How to Remove Your Information from People-Search Sites?
We often make our personal data available online – listing the company we work for, relationship status, entering our home address for delivery, and bank card details for payments. All of this can end up on so-called people-search sites that collect these data together. Today, we'll explain how to remove your information from such sites.
What do people-search sites do?
They gather information from public records, data broker databases, court records, social media profiles, forums, and other publicly available sources. These reports may include various personal details like name, email address, and phone number. They may also contain sensitive information, including your home address, the names and details of family members, and sometimes even Social Security numbers. If your data appears on these sites, it becomes available to anyone willing to pay a certain fee. But those who are ready to spend money for your data receive it in a worrying amount and can use it however they want. Therefore, it's important to periodically check these resources for your personal data and know how to delete it from there. This will reduce the risk of identity theft, targeted phishing attacks, and other online threats.
How to Check if Your Data is There?
Start with a simple search on Google or Yahoo. Search for different variations of your name, initials, email address, and other personal data that could identify you. We advise not to search for sensitive information, like your Social Security number, because search engines save information, and by doing so, you would provide them with more information about yourself. The search results will give you an idea of what information about you might be on people-search sites. However, most sites sell information, so you might not see your data unless you become a paid member. Moreover, search results might show that some sites have information about you to lure you in. After paying, you might discover that your data is not actually there.
How to Remove Your Data from People-Search Sites?
First, make a list of people-search sites where your information is found, based on the search you conducted. Then, visit each people-search site and find your data there. Remember that the site may have people with your name, so you might need to enter more specific information, like your area or city, to ensure the profile refers to you and not someone else. Different people-search sites have different policies for processing removal requests. So, the next step is to familiarize yourself with the site's data removal policy. After that, go to the opt-out page and submit your removal request. The process may vary depending on the site, but the general action algorithm is similar to this.
Why is it Important to Remove Your Data from People-Search Sites?
Such sites pose serious risks to your privacy and digital security. For instance:
Targeted Attacks
Cybercriminals can use the data available on people-search sites to launch targeted attacks. The data collected from social media sites can enable cybercriminals to compose an email that looks trustworthy, specifically tailored for you or someone close to you. The recipient may download an attachment containing malware or send money to scammers asking for a loan. Moreover, if your identification number, Social Security number, or driver’s license information is available on data broker sites, it could lead to identity theft.
Digital Footprint
It serves as the basis for targeted ads and may lead to tailored cyberattacks. Your online presence will always leave traceable data, but it’s better if you control it.
How to Keep Your Personal Information Private?
Do not leave your data on suspicious sites, delete it from services and applications you no longer use, and connect a VPN, which will encrypt all your traffic and help make some data unrecognizable to fraudsters and data collection sites.
