What information do I need to provide for the opt-out request?

To opt out of PrivateEye, you will need to provide the following information: First and last name City and state Phone number Email address You must also complete a CAPTCHA to verify that you are a human. Please note that your opt-out request may take up to 10 business days to be processed. Once you have opted out of PrivateEye, you will no longer receive the company's pre-approved credit and insurance offers. However, you may still receive offers from other companies you already do business with, such as your bank or credit card company.

Is my information removed permanently after the opt-out?

PrivateEye says it will permanently remove your information from its database within 10 business days of receiving your opt-out request. However, it is essential to note that PrivateEye may retain some of your information for legal or regulatory purposes. Additionally, PrivateEye may obtain your information again in the future from other sources. If this happens, you will need to opt out of PrivateEye again. To ensure that your information is removed permanently from the internet, you may need to contact other data brokers and opt out of their databases. This may be a hassle, so we recommend dedicated data removal services such as Incogni.

How to Opt Out of PrivateEye: Secure Your Information

Data brokers like PrivateEye gather and sell a wide range of personal data, including your name, address, phone number, birth date, educational and employment background, property records, financial information, and even police records.

Although their actions are legal, it doesn’t mean you have to tolerate them. In this guide, we’ll walk you through opting out of PrivateEye so you can take back control.

What is PrivateEye?

PrivateEye, a subsidiary of PeopleFinders, is a data broker that provides people search, address lookup, and reverse phone lookup services.

PrivateEye offers details like your age, current and past locations, partially redacted email addresses and phone numbers, and information about relatives and associates. If you click on "view details," it redirects you to PeopleFinders.

Why should I opt out of PrivateEye?

Understanding how services like PrivateEye utilize your data is crucial. These "people-search” sites, including PrivateEye, profit by selling your data to anyone interested.

There are several compelling reasons for opting out of PrivateEye, including:

Eliminating incorrect or potentially harmful data that might adversely affect your job prospects, employment status, or credit.
Individuals with harmful intentions, such as stalkers or harassers, can exploit the information provided by PrivateEye. PrivateEye's detailed maps of residence locations and contact information for neighbors can enable unwanted tracking.

If you reside in the US, we strongly advise opting out of PrivateEye and similar people-search sites to regain control over your personal information and protect yourself from identity theft and privacy breaches.

How to opt out of PrivateEye

To opt out of PrivateEye, follow these steps:

Go to the PrivateEye FAQ Help page at https://www.privateeye.com/static/view/optout/.
Fill in and submit the opt-out form.
Complete the CAPTCHA.
Click the opt-out button.

Your data may not vanish from PrivateEye's database right away. Check their website or do occasional searches to ensure it's gone.

How to remove yourself from other people-search sites

PrivateEye is just one of many sites that gather and sell your information. Some others include:

PeopleFinders
Pipl
Truthfinder
USSearch
Instant Checkmate
ZabaSearch
BeenVerified
Spokeo

Managing multiple sites can be a time-consuming task. To streamline the process of removing your data from sites like PrivateEye, you should explore dedicated data removal services.

These services usually involve a monthly subscription fee and ensure the permanent removal of your information from numerous people-search sites and major data brokers.

The best service to opt out of people-search sites

Now, let’s consider our top recommendation in more detail.

1. Incogni
Editor's Choice | December 2024

Incogni takes on the challenging task of contacting data brokers to erase your data and manages the process on your behalf. It's an easy-to-use and budget-friendly service.

Pricing
- 1 month: $12.99/mth
- 12 months: $6.49/mth
  50% OFF
Pros
- Affordable price
- No long-term contract
- Easy-to-use service
- Owned by Surfshark, a trustworthy company
- Works with data brokers in the US, Canada, EU, and UK
Cons
- Not available in all countries

Incogni, a division of Surfshark VPN, provides an affordable service with transparent tracking. Their online dashboard lets you monitor the number of removal requests initiated, completed, and in progress.

Incogni uses an algorithm to pinpoint data brokers with your information. They reach out to various broker types, including those dealing with people search, risk assessment, financial, hiring, marketing, and health data.

What distinguishes Incogni is its availability in several countries, including the UK, EU, Switzerland, and Canada. The legal timeframes for data removal differ by location, like the GDPR's 30-day requirement in the EU and CCPA's 45-day guideline in California.

Pricing options comprise a $5.79 per month rate for annual subscriptions and a slightly higher $11.49 monthly for month-to-month plans. Once registered, you simply furnish Incogni with the data to remove, grant the necessary permissions, and await their action.

How to opt out of PrivateEye – FAQs

How does PrivateEye get my phone number?

PrivateEye can obtain your phone number in several ways, including:

Public records. Phone directories, property records, and court records, to obtain phone numbers.
People search sites. Whitepages and PeopleFinders.
Social media profiles.

PrivateEye may also obtain your phone number from other sources, such as data brokers and third-party websites.

Once PrivateEye has your phone number, they can contact you with pre-approved credit and insurance offers. They may also sell your phone number to other companies.

You can opt out of their database if you do not want PrivateEye to have your phone number. You can visit the PrivateEye website and complete the Opt-Out Election Form to do this. You can also opt-out by mail or by phone.

Once you have opted out of PrivateEye, they will no longer use your phone number to contact you with pre-approved credit and insurance offers. However, they may retain your phone number for legal or regulatory purposes.

How often should I check to ensure my data is no longer on PrivateEye?

There is no one-size-fits-all answer to this question, as the frequency with which you should check to ensure your data is no longer on PrivateEye will depend on several factors, including how often you use PrivateEye's services and how concerned you are about your privacy.

If you use PrivateEye's services, regularly checking your data is a good idea to ensure it is still accurate and up-to-date. You should also check your data more frequently if you are concerned about your privacy or have reason to believe your data may have been compromised.

Here are some tips for checking your data on PrivateEye:

Log in to your PrivateEye account and review your profile information.
Check your credit report for any inaccurate information.
Monitor your online activity for any suspicious activity.
If you see any inaccurate information on your PrivateEye profile or credit report, contact PrivateEye to dispute it.