Out of sight

There’s probably plenty of information about you available on the Internet. Online directories and databases offer this data either free or for a price. Fortunately, you can remove your personal details from some online databases.

But you might be wondering how your name, address, telephone number and, often, date of birth ended up online? Information is obtained from public records and marketing databases. This includes court documents, county and state records, voter registration, marriage licenses, subscriptions and other sources.

The following are five big online databases with instructions on how to remove your data.

US Search.com

Many online phone directories link to this site, which sells background reports to anyone.

By sending your request via postal mail, you can remove your records from most of its search results.

To do this, US Search requires your name, birth date and Social Security number. Additionally, it wants your addresses going back 15 years. You should also supply any aliases, including your maiden name.

Intelius.com

Sells background reports to anyone. Reports include your birth date, court records and address history.

For removal, you must fax a copy of a state-issued ID card or your driver’s license. You can cross out your photo and license number; only your name, address and birth date are required. Alternatively, you can send a notarized form confirming your identity.

Acxiom.com

Provides data to Web sites, businesses and law enforcement officials. Its products fall into two categories: marketing and reference.

Reference data is culled from public records. It also includes financial information and Social Security numbers. This information is only provided to businesses and law enforcement. You can’t opt out.

However, you can opt out of its marketing database, which does not include credit information or Social Security numbers. Request an opt-out form via telephone or e-mail. Since other businesses use Acxiom’s data, this also removes data from some other sites.

555-1212.com

Marketers use 555-1212.com to find addresses and phone numbers of potential leads. You can remove your information from its database via an online form, but you must provide your name as it appears in the site’s listing. This may be difficult, as you can’t view your listing. You must also provide a phone number and e-mail address.

WhitePages.com

WhitePages.com is an online directory available to anyone. It lists your name and address in its search results. You can remove your information via an online form. Your name, city and state are required, along with a reason for removal. You can select General Privacy Concerns.