It’s no secret that cybercriminals use personal information to commit scams, bank fraud and identity theft. But did you know that much of the information they need is easily available on people search sites? You might be surprised to learn that these companies collect and sell your personal data, from contact details to information about your family, often without your knowledge.
Additionally, this data may become even more vulnerable to breaches simply by being stored on these sites. For example, I recently discussed a shocking incident where: 2.7 billion records stolen The information was obtained from a background check site called National Public Data and shared for free on a cybercrime forum.
With your personal information floating around in the databases of people search sites and data brokers, your risk of falling victim to a scam increases significantly. But don’t worry, we’ll explain in detail how scams happen and, more importantly, what you can do to protect yourself and stop them from happening to you.
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Illustration of a cybercriminal at work (Kurt “Cyberguy” Knutson)
Cybercriminals use people search sites to get personal data
People search sites like Whitepages, Spokeo and BeenVerified are designed to help users find and contact other people, but they have become gold mines for cybercriminals. Despite warnings not to use the data to stalk, harass or harm people, these sites provide a wealth of information that bad actors can exploit.
Scammers have access to a wide range of personal information, including addresses, phone numbers, email addresses, dates of birth, family information, employment history, and even religious beliefs and political affiliations. They can also find property records, court and police records, and information about hobbies and interests.
This comprehensive data makes it easier for cybercriminals to create detailed profiles of potential victims and engineer convincing scams or to steal personal information. With so much personal information available through these sites, it poses serious risks to personal privacy and security.
A woman is outraged that her personal information has been made public online. (Kurt “Cyberguy” Knutson)
3 ways scammers use people search sites
Let’s talk about how scammers use people search sites to find their next victim. This is pretty scary, but understanding how it works can help you stay one step ahead.
1. Finding the victim
Cybercriminals can easily browse people search sites to dig up information about random individuals. They can search for a name and uncover a treasure trove of details, including email addresses, phone numbers, and other contact information. This is where things start to get a little dangerous.
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2. Victim profiling
Armed with this information, scammers can create a detailed profile of their target – they may even learn about their work history, whether they have children or whether they’re single and looking for love – and they can tell if the person is elderly, making them more likely to be fooled by confusing tech-based terminology. Research shows A staggering 60% of cybercrimes against particularly vulnerable seniors were found to be at least partially attributable to personal information available online through data brokers and people search sites.
3. Execute the plan
With all this information in hand, fraudsters can launch targeted attacks. Phishing Attacks They may also attempt financial or identity theft scams to trick victims into giving up confidential information. There are countless stories of people who have fallen victim to these scams and lost their personal information.
In many cases, scammers are likely getting their information from people search sites, and in some shocking cases, certain data brokers, including Epsilon, Macromark and KBM, have been caught red-handed selling personal information directly to scammers, giving them the tools they need to exploit vulnerable individuals.
Person using people search site on laptop. (Kurt “Cyberguy” Knutson)
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4 ways to keep your identity hidden (and from scammers) on people search sites
Given the threat posed by data harvesting sites like people search sites, it’s definitely wise to keep your information out of their databases. While it won’t stop scammers completely, it will make it harder for them to find the information they need to target you. It will also limit the number of places your data can be found online, reducing the chances of a data leak. That said, removing your information from people search sites is easier said than done, but it’s not impossible. Here’s how to do it.
1. Track down and opt out of people search sites that sell your data
The first and most obvious step is to track down the people search sites that are selling your personal information and get them to remove it. To be honest, this requires a time commitment and ongoing maintenance.
First, you need to search for your name, phone number, email address, or home address in a popular search engine. You’ll likely see a lot of people searching for your site in the search results. From there, you can go through the results page, visit each website that appears, and submit a separate opt-out request to each one.
However, most people search sites will re-add your personal information after a while because their databases are updated frequently, so you’ll need to check and remove it again every few months if you want to store your data offline.
If you have some cash to spare, we recommend using an automated identity removal service, which will remove your data from people search sites and many other types of data brokers. Check out my recommendations for data deletion services here.
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2. Limit the number of online tools and services you use
It also requires practicing good digital hygiene, for example by being more cautious about the online tools and services you use, many of which actually collect your personal information and sell it to third parties such as people search sites and data brokers.
Even something as seemingly harmless and widely used as an extension can leak data online, according to a study conducted by researchers at Incogni. 44% of Chrome extensions collect personally identifiable information (PII)Even if not sold, extensions pose an increased risk of data leakage and malicious activity if used in a fraudulent manner.
You should re-evaluate the apps, extensions, and online accounts you use. Remove anything you don’t really need. For those you do need, check their privacy policies for data collection and sharing practices. You can always find a privacy-friendly alternative.
3. Use disposable email addresses and phone numbers whenever possible
Living in the digital age, it is impossible to live without online tools. To sign up for most services, you need to share at least your email address or phone number. Unfortunately, these details are often shared with third parties and spread across people search sites and data brokers on the web, ultimately leading to an increase in spam and malicious attacks.
It is much safer to use Burner Number and Masked or throwaway accountsThis allows you to sign up, receive communications and control your online accounts without all the associated data and activity being linked to your real identity.
4. Use a private browser and search engine
Browsers and search engines are also big sources of data. Most of them track and share at least some of your online activity. Thankfully, there are many browsers and search engines that are designed with privacy in mind.
I used to Privacy-conscious search engine options are few and far betweenEach has its advantages and disadvantages, but they all keep your search history private, as does the browser itself.
Important points about the cart
People search sites are useful for reconnecting with friends and finding information, but they also pose significant privacy and security risks. By taking proactive steps to protect your personal data, you can make it much harder for cybercriminals to exploit your information.
In your opinion, what responsibility should companies that collect and sell personal data have with regard to user privacy? Cyberguy.com/Contact Us
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