How to Remove Your Address From the Internet

It’s shocking what people can find using your address.

They can head to Google Street View, take a peek at the front of your house, and judge you for those brown patches on your lawn. But in all seriousness, when used in conjunction with other personal details, they can apply for loans in your name. Some individuals will even set up online profiles with your likeness and attempt to scam your friends and family members.

Thankfully, you don’t need to live offline to keep your identity safe. You can take steps to remove your address online and protect your privacy.

Here’s what you need to do.

How to Remove Your Address From Google Results

If you find personal contact information in search results, Google has made it easy to report and request its removal. Simply follow these steps:

The next steps will be identical regardless of the device you’re logged in:

1. Hit Get Started or Settings.
2. Enter your address.
3. Set up notifications so you can receive emails if Google discovers results with your information. The Google App can also send push notifications.

If you receive an alert, you can review the result and request its removal.

How to Remove Your Address From Whitepages

The Whitepages have data on hundreds of millions of Americans. Some include your age, phone numbers, property information, and address. Fortunately, you can remove your personal information from its website.

1. Go to whitepages.com and search for your name.
2. Click View Details next to your record.
3. On your page, copy the website address.
4. Head to the Whitepages opt-out page and paste the website into the field. Click Next.
5. The next page will confirm you want to remove your listing. If you do, hit the Remove Me button.
6. Provide a reason for removing your information. It can be as simple as not wanting your personal details online.
7. To verify your identity, add your phone number to receive a verification code.
8. Click the checkbox that you want to remove the listing from Whitepages, and select Call Now to Verify.
9. You’ll receive a call requesting the verification code on your screen. Enter the number on your phone when asked.

How to Remove Your Address From Web Pages

If you find your address on a website other than the Whitepages, you’ll need to reach out to them directly. Look for a Contact Us page or a form that allows you to connect with the site’s owners.

In your message, provide web addresses, images, and any other supporting information you can find. Make it easy for the administrators to remove your details. If you have no luck, there are data removal services that can get in touch with companies to delete your address from sites.

How to Remove Your Phone Number From Websites

While you might be using a VPN to remain anonymous online, there will be instances where you need to enter personal information into a website. It could be to purchase a product or to sign up for a service.

While a website shouldn’t publish your details online, incidents can happen. Data removal services can find and remove personal information. You can also purchase subscriptions, and they will scan regularly and delete records throughout the year.

Google also allows you to remove personal information you find in search results. If you come across your phone number, follow these steps to flag it with Google.

1. Log in to your Google account.
2. Click the More button above the search results.
3. Choose About This Result.
4. Select Remove Result.
5. Pick the reason It Shows My Personal Contact Info.
6. Follow the reporting steps.
7. Press Submit.
8. Finish the process by hitting I’m Done.

You’ll receive a confirmation email that your request was submitted. To monitor the result, go to the Results About You page.

How to Keep Your Address off the Internet

Once you’ve removed your address, your next step is to keep it offline. Instead of repeating the above processes over and over again, follow these best practices to protect your privacy.

• Change your social media profiles to private. Limit the information available on platforms the general public can access.
• Always sign out of websites. Whether you’ve got an account or purchasing an item on a website as a guest, always log out. It will avoid the storage of credit card information and your address.
• Avoid public Wi-Fi. Most public Wi-Fi hotspots are not secure. If you’re not using a VPN, don’t use these services. Public Wi-Fi networks are often unencrypted, which means anyone on the same network can potentially see your online activity, including your address. This is why it’s important to avoid using public Wi-Fi without a VPN, especially if they request that you enter personal information to access the network.
• Delete old profiles. Scroll through your older apps and websites you previously had accounts with. You might not have used them for months or years, but your information is still on file. Delete the profiles to eradicate your personal data.
• Block third-party cookies. Many browsers include settings where you can block third-party cookies. When you enter a website, you’ll also be greeted by a pop-up asking about the information you’re willing to share with the company. Don’t allow any access.
• Don’t link accounts. You might want to use your Facebook account to log in to Spotify or Fortnite, but it’s not a good idea. It will share a lot of your personal information with that company. Remember, every time you link accounts, you’re potentially giving more personal information that could end up online.
• Use a VPN. Not only does a VPN make it tougher to track your IP address, but it also restricts websites and hackers from collecting information about you. You can use VPNs on laptops, desktops, and mobile phones. Check out our roundup of the best VPNs to learn more.

Why Is Your Address on the Internet?

Your address may be online for various reasons. It is a matter of public record and can be found in the Whitepages unless you’ve specified otherwise. There’s also a chance it can be discovered in publicly accessible documents, such as legal records. Additionally, when you sign up for services or make purchases online, your address may be stored in companies’ databases, which can be vulnerable to data breaches.

There’s also a chance your address was published online without your permission. In 2023, over 350 million people had their private information exposed online. Some were from a cyberattack where users didn’t have a VPN, and others came from companies like T-Mobile and Nationstar Mortgage, whose data was compromised.1

But despite all these instances, your address should not appear in Google searches. If you find that it does, you must take the necessary steps to remove it.

Bottom Line: Protect Yourself

Removing your address from the internet is an ongoing process. Sadly, data breaches occur on a daily basis. Unless you’re Googling yourself every morning while enjoying your cup of coffee, you can’t be sure that it’s not appearing somewhere online.

But you can take steps to protect yourself, such as deleting old profiles or apps. You can also reduce the instances of sharing your personal information online. Plus, you can receive notifications from Google if your address appears in search results.

Use this knowledge to protect your identity online and ensure your address doesn’t fall into the wrong hands.