People-search site
A consumer-facing website that publishes a searchable profile of a named individual.
In more detail
The retail end of the data broker industry. Some are free and unpaywalled, publishing a current address, phone numbers, age, relatives and a decade of prior addresses to anyone who types a name. Others charge for a fuller report including court and criminal records.
Why it matters to you
The free unpaywalled sites are the actual risk to most people. No account, no payment, no skill — a stranger goes from your name to your front door in under a minute.
What to do
Prioritise the free sites over the paid-report sites. TruePeopleSearch, FastPeopleSearch, Nuwber and SearchPeopleFree first.
- Data broker
A company that collects personal information about people it has no relationship with, and sells it.
- Skip tracing
The professional practice of locating a person who does not want to be found.
- Doxxing
Publishing someone's private identifying information — usually a home address — to expose them to harassment.
More terms
- Pretexting
- SIM swap
- Swatting
- FCRA (Fair Credit Reporting Act)
- Consumer Reporting Agency (CRA)
- File disclosure
- Expungement
- Record sealing
- Clean Slate law
- Ban the box / fair-chance hiring
- Adverse action notice
- California Delete Act
- DROP (Deletion Request and Opt-out Platform)
- CCPA / CPRA
Full glossary