If you’re in the US, chances are your personal information is freely available for people to find online. People search engines like Spokeo, FastPeopleSearch, and ID True search public records and may display data including your name, number, address, and even the names of your relatives. Some public records search engines even display arrest records including booking photos.
Needless to say, there are very few cases anyone would actually want the above information to be published online, particularly without their prior knowledge and consent. In fact, while people search sites can be useful for reconnecting with estranged family members or former classmates, they can also be used for more nefarious reasons. Cyberstalking and identity theft are two primary concerns.
Don’t want your personal information on Spokeo and similar sites? Read on to find out more about Spokeo and how you can opt out and protect your online privacy.
What is Spokeo and what does it do?
Like its counterpart, Truthfinder, Spokeo serves as a people search engine that aggregates personal information from public records. This can come from phone books, real estate listings, business websites, social media pages, court and marriage records, and more.
It might seem cool to find out if your blind date is a secret millionaire, but the reality is that these platforms expose a lot of your personal data. And guess what? You’re automatically in their system unless you opt-out. This leaves you vulnerable to those who would use the information for their own personal gain.
Today, we’re diving into how to remove your Spokeo profile and reclaim your online privacy. It’s a quick process that can make a difference in your digital footprint.
Note: Opting out of Spokeo won’t make you invisible online. You’ll need to manually opt out of other people search sites or use one of the following services to automate the process:
- Incogni: Affordable and user-friendly, available globally. Sends removal requests to over 180 data brokers.
- DeleteMe: Keeps your Spokeo profile deleted and periodically checks for its return. Offers family plans.
- PrivacyBee: US-only but cites regional laws to force 300+ brokers to delete your data.
Our top pick for personal data removal: Incogni
Apps Available:
Website: https://www.incogni.com
While you may have never heard of Incogni, it operates under a very familiar brand: Surfshark. Incogni is our go-to option, saving users hundreds of hours by automating the data deletion process. Here are a couple of reasons why we think it is the best:
- Automation: Once you sign up for Incogni and complete a couple of setup steps, the platform does the hard work for you and even monitors requests that are refused or ignored for escalation.
- Available worldwide: Incogni caters to users in the UK, the US, Europe, and Canada.
- All major data brokers: Incogni is always expanding its list of supported brokers and websites to provide the highest level of protection possible.
How to Opt Out of Spokeo with Incogni
Removing your data from Spokeo is easier than ever with Incogni:
- Sign up for an account with incogni for $12.99/month. To get the best discounts, opt for a longer subscription.
- Follow a few onboarding steps and allow permissions for Incogni to act on your behalf.
- The service will immediately begin sending removal requests to data brokers
- The first requests should be completed in the following days. Most of the organizations should delete your data within the first month
- Incogni continues to check back with previously-contacted brokers to ensure they haven’t reacquired your info. That’s it! Incogni gets to work, sending opt-out requests to Spokeo and many other platforms that store user data without consent. Use its intuitive dashboard to monitor the progress of each request.
How to Manually Opt Out of Spokeo
A data removal service like Incogni is the easiest option, but you can remove your info manually. Check out the steps below to manually opt out of Spokeo:
- Head to the Spokeo website and scroll to the bottom of the home page.
- Click on “Privacy” or “Do Not Sell My Info.”
- Follow the prompts to find and select your profile.
- Submit your email and verify it.
- Spokeo should process your request and remove your profile within 48 hours.
Why opt out of Spokeo?
Each user will have individual reasons for opting out of Spokeo, but most choose deletion of their data as they’re concerned about their privacy. Spokeo doesn’t get consent from its users to list details online, which can include the following:
- Your full name and aliases
- Current and past addresses
- Phone numbers and email addresses
- Social media profiles
- And much more
That info can aid criminals in identity theft, harassment, stalking, spam, and scams, among other crimes. The service’s terms of use forbids it being used to determine eligibility for insurance, employment, or government benefits, but there’s nothing stopping someone from doing so.
Related:
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does it take for my information to be removed?
When Spokeo receives a data deletion request (whether sent manually or using a service like Incogni), it aims to process requests within 48 hours.
Is opting out of Spokeo free?
Yes, you don’t need to pay anything to opt out of Spokeo manually. However, the benefit of a service like Incogni is that it ensures your request is successfully processed and monitors your data in case it reappears at a later time.
Will opting out of Spokeo remove my information from other people search sites?
No, opting out of Spokeo manually only removes your data from that website. If you intend to delete your data from other people search sites manually, then you need to do so one by one. Incogni and similar services will request removals at all known people search sites at the same time.
