Don’t Let Strangers Find You: 9 Tips to Protect Your Home Address From the Internet

Ever get a piece of mail that’s a little too personal? Or maybe you saw your own house pop up on Google Maps. It’s a strange feeling, isn’t it?

In our digital world, our private info can feel very public. Your home address is like a key to your life. It’s linked to so many things. Keeping it private is a big deal.

That’s why we need to safeguard your home address. Let’s walk through some simple steps you can take.

1. Become a Ghost on Data Broker Sites

Have you heard of data brokers? They are companies that collect your info. They buy and sell it to other businesses.

Think of sites like Whitepages, Spokeo, and BeenVerified. They often have your address, phone number, and more. It’s a little creepy, but you can do something about it.

Your first mission is to find yourself on these sites. Go to a few of the big ones and search your name. You might be surprised by what you find. Once you locate your profile, look for an “opt-out” link. It’s usually hidden at the bottom of the page.

Each site has its own process to remove personal information. You might have to fill out a form or send an email. Yes, it takes some time and patience. But it’s a huge step to safeguard your home address from prying eyes. Make a list and check it twice!

2. Make Your Home Invisible on Maps

Google Street View is an amazing tool. But you probably don’t want everyone seeing your front door. The good news is you can ask for it to be blurred. Here’s how you do it on Google Maps:

• Type your address into Google Maps.
• Drag the little yellow Pegman onto your street to open Street View.
• Position the view so your house is clearly visible.
• Look for the “Report a problem” link in the bottom-right corner.
• Select “My home” and explain that you want it blurred for privacy.
• Complete the reCAPTCHA and submit your request.

Once Google blurs your house, it’s permanent. So be sure you want to do it! Apple Maps has a similar process. You can email them to request a blur. This is a quick win for your peace of mind.

3. Use a PO Box for Mail and Packages

Think about all the places that have your address. Online stores, subscription services, your doctor’s office. Every new entry is another potential leak. A great way to fix this is with a Post Office (PO) Box.

Using a PO Box separates your physical home from your mail. You can use this address for almost everything. This includes billing, subscriptions, and online shopping. It’s a simple buffer between you and the rest of the world.

Getting one is easy. Just visit your local post office or apply online. It’s a small price to pay for much better online privacy.

4. Level Up with a Virtual Mailbox

A PO Box is great, but what if you want more flexibility? Say hello to the virtual mailbox. This service gives you a real street address, not just a box number. This is super helpful because some places won’t ship to a P.O. Box.

Here’s how it works. Your mail arrives at a secure facility. The company scans the outside of the envelope. You see the image on an app or website.

Then you decide what to do. You can have it opened and scanned, forwarded to you, or shredded. It gives you full control over your mail from anywhere.

This is another excellent way to safeguard your home address.

5. Clean Up Your Social Media Profiles

We love sharing our lives on social media. But sometimes we share too much.

Your profiles can be a goldmine of personal information. Your home address might be hiding in plain sight. Let’s do a quick privacy check-up.

First, go through your account settings. On platforms like Facebook, you might have listed your address years ago. Remove it.

Next, think about your posts. Did you ever post a picture of a new “home sweet home” sign with the number visible? Or geo-tag a photo while you were at home? It’s best to remove those tags and old posts.

Be mindful of what’s in the background of your pictures, too.

6. Take Control of Google Search Results

Sometimes, your address can show up in a simple Google search. This might happen if a website published it.

Luckily, Google has a tool to help you with this. You can request that personal information to be removed from search results. This is a huge step toward better online privacy.

Google’s “Results about you” tool makes this process easier. You can ask them to remove results that contain your address. They will review your request. If it meets their criteria, they’ll delist the page.

The information still exists on the original website. But it won’t be easy for people to find through a Google search.

7. Tell Websites to Forget Your Address

Think of all the online stores you’ve used. Or food delivery apps. Or any site where you created an account. Many of them have your address saved.

It’s convenient, but it’s also a risk. If that site gets hacked, your data could be exposed.

Take some time to log into old accounts you no longer use. Go to your profile or settings and delete your address. If you can’t, try deleting the entire account.

For websites you still use, see if you can check out as a guest. This avoids saving your info. It’s a bit of digital housekeeping, but it’s worth the effort.

8. Be Smart About Your Smart Home

Smart home devices are fantastic. They can lock our doors and adjust our lights. But they also know exactly where you live.

Many smart home apps use your location for features like “geofencing.” This is when your heat turns on as you get close to home.

It’s a cool feature, but it’s a privacy trade-off. Go into your smart home app’s settings. Check the location permissions. Ask yourself if the convenience is worth the risk. You might decide to turn some of these features off.

Managing these settings helps safeguard your home address from potential tech-related breaches.

9. Keep Your Domain Registration Private

Do you own a website or a blog? When you register a domain name, your info goes into a public directory.

It’s called the WHOIS database. This database often includes your name, email, and home address. Anyone can look it up.

Fortunately, there’s an easy fix. Almost all domain registrars offer WHOIS privacy protection. Sometimes it’s free, and sometimes it costs a few extra dollars. It replaces your personal info with the registrar’s information.

This is a must-have for any domain owner. It’s a simple and effective step for better online privacy.

Taking Back Your Privacy

Protecting your personal information is a big job. But you don’t have to do everything at once. Pick one of these tips and start there.

Each small step you take helps you build a more private digital life. You have the power to control your data.

Choosing to safeguard your home address is the first and most important step you can take.