This article is sponsored by Incogni. Product choices and opinions expressed are from the sponsor and do not reflect the views of MakeUseOf editorial staff.

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Don't be surprised that your phone number is listed online for anyone to see and contact you. You might have put it there yourself to sign in to social media apps, booking a staycation, shopping online, and while claiming that enticing discount code.

You would say everyone does that, but it exposes your number to scammers, waiting to steal it. They even scan People Search Sites as do B2B data brokers to send you offers from various brands.

That could be the reason you might be getting robocalls and telemarketing messages spamming you with too-good-to-be-true offers. Things could get more serious with fraudsters and scammers targeting and harassing you for their illegal gains.

You're not alone. As per a 2022 US privacy survey 94% of the 2,310 respondents received robocalls, 97% received spam email, and 90% faced attempts to scam them online.

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Undoubtedly, it's vital to protect yourself from these annoying calls, and the horrors of phishing attempts and identity theft. And you can do that by taking the right steps to protect your phone number and personal data.

The First Step: Check Where Your Number is Listed

Before you begin the process of removing your number from the web, find out where all your number is listed:

1. Do a Google Search Begin by typing your name and phone number. Google will search across various sites, and show the results. Most of these search results would be of data brokers, social media platforms and people search sites. You could also try using the Google Results about you tool to find out whether your phone number shows up if someone does a Google Search for your details. If any search results match your info, Google will notify you within a few hours. You could also check results and the info they contain directly by going to the "Results to review" tab on the "Results about you" page. 2. Identify Your Number on People Search Engines Go to sites like Spokeo, Whitepages, or BeenVerified. These data brokers collect your phone number, publish it online, and even sell it to anyone looking it up. Enter your full name, city, and state, and click "search" to look up your listing. ✕ Remove Ads 3. Check Old Social Media Profiles and Accounts

You could have created a social profile like an FB account a long time back and moved on to create a new account or switched to a new social app like Gram. Do check your old emails and messages to confirm if your number is still listed there.

The Next Action: Request Removal from People Search Websites

Yes, you can opt out of having your number appearing on sites like Spokeo and Whitepages. These data brokers have to comply with state laws like the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) and remove your phone number on your request, for free.

For example, you can look yourself up on Whitepages.com, select your profile and view details, copy the profile URL, submit a request, verify your listing, state a reason for removal, and verify the request with a code; it's a long and time-consuming process.

Moreover, the opt-out procedure is different for each site. And these data brokers complicate the process further by delaying it.

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You'll also need to keep records of opt-out requests and conduct periodical checks to ensure your phone number is not being stored and misused again.

A Recommended Step: Entrust Incogni to Remove Your Number

You can take it upon yourself to remove your number from all the major people search sites for free, using detailed data broker opt-out guides created by Incogni, a trusted personal data removal service. But do you have the time to visit each broker's site and follow the opt-out procedure?

Moreover, it's not just about you. Your parents or elderly loved ones are more prone to falling prey to phone scams and are often targeted by cybercriminals. They'll find it tough and taxing to manually remove their phone numbers from hundreds of data broker sites.

Incogni's automated removal services cover 164 data brokers, focused on removing personal information like your phone number from people search engines and private databases.

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Incogni contacts data brokers on your behalf and sends them requests to remove your info from their databases.

As a recognized legal entity, Incogni uses the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) to make data brokers comply with data removal requests. It also monitors People Search Sites and regularly sends them opt-out requests. Incogni also asks data brokers to add your profile to their suppression lists, where available, to make sure your name is never listed again.

What More Can You Do to Remove Your Number 1. Remove Your Phone Number from Google Search Results

First, run an advanced search and follow the step-by-step instructions in this [Incogni guide](https://blog.incogni.com/remove-personal-info-from-google/) to remove your phone number.

Moreover, suppression techniques like creating your new profile can help push unwanted listings further down in Google search results.

2. Remove Phone Number from Social Media Profiles

In an age where we click our food for Gram first and then start eating, you probably won't remember when and where you've shared your number on social apps.

Remove your number by reviewing, and adjusting privacy settings on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter, and more. And, deactivating old accounts where your phone number might still be listed will be a good move. ✕ Remove Ads 3. Request Number Removal from Websites and Forums

You can remove your phone number listed online by reaching out to webmasters, blogs, and forum administrators.

The Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) gives you the right to remove content that violates your privacy, that is if your phone number has been posted without your consent. Submit a DMCA Takedown Request to remove your number from sites and forums. If your number is being used for illegal or suspicious activities, you need to seek legal help to prevent a serious life-changing event like being accused of fraud or identity theft. 4. Use the National Do Not Call Registry to Block Unwanted Calls

Signing up for the National Do Not Call Registry is an effective way to stop annoying and unwanted calls that can steal your time, money, and peace.

It's easy to register and will significantly reduce the number of telemarketing calls. However, scam calls and robocalls do not come under the scope of the National Do Not Call Registry.

✕ Remove Ads A Sensible Investment: Stay Protected With the Incogni Family and Friends Plan

You can protect up to four loved ones with Incogni's Family and Friends plan. Or choose an individual plan for yourself.

A year's subscription at a special 50% discount will cost you $7.49 per month for an individual plan and $16.49 monthly for the Family and Friends plan. Plus, with the Incogni cybersecurity week deal you get a year's subscription at 58% off by using the code code MAKEUSEOF at checkout.

It's not a big price to pay for your privacy and protection that will keep your data like phone numbers, addresses, and email IDs off the market for the next 12 months.

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Moreover, as a US-based individual, you can add up to three phone numbers, three emails, and also three addresses. So, Incogni can identify and remove more of your info from the internet, as you might have changed numbers or are using more than one number, address, or email, like a separate one for personal and official work.

You and your family members can monitor the number removal process for your Incogni dashboard, including the potential databases found, the requests sent, and also the requests complied with and completed.

Here's How to Stay Alert and Keep Your Number Safe

Rest assured using Incogni, a proven and dependable service rated 4.4 on Trustpilot. Besides, you can also adopt some ways to keep your numbers secure and take action to keep scammers at bay:

Don't share your number on any random website when filling out forms, booking services, or shopping online. Protect your number by using a Virtual Phone Number like Google Voice Sign up for and use two-factor authentication apps, like Google Authenticator. It''s safer than receiving 2FA codes via SMS, which could expose your phone number. Set up account alerts to be notified when your phone number is used in new registrations or linked to suspicious activities. Block unwanted callers on your phone and report them as spam to your phone carrier. Google local authority websites to report fraudulent or harassing calls to them or agencies like the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). Being scammed can steal your peace of mind and big frauds can leave helpless. But, you can always change your number and notify close contacts to make a fresh start. ✕ Remove Ads Incogni $16.49 $32.98 Save $16.49

Removing your phone number publicly listed online can be a tough and lengthy process. Use the proven and trusted Incogni personal data removal service to automatically delete your phone number and other info from the web. You can get a year's subscription to the Family and Friends Plan at a special 50% discount. Get it now during the cybersecurity week and enjoy a 58% discount using the code MAKEUSEOF.

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Incogni might be the solution to keep your peace of mind by keeping your phone number off the prying eyes of data brokers crawling online.

And this could be a good time to try Incogni, as being an MUO reader, you can claim a 58% discount on the Individual Plan and Family and Friends Plan using the code MAKEUSEOF during the ongoing cybersecurity week offer.