How to Opt Out of Smart Background Checks & Remove Your Info
If you’ve decided to opt out of Smart Background Checks but aren’t sure what to do next, we have you covered.
Our quick guide will show you how to navigate their opt-out page, verify your submission, and get your data off their website in no time.
Opt-out process: 10 – 15 minutes
Removal Requirements: Email
Updated: 21 September, 2023
In short, here’s how to opt out of Smart Background Checks:
- Start the data removal process at https://www.smartbackgroundchecks.com/optout.
- Click “search features” to navigate over to the search page.
- Look up your full name, address, or phone number to find your listing.
- Select your listing and click on your name.
- Request removal by clicking on “request my record to be removed.”
- Verify the removal request by clicking the link in the removal request confirmation email.
Keep reading for the full opt-out process with screenshots below.
We’ve created around 85 data broker opt-out guides to make manual data removal easy. Click here if you’d like us to automate the process for you.
Let us remove your data from Smart Background Checks
We’ll opt you out from Smart Background Checks and 190+ other data brokers.
- Click “Get Started” and Create an account.
- Pick your plan: Annual Plan or Monthly Plan*. The monthly cost for the annual subscription is $6.49.
- Complete the checkout process. Click “Add Discount” and apply the coupon code DataRemovalDec for an additional 10% discount.
- Provide your personal details: We need this information to locate your profiles on data brokers’ sites.
- Sign the authorization form. This will empower us to opt out on your behalf 💪
- You’re done!
*Why does Incogni use a subscription model? Data brokers re-scrape and re-add your information after we remove it. The best way to keep your info off their sites is to automate recurring removal requests.
Step-by-step Smart Background Checks opt-out guide.
Total Time: 10 minutes
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Start the data removal process at https://www.smartbackgroundchecks.com/optout
Go to the Smart Background Checks opt-out page, enter your email address, tick the box to agree to the terms, complete the “I’m not a robot” CAPTCHA challenge, and click “accept terms & start removal.”
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Click “search features” to navigate over to the search page.
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Look up your full name, address, or phone number to find your listing
Enter your full name, address, or phone number to find your listing.
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Select your listing and click on your name
Once you find the correct listing, click on your name to access the profile.
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Request removal by clicking on “request my record to be removed”
Click the yellow “request my record to be removed” button.
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Verify the removal request by clicking the link in the removal request confirmation email
You will receive a removal request confirmation email. Click the link in the email to verify the removal request.
7. Take your data off the market
Once you request to delete your personal information, the website offers to help you opt out of other data broker websites.
While it might seem hypocritical since Smart Background Checks is also in the business of selling personal data, they are right about one thing – opting out from their website was an essential first step on your data removal journey. Your information is probably on many similar websites, exposing you to dangers such as identity theft or online stalking.
You can find free opt-out guides below to help you delete your data from some of the largest data brokers in the industry.
- Whitepages.com Opt Out
- USphonebook Opt Out
- Remove yourself from True People Search
- Arrests.Org Opt Out
- My Life Com Opt Out
- Fast People Search Opt Out
- Smart Background Checks Opt-Out
- BeenVerified Opt Out
- Checkpeople Opt Out
- TruthFinder Opt Out
- Instant Checkmate Opt Out
- Corelogic Opt Out
- Dynata Opt Out
Alternatively, take your data off the market with Incogni and opt out of hundreds of data brokers with just a few clicks.
Take your data off Smart Background Checks and hundreds* of data brokers with Incogni
Your data is worth more than oil in the digital age and data brokers are making bank at your expense.
Subscribe to Incogni for just $6.49 per month and get:
- A fully automated data removal service
- Recurring removal from 200+ data brokers (including Smart Background Checks)
- Regular progress reports
Use DataRemovalDec at checkout to get an additional 10% discount.
* See the full list of data brokers Incogni covers here.
Alternative Smart Background Checks opt-out method
If the steps we’ve outlined above don’t work for you, or if you have multiple listings and want to avoid the long process, you can contact Smart Background Checks directly. You can reach them by:
- Phone – (800) 571-0616
- Email – Contact form
- Mail – PO Box 105603. Atlanta, GA 30348-5603
Smart Background Checks opt-out video guide
FAQ
What is Smart Background Checks?
Smart Background Checks is a data broker that provides users a free background check and people search service. It collects, aggregates, and publishes personal information on US Residents. Users can access these personal profiles by name, address, or phone number.
This people search website has one of the most extensive and comprehensive free information databases available in the US. They provide information such as:
– Names
– Phone numbers
– Email addresses
– Past and current addresses
– Location history
– Arrest records
– Properties
– Marital status
– Information on relatives
– Social media profiles
Does Smart Background Checks have the right to use my data?
Yes, Smart Background Checks has the right to collect and use your data. They are also bound by international privacy laws such as the California Consumer Privacy Act. This means that if you live in areas that are covered by such regulations, you have the right to make data brokers delete your data.
However, the Better Business Bureau has received 282 Smart Background Checks complaints within the last three years. Many of these complaints say that their opt-out requests are not processed and that the website refuses to delete their personal information.
It can be difficult to navigate these types of disputes with large data brokers. Incogni has a dedicated team of lawyers and experts that fight rejected claims on your behalf.
How long does it take Smart Background Checks to delete my data?
Smart Background Checks will delete your data within 48 hours of submitting your opt-out request.
How long is the Smart Background Checks opt-out procedure?
It should take around 10 – 15 minutes to remove your data from Smart Background Checks using their opt-out form. It may take them up to 48 hours to remove your listing, however.
Where does Smart Background Checks get my data?
Like most people search sites, Smart Background Checks scrapes personal information from various public sources such as social media profiles, court records, or public registries. They use around 2,000 verified public sources to regularly refresh their database with the latest information.
Related: How to deal with incorrect information on background check reports
Can Smart Background Checks collect my data again after I opt out?
After you opt out, your data may be added again to the Smart Background Checks database. This depends on how frequently they refresh their database and whether they can identify that the new data belongs to you.
For this reason, we recommend you return to complete the opt-out process periodically. You can also automatically keep your data off their website, as well as other data broker websites, with Incogni.
