Novam Legal

Free privacy self-check checklist

By George Edos

Ten steps to see what a stranger can find about you online and start removing it yourself, for free. Print it or work through it over a weekend.

1. Search yourself the way a stranger would

  • Search your full name in quotes, then with your city, your phone number, your email address, and your home address.
  • Use a private/incognito window so your own search history doesn't shape the results.
  • Note every result that shows where you live, your phone, your relatives, or your photos. A simple spreadsheet works.

2. List the people-search sites that have a profile on you

  • Look for sites such as Spokeo, Whitepages, BeenVerified, TruePeopleSearch, FastPeopleSearch, Radaris and Intelius in your results.
  • Copy the exact URL of each profile; most opt-out forms ask for it.
  • Check for duplicates under name variations, middle initials and old addresses.

3. Submit the free opt-outs

  • Each legitimate site offers a free opt-out, usually linked in its footer. Our guide to Spokeo, Whitepages and BeenVerified opt-outs walks through three of the biggest.
  • Use a separate email address for opt-outs, and never pay a site a "removal fee".
  • Record the date you submitted each one.

4. Use Google's own removal tools

  • Google lets you request removal of results that show personal contact information such as your home address, phone number or email. Start from Google’s help page on removing results about you.
  • Removing a result from Google doesn't delete the page itself, so fix the source site too.

5. Lock down your accounts

  • Turn on two-step verification for email, banking and social accounts, preferably with an authenticator app.
  • Change any reused passwords, starting with your email account.
  • Review which apps and devices are signed in, and remove ones you don't recognize.

6. Tighten social media privacy settings

  • Hide your phone number, email and birthday from public profiles.
  • Remove location tags and photos that show your home, street or car plate.
  • Check what a logged-out visitor can see.

7. Check your domain and business listings

  • If you own a website, check whether its registration shows your name and address and turn on registration privacy with your registrar.
  • Review business filings and listings that may publish a home address.

8. Protect your credit

  • Freezing your credit with each of the three bureaus (Equifax, Experian and TransUnion) is free and makes it harder for someone to open new accounts in your name.
  • If your identity was misused, use the FTC’s IdentityTheft.gov to report it and get a recovery plan.

9. If you're being harassed or doxxed

  • Preserve evidence first (screenshots with URLs, usernames and dates), then report. Our doxxing action plan covers the order of steps.
  • If you feel unsafe, contact local law enforcement.

10. Put a re-check on your calendar

  • People-search sites often re-list profiles from new data. Repeat steps 1 to 3 every couple of months.

Rather not repeat steps 2 and 3 every few months? See how Novam Legal handles removal and re-checks.

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Important: Novam is not a law firm and does not give legal advice. Novam Legal sends privacy removal and takedown requests on your behalf and provides self-help information and document drafts. It is not a substitute for a licensed attorney; have an attorney review anything before you file it.