Search Angels Terms of Service

Last modified: March 30, 2026

Welcome to Search Angels! Thanks for using our products and services (“Services”). The Services are provided by Search Angels (“Search Angels”), located at 4900 Carlisle Pike #383, Mechanicsburg, PA 17050, United States. By using our Services, you are agreeing to these terms. Please read them carefully. Our Services are very diverse, so sometimes additional terms or product requirements (including age requirements) may apply. Additional terms will be available with the relevant Services, and those additional terms become part of your agreement with us if you use those Services.

Privacy Policy Addendum

Last modified: March 30, 2026

The board of Search Angels has updated our privacy policy to detail the following items so people who interact with our website, forms, and volunteers understand how their information will be used:
download here.

Using our Services

You must follow any policies made available to you within the Services.

Don’t misuse our Services. For example, don’t interfere with our Services or attempt to access them by any means other than the interface and instructions we provide. You may use our Services only as permitted by law, including applicable export and re-export control laws and regulations. We may suspend or stop providing our Services to you if you do not comply with our terms or policies or if we are investigating suspected misconduct.

Using our Services does not give you ownership of any intellectual property rights in our Services or the content you access. You may not use content from our Services unless you obtain permission from its owner or are otherwise permitted by law. These terms do not grant you the right to use any branding or logos used in our Services. Don’t remove, obscure, or alter any legal notices displayed in or along with our Services.

Our Services display some content that is not Search Angels. This content is the sole responsibility of the entity that makes it available. We may review content to determine whether it is illegal or violates our policies, and we may remove or refuse to display content that we reasonably believe violates our policies or the law. But that does not necessarily mean that we review content, so please don’t assume that we do.

In connection with your use of the Services, we may send you service announcements, administrative messages, and other information. You may opt out of some of those communications.

Some of our Services are available on mobile devices. Do not use such Services in a way that distracts you and prevents you from obeying traffic or safety laws.

Your Search Angels Search Account

You may need a Search Angels Upgraded Search Account in order to use some of our Services. You may create your own Upgraded Search Account, or an administrator may assign one to you. If you are using an Upgraded Search Angels Search Account assigned to you by an administrator, different or additional terms (including Faster Paced Search) may apply, and your administrator may be able to access or disable your account.

To protect your Search Angels Basic or Upgraded Search Account information, keep your password (if a password is needed or created) confidential. You are responsible for the activity that happens on or through your Search Angels Account. Try not to reuse your Search Angels Account password on third-party applications (should a password be needed or created).

DNA test access for research

First and foremost, understand that our volunteer search angels will require access to all your DNA test results, whether that be from autosomal DNA tests taken at AncestryDNA, Family Tree DNA, 23andMe, MyHeritage, GEDmatch, or any other company not mentioned here. The primary reason for this is to perform genetic genealogy, comparing all your shared DNA matches across these tests to identify your most likely birth or biological relatives. This is the primary skill shared amongst all our volunteers and the reason you should even consider working with us on your case. Without access to your results, we can do little to substantiate your search. While paperwork is obtained, or rumors and other substantiation might help, autosomal DNA testing is at the core of how we prove each search.

Privacy and Copyright Protection

Search Angels’ privacy policies explain how we treat your personal data and protect your privacy when you use our Services. By using our Services, you agree that Search Angels can use such data in accordance with our privacy policies.

Your Content in our Services

Some of our Services allow you to upload, submit, store, send or receive content. You retain ownership of any intellectual property rights that you hold in that content. In short, what belongs to you stays yours.

When you upload, submit, store, send or receive content to or through our Services, you give Search Angels (and those we work with) a worldwide license to use, host, store, reproduce, modify, create derivative works (such as those resulting from translations, adaptations or other changes we make so that your content works better with our Services), communicate, publish, publicly perform, publicly display and distribute such content. The rights you grant in this license are for the limited purpose of operating, promoting, and improving our Services and developing new ones. Some Services may offer you ways to access and remove content provided to that Service. Also, in some of our Services, certain terms or settings narrow the scope of our use of the content submitted in those Services. Make sure you have the necessary rights to grant us this license for any content that you submit to our Services.

Our automated systems analyze your content (including emails) to provide you with personally relevant product features, such as customized search results. This analysis occurs as content is sent, received, and stored.

You can find more information about how Search Angel uses and stores content in the privacy policy or additional terms for particular Services. If you submit feedback or suggestions about our Services, we may use them without any obligation to you.

PRIVACY POLICY

Search Angels is committed to protecting your privacy and developing technology that provides you with the most powerful and secure online experience. This Statement of Privacy and Terms and Conditions applies to the searchangels.org website and governs data collection and usage. By using the searchangels.org website, you consent to the data practices described in this statement.

I authorize the Search Angels at SearchAngels.org to release my name and information to the person(s) for whom this search is conducted and/or their appointed representatives. I also authorize the release of my name and information to other reputable organizations to increase my chances of a match. I understand that unforeseen events could result in the termination of “SearchAngels.org” or the sharing of my personally identifiable information.

Any private information, like shared passwords to DNA third party accounts, or other family tree 3rd party companies (like Ancestry.com) is the sole responsibility of the individual giving permission on this contract to change/update upon completion or termination of their search assistance.

Note that there are no guarantees that “SearchAngels.org” will be able to complete your search or solely be responsible for your entire search. By use of the word “search” it is intended to mean the search for your biological parent(s), or relatives.

You also agree that you are not breaking any laws of the state in which you are searching for these relatives, including searching for anyone under the age of eighteen years.

There are limits as to how much we can assist birth-mothers, fathers, or siblings on their search for adoptees relinquished at birth; as most of the tools at our disposal are limited to public records, DNA testing at 3rd party companies, or genealogy.

We do not claim to be a private investigation company, nor will we take on searches for individuals outside the scope of adoptees and/or birth relatives seeking one another, because closed adoptions (original birth certificates) have denied them the ability to find one another.

About our Services

When a Service requires or includes downloadable data, that data may update automatically on your device when a new version or feature becomes available. Some Services may let you adjust your automatic data settings.

Search Angels gives you a personal, worldwide, royalty-free, non-assignable, and non-exclusive license to use the data provided to you by Search Angels as part of the Services. This license is for the sole purpose of enabling you to use and enjoy the benefit of the Search Services as provided by Search Angels, in the manner permitted by these terms. You may not copy, modify, distribute, sell, or lease any part of our Services, nor may you attempt to extract data, unless such restrictions are prohibited by law or you have our written permission.

Purchases and/or Subscriptions

Donations and Contributions are tax-deductible. However, our paid subscription levels are based on fees for services and do not qualify for tax-deductibility. Only donations and or contributions made without any exchange of services given can be claimed as tax-deductible. Again, while we do not charge taxes on any service we offer, those fees cannot be claimed as tax-deductible contributions to our non-profit. By making a contribution/donation, purchasing, or signing up for our subscription-based service, we are not guaranteeing that your search will be completed. We only agree to make our best effort to work toward helping you understand your DNA results and start your family tree based on the closest relatives in your (autosomal matches). We may terminate or suspend access to our Service immediately, without prior notice or liability, for any reason whatsoever, including without limitation if you breach the Terms of Service. All provisions of the Terms which by their nature should survive termination shall survive termination, including, without limitation, ownership provisions, warranty disclaimers, indemnity, and limitations of liability.

Modifying and Terminating our Services

We are constantly changing and improving our Services. We may add or remove functionalities or features, and we may suspend or stop a Service altogether.

You can stop using our Services at any time, although we’ll be sorry to see you go. Search Angels may also stop providing Services to you, or add or create new limits to our Services at any time.

We believe you own your data, and preserving your access to it is important. If we discontinue a Service, where reasonably possible, we will give you reasonable advance notice and a chance to retrieve information from that Service.

Our Warranties and Disclaimers

We provide our Services using a commercially reasonable level of skill and care, and we hope that you will enjoy using them. But there are certain things that we don’t promise about our Services.

OTHER THAN AS EXPRESSLY SET OUT IN THESE TERMS OR ADDITIONAL TERMS, NEITHER SEARCH ANGELS NOR ITS SUPPLIERS OR DISTRIBUTORS MAKE ANY SPECIFIC PROMISES ABOUT THE SERVICES. FOR EXAMPLE, WE DON’T MAKE ANY COMMITMENTS ABOUT THE CONTENT WITHIN THE SERVICES, THE SPECIFIC FUNCTIONS OF THE SERVICES, OR THEIR RELIABILITY, AVAILABILITY, OR ABILITY TO MEET YOUR NEEDS. WE PROVIDE THE SERVICES “AS IS”.

SOME JURISDICTIONS PROVIDE FOR CERTAIN WARRANTIES, LIKE THE IMPLIED WARRANTY OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, AND NON-INFRINGEMENT. TO THE EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW, WE EXCLUDE ALL WARRANTIES.

Liability for our Services

WHEN PERMITTED BY LAW, SEARCH ANGELS, AND SEARCH ANGELS’ SUPPLIERS AND DISTRIBUTORS, WILL NOT BE RESPONSIBLE FOR LOST PROFITS, REVENUES, OR DATA, FINANCIAL LOSSES, OR INDIRECT, SPECIAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, EXEMPLARY, OR PUNITIVE DAMAGES.

TO THE EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW, THE TOTAL LIABILITY OF SEARCH ANGELS, AND ITS SUPPLIERS AND DISTRIBUTORS, FOR ANY CLAIMS UNDER THESE TERMS, INCLUDING FOR ANY IMPLIED WARRANTIES, IS LIMITED TO THE AMOUNT YOU PAID US TO USE THE SERVICES (OR, IF WE CHOOSE, TO SUPPLY YOU THE SERVICES AGAIN).

IN ALL CASES, SEARCH ANGELS, ITS SUPPLIERS, AND DISTRIBUTORS, WILL NOT BE LIABLE FOR ANY LOSS OR DAMAGE THAT IS NOT REASONABLY FORESEEABLE.

Business uses of our Services

If you are using our Services on behalf of a business, that business accepts these terms. It will hold harmless and indemnify Search Angels and its affiliates, officers, agents, and employees from any claim, suit, or action arising from or related to the use of the Services or violation of these terms, including any liability or expense arising from claims, losses, damages, suits, judgments, litigation costs, and attorneys’ fees.

About these Terms

We may modify these terms or any additional terms that apply to a Service, for example, to reflect changes in the law or to our Services. You should look at the terms regularly. We’ll post notice of modifications to these terms on this page. We’ll post notice of modified additional terms in the applicable Service. Changes will not apply retroactively and will take effect no sooner than 14 days after they are posted. However, changes that add new functions to a Service or that are made for legal reasons will be effective immediately. If you do not agree to the modified terms for a Service, you should discontinue your use of that Service.

If there is a conflict between these terms and the additional terms, the additional terms will control.

These terms control the relationship between Search Angels and you. They do not create any third-party beneficiary rights.

If you do not comply with these terms and we don’t take action right away, that doesn’t mean we are giving up any rights we may have (such as taking action in the future).

If it turns out that a particular term is not enforceable, this will not affect any other terms.

The laws of Philadelphia, U.S.A., excluding Philadelphia’s conflict of laws rules, will apply to any disputes arising out of or relating to these terms or the Services. All claims arising out of or relating to these terms or the Services will be litigated exclusively in the federal or state courts of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA, and you and Search Angels consent to personal jurisdiction in those courts.

For information about how to contact Search Angels, please visit our contact page.

COMMUNICATION

If communication between an "adoptee" or "client" includes, inter alia, offensive, profane, lewd, obscene, vulgar, inflammatory, harmful, or disrespectful language, and/or comments deemed to be rude or inappropriate, we reserve the right to ban, and forfeit any future efforts to work with, or communicate to, the individual or third party involved. We aim to provide you with our best recommendations, but many factors will affect your actual results, and we make no guarantees that you will receive a specific outcome. We make no guarantees that you will achieve any results from the ideas or strategies contained on our website or by using any of our services. Moreover, we will never act as a mediator between an adoptee and/or birth family, should one be found. You fully agree and understand that Search Angels is not responsible for the dissatisfaction of any results received and makes no representations of any kind whatsoever that our services will produce a particular result for you.

LEGAL PROCEEDINGS AND THIRD-PARTY REPRESENTATION

We do not support, participate in, or provide findings for use in legal proceedings of any kind.

Specifically:

We do not accept cases submitted by attorneys, legal representatives, investigators, or any third party acting on behalf of another individual.
Any biological connection identified through our search process is based on genetic genealogy and is provided for personal informational purposes only. Our findings are not intended to serve as legal evidence and may not be represented as such in any court, hearing, or legal proceeding.
We reserve the right to immediately decline or terminate any case where it becomes apparent that our findings may be sought for use in a legal matter, regardless of the nature of that matter.

All searches must be initiated directly by a living adoptee, birth relative, or individual seeking to identify biological family connections for personal reasons. Cases submitted for use in legal proceedings, or by attorneys and third parties acting in a legal capacity, fall outside this scope and will be declined. Any payments processed for declined cases will be refunded.

TRUST

Trust is an essential part of the communication between an adoptee ("Client") or birth relative and the volunteer searcher. If the volunteer agrees to assist the adoptee or birth relative, a trust must be established between them. This trust can be difficult to establish or maintain over time if information is purposely withheld by the adoptee or birth relative. We at Search Angels will spend hundreds of our hours literally on your search, so having a clear understanding of the expectations regarding truth, shared knowledge, and information that may have been collected before or during our participation in your search is essential to maintaining this trust. It is important then for the adoptee or birth relative to maintain open communication with the volunteer Search Angel.

Examples of information that should be shared:

If the adoptee or birth relative is working with others alongside their search with a Search Angel volunteer, the adoptee or birth relative should share any new findings, whether that be documentation, opinions, doubts, concerns, or other pertinent dialogue that occurs outside of the volunteer's knowledge.
Often, if the adoptee or birth relative is working with a television program or similar organization, the program's producers or the organization's directors may ask the adoptee or birth relative to share all known search information. Please be advised that it is very unfair to the Search Angel volunteer to have their efforts, genealogical findings, or extensive search results used by an organization that focuses on monetary gain. At the very least, the Search Angel volunteer should be recognized by the television program or a similar organization.
If the Search Angel volunteer is relatively confident that a match has been made, remember that it is not the Search Angel volunteer's responsibility to contact the match. Nor is it appropriate to blame the Search Angel volunteer for any negative reaction that the adoptee or birth relative may receive from the match. Remember, we strongly encourage patience and open communication between all parties involved in the search process.

The process involved in a search can vary. Still, in most cases, an extensive amount of information is already available. Our volunteers will help with a more traditional search, or a DNA test may be strongly encouraged for the adoptee or birth relative to take with a genealogy DNA testing company like Ancestry DNA. In either case, the documentation, rumors, or hints an adoptee or birth relative will share with the volunteer Search Angel, or the results of a DNA test, will be used to establish the most substantiated information for locating a positive match. In the case of DNA results, a guest access needs to be shared with the volunteer Search Angel, and editor rights need to be given to the Search Angel volunteer so that they may build your genetically related cousins upon an Ancestry.com tree.

Not every Search Angel volunteer is exactly alike. We each have methodologies, search patterns, and strategies we engage in to help you along your way. Some of us like to drive the search ourselves, while others may encourage the adoptee or birth relative to participate frequently to assist with information collection and the search. Sometimes our searchers will have an equal amount of both active participation and encouragement of the birth relative or adoptee's active involvement.

Abruptly moving your DNA results, starting a new genealogical tree, and communicating nothing about your intentions can cause our volunteers to feel their participation is no longer needed, wanted, or trusted. Please make every effort to speak with a Search Angel volunteer before making any significant changes to the information they have collected or built for you.

Again, our volunteers will not act as intermediaries who will reach out to birth relatives in the immediate family. There are unforeseen consequences that may make a second chance at communication impossible. For this reason, we want the adoptee to make the call and be prepared to ask questions or to start the dialogue on their own. We do not guarantee that every "best guess" about a relative will be 100% accurate. There are many times when information collected by the social worker and later surrendered to an adoptee as "non-identifying" information is filled with misinformation or lies. Other times, it was a carefully written set of breadcrumbs intentionally meant to lead back to the birth relative. We cannot be sure, one way or the other.

For these reasons, we reserve the right to decline to take on your case or to withdraw entirely if we believe you cannot maintain open and trustworthy communication with our Search Angel volunteers.

MULTIPLE GENEALOGISTS

While in extremely rare cases, multiple genealogists might need to work on different branches of a tree, we strongly discourage more than one cook in the kitchen. Meaning we assign one genetic genealogist to a case and do not include other searchers in that tree. There are just too many chances for differing opinions to be thrown into the search, so conflicts can and usually do occur. So instead of chasing that scenario, we would rather step out of the search and let your other "personal helper" put in their two cents. When they are done, then invite us back into the case. That's even if the search angel feels they can step back in without causing a rift between the two parties involved, the adoptee and some other searcher, without causing more grief. There is nothing more aggravating than making progress on a tree only to find that someone else working on the same tree erased it because they thought it was bogus or incorrect. If you have an individual helping you with your search, you should not ask us to step in and give our opinion on their work. Most genealogists would rather start from scratch than assume that information already started was later found to be grossly inaccurate, wasting hundreds of hours to reach that conclusion.