DeleteMe
ZDNET’s key takeaways
- Pros: Removes personal info from data brokers, ongoing monitoring, easy setup
- Cons: Some features locked behind higher tiers, can’t clean certain data
on Google.
Whether you realize it or not, your personal information is likely somewhere online. Massive data breaches over the years have poured millions of records onto the wider internet. It’s also no secret that some companies collect user data and sell it to data brokerage sites. If you’re like me and don’t want these third parties having your information, you may want to invest in a data removal service.
Very recently, I had the opportunity to test such a service called DeleteMe
The process
After signing up for DeleteMe, you’ll be asked to create a Data Sheet, which the service’s privacy experts utilize to locate your info online. You’ll be asked to provide details like your full name, phone numbers, current address and past addresses. The company will also ask you to upload a photo of a government-issued ID. This step is optional, although DeleteMe notes that some data brokers require proof of identity before removing records.
Once you submit your information, the service begins searching the internet for matches. You may receive opt-out emails from data brokerage sites. At that point, you’ll need to confirm the removal request.
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When done, DeleteMe experts will send you a privacy report detailing what they found. The first report arrives about a week after the initial request, and the company provides additional reports every three months or so.
I submitted my information on March 13 and received my records five days later on March 18. It revealed that DeleteMe reviewed 371 listings and took down 44 of them; many were still in process. Removal requests have differing timelines. Some may take two weeks; others, just two days. The report even reveals which data broker had the most information on you (for me, it was PeopleFinders).
To give you an idea of what to expect, below is a screenshot of a page from my actual report. You’ll see that all my info from AmericaPhoneBook was removed; meanwhile, the service is still working to clear out my name, age, address, and past address from Whitepages at the time of this writing
The most basic option is the 1 Person plan. It covers a single person for an entire year for $129 annually. There is a 2 People plan for couples at $229 a year, and a Family plan for four individuals at $329 a year. You can also choose two-year periods, if you prefer. It’ll save you some cash in the long term. Each plan provides the same services: data removal, quarterly reports, a personal expert, and masking tools, among others.
I highly appreciate DeleteMe removing me from so many data brokers. Hopefully, it stops the spam and weird phone calls from reaching me forever. If you’re looking for a fast way to clean up your data, I recommend it.