Incogni Scrub SSN and Sensitive Data from Web

Personal information, including Social Security numbers, phone numbers, addresses, and dates of birth, is frequently available for purchase on the web. This availability is largely due to the operations of data broker companies. These entities acquire personal data from various sources, such as websites and app developers, with the specific purpose of reselling it.

The widespread availability of such sensitive information raises privacy concerns for individuals. Fortunately, there are services designed to combat this issue by scrubbing this sensitive data from the internet. These services work to remove personal details from the databases of data brokers, helping to protect individual privacy. One such service, Incogni, is highlighted as a tool to help manage and remove this sensitive data from the web.

It may come as a shock to many that personal information is not as private as one might assume. In all likelihood, a person's Social Security number is freely available for sale to anyone who wishes to buy it. This is not an isolated incident involving a single piece of data; the same applies to other highly personal details.

The availability of this information is driven by a specific industry of companies known as data brokers. Their business model is straightforward: they purchase personal data from various sources and offer it for resale. These sources include:

• Websites that track user behavior
• App developers collecting user data
• Other various data sources

By aggregating this information, data brokers create comprehensive profiles that are then sold to interested parties, often without the explicit knowledge of the individuals involved.

The scope of data available through brokers extends far beyond just a single identifier. While the Social Security number is a critical piece of information, data brokers deal in a wide array of personal details. This creates a comprehensive picture of an individual's life that is available for purchase.

Specifically, the types of data commonly traded include:

• Phone numbers
• Home addresses
• Dates of birth
• Additional sensitive personal data

The aggregation of these details allows anyone who purchases the data to potentially access a significant amount of personal information about an individual, posing risks to privacy and security.

Despite the pervasive nature of data brokers, there are measures available to regain control over personal information. Services exist that actively work to scrub sensitive data from the web. These services intervene by identifying where personal information is held by data brokers and taking steps to have it removed.

One such service is Incogni. It is designed to help individuals by removing their sensitive data from the databases used by data brokers. By utilizing such a service, individuals can take proactive steps to protect their privacy and reduce the availability of their personal information online.

The discovery that personal data like Social Security numbers and addresses is readily available for sale highlights a significant privacy issue. This trade is facilitated by data brokers who purchase and resell information obtained from websites and apps. However, awareness of this issue is the first step toward mitigation. Services like Incogni offer a solution by actively scrubbing this sensitive information from the web, providing a necessary layer of protection for individuals concerned about their digital footprint.