How to opt out of USPhoneBook in 2024
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The USPhoneBook reverse phone lookup and search service collects and shares public people's data. However, having your phone number and address exposed online poses security and privacy risks. That's why you should consider the USPhoneBook opt-out option.
The USPhoneBook.com platform gathers information from public records, social media networks, and other data brokers. Although collecting, sharing, and selling such data is legal, cybercriminals and other bad actors can use it for malicious purposes. Cybercriminals use public information for identity theft, credit card scams, and personalized phishing emails.
In this article, I'll cover how to opt out of USPhoneBook manually or using a dedicated data-removal tool. Continue reading to learn how to prevent USPhoneBook lookup from storing your private details.
- Pick a trustworthy data-removal service. I strongly recommend Incogni privacy protection.
- Subscribe to the service and let Incogni search the data brokers to identify your data.
- Incogni will then automatically submit suppression requests and opt-out forms on an ongoing basis to all data brokers who have your data.
How to opt out from USPhoneBook: step-by-step process
The best way to remove your information from the USPhoneBook platform is to use a data removal tool. Data brokers sometimes rebuild user profiles after obtaining new information, which means your profile may reappear in the future even after a manual opt-out. Data removal services like Incogni continuously monitor data brokers' repositories and will issue a removal request whenever they find your personal details. So, if you want to remove your info from USPhoneBook, follow these steps.
1. Use an automatic data removal tool
Instead of repeatedly submitting the USPhoneBook opt-out form, you can use services like Incogni or DeleteMe. I'll use Incogni as an example.
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Visit Incogni and choose a suitable plan. You can choose between Individual or Family & Friends plans to remove info from USPhoneBook and hundreds of other data brokers.
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Provide your signature to authorize Incogni to act on your behalf.
- Log in to the platform and let Incogni scan the web and data broker sites for your information. You will get the total number of data brokers, their collected data sensitivity rating, and the data handling description.
- Incogni will automatically contact all relevant data brokers on your behalf to opt out of services like USPhoneBook. It will automatically send follow-up requests if your data is re-added.
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Check the Incogni dashboard to see the Completed status when the data broker, like USPhoneBook, confirms removing your information.
2. Find an opt-out form on the USPhoneBook website
If you don't feel like paying for data-removal services, you can use the USPhoneBook opt-out form on its website. But I'll remind you that some data brokers reconstruct user profiles, so you may have to resubmit the form periodically.
- Visit the USPhoneBook website and scroll to the very bottom of the page.
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Locate the Do Not Sell My Personal Information option, as seen in the image below:
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Read through the form, check the Agree marks, input your email (you can use a one-time email), and solve the captcha.
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In the next window, input your phone number to find your profile.
- Click the Get Details for [the phone number you've used] on the displayed profile.
- Confirm that the profile information matches your personal data and click the Remove Record button.
- USPhoneBook will send you an email to confirm the opt-out request. Open the email and select Click here to remove [Profile.] The USPhoneBook should remove your data within 72 hours.
Alternative USPhoneBook Opt-Out Methods
The most efficient methods are the automatic and manual data removal from USPhoneBook. Alternatively, you can use its Contact form to submit a specific inquiry or make a telephone call.
USPhoneBook’s data removal policies are transparent and listed in its privacy document. The service states it abides by the California Consumer Privacy Act's rights to delete, opt-out, and access data. However, it also mentions that removal requests are not always guaranteed, making Incogni the more reliable option.
Lastly, I recommend limiting the information you share online. Data brokers collect emails, phone numbers, and addresses from social networks or other public profiles. Withholding such information and using additional privacy-protection software will significantly improve your digital privacy protection.
What is USPhoneBook and what kind of information does it collect?
USPhoneBook is a legitimate free reverse lookup service that collects, stores, and shares publicly available user data. It lets users search via phone number, name, or address to locate a profile.
According to its privacy policy, it collects identifiers, personal information categories allowed by California Customer Records, protected classification characteristics permitted by law, internet or similar network activities, and geolocation data. Let me break that down more clearly.
If USPhoneBook has collected your data outlined above, you can expect to find this on its website:
- Name and surname
- Date of birth
- Relatives
- Current and past residence address
- Contact details (phone numbers, email)
- Current and past workplaces
- Social media profiles
You may be wondering “How does USPhoneBook get my information?” Well, it collects this data from public records, such as marriage licenses or court records. This platform also uses data acquired from other companies, so it may have your social media activities without monitoring them directly. Some users also willingly submit information to USPhoneBook.
Should you opt out of USPhoneBook?
Yes, it would help if you opted out of the USPhoneBook platform for the following reasons. Due to rampant cybercrime amplified by AI-assisted tools, publicly available personal information is used for numerous scams. Removing such online records is essential for victims of stalking to withhold contact details from potential predators.
Personal information is also used for identity theft, credit card fraud, tech support scams, and personalized phishing emails. Cybercriminals can quickly obtain phone numbers and workplace details to impersonate an agent from a bank or a customer support agent. Because social engineering is easier than sophisticated hacking, this type of cybercrime has been on the rise in recent years.
After removing your data from USPhoneBook, you may also experience fewer spam emails and intrusive ads. Marketing agencies buy public profiles to target them with ads, which can make browsing online less comfortable.
Who else is selling your personal information?
Numerous other data brokers alongside USPhoneBook are collecting, storing, and sharing your data. Even if you remove personal information from one, it is still available on different platforms.
Check out more of our data broker opt-out guides if you notice your profile appearing on these platforms.
Visit Whitepages opt out guide
Visit CheckPeople opt out guide
Visit PeopleFinders opt out guide
Visit SearchPeopleFREE opt out guide
Visit BeenVerified opt out guide
Visit FastBackgroundCheck opt out guide
Visit Sagestream opt out guide
That's a lot of data brokers, and this is only the tip of the iceberg! Instead of trying to opt out of all of them manually, I suggest subscribing to Incogni, which works with a growing list of hundreds of data brokers. It will automatically find your data and send removal requests, saving you time.
Conclusion
Most people think nothing of casually sharing an email address or phone number in exchange for a free service or product. However, it is now increasingly evident that careless access to private data poses serious security risks. Identity theft is no laughing matter, and it can result in serious financial losses.
I recommend thinking ahead and taking quick action. After all, there's no need to wait for something bad to happen if you can prevent it. To limit online privacy risks, follow the above steps for data removal from USPhoneBook.
Because there are dozens of data brokers, you can also try Incogni. It scans for personal information on hundreds of data brokers' repositories and automatically sends a removal request upon your demands. Use it regularly to ensure your data does not reappear online in the future. Congratulations on making it this far! By following this guide on removing your personal info from USPhoneBook, you're taking a crucial step in protecting your online privacy.
FAQ
Is the USPhoneBook legal?
Yes, USPhoneBook is a legal service. However, it must abide by laws like the California Consumer Privacy Act. If you notice user privacy violations, you can request that USPhoneBook delete your public profile or contact an attorney. Alternatively, you can use Incogni to automate data removal requests.
How does USPhoneBook get my information?
The USPhoneBook gets your information from public records (birth certificates, marital records, court documents, etc.) and other data repositories (data brokers, public social media platforms, white pages, etc.) This platform does not collect user data directly but obtains it through third parties.
Will USPhoneBook collect my information again after I opt out?
Although there are no guarantees that your profile will not appear on USPhoneBook in the future after opting out, this service is known to follow its data privacy obligations.
How long does it take USPhoneBook to remove my data after submitting a removal request?
USPhoneBook may take up to 72 hours to remove your data from its platform. If you notice your request has not been processed in time, you can submit an inquiry form or call via telephone.
Can I use USPhoneBook to remove someone else's information?
No, you cannot remove someone else's information from USPhoneBook. For privacy and security reasons, USPhoneBook only allows individuals to remove their own data. If you're concerned about someone else's information, you should advise them to submit their own opt-out request.
Does opting out of USPhoneBook affect my credit score or background checks?
No, opting out of USPhoneBook does not affect your credit score or official background checks. USPhoneBook is not a credit reporting agency. Official credit reports and background checks rely on different sources of information that are separate from people-search websites.
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