Your data is worth big money — and you can take it back
“Call me for a good time.” That simple message prompted more creepy calls and texts than you can believe. A woman contacted me after someone posted that message — alongside her cellphone number — on a porn site.
How’d it happen? A pervert who was stalking her daughter found the number online. And it’s easier than you think. I bet you could find your cell number online in a few minutes. Some people search sites even offer it up for free. Others charge a few bucks for that and a lot more …
Data brokers know it all
They scour to build a rich profile of exactly who you are. That includes:
- Public records: Think birth certificates, marriage licenses, voter registration, property ownership and court records. It’s all up for grabs.
- Social media: They use automated tools to collect anything public.
- Commercial sources: This includes companies you interact with, like retailers or loyalty programs. Surprise — many of them sell your purchase history, interests, and website traffic to brokers.
- Self-reported info: Ever filled out a warranty card, entered a contest or taken a survey online? Yup, they have that too.
The list goes on and on: Every time you browse the web, interact with an app or use a service, you leave behind a data trail.
These data dealers gather all that up, package it and sell it to people search sites, which then hawk it to anyone willing to pay. This opens you up to problems, from identity theft to doxing to an inbox filled with spam.
Make yourself hard to find
Listen, you can’t delete yourself from the internet. But, you can make a big dent in how easy all these details are to find. Think of it like locking your car or putting a security system in your home. Will it stop all crime? No, but it’s a big deterrent.
Trouble is, doing it yourself is a huge chore. Luckily, there are services that do the dirty work for you. Incogni is the best I’ve found.
They have a massive list …
Of all the creepy databases storing your info — and will send them removal requests faster than you can say “spam overload.” No kidding, Incogni saved me 113 hours. Told you it’s a pain to DIY.
How to delete yourself from the internet
I feel lucky to have the job I do. Every day, I help folks stay up to date on tech and help solve all those digital-life problems Google just can’t answer.
And after all these years, I’ll toot my own horn a little and say there’s not much that stumps me anymore. I did get a question recently, though, on my daily podcast that had a not-so-happy answer.
How to remove yourself from US Search
Like it or not, your personal information is online for anyone to find. This can include your full name, address, phone number, police record, employment information and more. People search sites scrape this information from public records, court records, social media and other sources.
Overwhelmed with spam texts? Do this now
Ever replied to a spam message with STOP or UNSUBSCRIBE? If so, you’re setting yourself up for even more annoyance. You rightfully think that you’re ending the noise, but you’ll make it worse.
Why? Spammers are hitting up as many people as possible, searching for working contact information. When you interact, you’re saying, “Yes, this phone number belongs to someone!” That’s great news for them. It lets them know you’re a real person they should target more often.
Take back control of your online privacy
Newsflash: Your data is constantly being collected and sold. “Gee, thanks, Kim. I know,” you might be thinking. “What do I do about it?” Lucky for you, I spend a lot of time trying to answer that exact question.
If you’re tired of spam calls, unwanted emails and that nasty feeling of always being tracked, keep reading. I’ve got a simple way to take a massive chunk out of this data collection mess, thanks to our sponsor, Incogni.
Simple digital privacy step everyone should know about
Data brokers, people search sites and online background check services, oh my. At the end of the day, they all do the same thing — scoop up your personal info and sell it to anyone interested. Marketers are at the top of the list, but scammers can also find your information this way.
Opt-Out Tuesday: How to remove your info from FamilyTreeNow
People search sites collect your information from publicly available sources and offer it to anyone interested, including thieves and scammers. There are countless sites like this. So, how do you protect your data? You need to remove it.
Bad news: Here's how much your social media logins cost on the Dark Web
What if I told you for just $12, someone could buy your Instagram login. They could read all your messages, look through everything you’ve “liked” and even post as you.
Whizcase gathered prices from Dark Web marketplaces to see how much your online identity is worth, and it’s grim.
Best ways to block scam calls - And an easier way to stop scammers
When it comes to telemarketing and scam calls, the best thing to do is not pick up the phone. But it’s not always easy to tell whether an incoming call is legitimate — especially if your phone doesn’t show that scam or spam warning.
The best 3 minutes I spent on privacy in 2025
I know, big statement, right? But stay with me.
I’ve been talking about people search sites for years. Heck, I did a whole series of articles on how to remove yourself from them.
Your personal info is all over the internet - 3 ways to remove it
Whether you know it or not, your personal and private information is all over the internet. You don’t need to be active on social media or forums. Much information comes from publicly available sources such as court records and your online accounts (active or otherwise).
Removing your info from the web takes forever - Unless you do this
I’ve warned you about all the scummy sites that collect your personal details for years. I’ll never forget, not too long ago, when my son Ian asked about a house I lived at in my 20s. I couldn’t remember where it was.
Find out who's calling you from an unknown or blocked number
Scam and spam calls are getting more common. And they’re hard not to answer because the number comes up as “unknown.” When there’s no caller ID number, you can’t be sure if it’s a spam caller or an important call you’ve been waiting for.
I ticked off the creepy people-search sites, and you can, too
My son asked me where I lived for a few months in Los Angeles over 25 years ago. It was a gig working for Unisys that was far from memorable. He found that address at a free people search site, along with my other addresses and cell phone numbers. Nice.
5 ways to block or hide your number when making calls
Robocalls have been an annoyance for years, and with technology constantly advancing, it’s only going to get worse. And they’re not just interruptions these days. Many are calls from scammers looking to rip you off.
That’s why it’s important to be proactive and stop these calls dead in their tracks. You have several clever ways to keep scams and robocalls at bay. Tap or click here to stop robocalls for good. How are these callers getting ahold of your number in the first place?