What is NumLookup and How to Opt Out?

Do you ever wonder why you get calls from people who shouldn’t have gotten your number? Why do scam calls happen? How can scammers get your phone number?

NumLookup is a data broker company that collects and shares phone numbers and other pieces of information. To opt out, visit their website, click the “Information Opt Out Link,” and fill out the removal form.

Your phone number is easily searchable on the internet. That’s thanks to data brokers and people search websites, like BeenVerified, Acxiom, and Intelius. According to a Proton report, there are 750 data brokers in the US. These companies collect and share your information, including your phone numbers. One of them is Numlookup.

NumLookup was founded around 2019. It’s a company based in California that offers a free online reverse phone lookup service. It allows users to identify the owner of a phone number. You don’t even have to register. When you enter a phone number, NumLookup will give you information, including:

Where does NumLookup get these pieces of information? They get your information from public records (e.g., birth certificates, case files, incident reports, etc.), social media accounts, and partners or third parties that collect customer data.

Some use NumLookup to identify unknown callers. Plus, private investigators and businesses use the service for background checks. That being said, there are risks to regular citizens as bad people use this service for their schemes.

In the past, NumLookup faced significant privacy issues. Some had raised concerns over the company’s collection of sensitive data, such as Social Security numbers, email addresses, and criminal records, often without asking for consent. Additionally, its privacy policy says that the company collects IP-derived locations, account data, and search history.

Now, why is this data collection a big problem? That’s because it puts you, your privacy, and safety at risk. There are key risks, such as the following:

• Key Risk 1: Privacy Invasion: Your privacy can be invaded by anyone, not just your acquaintances or employers, but also scammers or stalkers. They can know about your home or work address, putting you at risk of being doxxed, stalked, or harassed.
  
• Key Risk 2: Scams and Identity Theft: With access to your information, scammers can target you with personalized attacks. For example, with information about your work, scammers can create emails that look like they’re from your job, tricking you into sharing information or sending money. There are over 90 scams that they can target you with.
  
• Key Risk 3: Data Breaches: Your data is not safe with companies like NumLookup because they can get hacked. And once hackers get into their systems, your personal data can get compromised, either it gets sold on the dark web, or it gets used for identity theft or scams.
  
• Key Risk 4: Data Inaccuracy: It’s not guaranteed that the shared data is accurate. There were cases where data brokers were criticized for sharing inaccurate or outdated data, which led to failure in job search and changes in premiums or insurance rejection. Some data brokers even share inferred data from the information they have on you, which are bad predictions about you.

Now, here’s how you opt out of NumLookup:

• Step 1: Go to the NumLookup opt‑out page: This is on the bottom page of www.numlookup.com. Click the “Information Opt Out Link.”
  
• Step 2: Enter your phone number: Enter the full phone number you want removed. Then, complete the CAPTCHA and click “Remove My Info.”
  
• Step 3: Fill out the manual opt‑out form: Click "Manual Submit Removal Request," and then enter your information. After that, complete the CAPTCHA and then click the “Submit” button.

Overall, while NumLookup can be helpful to identify unknown callers or for background checks, it can also put people at risk. So, it’s highly recommended to opt out of this data broker. You can do it manually or with the help of our service.

Yes, it is possible to track your phone without your knowledge. They can do it through apps that collect location data, spyware, your mobile carrier’s network data, compromise public Wi-Fi networks, social media, and more.

Some of the red flags that will tell you that your phone is being tapped are unusual background noise when you’re on a call, increased battery usage, a sudden surge in data use, overheating, unexpected shutdowns, and cryptic messages.

If you don’t want to be traced, you can use a burner phone, which is prepaid, bought with cash, and without personal information. Other options you have are dumbphones, which lack GPS, Librem & PinePhone, which are high-privacy devices, and GrapheneOS/Pixel, which is an Android variant.