How to opt out of Whitepages

Whitepages is the largest US online directory provider and a popular data broker, with over 200 million user records. It collects and shares personal information like name, address, and phone number for free with everyone, posing severe online privacy issues.

Luckily, there are at least two ways to file a Whitepages suppression request to remove your data. Firstly, you can use the official Whitepages opt-out support form. You may have to repeat the manual Whitepages removal request to prevent data from reappearing on the platform.

You can also remove yourself from data brokers like Whitepages using an automatic data-removal tool, such as Incogni. It will scan its database and regularly ask the data brokers with your details to remove the information so that it does not end up in the wrong hands. In this article, I'll explain how to opt out of Whitepages and data brokers like it to protect your personal information using both methods.

How to opt out from Whitepages with data removal tool

1. Pick a reliable data-removal service. I recommend Incogni.
2. Subscribe and create an account.
3. Input the required details like phone number, address, etc.
4. Allow Incogni to act on your behalf and send opt-outs to data brokers.
5. Incogni will automatically contact all applicable data brokers to remove your data.

What is Whitepages?

Whitepages is one of the most popular people search platforms in the US. It collects information from publicly available sources, like social media profiles, government records like birth certificates and court documents, and directory listings. Although gathering and selling this information is legal, there are online privacy risks to be aware of.

You can expect to see such personal details exposed on Whitepages:

• Name and surname
• Phone number
• Current and past addresses
• Date of birth
• Age
• Marital status
• Education
• Current workplace and occupation

The data broker lets users access its people search engine for free, which means anybody can look up these details. Marketing agencies use it for targeted advertising and government entities as public records, but there are also malicious actors with ill intent.

Cybercriminals rely on every bit of personal information for scams. They send fake emails enriched with personal details from Whitepages to make them look more convincing. This data can also be used for identity theft, phishing, scam-calling, extortion, harassment, and stalking.

But where to find the Whitepages opt-out form? How exactly do I remove my information from Whitepages? Continue reading for step-by-step instructions.

How to opt out from Whitepages

The best way to opt out of data brokers like Whitepages is to trust the removal requests to a professional service. Apps like Incogni or DeleteMe will contact data brokers on your behalf, saving you the time and effort of doing it yourself. This is a faster and more reliable method, but it also requires a paid subscription.

Alternatively, you can fill Whitepages opt-out form manually. It doesn't cost anything, but you will need to repeat it every few months to prevent your data from reappearing. Since there are hundreds of other data brokers out there, this method is also just the start of the process of reclaiming your data.

Automatically (step-by-step with screenshots)

There are no guarantees data brokers will not recollect your data in the future. Even after multiple successful Whitepages removal forms, you may still have some of your information there. Unless you're a paying Whitepages user, you only see your data on its public record. The paid dataset may include even more private details.

I recommend a service like Incogni that specializes in removing information from data brokers. It regularly scans its database and sends data brokers like Whitepages a suppression request whenever it detects your personal information. It targets many other data brokers, like CheckPeople and Truthfinder. Here's how it works:

1. Choose a trustworthy data removal service. I use Incogni.
2. Choose a plan, subscribe to it, and complete the purchase.
3. Create and Log in to your profile with your account credentials.
4. Verify your record(s) to demonstrate which ones are you.
5. Allow Incogni to act on your behalf with a limited Power of Attorney. Provide your signature by typing or signing.
6. Incogni will start the automated process of contacting all data brokers like Whitepages that have your personal details to remove your personal information.

Although the removal time frame depends on the data broker, once a given data broker acknowledges the request, Incogni will change to Completed status. This usually happens within a few days.

Manually (step-by-step with screenshots)

If you don't want to pay for a data-removal app or want to have more control over the whole process, you can use the manual Whitepages removal method. Remember that the data broker can resubmit your data in the future, and without a dedicated app, you have to contact all brokers one by one. Here's where to begin:

1. Go to official Whitepages websites and search for your name and surname
2. Scroll down until you see all records with your name and surname with a View Details button to the right.
3. Find your record and click View Details, then copy the profile URL
4. Now, go to the Whitepages Suppression Requests section
5. Copy your profile URL and click Next
6. Confirm it is indeed your profile and click the Remove Me button
7. In the next window, select the reason why you are opting out and leave a comment
8. Input your phone number to get a code and click Call now to verify
9. You will receive a call from the Whitepages automated system. Input the code to remove your data

Alternative Whitepages opt-out methods

Getting Whitepages to remove your information can be quite challenging. Because collecting and sharing public information is legal, data brokers can simply add it again in the future. Alternatively, you can use the Privacy Request email if the Whitepages opt-out form lets some details slip through.

If you notice repeated privacy violations, I recommend going through the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in Europe or the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) in the US. These documents outline data gathering and protection laws on both continents, and you may find details crucial to your case.

Lastly, consider limiting the information you share online. Data removal tools like Incogni are efficient in the very end to opt out of Whitepages and similar platforms. However, you should also consider a reliable VPN to prevent online surveillance and data mining, which will limit information availability for data brokers.

Try Incogni

Reasons to remove information from Whitepages

The FBI Internet Crime Report 2023 reveals a concerning increase in cybercrime of nearly 10% or a roughly $12.5 billion increase in cybercrime losses compared to the prior year. Investment fraud, tech support scams, and business email hacks are among the most popular cybercrime methods.

All of these methods utilize publicly available personal data to make scams more convincing. For example, a phishing email can include your actual phone number, address, and workplace obtained from the Whitepages. With AI assistance, cybercriminals can forge persuasive scam letters, increasing the chances of getting hacked.

By submitting a Whitepages suppression request, you will limit data availability for the following cybercrime methods:

• Identity theft
• Credit card fraud
• Impersonation
• Social engineering
• Phishing (email, text, call)
• Stalking
• Doxing
• Extortion

Personal information is used in numerous cyber attacks, so removing your private information from data brokers is a solid step toward securing your digital identity.

Conclusion

Cybercrime is one of those troubles that always happens to somebody else. In reality, the abundance of private information online and AI language models significantly expanded hacking capabilities. You may get a compelling phishing email filled with legitimate information, which can result in financial losses. Restricting access to your personal information reduces the risk of becoming a victim.

Removing information that cybercriminals could use to trick you is a very important first step toward improved online safety. Incogni scans the web for your personal information, then identifies and highlights the data brokers that hold your data and takes care of the rest automatically and as often as necessary. Since it sends Suppression Requests to hundreds of data brokers like Whitepages and repeats the process automatically as often as necessary, it’s the best way to remove your personal details from the web.

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