Scammers and other cybercriminals thrive on exploiting your personal information. By leveraging data gather from both public and private resources, they add weight to their threats, using details like your home address or associated email accounts to intimidate or manipulate. This data serves as a powerful weapon in their arsenal, which is why it is so crucial that you take proactive steps to remove your information from the internet.
Where Can Your Data Be Accessed By Scammers?
When it comes to scammers, not every data point they use is obtained illegally, some of the information they use is obtained completely legally and is readily available to anyone who knows where to look.
Data Broker Sites.
Data broker sites are online platforms that collect, aggregate, and sell personal information for thousands if not millions of individuals. These sites often pull data from public records, social media profiles, and other online sources. Information found here can include your name, address, phone number, and even details about your relatives. Scammers frequently purchase or scrape this information to target victims with convincing and personalized threats.
Some of the most popular data broker’s include:
- White Pages (https://www.whitepages.com/)
- Spokeo (https://www.spokeo.com/)
- Intelius (https://www.intelius.com/)
Data Breaches
Another common source cybercriminals use is leaked personal information obtained through data breaches. When companies or organizations experience security failures, sensitive data such as email addresses, passwords, and financial information can end up on the dark web or public forums. Cybercriminals exploit this information to craft their scams using your data to get what they really want… Your Money! This can include anything from accessing your accounts using passwords that were on other accounts to impersonating you.
How Do You Get Your Data Removed From The Internet?
This is a complicated scenario as when a criminal gains access to your data, it is very hard to erase it. However, by taking certain steps you can help to maintain your security and prevent potential issues.
Opt-Out
Many data broker sites are required by law to offer opt-out options for individuals who wish to have their information removed. While this process can be time-consuming, it typically involves:
- Identifying the broker sites where you data is listed.
- Submitting a request for removal through the site’s opt-out form
- Verifying your identity, this could involve submitting some form of government-issued ID. If this is a requirement please do so carefully.
Unfortunately, this step is not a permanent fix and based on updates in public records, your data could appear on this site again. You’ll want to revisit these sites periodically to ensure your data remains inaccessible.
Third-Party Services
If manually opting out feels overwhelming, third-party services can simplify the process. these companies specialize in identifying where your data is exposed and submitting removal request on your behalf. While they come at a cost, they save time and provide ongoing monitoring to ensure your data remains private.
Below is a list of the three most popular:
- DeleteMe (joinDeleteMe.com): Removes your data from numerous broker sites and provides ongoing monitoring.
- OneRep (OneRep.com): Offers automated removal from data brokers.
- Privacy Bee (PrivacyBee.com): Focuses on protecting consumer data from leaks and sales.
Personal Data Removal Practices
Below are some steps to ensure a data-breach doesn’t endanger your online safety.
- Use Privacy Settings: Regularly update your social media privacy settings to limit the public access to your profiles
- Change Your Passwords Frequently: Using the same password for all of your accounts for long periods of time can lead to issues in the case of data breaches. If changing your passwords frequently is seems daunting, we recommend leveraging a program like Keeper of LastPass which will randomize your passwords.
- Limit The Information You Share: It’s always wise to be cautious when sharing your personal details on social media or dating apps. Even if you trust the platform, you shouldn’t trust all of the users.
- M0nitor Your Digital Footprint: Regularly search for your name and other personal detail online to identify where your information is visible.
Removing Your Data From The Internet Is A Great Way To Keep Yourself Safe From Internet Scams
By taking the appropriate steps to remove your data from the internet, you make it significantly harder for scammers to target you. While it’s impossible to erase every trace of your information, reducing its availability can lower your risk of being exploited by online blackmailers and fraudsters.
Working With Digital Investigations
If you’re concerned about your data being used against you or suspect you’ve been targeted by scammers, Digital Investigations can help. Our team members specialize in:
- Threat identification and response.
- Location of your records, even in the cases of the dark web.
- Strategies to prevent future data exposure.
If you want help taking control of your online presence and protecting your personal life from online scams or cyber-blackmail, contact Digital Investigations today. Our mission is to help you safeguard your personal information and regain peace of mind.
RESOURCES:
- Ponemon Institute Reports (https://www2.dtexsystems.com/2023ponemonreport): Research on data breaches and their implications.
- Identity Theft Resource Center (idtheftcenter.org): Annual reports on data breaches and identity theft trends.
DISCLAIMER: THIS POST IS FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY AND IS NOT TO BE CONSIDERED LEGAL ADVICE ON ANY SUBJECT MATTER. DIGITAL INVESTIGATIONS CORP. IS NOT A LAWFIRM AND DOES NOT PROVIDE LEGAL ADVICE OR SERVICES. By viewing posts, the reader understands there is no attorney-client relationship, the post should not be used as a substitute for legal advice from a licensed professional attorney, and readers are urged to consult their own legal counsel on any specific legal questions concerning a specific situation.
