Personal Security

I recently found out about this at work; on a pretty regular basis we get emails about how important it is for us to maintain our personal security and privacy.  This, however, is something that doesn't just affect government workers, so I think it's important that I pass it on to as many people as I can.

Spokeo is basically a search engine for people.  You can type in anyone's name, email address or phone number, and get an extensive list of some very personal information.  I looked up my own name and the search results included the name of my old apartment complex, the city I live in, my zip code, and specific information about my family.  None of this was information that I gave them, and that terrifies me.

I did find out in their "help" section that you can remove your profile from search results.  I think it's extremely important that everyone does this.

How do I remove my information from Spokeo’s search results?

While our search results show only publicly-accessible information gathered from hundreds of public sources, such as phone books, marketing surveys, business sites and more, we understand that you are concerned about the information shown our search results, and allow all users to opt out. You can do so by clicking on the Privacy link located at the bottom of the page which will take you here: http://www.spokeo.com/privacy

Removing Search Results

1. Locate the search result you want removed. For name search results, click on the listing you want removed.
2. Copy the URL from your browser’s address bar.
3. Go to http://www.spokeo.com/privacy
4. Paste the URL.
5. Provide your email address (required to complete the verification process).
6. Type in the Captcha Code exactly as you see it.
7. Check your Inbox for the confirmation email, and click on the link to complete removal process.

If you are encountering difficulties, please ensure that you read all of the instructions. Make sure the URL, Captcha Code and email address verification are correctly entered. Please check your SPAM folder for a message titled Spokeo Directory Removal Confirmation, in case it does not appear in your inbox.