The data broker industry is worth almost $400 billion. Whether it’s your Google Search history, movies you’ve streamed or a summary of your last doctor’s visit, they’re keeping tabs on your life.
Feel violated? You should. These brokers even sell your data to scammers so they can use it to target you. No wonder most people get overloaded with spam texts and calls every day.
You could spend the rest of your life trying to remove your data, but I found the best way to handle that for me. More on that below.
It’s way beyond where you live and what you do. They track:
They compile this info into an incredibly detailed profile about you. It’s like they know your wants and needs before you do. Some of the info comes from data breaches and leaks. There’s been no shortage of those.
It’s all about the ripple effect. We’re talking:
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.
Plus, I was in the pool when a spy drone hung out in my yard. I’ll tell you what to do if this happens to you. You don’t have to waste money on Microsoft Office, get out of people search sites, and the best way to get internet off the grid.
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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.
I have to tell you this story. When my college-bound son moved to Los Angeles, he asked me for the house number of a place nearby that I rented 28 years ago for two months. I laughed because I couldn’t remember it. Then, I was shocked!
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.
As you surf the web and social media, companies and data brokers are building a robust online profile. They use everything from the ads you click on to the topics you spend the most time browsing to hit you with related ads.
People are tracking you online. Whether they’re trying to scam you or serve you with ads, privacy is not something you can take for granted.
Between your emails, cookies (the tracking kind, not the delicious kind) and nosy apps, you’re being watched without even knowing it, but don’t despair — you can take back your privacy in a few steps. Here’s how to fight back against Big Tech.
When was the last time you searched for your name online? It’s a little eerie to click through the results. You’ll find some things are just plain wrong, but there’s likely plenty of accurate information about you floating around the web that you never realized.
Thanks to people search sites, your information is all over the internet whether you’ve ever accessed the site or not. Tap or click here to remove yourself from these invasive data collectors.
There are a few apps and services that don’t require you to sign in or create an account. But the more you use your details on various sites, the more information that company gathers on you. Eventually, these companies compile the data into a neat bundle and use it to serve you personalized advertising.
Crooks, hackers and scammers can access your information without using their technical know-how. All they need to do is turn to people search sites. You know, those sites that advertise their services for finding long-lost loved ones and relatives. Yeah, right!
People search sites collect and sell personal information and make it available for anyone to see. Your name, address, phone number and other bits of data are likely scattered across multiple sites.
We launched our Opt-Out Tuesday series last year to provide detailed instructions on removing your information from people search sites. We even compiled each entry into one mega post so you can opt out of multiple sites simultaneously. Go here to check out the roundup.
We’ve written a lot of articles about Google searches and online databases. Our online safety is important, and much of that comes down to regulating our searches and learning how to protect ourselves. Tap or click here for seven things to never search for on Google.
There is a scary amount of personal information on the internet. You don’t need a degree in information technology or network administration to find someone’s email address, telephone number or where they live.
Whether you consider them shady or not, people search websites have a lot of information on all of us. The worst part is that most don’t even know their details are publically available.
People search sites advertise as services for finding people you’ve lost touch with.
These sites scrape personal information from local, state and federal public records, court records, social media, data brokers and forums. Tap or click here for detailed instructions for removing your information from these creepy sites.
No matter how careful you are, your personal information will find its way to the internet. Whenever you sign up for a new account, share a photo on social media or make a purchase, another bit of your data is exposed.
Like it or not, your information is all over the internet. Government records reveal private information, including your full legal name and arrest records. On top of that, security breaches leak highly critical data, like your address and Social Security number.
From Queen Elizabeth’s passing to Will Smith’s iconic slap, 2022 was a year for the ages. We all went a little “goblin mode” this year — so much so that it was Oxford’s word of the year. Throughout it all, the Kim Komando team has churned out some of the web’s best insider cybersecurity strategies.
People search sites scour public records to get information on you. This includes your full name, address, phone number, family history, police records, relationships, employment information and more. Tap or click here for instructions on removing your information from these invasive sites.
It’s a fact that Big Tech companies collect your data to build an online profile and track your shopping and browsing habits. It doesn’t end there, however. Other companies sell your information to anyone interested.
