AnyWho Opt Out: How to Remove Your Info from AnyWho.com

If identity theft and reputational threats are concerns, our AnyWho opt-out guide helps you navigate the AnyWho online removal request form.

In the digital age, the sheer volume of information available on the web is staggering.

Anyone with an internet connection and a few minutes can quickly find detailed personal profiles of nearly any person they meet.

If this sounds concerning, it should be: criminal acts like identity theft are at an all-time high. With just a few clicks of a mouse, a stranger can locate your personal information and steal your identity to commit financial fraud, not to mention ruin your online reputation in the process.

If you want to take control over your personal information, our AnyWho opt-out guide is for you. In our guide, we’ll show you step-by-step instructions for completing the opt-out process for AnyWho and similar people search sites.

What is AnyWho?

AnyWho is billed as a “people search” site and data broker that allows anyone to search for the name of someone they meet online or in person.

The AnyWho website states:

“Are you searching for an old friend? Trying to verify an address? Or maybe you see an unfamiliar phone number in your records? AnyWho provides a free online people search directory where you can find people by their name, address, or you can do a reverse lookup by phone number.”

The AnyWho search tool offers three primary functions:

• Yellow Pages — to locate business information
• People Search — to find details about individuals
• Reverse Phone Lookup — to find out who a phone number belongs to

AnyWho gathers information and republishes it for users, compiling public records and searching over 12 billion of them. The major data broker Intelius now operates AnyWho. In fact, data broker websites form intricate networks; Intelius is part of the PeopleConnect family that includes TruthFinder, InstantCheckmate, and USSearch.

Data mining companies, such as AnyWho or Intelius, provide this information either freely or for a small fee, and AnyWho’s legal practices generally rest on collecting and republishing data within legal boundaries.

What are Data Broker Sites?

Data brokers are companies that collect, share, and manage publicly accessible data. Each data broker offers different tools and functions for its users; some include phone lookup services, while others focus on court records, criminal records, and other legal documents. Publicly available records can include sensitive personal information. Some provide only basic information without a subscription. Other data broker sites will charge a premium for access to information, usually as a monthly or annual subscription.

Information is collected from multiple online and third-party sources, often through public data tools; we’ll cover the three primary sources in a later section.

Each data broker site is regularly updated with new information. As new information is added, cybersecurity concerns follow. If you’ve ever been a victim of online harassment, get a lot of spam mail, or have had your online privacy violated, chances are the perpetrator found information on AnyWho or any number of other data brokers.

What Information is Available on AnyWho, Including Reverse Phone Lookup?

By typing in a person’s name and location, an AnyWho user is presented with detailed search results that may include:

• First and last name
• Current and past phone numbers, mailing address, and other contact details
• Address history
• Names of relatives/ family members
• Age, gender, and marital status
• Email address
• Arrest or criminal history
• Court records
• Social media details
• Financial information such as salary and other information

AnyWho functions like a free people search tool, and some users treat it as a free people resource for basic lookups. AnyWho users are directed to the Intelius page for results, and the Intelius Data Privacy Center is the related portal for controlling or removing data. Intelius charges a small fee for access to the report.

This vital information represents a huge threat to individuals concerned about digital privacy. With this information, your identity can be stolen or spoofed, resulting in reputational damage and illegal online activity, such as tax fraud, financial fraud, or impersonation for monetary gain. These are serious risks.

In the section below, we’ll provide detailed instructions for submitting a removal request with AnyWho. This opt-out request will delete your personal information from the site and help to restore your digital privacy.

Are There Other Data Broker Sites Like AnyWho?

Data brokers number in the thousands. What once started out as a fun and easy way to look up friends or family members has now become a billion-dollar industry. Data brokers have all but replaced traditional business directories, and people search tools like Yellow Pages, White Pages, and the phone book. With reverse phone lookup services, finding out who owns a phone number is fast and efficient.

Other major data brokers include:

• Intelius
• Glad I Know
• Epsilon
• PeopleWhiz
• TruthFinder
• PeopleFinders
• Spokeo
• Instant Checkmate
• ZabaSearch

Not all data brokers are set up as people search sites; other data mining companies may offer corporate information to business owners, help sales teams target specific groups for advertising and marketing, or sell subscriptions to government agencies for tracking individuals in the digital environment.

The AnyWho Opt-Out Process and Suppression Request: Guide to the AnyWho Opt-Out Page

If you’re ready to remove your personal information from AnyWho, our data removal guide provides easy instructions.

1. Visit the PeopleConnect Suppression Center (opt-out website) at: https://suppression.peopleconnect.us/login
2. Enter an accessible email account tied to your online accounts, agree to the Terms of Use, then click “Continue.”
3. You will receive a verification email. Do an email check, then click the link to verify your email and proceed with the opt-out request.
4. On the opt-out form, enter your birth date and click “Continue.”
5. You will be directed to a page where your full legal name is shown. Click “Continue” if this is your legal name. On the next screen, you’ll see identifying details before choosing a record.
6. You will be redirected to a records page where you can select the record that describes you. If multiple records appear, choose the one that matches you most closely. It may take a few minutes for your record to be displayed.
7. Click the exact listing that represents you and follow the instructions.
8. You will need to select a phone number or email address for further verification. Once you do, you will receive a verification code to enter. Then choose the desired behavior that sends a suppression request before you save or continue.
9. Finish up your opt-out request according to the instructions on the verification page.

The process usually takes about 5–10 minutes.

Once you’ve successfully submitted your request, PeopleConnect will process it. Listings are usually publicly removed from the AnyWho database within 3 to 5 business days.

If you prefer to request removal via mail, you may send a removal request form to:

Intelius Attn: Privacy 501 W. Broadway Street, Suite 800 San Diego, CA 92101

You can also submit opt-outs through the portal or send a request via email to [email protected] or [email protected].

How Did AnyWho Get My Personal Information?

AnyWho gathers information from three primary sources:

1. Public Records

If you’ve ever applied for a business license, marriage license, driver’s license, or dealt with a government agency in any way, your records have been collected and shared. These are referred to as public records; most government agencies are required by law to make them available to anyone, and this public information is often accessible online through search websites. In many cases, criminal and court records may be visible to anyone who chooses to look, even after a listing is removed because the same information may reappear across multiple databases.

2. Other Data Broker Sites

As mentioned earlier, data brokers form intricate webs and typically share information with each other. They may share this information freely or sell it to other data brokers.

3. Third-Party Information Sources

Data brokers have access to nearly every online directory and information source, including social media profiles, personal and professional websites, user forums, chatrooms, and other details pulled from online accounts and similar profiles. Each of these sources may provide the details the data broker needs to create a complete record on an individual. Some of that information also comes from third-party sources made available through view public data tools. Browser-based settings can also signal a preference against data sharing.

How to Protect Your Personal Information from Sites Like AnyWho

When you’ve chosen to opt out of AnyWho and data broker sites like it, you’ve taken a huge step toward protecting your digital privacy by helping remove information from data broker sites and improve your security.

Here are additional privacy tips:

• Think about the information you’re sharing on social media. Family names, pet names, and other personal details probably shouldn’t be posted on your Facebook or Twitter accounts.
• Use a Virtual Private Network (VPN) to protect your information.
• If you share a computer with someone else, use private or incognito mode; these browser privacy controls can enhance security but do not replace browser opt-outs.
• Create strong passwords and change your passwords periodically.
• Use antivirus and anti-spam software to protect your computer’s data.
• Stop giving out your contact details at retailers. Retailers often sell this information to data brokers.
• Opt out of any data brokers that collect your personal information, and use a disposable email for requests to improve privacy. This is an ongoing process, as your details may appear on new sites, and opting out does not guarantee permanent removal from every database because data can repopulate.

Congratulations! You’ve just protected your privacy and made it harder for cybercriminals to steal your identity.

Contact OnlineReputation to Learn More About The Data Brokers Opt-Out Process

OnlineReputation is a leader in the online reputation management services industry. Our insightful guides explore how to take control of your personal data online.

Web search results can make or break your online reputation as well as put you at risk for identity theft or criminal acts. With our step-by-step opt-out guides, you can protect your digital privacy and protect the reputation that means so much in the digital environment.

To learn more about online reputation services, including powerful content removal and content suppression solutions, contact our team today at 844-230-3803 for a free reputation analysis.