Whitepages is a people search site that made its debut in 1997 when the original owner bought the domain name for merely $900. Far from its first inception as the massive book you’d store next to your telephone, Whitepages has grown to offer much more than basic directory services.

In recent years, collecting consumer information has become increasingly important for businesses. This data can be used to better understand customer habits, which allows for more targeted marketing efforts and improved customer service. Marketing aside, keeping your personal information private has become more valuable than ever due to the number of scammers using the web for illegal transactions.

You may wonder how Whitepages factors into all this, including how the website gathers your information and how to opt out of having your info listed. Keep reading to learn more about Whitepages and how to keep it from displaying your private data.

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What is Whitepages.com?

So, how does Whitepages get a hold of your information? It collects data from a variety of sources, including surveys, marketing companies, and public records.

This allows the company to build a comprehensive database of contact information on U.S. citizens. Essentially, Whitepages scrapes the internet for your personal data and aggregates that data into one place where it’s easily searchable.

Some of the personal info that can be viewed on Whitepages.com includes:

• Your full name
• Cell phone numbers
• Landline numbers
• Current and past home addresses
• Background checks
• Criminal records
• Business details
• Property details
• Traffic records
• Financial records

Unfortunately, your personal information can be used against you in a variety of harmful ways. Your background check could be used to discredit you in a job situation, and in the most serious conditions, your address and phone number could be used to stalk or harass you.

Additionally, cybercriminals may target your online personal data for malicious purposes, including using your financial information to commit identity theft, targeting your email address for phishing scams, or SIM-swapping your cell phone.

SIM-swapping is a type of identity theft where criminals use your phone number to impersonate you and request that your cell phone provider transfer your number to a new SIM card. They can then access your personal accounts and create a fake online identity.

It’s important to be aware of the ways criminals can use your personal data so you can take steps to protect yourself. It’s also important to only share your personally identifiable information (PII) with trusted sources.

What information is available in the Whitepages Premium report?

Whitepages gives you a limited number of free searches per month — you get up to eight monthly lookups at no cost. Free searches typically include current addresses and phone numbers.

If you’d like to access more contact information or need more in-depth information regarding an individual or business, there are several Whitepages Premium plans available that cost $4.99 to $179.99 a month.

Whitepages Premium plan cost

Other add-on features include:

• The option to purchase a SmartCheck background report
• Coverage by InstantAlly, an identity theft protection program

How to remove yourself from Whitepages

Although there are some advantages to having your information listed on Whitepages, the risks are often seen as outweighing the benefits.

The primary advantage of keeping your personal data off of Whitepages is that it reduces the chances your info could fall into the hands of scammers. Removal of your personal information could lead to a reduction in spam texts and robocalls, just two methods out of many that scammers use to commit fraud.

Here’s how to start the Whitepages opt-out process:

1. Go to the Whitepages website.

2. Type your name and location in the search field, then click Search.

3. Find your profile, then click View Details.

4. Copy the URL of your personal profile page.

5. Go to the Whitepages opt-out request page.

6. Paste your profile page URL into the text box and hit Next.

7. Confirm your removal request by hitting the Remove Me button.

8. Select the reason for your removal request and hit Next.

9. Next, you’ll have to share your phone number so Whitepages can verify your identity.

10. After inputting your phone number, check the box underneath and click Call now to verify.

11. You’ll receive a phone call asking for the verification code on your screen. When asked, enter the verification code on your screen into your phone.

12. You should then receive a confirmation that your request was received. You may have to do this more than once if Whitepages has multiple profile pages for you.

How to remove yourself from Whitepages Premium

Note that removing yourself from the Whitepages online doesn’t automatically remove your contact information from the Premium subscription tier. You’ll need to contact Whitepages customer service directly to have this done, and the steps to do so are listed below.

1. Go to the Whitepages website.

2. Look up your personal profile page.

3. Place your mouse cursor over the View Full Report button and right-click, then select Copy Link Address.

4. Go to the Submit a Request page and choose the “I need to edit or remove a listing” option from the drop-down menu.

5. Enter the name included in the listing, your email address, and the link you copied in step 3, as well as the listing address and phone number.

7. Enter a subject line and description for your request, such as “Remove my listing.”

8. Click Submit and wait for the verification email that confirms your information was deleted.

3 more ways to delete your information online

Whitepages isn’t the only online site that supplies your information to interested parties. Manually removing your information from each website that may have a record of your details can be time-consuming.

Alternatively, you could use a paid online removal service that can quickly handle the process, thus saving you time, money, and frustration. And because Whitepages can’t control other websites that collect your information even if you request removal, it may be best to use information removal tools that search numerous websites and request removal for you.

Here are three information removal tools that are worth checking out:

1. DeleteMe

Within seven days, DeleteMe provides you feedback on how many of your records it removed online, and it also monitors and repeats the information removal process throughout your yearlong membership. You can also make custom removal requests if you happen to find other information lurking online.

2. OneRep

OneRep searches 192 of the most popular informational websites to remove your private records. The service uses automation to immediately request the removal of your details. It also monitors those websites to request further removal if needed as well as provide monthly status updates to you regarding the retrieval and purging of your personal information.

3. Kanary

Kanary scans over 1,000 websites known to store private information and resubmits requests if needed. You can opt for a free plan to check two names, two addresses, one email, and one phone number, or choose a paid plan to scan for more personal data. Kanary also provides enhanced privacy and security measures to keep your data safe.

Whitepages.com opt-out FAQs

Bottom line

Whitepages is a website that aggregates personal information in one place in a searchable format. While the website is lawful in nature, it does walk a fine line when it comes to online privacy.

The fact that the website offers public information opens the door for identity theft, harassment like doxxing, or other harmful behaviors. It’s important to be aware that your data could be listed on Whitepages.com and for you to take steps to update your privacy settings online by opting out of Whitepages and other websites that collect and publish personally identifiable information.

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Author Details

Robin Moore

About the Author

Robin Moore is a freelance writer and editor specializing in blockchain technology, including wallet security and data privacy. She is the current Managing Editor for Watcher.Guru, a startup blockchain and finance news publication with 1.7 million followers on Twitter. Robin has also been the lead content editor with Genfinity.IO, another startup blockchain research publication. Before entering the Web3 space, she was a business analyst within the oil and gas industry. When she is not offering advice on the best ways to protect data privacy, she is hiking, doing yoga, or networking with her Web3 family on crypto-Twitter.