Hidden Dangers of People Search Websites: How to Safeguard Your Data

In today’s digital age, our personal information is more readily available than ever. Most of us take actions every day that create a digital footprint, whether that is using social media, logging into apps and websites, or even just having a credit card or cell phone plan. 

Even though many people may not be aware of it, most of us can be found on people search websites. These sites provide access to public records and other sources of personal data. 

People search websites may be helpful in some situations, but are they worth the risk? 

What are people search websites used for? 

People search websites are a bit like phone books. Huge phone books with way more information that anyone can access from anywhere in the world. 

These sites may have their benefits, just like the phone book used to, but they also pose a significant threat to our privacy. In the days of the phone book, you could reasonably assume that the only people who could access your information were those who had a physical copy of the phonebook, likely the people in your community. 

Additionally, there was limited information that they could learn. It was also relatively easy to opt out of inclusion in the white pages. 

What information do people search websites provide? 

The information contained in people search websites can vary but may include:

1. Basic contact information such as phone numbers, email addresses, and physical addresses
2. Public records include birth certificates, marriage licenses, divorce decrees, and criminal records
3. Employment history, education background, and professional licenses
4. Social media profiles and activity, including posts, comments, and likes
5. Property ownership records, including the estimated value of the property and any liens or mortgages
6. Automobiles, including VINs
7. Family members and associates, including names, ages, and relationships

You might not have realized how much information is available to complete strangers thanks to public records. 

Some of the most popular websites of this variety are: 

• BeenVerified
• Spokeo
• TruthFinder
• Fast People Search
• Anywho
• True People Search

This list changes over time, so don’t be surprised if you see a new site pop up that uses this same model. 

Who uses people search websites? 

Who could possibly need all of this information about you? There are endless reasons why someone might want to access public information. 

• Real estate agents/investors – Have you ever had someone call you and ask about buying your house?
• Debt collectors – If you have unpaid debt, collections agencies often use these sites to get your number or the numbers of your relatives to get in touch with you. 
• Identity thieves – ID theft is made easier than ever. With a simple search, thieves can find information often used in login verification, such as home addresses, school mascot names, and other highly personal information. 
• Potential employers – Using these sites is one way that potential employers learn more about job candidates like you. 
• Nosy strangers – Curious people can find out all kinds of things about you by using these sites. 
• Stalkers – Finding home addresses based on name, city, and state is easier than ever. All a stalker has to do is grab the city and state from your social profiles and run an address search to find your direct address. They can even overlay this with Zillow data to understand the layout of your home. 

Understanding the risks of people search sites 

Having your information available on people search sites is risky because you can’t control who has access to your personal info. Even though these sites acquire info and stats that are publicly available, most of us don’t like the idea of strangers being able to snoop through so much information about our lives. 

The risks for how this information can be misused are plentiful! 

• Invasion of privacy: Personal info can be accessible to anyone, which can lead to unwanted contact or even stalking
• Identity theft: Aggregated personal data can be exploited by criminals, especially if people use information like birthdays, addresses, and relatives’ names in their identity verification. 
• Doxxing: Malicious actors can use these sites to collect and publish identifying information to attack individuals online. 
• Inaccurate information: Outdated or incorrect information could lead to false judgments or decisions about you, or lead to reputation damage. 
• Discrimination: Employers, landlords, and other people in positions of power can use these sites for unofficial background checks, which may lead to unfair treatment based on undisclosed or protected aspects of your identity. 
• Emotional distress: Discovering all of this personal information about yourself that is available to the public can cause anxiety and stress.

How do these sites work? 

These sites may be free for users, but they make a lot of money for their stakeholders. How do they do it? 

They use public information sources. This includes: 

• Public records databases (court records, property deeds, marriage licenses, voter registrations, etc) 
• Online databases (purchased from commercial vendors)
• Social media platforms (public accounts on Facebook, LinkedIn, X, etc.)
• Web crawling (automated programs that scan websites for information)
• Data brokers (companies who collect and sell personal information)
• User-submitted information 

Then, they profit from their site. Their profit can come from several different business strategies. 

• Freemium Model: The site will offer basic information for free to anyone, but charge people who want to get a detailed report with more information 
• Subscription Services: Some sites will provide unlimited searches for a recurring fee.
• One-Time Reports: They can charge for comprehensive background checks or detailed reports.
• Data Selling: Some companies sell aggregated data to marketers or other businesses.
• Advertising: By displaying ads on their platform that are often targeted based on user searches, they can get advertising revenue. 
• API Services: Sites will provide data access to other businesses for integration into their own products.
• Upselling: They often encourage users to purchase more comprehensive reports or additional services.
• Partnerships: It’s easy for people search sites to collaborate with background check companies, recruiters, or other businesses that need access to personal information.

The core business strategy for people search sites revolves around aggregating publicly available data into a convenient, searchable format. They capitalize on people’s curiosity, need for background checks, and desire to reconnect with others. 

However, this business model often raises privacy concerns and ethical questions about the widespread availability of personal information.

Are people search sites legal? 

All of the major people search sites are perfectly legal–even though many people are uncomfortable with the information they provide. 

Unfortunately, the US is known for having lax privacy laws for residents. 

Although this may change in the future, there are not currently any federal laws that require people search sites to let you opt out of being included in their databases. However, most, if not all, sites do offer that option. It’s not necessarily easy to do so, though.

How to remove your information from people search websites

Check out our guide to removing your personal information from the internet! 

There are options for those concerned about their personal information being exposed on people search websites. If you have time, you can individually visit each website and review the verification process of removing your information from each site. Currently, there are 80+ websites, so this will take some time. 

A great resource for this is Privacyrights.org or DataSeal.com, both of which provide free opt-out guides. In addition, DataSeal also provides an automated removal solution as a paid service. 

Additional Resources

If you would rather have the opt-out process automated on your behalf, some companies specialize in handling this for you. Here are a few notable companies in this space: 

• Dataseal: Covers over 80 websites and has fully automated their removal process leading to a high honorability rate amongst data brokers. 
• Incogni: Save hundreds of hours with their automated personal information removal system.
• DeleteMe: This site is one of the older companies in the removal industry. They also are one of the more expensive options charging annually without a monthly option. 

Use our data scan tool to find out more

WhatIsMyIPAddress.com offers a free scan so that you can find out if your information has been included in online people search sites. Chances are, something will show up! You can’t start taking down your information unless you know what is posted, and where. This tool will help you see just how much of your personal information is available to strangers online. 

Check out our free Personal Data Scan.