How to opt out of data broker sites

Driven by growing data privacy concerns, more and more people are learning about data brokers. If you’ve just heard about these companies, you probably want to understand how they work and how to remove your information from data broker sites.

After all, who wants spam, unwanted marketing proposals, or the risk of identity theft? Luckily, there are different ways to opt out of data broker sites and prevent your personal information from being shared with cybercriminals or irksome marketers.

In this article, we’ll tell you all about data brokers, the risks they pose, and how to protect your privacy. We’ll guide you step-by-step to opt out of data broker sites and keep your data private.

How to opt out of data broker sites

1. Choose a data removal service. We recommend Incogni, now 50% OFF.
2. Authorize Incogni to send opt-out requests to data brokers on your behalf.
3. Check the Incogni dashboard to see which data brokers have deleted your information from their sites.

What is a data broker?

Data brokers collect and sell personal information about individuals. If you’ve subscribed to an unusual newsletter, set up a social media account, or ordered a pizza for delivery, chances are data brokers know you.

Using public records, online activity, and third-party companies, data brokers collect loads of information about you, including your:

• Contact details (name, address, phone number)
• Purchasing habits
• Social media history
• Financial information

Ever wondered why so many free online services exist? Your personal information is valuable. It’s used for marketing, research, credit scoring, background checks, fraud prevention, and product development.

Data brokers sell your data to the highest bidder. While some brokers screen potential buyers or filter specific personal details, many don’t care about the consequences of sharing your private information.

When your data is put in the wrong hands, you are at risk of:

• Identity theft
• Privacy information
• Financial fraud
• Data breaches
• Spam
• Scammers

Opting out of data broker sites is the best way to protect yourself from these risks.

How to opt out of data broker sites

There are two ways to opt out of data broker sites: automatic or manual. With the automatic method, you get data protection with a few clicks and comprehensive real-time data monitoring. With the manual approach, you have complete control over each opt-out request and can save money by doing all the work yourself.

How to remove your information from data broker sites automatically

Opting out of data broker sites automatically is the most effective way to protect your privacy. However, you need to use a trusted and reliable data removal service like Incogni.

Incogni scans the Internet for personal information related to you, finds out who has it, and requests its removal on your behalf. It saves you a lot of time. And, with automatic scans, you have much higher chances of requesting removal from all brokers who have your data.

Here’s how to remove your information from data broker sites with Incogini:

1. Visit Incogni’s website, select “Get Started” and select an annual plan.
2. Enter your email, country, and postcode, and hit “Proceed to Payment.”
3. Select your preferred payment method (PayPal or credit/debit card), enter your details, and click “Subscribe Now.”
4. You’ll receive an email from Incogni. Click the link in the email to verify your identity.
5. Next, set up your password and enter your personal information, such as your name, phone number, and date of birth.
6. Sign the authorization form to permit Incogni to contact data brokers on your behalf. We recommend reading through the authorization form carefully before signing it.
7. Check the Incogni dashboard to see how many opt-out requests have been sent out and how many data brokers have deleted your information.

Incogni does the heavy lifting for you, continuously scanning for data broker sites to find your personal information and requesting its removal on your behalf. Incogni offers an excellent, affordable service. But you need a little patience — data removal requests, automatic or manual, take time!

Get started with Incogni

How to manually remove your information from data broker sites

If you’re trying to save some cash or prefer having control over the opt-out process, you can take the manual route to wipe your information from data broker sites. This means finding individual brokers with your data and contacting each one individually to remove your information.

Here’s how to manually remove your data from data broker sites:

1. Create a list of data brokers that have your personal information. There are different ways to do this.

• You can use Google Alerts and other free online tools to receive notifications when your information is shared online. Antivirus tools such as Avast also have search engines that inform you of data leaks!
• Privacy advocacy sites have lists of the most well-known and largest data centers. It’s a great place to start, as these platforms are the most likely to have a profile on you.
• Some brokers allow you to search for your data directly on their websites. Do a search and see if you get any results.
• Privacy browsers, including Privacy Badger and Ghostery, expose trackers installed on your device. You might be able to track these cookies back to their source.

2. Once you know which data brokers have your information, visit each broker’s opt-out page. The location of this page varies from broker to broker, but the website footer is an excellent place to start.

3. Fill in all the necessary information in the opt-out page and submit your request.

4. Sometimes, a follow-up is necessary, so it’s best to have a spreadsheet with a detailed list of the brokers you’ve contacted. This way, you know who hasn’t got back to you.

It’s important to note that every data broker site is different, and you must follow each broker's individual process. This makes manual opt-out a little tricky, especially considering that:

• Data brokers might ask for extra verification information
• You must have a basic understanding of data protection laws like GDRP, CCPA, and PIPEDA
• Some data brokers are slow to respond

Continuously searching for your data, sending opt-out requests, and tracking your progress takes time and requires some persistence.

Reasons to remove your data from data broker sites

There are many reasons you should request the removal of your information from data broker sites, including:

• Privacy protection: When you opt for a data broker site, you eliminate a source that could potentially expose your personal information. Having one less broker selling and sharing your data is a huge step towards protecting your privacy.
• Security: Getting data brokers to remove your information from their records prevents spammers, scammers, cybercriminals, and other unscrupulous actors from accessing your data. This helps prevent theft, doxing, unsolicited contact, and fraud.
• Personal control: Removing your personal data from broker sites lets you control who can access your data and what information they can see.

Removing your information from data broker sites can be particularly beneficial if you’re a victim of stalking or identity theft, as stalkers and fraudsters can’t use your info against you. It’s also beneficial if you’re regularly in the public eye and are concerned about doxing, unsolicited contact, and fraud.

Conclusion

Data brokers collect personal information from various public sources and sell it to third parties, including bad actors such as spammers, scammers, and cybercriminals.

Thankfully, you can opt out of data brokers automatically (through a service like Incogni) or manually (by requesting removal from each broker yourself). The manual opt-out method is best for cost savings while using a data removal service like Incogni is best for convenience and efficiency. Either way, you reduce the risk of privacy invasions, targeted scams, identity theft, and even stalking or harassment.

Why not share this article with friends and family? After all, most people don’t know that their data is being harvested and traded or that they can opt out of data broker sites to safeguard their privacy.

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