Post: #1

FamilyTreeNow.com
Nuwber.com
etc.

Unlike Yellow Pages, etc. they publish records openly with no registration required, and appear to be indexed by Google.

Removal is a pain in the ass and often requires re-checking a few days later or providing an email address.

Not that this info wasn't publicly available before, but it needed some digging, registration, or credit card info. These guys will likely hide under Section 230 of Communications Decency Act if pressed.

This is obviously a fraction of what law enforcement has access to. Still a bit unsettling to have it publicly available.

What's their business model?
-reselling info on you, esp. if you "opt out", confirming your account?
-popping up under different names?
-"identity protection monitoring" aka Danegeld?

Data sheet maps

Post: #2

for these two sites specifically at least-

http://www.familytreenow.com/optout

https://nuwber.com/removal/link

everybody here ought to go ahead and search themselves and then have it removed if you pop up. for the nuwber site you do have to provide an email. I always use 10minutemail for junk like this myself- i got the removal confirmation email in less than a minute.

Post: #3

I have used the services of Saf3 Sh3ph3rd (dot) c0m for about 4 years and have been very satisfied. Replace the 3’s with e’s and the 0 with a o… I chose to do it this way since the less track-backs to the site the better.

Privacy and personal security… Two of my favorite topics. A little paranoia is healthy and given the present willingness on the part of otherwise perfectly reasonable people to turn on each other for the slightest of infractions, everyone should make a concerted effort to make it a ‘bit more difficult to get their information removed from as many databases as possible. Anyone who frequents this forum should be extraordinarily concerned about how much of their personal information is out there. Go type in your phone number, license plate number, social security number, or email address (including burner emails, personal and work) to sites like Spok3o (dot) c0m and you might have a reason to puke.

I don’t apologize for being a ‘bit circumspect about how good this service is on an open forum. Suffice to say that given the industry I work in, I damn near get a hard-on when someone says to me, ‘It’s weird, I couldn’t find anything out about you.’ This even if I’ve known them for a ‘bit and they have my real name, phone number, etc… Could someone who is an expert find me? Yes, but there are (comparatively) few out there and I make a point to try to stay away from giving such folks reason to look in the first place.

I will say that if someone has access to Lexus Nexis (and yea, I spelled it wrong on purpose), I am unaware of a means to get information removed there. Perhaps someone else does. I’d pay very good money for that… In the meantime, I make sure my real info is a few pages in on any major search engine, if out there at all.

Again, Saf3 Sh3ph3rd (dot) c0m… In round numbers, it’s the best $30.00 I spend every month.