Dos and Don'ts

Tellera uses AI to compile information from public records and licensed data sources. Tellera is not a consumer reporting agency, and laws such as the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) regulate how you can use the information you obtain from Tellera. Data may not be complete or current, and AI-generated summaries can introduce errors, so review and independently verify any finding before relying on it.

Below are a few examples of ways you can and can't use information from Tellera. Using Tellera information in the ways marked "Don't" below violates both our Terms & Conditions and the law, and can lead to possible criminal penalties. We take this very seriously, and reserve the right to terminate user accounts, revoke API or MCP access, and/or report violators to law enforcement as appropriate.

Don'ts

Don't: Employment screening

Employers can't use Tellera to conduct background checks of employees and applicants. Tellera may not be used to evaluate a person for employment, reassignment, promotion, or retention.

Don't: Hiring of household workers

Including, but not limited to, nannies and domestic workers. You must follow the same procedure for running a background check that employers hiring an applicant must follow.

Don't: Considering someone looking to be an adoptive parent or pet-owner

You are not permitted to use our services to evaluate someone as a candidate to adopt a pet, service animal, human or any other item under consideration for entrusting in someone's care or custodianship.

Don't: Check educational qualifications

Including, but not limited to, a person's qualifications for an educational program or scholarship.

Don't: Vetting someone in connection with a charity or non-profit

Eligibility or fitness of someone to participate in, be considered for, admitted to, or to be a beneficiary or recipient (or otherwise entitle someone to gain from), any non-profit, grant or charitable program or activity

Don't: Stalk, Spy or Contact People Against Their Wishes

Use Tellera responsibly and respect peoples' right to privacy. If they don't want to be contacted, you should respect their wishes.

Don't: Steal an Identity

Identity theft is a serious offense with serious consequences. Don't do it!

Don't: Tenant Screening

Including, but not limited to, leasing a residential or commercial space. By law, you must use a Consumer Reporting Agency to conduct a background check on potential tenants.

Don't: Credit, Insurance or Mortgages

You might be committing a crime if you use Tellera for assessing the risk of existing credit obligations of an individual or determining eligibility for issuing credit or insurance.

Don't: Business Transactions Initiated by an Individual Customer

Reviewing a personal customer account to determine whether the person continues to meet the terms of the account.

Do's

Find old friends and family

Tellera loves hearing stories about how people use public records to reconnect with people, whether it's friends from an old neighborhood, distant relatives or a long lost love!

Find Someone's Current Address

Address book in need of updating? Clean it up and make sure those invitations and greeting cards get to the right person.

Find out who's calling you

Not sure who is behind that unknown number that keeps calling? Run a reverse phone search.

Roommate worthy?

Check out potential friends before you decide to live with them

Look yourself up

It is not silly, it is important. You should know what is in your public record.

Verify Online Sellers

Before you bid, make sure that person on the online auction site is who he says he is.