Why does Optery combine "Not Found" and "Search In Progress" into one Exposure status?

Optery combines “Not Found” and “Search In Progress” into a single exposure status because the search process is still ongoing until a profile is officially confirmed as found. In many cases, it is not possible to clearly distinguish between a final “Not Found” result and a search that is still being completed.

Below is more detail on how Optery assigns this status.

Exposure status is based on whether Optery finds a profile

The most important milestone in Exposure Status is whether a profile is found and verified. Once a profile is located and verified, the dashboard shows the Matched Profiles Found status. This confirms that your personal information was detected on that data broker. Until Optery finds and verifies a profile, Optery continues searching using multiple variations of your personal information. Instead of separating those interim states, we combine them into one consistent status.

Searches include multiple variations of your personal information

Searches use different combinations of your personal information, including:

• Name variations, such as married and maiden names
• Alternate spellings
• Current and prior cities or states

If a search does not find a profile under one variation, searches continue using other variations. Until a profile is found and verified, the Not Found / Search In Progress status shows the current result. This ensures the dashboard shows your accurate exposure status.

Profiles are verified through automated and manual searches

Automated systems and Privacy Agents search for and verify profiles across supported data brokers. Automated searches do not always find a profile right away. Privacy Agents perform additional searches to confirm whether a profile exists. Until a profile is found and verified, the Not Found / Search In Progress status remains based on the verified result.

Updated on: 28/02/2026