Every time you use the internet you are at risk of sharing your personal data with individuals and companies seeking to spam, scam or even defraud you.
This is because data brokers make money by buying and selling your data, including your contact details, mailing address and even Social Security Number – and often this is done through websites, cookies and downloaded applications, often without informed consent.
The results can range from an uptick in nuisance calls by companies who bought your phone number, through junk mail, all the way up to financial scams, identity theft and hacking. In extreme cases, losing control of your personal data can lead to stalking, doxxing (where your location and contact details are posted online), blackmail or extortion, and even physical harm.
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To stop this, you need a data removal service. One such service is called Incogni. Created by Surfshark, Incogni promises to scan people-search websites for your personal information, then send requests to have that data removed. These requests are sent to data brokers on repeat, ensuring your data is always removed, even if it reappears at a later date. Incogni also pledges to continually track down and add new data brokers and people-search sites to its database, so the service’s ability to protect users improves over time.
A handy progress report shows Incogni customers how the service is working. It states how many data deletion requests have been sent, how many are in progress, and how many have been completed. The system also helpfully shows how many hours of time it has saved customers by automating this process. (Incogni)
Available to residents of the US, UK, EU, Switzerland and Canada, Incogni is priced from $14.98 a month, or it’s 50 percent cheaper if you sign up for an annual plan, which costs $89.88, or the equivalent of $7.49 a month.
Both of these options are for an individual user, but data removal services like this often become more useful when several people can be protected at once. For example, you might want to take out a four-person plan, which can be used to remove your data from online brokers, but also the personal details of your friends and family.
A four-person Incogni plan costs $32.98 a month, or you can save 50 percent by paying for a year up-front, which costs $197.88 for your first year, or the equivalent of $16.49 a month. With online scams becoming more believable and harder to spot, services like these can help you protect the data of older or less computer-literate members of your family.
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Once you’ve created an account and picked a payment plan, all you have to do is grant Incogni permission to work on your behalf. Using your name and email address, the service contacts data brokers to request the removal of your personal data. Incogni then says it will handle any objections from data brokers, fight rejected claims, and keep you updated on the progress.
(Incogni)
According to Incogni, the types of personal data held by brokers tend to include your full name, date of birth, phone number, home address, IP information, email address, names of your relatives, and your employment history, plus data related to your education, gender, finances and shopping habits. Incogni says the people-search sites used by brokers create extensive personal profiles, which are then sold or published openly online. Meanwhile, financial information brokers collect financial and background data, which is then sold to credit companies and banks. And, Incogni says, anyone can use these websites to search for someone’s personal details, including possible employers, landlords and even potential dates.
On why using a service like Incogni is important for US residents in particular, the company says: “People search sites are particularly prevalent in the US. With no federal data protection laws, there are dozens, if not hundreds of people-search sites across the states. From hugely popular sites like BeenVerified and Intelius that provide broad background information, to niche sites like Homemetry or Arrests.org, which specialize in property and criminal information, respectively, the personal information of millions of Americans is on public display.”
All Incogni plans come with a 30-day money-back guarantee. If the service doesn’t meet their expectations, customers can contact the company’s 24/7 support team and request a full refund.
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