To remove Spokeo information, complete the Spokeo opt-out process by finding your listing, submitting the opt-out form with your listing URL and email, and confirming the request through the email Spokeo sends you.
Aaccess to information is just a few keystrokes away. With a computer and a few minutes, nearly anyone can find personal details about you and your family members, which can increase the risk of identity theft, fraud, and other privacy problems.
If your personal data is showing up on people search sites, this guide explains what Spokeo is, why it has your information, which details may appear in its search results, and the exact steps to remove your personal information from the site. You’ll also learn how to better protect yourself from similar data broker sites and when professional help may make sense for broader online privacy and reputation concerns.
Are you ready to remove Spokeo information about yourself? Let’s dive right into this Spokeo opt-out guide!
If you’re in immediate need of having your information removed from Spokeo and other people search sites, call us today at 941-259-4554.
What Is Spokeo?
Spokeo is one of the more popular people search sites on the web, also considered a people finder site. It helps you look up information about an individual, whether you’re hoping to connect with them or you want to learn more about someone you’re dealing with.
Spokeo is a data broker, which is a third-party entity that uses automated tools to scrape data from publicly available sources, repackaging the data for users to find. Every data broker site is different, yet most pull personal information from the same sources.
Spokeo organizes over 12 billion records and processes over half a million searches a day. The site — and many other sites like it — are used to conduct informal background checks, prevent fraud, or find old friends.
What Personal Information Appears in Spokeo Search Results?
After using Spokeo to conduct a search, a surprisingly large number of details are revealed. Private data and personal info in Spokeo results may include:
- Current phone number
- Current and past addresses
- Names of possible family members
- Court records
- Profiles on social media accounts
- Household demographics (wealth, marital status, etc.)
- Vital info and historical records
- Employment history
- Property records
Some of the information is hidden from view — for example, you may encounter a masked email in the Spokeo listing. In these cases, Spokeo may redirect users to other data brokers for complete records. Such data brokers often charge access fees for a complete listing.
Do you want strangers to be able to look up your personal information online, such as your phone number or past addresses? If not, call us today at 941-259-4554 or continue following our guide for up-to-date information on removing Spokeo information.
Is Spokeo Legit?
Spokeo is a legitimate data broker website, and many people use it for legitimate reasons. A data broker like Spokeo can help you locate the details you need.
For example, some people are searching for a long-lost family member. Others may want to learn more about a person they’re considering hiring to work for their company or an individual they recently connected with on a dating site.
Spokeo is not without its flaws, however. Since the data broker site draws information from public sources, the data collected isn’t always complete, accurate, or up to date.
In other words, Spokeo’s search listings may include false information, outdated private details, or partial details that could be misleading when taken out of context. Additionally, Spokeo offers a potential pathway for criminals to access your information online.
If you want to protect your personal data and value your online privacy, it’s important to opt out of Spokeo and request the removal of your information. Our data removal experts can help — contact us for a free consultation.
Why Does Spokeo Have My Personal Information Online?
Data broker sites like Spokeo use automated web crawlers to locate personal information online and republish it on their sites. This information comes from three primary sources:
Public Records
Any time you conduct business with a government agency, records are collected. Most local, state, and federal agencies are required to share that information with the public, hence the name “public records.”
Public records can include copies of your marriage license, court records, arrest reports, or myriad other options. If you’ve worked with the government, chances are your records are available through public-facing websites or databases.
Data Brokers
As introduced in a previous section, data brokers are companies that do business by collecting public data and republishing it for consumer use. As new listings appear constantly, data brokers or data aggregators continually scour the web for new information. Different public records can create multiple listings for the same person on Spokeo. Each listing may require its own opt-out request. You may be surprised to see your new address or phone number listed on a data broker site like Spokeo.
Additional Third-Party Sources
Data brokers use a variety of third-party internet sources to collect information. These sources include:
- Social media profiles
- Phone directories
- Personal and professional websites
- Industry resources
- News outlets
Your personal data is out there; protecting your digital privacy is paramount. When you remove yourself from Spokeo and similar data brokers, you’re taking the first steps toward personal privacy.
How to Complete the Spokeo Opt-Out Process
Submitting a Spokeo opt out request is relatively simple. Finding the opt out page and submitting a removal request only takes a few minutes and requires a small amount of information to complete, though the manual process can still be simplified significantly with automated removal services. Some automated services handle removal requests across hundreds of brokers. For example, Incogni submitted 129 removal requests in one week.
1. Find Your Listing on Spokeo
From the homepage, use the search bar to find your entire listing on Spokeo. You can search by name, email, phone number or physical address.
Searching by name is the best option. When we searched by email address, we couldn’t see any listings without paying.
After searching for your listing by name, click the See Results button to the left of the result you want to remove.
Either keep the Spokeo profile page open or copy the profile URL from the browser’s address bar and paste it into a text document — you’ll need it in a minute. To remove your data, you must submit the specific listing URL, not just your own name.
2. Navigate to the Spokeo Opt-Out Page
From the Spokeo homepage, click “Privacy” at the bottom of the screen.
Scroll down until you see the Removing Your Listing From Spokeo section. Click the “Opt Out” link.
Alternatively, you can go directly to this link.
3. Complete the Spokeo Opt-Out Form
Scroll down until you see the Opt Out Your Listing from Spokeo section. Enter the URL from the results page you just found, and then enter your email address. Click the “I’m not a robot” box, then click the “Opt Out” button.
4. Check Your Email for a Confirmation Link
You should immediately get an email with a verification link. To complete the removal process, you have to click that link.
Once you click the verification link, you’ll be brought back to the opt-out request page. It may open in a new tab and return you to the website so you can continue. Scroll down, and you should see green writing that confirms the request was submitted.
If you still don’t see your listing on the site after 24 to 72 hours, you can contact a customer service rep for help.
How To Protect Yourself From Sites Like Spokeo
If you’ve searched for yourself or a loved one on Spokeo, you may be alarmed at the amount of personal details in your listing. Do you really want your contact info and other personal data available online for anyone to see? If not, here are some helpful tips that will strengthen your digital privacy:
- Limit what you share on your Facebook profile page or any other social media profiles you use. Criminals can collect a lot of details about you from your social activity.
- Opt out of every data broker site you can find, including Whitepages, BeenVerified, and PeopleFinder. Over time, your personal data will disappear from web searches. The removal process is similar for each data site you visit.
- Check your privacy settings on all of your online accounts.
- Use a VPN (Virtual Private Network) or the incognito settings on your web browser to prevent your location history from being detected.
- Stop sharing your email address and phone number with retailers. These retailers often sell your personal data to other sites.
- Consider using encryption to protect your personal data from theft or loss. Encryption software is readily available.
Information from Spokeo may reappear every three to six months as new public records are added, so periodically check Spokeo if you want to make sure your data stays removed.
Some services offer ongoing protection; for example, DuckDuckGo checks for data removal every 10 days.
Protecting your personal privacy online requires a diligent approach and continual monitoring. When you take these steps, you reduce the chances of becoming the victim of an identity crime or financial fraud. You also protect yourself and your loved ones from online stalkers.
InternetReputation Can Remove Spokeo Information
Limiting the impact and visibility of personal info on the web is key to protecting yourself and your family. And because the web is so unpredictable, managing your reputation can be an effective way to keep that info under wraps and out of sight.
Unfortunately, opting out of Spokeo and other people search sites can be a time-consuming and frustrating process. It’s also a manual process you may need to repeat to remove your data from other data broker sites. We can help.
Our customized online reputation management (ORM) campaigns utilize the latest in SEO and digital technology to give you control over your online presence. We work tirelessly to provide you ownership of your online presence while helping create ongoing protection across other data broker sites, where brokers make money from personal details that appear in search results. Automated services can also submit removal requests and help ensure data stays removed over time.
With the right plan for managing your online reputation, you can defend your online privacy from sites like Spokeo and write your own digital narrative, building the image you want to share with the world.
To remove Spokeo information and protect your digital presence, call InternetReputation today at 941-259-4554 or contact us online.