Everyone’s personal information is more accessible online than ever before. FastPeopleSearch is one of many data brokers that aggregate and publicly display sensitive details, like names, addresses, and phone numbers. This exposure can be exploited by spammers, scammers, and even identity thieves. Concerned about privacy and want to remove your personal information from FastPeopleSearch? DuckDuckGo has you covered.
This opt-out guide offers step-by-step removal instructions, explains why your data appears on FastPeopleSearch, and answers questions about keeping your information private.
Looking to streamline this process? DuckDuckGo offers a hands-off Personal Information Removal service inside Privacy Pro. We scan dozens of people search sites like FastPeopleSearch for your personal information, submit opt-outs on your behalf, and scan every 10 days (the most frequent in the industry) to ensure removed information stays offline.
FastPeopleSearch Removal Fast Facts
- Personal information available: Names, addresses, phone numbers, email addresses, relatives, associates, and more
- Visibility: Fully visible
- Opt-out time estimate: 5 minutes
- Difficulty: Low to medium
- Email confirmation required: Yes
- Phone confirmation required: No
- Processing time: Claims 72 hours, but usually takes 1 hour
- Captcha requirement: Yes, reCaptcha
FastPeopleSearch Removal Process (Step-by-Step)
The process to remove your personal information from FastPeopleSearch is relatively straightforward. To opt out, follow these steps:
Step 1: Navigate to the FastPeopleSearch removal page
- Visit https://www.fastpeoplesearch.com/removal. There will likely be a Cloudflare check to ensure you are not a bot.
- Enter your email address into the “Email” box.
- Check the box stating, “I agree that I am the subject of the record I am requesting to be removed, or the subject has authorized me to have it removed for them.”
- Complete the reCaptcha and select Begin Removal Process. You may need to complete a Cloudflare verification check box as well.
Step 2: Locate your FastPeopleSearch listing
- You can search by name, phone, or address. We recommend searching by name, as the data FastPeopleSearch gathers can be inaccurate, so your listing may not have your current phone or address data.
- Add your first and last name, city, state, and/or zip code. Then select Free Search.
- Scroll through the results and find your listing, then select View Free Details. Note the URL for the listing.
Step 3: Process the FastPeopleSearch removal request
- On the listing page, you will see two red buttons: View Full Background Report and Remove My Record. Click Remove My Record.
- You will be shown a message stating an email was sent to the address provided.
- Locate the email, titled, “Opt out request for FastPeopleSearch.com.”
- Click the blue button, which will bring up a page stating, “Record Removal Complete.”
- While they note 72 hours for the changes to take effect, typically within one hour, you can go to the old record listing URL and see that the page has been removed, with a message stating, “Something went wrong.”
- You will not receive a follow-up email when your information is removed.
Note: If you find multiple listings with your personal information during your initial search, you will need to follow Steps 2-3 for each additional listing. You should be able to submit up to five opt-out requests from the same email address.
Looking to streamline this process? DuckDuckGo offers a hands-off Personal Information Removal service inside Privacy Pro. We scan dozens of people search sites like FastPeopleSearch for your personal information, submit opt-outs on your behalf, and scan every 10 days (the most frequent in the industry) to ensure removed information stays offline.
What is FastPeopleSearch?
FastPeopleSearch is a data broker, compiling publicly available personal information and making it publicly accessible. FastPeopleSearch gathers data from government records, other data brokers, and various online sources to create detailed profiles for individual American citizens. These profiles are likely to include the following personal information:
- Full name (and previous names)
- Current and past addresses
- Phone numbers and email addresses
- Age and birthdate
- Relatives, neighbors, and associates
- Property ownership, arrest records, and more
While FastPeopleSearch promotes itself as a tool for reconnecting with people, it also exposes private details that could lead to misuse.
How does FastPeopleSearch get my information?
FastPeopleSearch collects data from various public sources, such as:
- Public Records and Government Databases: Including voter registration data, property records, court documents, and business registrations
- Third-Party Data Brokers: Specifically, companies that buy, sell, and distribute consumer information collected from online registrations, surveys, or transactions
- Social Media and Internet Activity: Publicly shared and available information on sites such as Facebook, LinkedIn, X/Twitter, and other platforms
- Utility Records and Phone Directories: If a phone number or address has been publicly listed somewhere, odds are high it will appear on FastPeopleSearch
Since FastPeopleSearch updates automatically, your information may reappear even after a successful opt-out, requiring ongoing privacy management.
My personal info is still in search engines. Why?
Even after removal, your name might still appear in search results. This happens because search engines like Google and Bing cache older pages and update periodically.
To remove outdated FastPeopleSearch content from Google, you can use their removal tool for personally identifiable information (PII), found here. To remove content from Bing, use this link. DuckDuckGo results can also be removed via Bing. More on that process here.
Most search engines update and re-index the info in their search results anywhere from every few days to every few weeks. If a listing from FastPeopleSearch with your PII appears in search results, check back later or submit a new request.
Frequently Asked Questions About FastPeopleSearch Removal
Can I remove my information permanently?
Yes, but your data may reappear over time as FastPeopleSearch updates its database. It’s recommended to check periodically and to resubmit opt-out requests if necessary.
Does FastPeopleSearch sell my information?
No, but it aggregates data from third-party brokers. If you click through to purchase a report from FastPeopleSearch, it processes through PeopleFinders, another people search site.
Will this remove my data from other sites?
Removing your personal information from FastPeopleSearch will simultaneously remove it from other sites such as PeopleFinders, SmartBackgroundChecks, and others.
Submitting a FastPeopleSearch removal will also make it more difficult for other data brokers to obtain the information gathered and shared from FastPeopleSearch.
Are there automatic removal services?
There are data removal services online specializing in removing personal information from people search sites.
DuckDuckGo’s Privacy Pro subscription includes Personal Information Removal for US users that automates this process, submitting opt-out requests on your behalf and checking every 10 days to ensure data stays removed, resubmitting removals if they reappear.
How can I prevent my info from appearing again?
While it is difficult to completely remove your personal information from the internet, there are some common steps that can be taken to help prevent it from appearing as often:
- Limit public sharing of personal information on social media, and ensure your profiles are set to private or only visible to mutual friends.
- Opt out from other brokers like Whitepages, Spokeo, and Intelius.
- Use privacy-protecting tools like DuckDuckGo for browsing and Email Protection for masking your email.
Our Final Thoughts
FastPeopleSearch exposes personal details that can be misused. Fortunately, their free opt-out process is simple but requires regular monitoring to ensure your privacy.
For ongoing protection, consider opting out from other data brokers, or using a service like DuckDuckGo’s Privacy Pro, which automates the process and helps ensure long-term privacy and peace of mind.
For more privacy tips, check out the DuckDuckGo blog and newsletter.
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