If you’re concerned about your data saved on the internet, Incogni is what you need. It’s a service that contacts data brokers to remove your personal information. This means fewer chances of your data being sold or misused, helping you protect your privacy.
Incogni was developed by Surfshark, a well-known cybersecurity company based in Lithuania. The tool was launched in 2021 with the aim of making data privacy more accessible to everyone. Surfshark has a solid reputation for providing reliable and user-friendly security solutions, and Incogni is no exception.
Incogni simplifies the process, doing the hard work for you and saving you a lot of time. It’s an effective tool for anyone looking to keep their online presence secure.
Read on for a detailed review of how Incogni works and whether it’s the right choice for you.
Pros
- Very easy to use and understand
- Sends official removal requests to data brokers in your name
- Handles multiple data removal requests at once
- Regular progress updates
- Relatively inexpensive
Cons
- Requires a subscription fee
- Might not re-check to see if data brokers have deleted your information
What Are Data Brokers and What Do They Know About You?
To understand how Incogni works, you need to know what data brokers are. Data brokers are companies that gather and sell personal information. They collect data from various sources, including public records, social media, and online transactions. This data can include your name, address, phone number, buying habits, and browsing history. Businesses purchase this information to target ads or make financial decisions, but it can also be used for identity theft or scams.
Incogni works by contacting these data brokers on your behalf to request the removal of your personal information. This can reduce the risk of your data being sold or misused. By using Incogni, you can manage your online privacy without the hassle of dealing with each data broker individually.
How Does Incogni Work?
When you sign up for Incogni, the process is straightforward:
- Registration: Start by creating an account on the Incogni website. You’ll provide some basic information to get started.
- Authorization: Once registered, you authorize Incogni to act on your behalf. This allows them to contact data brokers and request the removal of your personal data.
- Data Request: Incogni begins the process by identifying data brokers that might have your information. They send out removal requests to these brokers, asking them to delete your data from their databases.
- Progress Tracking: You can monitor the progress of these requests through your Incogni account. Incogni keeps you updated on which brokers have been contacted and the status of each request. According to Incogni, most data removal requests are processed within 2 months.
- Follow-Up: Incogni follows up with data brokers if necessary to ensure your data is removed. They handle any back-and-forth communication, so you don’t have to.
- Regular Updates: Incogni provides regular updates to keep you informed about the status of your data removal requests. This includes notifications of completed requests and any issues that might arise.
Incogni Pricing
You can subscribe to Incogni on either a monthly or annual basis. Here are the current pricing options:
- Annual Plan: $7.49 per month, billed annually at $89.88. This plan offers a 50% discount compared to the monthly rate.
- Monthly Plan: $14.98 per month, with no long-term commitment.
If you want continuous data removal from data brokers, the annual plan is the most cost-effective option. However, if you prefer to try the service before committing to a full year, the monthly subscription is a good choice.
Even if your monthly subscription ends while some requests are still “in progress,” Incogni will complete those requests for you.
Compared to other data removal services, Incogni is competitively priced. For example, PrivacyBee costs $197 per year, DeleteMe is $129 per year, and Kanary is $105 per year. Optery has cheaper plans starting at $3.99 per month, but it only removes data from about half the sites that Incogni covers (95+ sites compared to Incogni’s 180+ sites).
Why Is It a Good Idea to Remove Data from the Internet?
Prevent Identity Theft
We keep hearing more and more cases where people become victims of identity theft because their personal information was easily accessible online. According to recent statistics from the FTC, there were 5.7 million cases of fraud and identity theft reported in 2023, with 1.4 million specifically being identity theft cases. This indicates a significant rise in such incidents, highlighting the importance of removing your data from the web to protect yourself.
Reduce Annoying Ads
Another compelling reason to remove your data is the reduction of those annoying targeted ads. Data brokers compile your browsing habits and sell them to advertisers, leading to a flood of personalized ads. By removing your data, you can cut down on spam and reclaim some privacy, making your online experience less intrusive.
Protect Your Professional Reputation
Have you ever Googled yourself and found information that you’d rather keep private? Maybe it’s an old address or a phone number you no longer use. Trying to get this data removed by contacting website owners can be a frustrating and often fruitless task. Publicly available personal information can affect your professional reputation, as potential employers or business partners might come across outdated or irrelevant details about you. This can be particularly troubling when such information is used out of context.
Prevent Stalking and Harassment
Removing your data from the internet can also protect you from stalking and harassment. According to the Identity Theft Resource Center, the number of data compromises in 2023 increased by 72%, and cybercrime losses totaled $10.2 billion. Many of these cases involve stalkers using online data to track their victims. By taking your data off the web, you make it much harder for malicious individuals to find and target you.
Reduce Risk of Data Breaches
Lastly, reducing the number of places your data is stored lowers your risk in the event of data breaches. The Identity Theft Resource Center reported a record 3,205 data breaches in 2023. Each database holding your information is a potential target for hackers. By minimizing your digital footprint, you’re making it much less likely that your information will be exposed in a breach.
What Personal Data Does Incogni Remove?
Here’s a detailed look at the types of personal data that Incogni targets for removal:
Basic Personal Information
- Name: Your full name as it appears in various records.
- Birthday
- Gender
Contact Information
- Phone Numbers: Both current and past phone numbers associated with you.
- Addresses: Current and former home addresses.
Family Information
- Associated Family Members: Names and details of your relatives.
- Family Members’ Ages
Health Information
- Medical Data: Information about your medical history and health conditions.
- Insurance Information: Details about your health insurance.
Financial Information
- Bank and Credit Details: Information about your bank accounts and credit cards.
- Credit Scores: Your credit rating and related financial data.
Social Security Number
- SSN: Your Social Security number, which is crucial for identity theft protection.
Online Activity
- Browsing Habits: Data on your internet browsing history.
- Purchase History: Records of your online purchases.
- Interests: Information about your hobbies and interests collected from online activities.
Professional Data
- Employment History: Details about your past and current employment.
- Recruitment Data: Information accessible by recruiters, such as skills and contacts.
Risk Mitigation Data
- Background Checks: Criminal records, property ownership, and other data used for risk assessment.
People Search Sites
- Public Records: Data available on people search sites, including addresses and phone numbers.
Which Data Broker Companies Does Incogni Contact?
While the exact list of all data brokers Incogni works with is not publicly disclosed, they do provide information on some of the major data brokers they target. Here are some of the well-known data brokers that Incogni contacts on behalf of its users:
- Acxiom: One of the largest data brokers, Acxiom collects a vast amount of consumer data used for marketing and analytics.
- CoreLogic: Specializes in property, financial, and consumer information, often used in real estate and mortgage industries.
- Equifax: Known for credit reporting, Equifax also deals in extensive consumer data used for various financial services.
- Experian: Another major credit reporting agency that also provides data for marketing, insurance, and other sectors.
- LexisNexis: Offers extensive public records and background check services, making it a significant holder of personal data.
- Intelius: A people search and background check service that collects a wide array of personal information.
- Spokeo: Aggregates data from various public sources to provide detailed personal profiles.
- Whitepages: A widely used directory service that includes contact information and public records.
- PeopleFinders: Specializes in background checks and people search services, using data from various sources.
- MyLife: Collects information for reputation management and people search services.
These are just a few examples, and Incogni contacts many other data brokers beyond these. The service is designed to continually update its list and expand its reach to ensure comprehensive coverage. By targeting these major players in the data brokerage industry, Incogni helps ensure that your personal information is removed from the most widely used and accessible databases.
Features and Capabilities of Incogni
Incogni offers a range of features designed to help you protect your personal data and enhance your privacy. Here’s an accurate look at what Incogni provides:
Data Broker Opt-Out
- Comprehensive Data Removal: Incogni sends requests to data brokers to remove your personal information from their databases. This helps reduce the amount of data these companies have on you.
- Automated Process: Once you authorize Incogni, it automatically handles the opt-out process with various data brokers, saving you time and effort.
Progress Tracking
- User Dashboard: Incogni provides a dashboard where you can monitor the progress of your data removal requests. This feature allows you to see which brokers have been contacted and the status of each request.
- Regular Updates: You receive notifications about the progress of your requests, keeping you informed about the removal process.
Follow-Up
- Persistent Follow-Up: Incogni follows up with data brokers if they do not respond promptly to removal requests. This persistence helps ensure that your data is removed as requested.
- Handling Communication: Incogni manages all communication with data brokers, so you don’t have to deal with them directly.
Customer Support
- Support Team: Incogni offers customer support to assist with any issues or questions about the service. They provide help to ensure you get the most out of your subscription.
Privacy Reports
- Detailed Reports: Incogni provides reports that summarize the data removal activities, showing which data brokers have been contacted and the results of each request.
- Transparency: These reports give you a clear view of what Incogni is doing to protect your data.
Marketing List Removal
- Email Privacy: Incogni works to remove your email address from marketing lists, which helps reduce spam and unwanted promotional emails.
Subscription Options
- Flexible Plans: Incogni offers both monthly and annual subscription plans. The monthly plan costs $12.99, while the annual plan is $69.99 per year, which averages out to about $5.83 per month. Choosing the annual plan provides a significant discount.
Broad Data Broker Coverage
- Variety of Brokers: Incogni targets a wide range of data brokers, including those focused on marketing, financial data, recruitment, and people search services. This broad approach helps ensure comprehensive data protection.
Ease of Use
- Simple Setup: The registration and authorization process is straightforward, making it easy to start using the service.
- User-Friendly Interface: The dashboard and tracking features are designed to be intuitive and easy to navigate.
Incogni Setup
Setting up Incogni is straightforward and very user-friendly.
First, you sign up for an account on the Incogni website, providing some basic personal information. Once registered, you authorize Incogni to act on your behalf, allowing them to contact data brokers and request the removal of your personal data.
The platform’s intuitive dashboard guides you through the setup process, making it easy to get started. After you’re set up, Incogni immediately begins identifying data brokers that might have your information and sends out removal requests.
You can monitor the progress and status of these requests through your dashboard, receiving regular updates on the effectiveness of the service.
Incogni Alternatives
While Incogni is a powerful tool for managing your personal data and enhancing online privacy, it’s not the only option available. Here are some alternatives to consider:
DeleteMe
DeleteMe is a well-known service that focuses on removing personal information from data broker sites. It offers comprehensive coverage and detailed reports on where your data has been removed. DeleteMe charges $129 per year, making it a more expensive option compared to Incogni. However, it is praised for its thoroughness and effectiveness in keeping your data off the web.
PrivacyBee
PrivacyBee provides a robust data removal service, targeting various data brokers and people search sites. It’s one of the more expensive options, costing $197 per year, but it offers extensive privacy protection features. PrivacyBee also provides regular updates and continuous monitoring, ensuring that your data stays removed. For those looking for a premium service with a wide range of features, PrivacyBee is a strong contender.
Kanary
Kanary offers a similar service to Incogni, focusing on removing your personal information from data broker databases. Priced at $105 per year, it’s a mid-range option in terms of cost. Kanary stands out for its user-friendly interface and regular updates on data removal progress. It’s a good choice for those who want a straightforward and effective solution without breaking the bank.
Optery
Optery provides various plans starting at $3.99 per month, making it one of the most affordable data removal services. However, its lower cost means it covers fewer sites—around 95+, compared to Incogni’s 180+. Despite this, Optery offers a range of features, including real-time alerts and privacy reports. It’s suitable for users looking for a budget-friendly option with basic coverage.
OneRep
OneRep is another alternative that focuses on removing personal information from over 100 people search sites. It offers a comprehensive plan at $99.95 per year. OneRep provides detailed reports and continuous monitoring, ensuring your data remains protected. Its focus on people search sites makes it a strong option for those specifically concerned about their information appearing on these platforms.
Incogni Customer Support
When using Incogni, customer support is an important aspect to consider. The support team is available to assist with any questions or issues you might encounter while using the service. Whether it’s setting up your account, tracking the status of your data removal requests, or troubleshooting any problems, the support provided by Incogni is generally responsive and knowledgeable. Users can reach out through email or the support section on the Incogni website.
This accessibility can be reassuring, especially if you run into any issues or need guidance on how to use the service effectively. Having a dedicated support team available can enhance the overall user experience, making the process of managing your data removal requests smoother.
Incogni FAQ
1. Is Incogni really worth it? Incogni provides a valuable service by helping users remove their personal data from various data brokers, which can enhance your online privacy and reduce the risk of identity theft. The service’s cost is competitive compared to similar data removal tools.
2. How long does Incogni take to work? The time it takes for Incogni to remove your data varies depending on the data brokers’ response times. Some requests may be processed within a few weeks, while others could take a few months to be fully addressed.
3. Who owns Incogni? Incogni is owned by Surfshark, a well-known company in the cybersecurity industry, particularly recognized for its VPN services.
4. Does Incogni stop email spam? While Incogni focuses on removing your personal data from data brokers, it can help reduce email spam by removing your information from marketing lists. However, it is not specifically designed to stop all email spam.
5. How many data brokers does Incogni opt out from? Incogni targets over 180 data brokers to remove your personal information. This broad coverage helps ensure that your data is removed from as many sources as possible.
6. How do I sign up for Incogni? You can sign up for Incogni by visiting their website, creating an account, and choosing a subscription plan. After registration, you need to authorize Incogni to act on your behalf to request data removal.
7. Can I track the progress of my data removal requests? Yes, Incogni provides a user-friendly dashboard where you can monitor the status of your data removal requests and receive regular updates.
8. What types of data does Incogni remove? Incogni removes a wide range of personal data, including your name, address, phone numbers, email addresses, social security number, financial information, and more.
9. How much does Incogni cost? Incogni offers a monthly subscription for $12.99 and an annual subscription for $69.99 per year, which averages out to about $5.83 per month. The annual plan provides significant savings.
10. What if my data reappears after removal? Incogni continuously scans data broker databases and sends new removal requests if your data reappears. This ongoing monitoring helps maintain your privacy over time.