Today, your personal data is more publicly available than ever, and people-search websites like CheckPeople make it even easier for strangers to access it. CheckPeople collects and publishes personal details such as names, addresses, phone numbers, and even background information (often without your knowledge or consent).
While this can be useful for employers or individuals conducting background checks, it also raises serious privacy concerns. That leaves you vulnerable to scams, identity theft, and unwanted contact.
What’s the solution? By opting out, you can remove your data from CheckPeople’s database and regain some control over your online privacy. This article walks you through the steps to successfully opt out of CheckPeople.
A quick guide to opting out of CheckPeople
Opting out of CheckPeople is quite simple; once you do, your information will stay private. Below are some of the ways you can opt out of CheckPeople:
What is CheckPeople?
CheckPeople is an online platform that allows you to search and access other people’s private data. The act itself is not much of a bad thing, and databases such as CheckPeople are a great way to conduct background checks on people. The database contains information such as:
- Education
- Health
- Contact information
- Criminal records
- Marital status
- Addresses
You may wonder how companies like CheckPeople can source all the information they have at the ready, but it is quite straightforward. With the help of advanced algorithms, they can extract information from a wide range of online sources.
These sources include public records, as earlier stated, social media, and other freely accessible databases. The collated data is then arranged into comprehensive reports, which can be made available to users for a price.
How does CheckPeople work?
CheckPeople is a resource-gathering platform, and by that, we mean that it sources its information from various sources and compiles them into comprehensive reports. These sources include social media profiles, public records, and other online sources.
The data collection and collation are done so that people can conduct checks such as reverse phone number lookups and arrest record checks, among other things.
How to check out of the CheckPeople?
Remove your information from CheckPeople and effectively “check out” the website and its services. Below, we detail the different ways to accomplish this checkout.
1. OneRep automated opt-out method
This is the easiest method to opt out because it does not require too much human interference and does the job much faster. Here’s why the OneRep automated opt-out method is our most preferred option:
OneRep automatically completes CheckPeople checkout. It automatically opts out of over 190 data brokers that may share your data. In addition, it will continue to monitor the internet, deleting your data if it pops up again.
2. Manual opt-out method
- Head on to the main website at CheckPeople.com.
- Select the “Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information.”
- Fill in and submit the removal form.
- Search for the record you wish to delete and click the green “Remove” button. You are advised to take note of address history, aliases, and any other important details to avoid leaving anything unchecked.
- Fill out the confirmation form, which requires your first name, last name, a valid email address, and a captcha task, and then you can click “Submit request.” Use an email address that does not give away any private information about you, for example, a burner email.
- Upon completing step 5, you will receive an email with the final steps from CheckPeople. Click on the “Confirm request” button.
- If you don’t receive a confirmation email within 48 hours, or if your data is still visible after a week, check your spam folder and then resubmit your request or contact their support directly. Persistence is often key with data brokers.
Note: Data brokers often ask you to identify yourself to prevent someone else from maliciously removing your data. CheckPeople may ask you to email a copy of your government-issued ID (like a driver’s license) with certain details redacted (you can blur out the photo and ID number, leaving only your name and address visible).
CheckPeople removal via phone number call
If you wish to discontinue your CheckPeople subscription at any time, you can contact customer care at 1-800-267-2122 and request the removal of your data.
Before you make the call, ensure you have your personal information and the link to your record so you can provide them to the call agent to aid them in finding your account listing and removing it.
CheckPeople records removal via email request
If you do not wish to contact CheckPeople via phone call, you can also use their email option. To check out through email, just send an email to support@checkpeople.com.
The email must contain your date of birth, full name, all previous addresses, and a link to the record you want removed. If this feels confusing, there is a guide on how to frame this below.
Subject: Opt-out Request for [Full name]
To whom it may concern,
My name is [Full name]. Please delete my information from Checkpeople.com and all other sites and services you own or operate.
My details are as follows:
[Full name]
[DOB]
[Current and past addresses, including city, state, and zip]
[The link to my record is [insert the link to your record here]
Thank you.
[Your name]
From where does CheckPeople get my information?
As stated, CheckPeople gets its information from public records, including court records, social media accounts, and financial documents such as bankruptcy filings. There are other sources, such as deep-net searches, if the information required is considered obscure.
Is CheckPeople easy to cancel?
You can easily opt out of the payment plan at CheckPeople. It only takes three easy steps, which won’t take more than a few minutes.
However, note that you may have to opt out periodically, as the platform may continue to collect your private data long after discontinuing the plan. Canceling a subscription stops future payments. Opting out removes your personal data from their public database.
Do I need a CheckPeople subscription to opt out?
A CheckPeople subscription or profile is required if you wish to opt out of the service. The opt-out process is free, and at no point will CheckPeople ask you to make any payments during the cancellation process.
What kind of information does CheckPeople collect?
CheckPeople collects a variety of information; below is a list of the types of data you can find on the website:
- Past addresses
- Phone number
- First and last name
- Social media profiles
- Current address
- Arrest and traffic reports
- Online dating accounts
- Police reports
- Criminal records
- Bankruptcy filings
- Divorce records
- Court documents
- Mugshots
- Information about relatives
- Child custody records
- Property records
Will CheckPeople collect more of my data after I opt out?
Yes, there is a likelihood that CheckPeople will continue to collect your information even when you opt out. Because of this, we advise that you continue to opt out periodically to avoid the occurrence of continued information sourcing at CheckPeople.
Is CheckPeople a legit site?
CheckPeople is a legitimate data broker; it is legally allowed to collect, sort, categorize, and display upon a paid Request. There have been complaints about the nature of the service, especially when it comes to opting out and how difficult it was.
Alternative CheckPeople opt-out method
There is also an opt-out page containing the customer care phone number and email address for you to contact and get on your way. You must provide specific information to help them locate your account and act appropriately in both instances.
Remove data automatically from data broker sites
Even after you check or opt out of CheckPeople, there remains a risk of continued data collection. And to prevent this, you must take matters into your own hands, but how? Through dedicated services whose primary function is to keep your private data private.
These services are listed below:
- Incogni: This paid service helps users make data brokers remove their data. Incogni will automatically remove user data from the databases of more than 100 data brokers, and it also conducts regular sweeps to keep the brokers from adding more information again. The service is accessible in the US, UK, Europe, and Canada. The basic plan costs $6.49 monthly.
- DeleteMe: As an alternative to services like Incogni, DeleteMe is a trusted and effective data removal tool. It has a wide application rate and works with over 750 data brokers. DeleteMe works at incredibly high speeds, capable of removing your private data in under seven days. The DeleteMe service is available for users in the US only, and the basic plan comes in at $10.75 monthly.
Registration for these automated services can be strange to newcomers, but we have outlined a helpful guide below. For this guide, we will be using Incogni:
The first step is providing Incogni with key information about you and granting them a limited power of attorney on your behalf. When you complete the initial registration, Incogni will go to work combing the internet and databases for your personal information.
Once done, it will compile a comprehensive description of what each data broker collects and how they use the data collected. After this, Incogni will send emails automatically to these data brokers, asking them to delete your data. When the data brokers compile, your dashboard will reflect the removal status.
This method is quick, effective, and, best of all, automated. You do not have to lift a finger to get it done.
FAQs
Usually, the collected data should take around 24 to 48 hours. This time is usually for the servers to refresh and erase your data. You can confirm if your data has been wiped by searching your name and seeing if any results pop up.
