You would most likely have entered your name into a search engine to see what shows up, but the amount of sensitive information that crops up would have been unexpected. In fact, people-search sites can have even more data than the information you see on the first page of the search results. These websites gather large amounts of information about people from public records, social media, and commercial sources, including their addresses, bankruptcies, criminal records, and even the addresses of their relatives.
So if you are concerned about your online privacy – as you very well should be – then it’s essential to take off your information from people-search sites.
What Are People Search Sites?
Also known as people-finder sites, these websites use various public and private sources to collect and sell personal information. They make it easier for people to access sensitive data about you, including your contact details, legal reports, income, location, and even private photos.
People search sites can be used for genuine reasons, such as finding a long-lost friend you want to get in touch with, researching a potential job candidate, and so on. But there is also a risk that cybercriminals will use these sites to purchase information to steal your identity, money, and medical benefits. Moreover, these sites may also be used to scam, hack, or blackmail you.
How Do People Search Sites Work?
Think of it as a data broker, where these sites gather information from public records like voter registration, census data, and property records, along with information from social media and forums. Moreover, they may also purchase information about you from companies that you have interacted with online, in addition to buying information from other data brokers. While the type of information will differ, it typically includes name, current and past addresses, contact number, date of birth, marital status, family members, criminal records, political affiliations, bankruptcies, and social media account handles, to name a few.
Some people search sites are ad-supported, but others charge a subscription or sell reports to people who want to access someone’s information for a one-time fee.
How To Remove Your Information On People Search Sites?
If you want to check which people search sites have your information, you can search for your name or contact number on Google or any search engine. The results would appear on people-finder sites that display your information online.
There are two ways of requesting that your information be removed from these websites. You can make “opt out” requests manually or use a service to do so. Since there are so many such sites, removing your data from all of them will take a long time. Even after you have requested that your information be removed, some of it may still appear in your family members’ reports.
To manually remove your information from these sites, you need to submit separate requests for each people-finder site. The process will vary by website, and you may need to follow additional steps on some sites. For example, on some sites, you will have to create an account before you are allowed to submit a request to delete your information.
Start by first making a list of the people search sites where your information appears. Some of the most common ones include PeopleFinders, BeenVerified, Intelius, Instant Checkmate, TruthFinder, US Search, and Whitepages. Next, you can submit an opt-out request for each people search site. You need to look for the “Remove my info” or “Do not sell my information” links on the homepage. Once your request is submitted, it may take numerous weeks for your information to be removed. Even after your data has been removed, it is best to review whether it is still available online, as search engines constantly collect and update information periodically.
The second option is to use a service to delete all your information. Since manually requesting each site to remove your information is a lot of work, it’s better to sign up for a service that handles the tedious legwork for you. There are subscription services that search various people-finder sites and submit opt-out requests if your information shows up again. While this is a more convenient option, it might not cover every people search website.
Final Thoughts
There are many privacy issues surrounding people search sites, and the rules governing what they can disclose are often confusing or nonexistent. Accordingly, guarding yourself and your identity from these sites is so important. As mentioned, these sites have an opt-out policy, so make sure that you take the time to do this. If this task is too time-consuming, many online reputation management companies can help you remove your data from the internet.
At the same time, be careful about the information you post on social media, whether it’s your images, contact details, or even pictures with identifiable backgrounds. Even after you opt out of these people search sites, make sure to check for your personal information on the web periodically to ensure it is not available to everyone.
