted Answer

Sleuthly only searches information that’s already public and aggregates it, always citing the source, and we don’t build a face database by mass-scraping the web. We never access private areas, bypass logins, or use leaked data. What matters most is how you use the result (never for harassment, discrimination, or decisions like hiring or credit), and you can remove yourself for free at any time. This isn’t legal advice, and our practices are under ongoing legal review. Sleuthly is not a consumer reporting agency (FCRA).

Read: is it legal?

Question 2

Is this ethical? Am I doing something wrong by using it?

Accepted Answer

No. The legitimate uses are everyday safety: checking what’s public about yourself, verifying a match before a date, knowing who you’re about to deal with. Sleuthly reads public presence, it’s not built to hunt or expose anyone. We block searches on minors, we have a real abuse channel, and misuse gets banned. And your search is private and silent, the person you look up is not notified.

Question 3

Will the person find out? Will they be notified?

Accepted Answer

No. Searches on Sleuthly are private and silent. The person you search is never notified and never sees that you looked. We also don’t keep your search to build a profile of you.

Question 4

Are the results accurate? Are the data real?

Accepted Answer

Every result links back to its public source, so you can check it yourself, that’s the point. But matches are clues, not proof: common names, lookalikes and old data happen. We label each result by confidence and tell you when a match is uncertain, “Potential match, verify the source.” Always verify against the linked source before acting on it.

Question 5

Is payment secure? Will I get trapped in a subscription?

Accepted Answer

Sleuthly isn’t taking payments yet, we’re in early access. Join the waitlist and we’ll tell you the moment it’s live, with transparent pay-per-report pricing and no subscription traps.

Question 6

What do you do with my data, my photo, my search?

Accepted Answer

Your upload is used only to run your search. We don’t save your photo, your report doesn’t enter our index, and we don’t profile you or anyone else. We keep search data only as long as needed and you can opt out anytime, for free, no account.

Question 7

How do I remove myself if I’m in the results?

Accepted Answer

Use the opt-out page: it’s free and needs no account. We remove you from our actual index, not just from view, your name, face or details stop being findable through Sleuthly. We confirm by email once it’s done.

Frequently asked questions

Is this legal?+

Is this ethical? Am I doing something wrong by using it?+

Will the person find out? Will they be notified?+

Are the results accurate? Are the data real?+

Is payment secure? Will I get trapped in a subscription?+

What do you do with my data, my photo, my search?+

How do I remove myself if I’m in the results?+