DeleteMe is a privacy protection service that helps individuals and families remove personal information from online databases, people search websites, and data brokers. It was founded in 2010 by Rob Shavell and William Sterland with the goal of empowering people to control their online presence.
The process begins with signing up for a DeleteMe subscription on their website. They offer different plans based on the number of people you want to protect (individual or family) and the duration of the service (monthly or yearly). Once signed up, you will be prompted to provide your name, address, date of birth, phone number, email address, and any other relevant personal information.
After this initial step, DeleteMe starts its work by conducting a deep web scan to identify all instances where your personal information appears online. This includes public records databases like Whitepages and Spokeo as well as social media websites like Facebook and LinkedIn. The results are then compiled into a report which is made available for you to review.
Next comes the removal phase where DeleteMe works towards removing your information from these various sources. Their tactics include sending opt-out requests through email or physical mail, submitting removal forms on behalf of their clients directly to data brokers' websites or via fax/email/phone calls if necessary. They also monitor for new instances of personal information being posted online throughout your subscription period.
One unique aspect about DeleteMe is that they employ real humans instead of automated processes for their opt-outs. This means they have teams dedicated solely to manually completing opt-out requests in order to ensure maximum success rates.
In addition to removing personal information from publicly available sources, DeleteMe also offers additional features such as credit monitoring services through TransUnion as well as identity theft insurance coverage through AIG at an extra cost. Overall, customers have reported positive experiences with using DeleteMe's services. Many have noted significant reductions in unwanted calls/emails after using the service while some have seen their personal information completely removed from certain websites. However, it is important to note that DeleteMe cannot guarantee a 100% success rate as new instances of personal information being posted online can occur at any time.
In terms of customer support, DeleteMe has received praise for their responsive and helpful team. They offer phone and email support during business hours as well as a comprehensive FAQ section on their website. One potential downside of DeleteMe is its cost, which may be considered high by some individuals. However, the company offers a money-back guarantee if they are unable to remove your personal information completely within a certain period of time.
Overall, DeleteMe is a valuable tool for anyone looking to regain control of their online privacy. With its thorough scanning process, manual opt-out tactics, and additional features such as credit monitoring and identity theft insurance, it provides comprehensive protection for individuals and families. Stay tuned for more in-depth reviews of DeleteMe's services!
When it comes to protecting your personal data online, DeleteMe is often one of the first options that come to mind. However, there are several other alternatives available that offer similar services and levels of protection. In this section, we will discuss some of the top alternatives to DeleteMe and how they compare in terms of features, pricing, and overall effectiveness.
RemoveOnlineInformation.com offers a one-time removal service for personal information from people search sites and data brokers. They have a database of over 300 sites that they can remove your information from, and they offer a money-back guarantee if they are unable to remove your data. Their pricing starts at $129 for the first 10 sites, with additional costs for each site beyond that.
PrivacyDuck is a comprehensive privacy protection service that offers a wide range of features such as removal from people search sites, social media platforms, data brokers, and more. They also provide customized privacy reports and regular monitoring to ensure your personal information stays off the internet. Their pricing starts at $129 per year for individual plans and $349 per year for family plans.
OneRep is another popular option for removing personal information from various websites and databases. They use automated processes to scan and remove your data from over 100+ sites regularly. Additionally, they offer identity theft protection services as well as dark web monitoring to keep you safe from potential threats. Their pricing starts at $14.92 per month or $99 per year for individual plans.
Abine Blur takes a unique apprReoach by providing email masking services along with their standard data removal services. This means that when you sign up for online accounts or make purchases using Blur's masked emails, your actual email address remains hidden from companies who may sell or share it with third parties. They also offer password management tools.
Jumbo Privacy is a free app that helps you manage and protect your online privacy. It allows you to easily delete old tweets, clear your Google search history, and limit Facebook tracking. They also offer paid features such as email alerts for data breaches and personalized privacy recommendations based on your social media activity.
Overall, DeleteMe is still considered one of the top services for removing personal information from the internet. However, these alternatives offer similar services and may be worth considering depending on your specific needs and budget. It's important to do your own research and compare the features, pricing, and reputation of each service before making a decision on which one to choose.
While DeleteMe is a popular and highly-rated privacy protection service, it's not immune to criticism. As with any product or service, there are some common complaints that users have expressed about DeleteMe. In this section, we will discuss these complaints and provide our perspective on them.
One of the most frequently mentioned complaints about DeleteMe is its high cost, especially when compared to other similar services. Some users feel that the subscription fee of $129 per year is too expensive for what they perceive as a simple automated process of removing personal information from online databases.
However, it's important to note that DeleteMe offers several unique features that justify its higher price point. For example, unlike other services that rely solely on automated processes, DeleteMe also has a team of trained experts who manually search for and remove your personal information from hard-to-reach data brokers and websites. This level of human involvement adds an extra layer of security and thoroughness to the service.
Additionally, while some competitors may offer lower prices initially, they often require you to pay additional fees for each individual removal request. With DeleteMe's flat annual fee, you can rest assured that all your personal information will be continuously monitored and removed without any hidden costs.
Another complaint about DeleteMe is its limited coverage area in terms of the types of personal information it removes from the internet. Some users have reported not seeing significant changes in their online presence after using the service, leading them to believe that DeleteMe is not effective.
It's true that DeleteMe may not be able to remove all traces of your personal information from the internet. This is because there are thousands of websites and data brokers that collect and share personal information, and it's impossible for any service to keep track of all of them. However, DeleteMe does have a comprehensive list of databases and websites that it monitors and removes information from, which includes the most popular and influential sites.
Moreover, as mentioned earlier, DeleteMe also has a team of experts who manually search for and remove your information from hard-to-reach sources. While this may not guarantee complete removal, it significantly increases the chances of minimizing your online presence.
Another common complaint about DeleteMe is the slow removal process. Some users have reported having to wait several weeks or even months before seeing any significant changes in their online presence after using the service.
While this can be frustrating, it's important to remember that removing personal information from the internet is a complex and ongoing process. As mentioned earlier, there are thousands of websites and data brokers that collect and share personal information, so it's impossible for DeleteMe (or any other service) to remove it all instantaneously.
Moreover, the removal process also depends on how frequently these data brokers and websites update their databases. Some may update their information daily, while others do so less frequently. This means that even after DeleteMe removes your information, it may still show up in search results until the next database update.
Overall, while some users may experience a slower removal process than others, DeleteMe is continuously working to improve its efficiency and speed of removal.
Some users have also expressed frustration with the lack of transparency from DeleteMe regarding which websites and data brokers they are able to remove personal information from.
While DeleteMe does provide a list of websites and data brokers they monitor and remove information from, it's not always clear which ones they are successful in removing from. This can lead to confusion and doubts about the effectiveness of the service.
However, it's worth noting that DeleteMe is transparent about what types of personal information they can remove (such as name, address, phone number) and also provides a satisfaction guarantee for their service. If you are unsatisfied with the results or believe that certain pieces of personal information were not removed, you can contact them for further assistance.
In conclusion, while there are some common complaints about DeleteMe, it's important to consider the unique features and benefits of the service before making a judgment. Ultimately, the effectiveness of any privacy protection service will vary based on individual circumstances and expectations.