Many people don’t realize how much of their personal data is floating around the internet. Even if you’re careful and don’t use the internet much, your information like name, address, phone number, or email could still be listed on various websites. This can lead to annoying spam or, in serious cases, scams and fraud.
To help people become aware of this, ExpressVPN has created a free tool that lets you check where your personal information might be available online.
How the Tool Works
Using the tool is easy. You just enter your first and last name, age, city, and state. Once done, the tool scans 68 websites that collect and sell user data. These are called data broker sites.
It then shows whether your details, such as phone number, email address, location, or names of your relatives, appear on those sites. For example, one person searched their legal name and only one result came up. But when they searched the name they usually use online, many results appeared. This shows that the more you interact online, the more your data might be exposed.
Ways to Remove Your Data
The scan is free, but if you want the tool to remove your data, it offers a paid option. However, there are free ways to remove your information by yourself.
Most data broker sites have a page where you can
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