How to remove your information from people search sites and Google

People search websites crawl the internet and other sources to create detailed profiles about everyone. A quick search on any of these sites can return a person’s phone number, social media accounts, current and past addresses, education, criminal record, and more.

If you’ve ever searched yourself on any of these websites, you’ve probably been shocked at how much they know about you. If you’d rather not have your information freely available to others (potential employers, old friends, strangers on the internet, etc.), keep reading to find out how to ask five of the most popular people search websites to delete your information.

White pages

Unfortunately, as one of the largest people search sites on the Internet, Whitepages does not make it easy to request that your data be deleted. You will need to follow two separate sets of instructions: one to opt out of free searches and one to opt out of paid searches. Here is what you will need to do:

1. Go to the White Pages website, enter your name and location, and click Search.
2. Scroll through the search results until you find the one that’s right for you. Once you find it, copy the link.
3. Click here to go to the Whitepages opt-out page. Paste the link you copied into the “Disable White Pages” bar and click Next.
4. Verify that the record is correct, then click Delete Me.
5. Choose one of the reasons you want your information deleted using the drop-down menu, then click Next.
6. You will then need to enter your phone number so Whitepages can verify your identity. After entering your phone number, check the box then Call now to verify.
7. You will receive a confirmation code and an automated phone call. Follow the instructions to complete the treatment.

For paid searches:

1. Go to the White Pages website, enter your name and location, and click Search.
2. Scroll through the search results until you find the one that’s right for you titled “Powered by Whitepages Premium”. These listings are the ones with the blue View Full Report button. Once you find the right one, copy the link.
3. Go to the White Pages Help Center to submit a support request.
4. Select “I need to edit or delete an ad” from the drop-down menu.
5. Complete the form and select Submit. Your information should be removed from paid searches within 72 hours.

Looking for real people

True People Search claims to have the information of almost every adult in the United States. Here’s how to delete yours:

1. Click here to go to True People Search removal page.
2. Enter your email address, check both boxes, solve the simple picture puzzle, then click Begin Removal.
3. Enter your name and city, state, or zip code, then click the search button.
4. Scroll through the search results until you find the one that’s right for you. Once you find it, click the SHOW DETAILS button next to it.
5. On the next page, scroll down and select Delete this record.
6. True People Search will then send you an email with a confirmation link. Click the link to confirm the deletion request. Your data should be deleted within 72 hours.

Intelius

Intelius is one of the largest and most popular people search sites on the internet. Luckily, the company makes it fairly easy to request deletion of your data. Here’s how:

1. Click here to access the Intelius opt-out page.
2. Enter your first name, last name and email address. Leave the “State” field set to “All States”. Click Continue.
3. Scroll through the search results until you find the one that’s right for you. Once you find it, click the SELECT THIS RECORD button next to it.
4. Intelius will send you an email. Open it and click “Confirm Email”.
5. A web page will open to confirm your request to delete information. Your data should be deleted from Intelius within 72 hours.

truth seeker

People can find so much information using Truthfinder that on their first visit, users must accept a disclaimer stating that they understand that learning “the truth about your family and friends’ history can be shocking”. Here’s how to remove your information from this offensive site:

1. Click here to go to the Truthfinder opt-out page.
2. Enter your first name, last name and city. Leave the “STATE” field set to “All States”. Click Search.
3. Scroll through the search results until you find the one that’s right for you. Once you find it, click the DELETE THIS RECORD button next to it.
4. Enter your email address on the new page that opens, check the box next to “I’m not a robot” and solve the simple picture puzzle, then click SEND CONFIRMATION EMAIL.
5. You will receive an email indicating that your deletion request has been processed and that your information should be deleted within 48 hours.

Instant checkmate

Instant Checkmate is another people finder website that collects lots of data about people. Here’s how to request removal of your data from the site:

1. Click here to go to the Instant Checkmate opt-out page.
2. Enter your first name, last name and city. Leave the “STATE” field set to “All States”. Click Search.
3. Scroll through the search results until you find the one that’s right for you. Once you find it, click the DELETE THIS RECORD button next to it.
4. Enter your email address on the new page that opens, check the box next to “I’m not a robot” and solve the simple picture puzzle, then click SEND CONFIRMATION EMAIL.
5. You will receive an email indicating that your deletion request has been processed and that your information should be deleted shortly.

How to remove your information from Google search results

If you Google your name + “address”, “phone number”, “email address”, etc., you will likely see an alarming amount of Google search results – most often related to people search websites – with your personal data.

Well, the good news is that Google is currently testing a feature that allows users to request deletion of this data without much effort. However, it’s important to note that this feature is currently in beta and not available to everyone. However, the instructions below show how to do this:

1. Google your name + some form of personal information such as “phone number” or “email address”.
2. Check the search results for results relevant to you. When you find one, click on the vertical ellipsis next to it.

3. A small window will appear on the right side of the browser window. Click Delete Result > It displays my personal details.
4. Follow the rest of the on-screen instructions to request deletion of your information.

Is your data on the Dark Web?

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