Protecting Your Identity From Online People-Finder Services
A simple search for one's own name on any of the popular internet search engines can provide a surprising amount of sensitive personal information. A knowledgeable searcher can turn up property records, court filings, unlisted and cellphone numbers, and even credit card and bank information. Minimizing the information available via your "online identity" is an important measure in reducing the risk of identity theft.
How Can a Consumer Protect Their Online Identity?
The following is a list of popular "people-finder" websites and methods you can use to "Opt Out" your personal information:
- Intelius.com or related sites: PeopleFinder.com, People-Lookup.com, PeopleRecordFinder.com and others. Policy: Will allow a person to "temporarily" opt out of the results of an Intelius search. The listing may return when Intelius refreshes its database with new records. For the full policy, go to find.intelius.com/privacy-faq.php#5. To opt out: Fax or mail name and address as it appears on the Web site, along with proof of identity, to: Intelius Inc., 500 108th Ave. NE, 25th Floor, Bellevue, WA, 98004. Fax number: 425-974-6194.
- USSearch.com or related sites such as InstantPeopleFinder.com. Policy: Offers limited ability to opt out of search reports. US Search says it will "use good faith efforts" to prevent distribution of information from nonpublic records, such as magazine subscriptions, but says it can't guarantee that information from public records, such as court filings, will be withheld. To opt out: Mail a signed request with full name, email address, mailing address, Social Security number, date of birth, past addresses and aliases to: US Search, Opt-Out Program, 600 Corporate Pointe, Suite 220, Culver City, CA 90230.
- PublicRecordsNow.com, PrivateEye.com. Policy: On request, will block records from being shown in some, but not all, search results. To opt out: Send a letter with first and last name, middle initial, aliases, current address, former addresses going back 20 years and date of birth to: Opt-Out, PublicRecordsNow/Privateeye.com, 15332, Antioch St, Suite 713, Los Angeles, CA, 90272. It also helps to include a printout of all the records to be withheld.
- 555-1212.com. Policy: Will remove a person's residential listing from the site on request.
- ZabaSearch.com. Policy: Zaba's privacy statement says it doesn't offer a way to opt out of the service.
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