Nuwber.com is a people search website that aggregates personal information from various public records and online sources into detailed individual profiles. While this data may be publicly available, having it compiled into one easily accessible report raises major privacy concerns.
Fortunately, Nuwber allows you to opt-out and request removal of your personal information. This comprehensive guide will walk you through the manual opt-out process step-by-step.
Overview of Nuwber.com
Nuwber is a people search engine founded in 2014. It contains over 300 million unique profiles compiled from sources like:
- Public records – birth, marriage, divorce, death certificates
- Voter registration data
- Utility records
- Property ownership and mortgage info
- Bankruptcy filings
- Criminal records
- Social media profiles
- Other people search sites and data brokers
For a small monthly subscription fee, anyone can access detailed background reports on virtually any person in the US.
These reports include full name, age, phone numbers, current and past addresses, relatives, property records, criminal offenses, bankruptcies, education history, employment info, and more.
While this data may technically be publicly accessible, Nuwber consolidates it into one place and makes it incredibly easy for anyone to look up personal details on you and your family.
This raises major privacy, identity theft, harassment, and personal safety concerns. That’s why manually opting out is so important.
Is Nuwber Legal and Ethical?
Nuwber operates in a legal gray area. They do not break any laws by compiling publicly available data. However, many question whether it is ethical to expose private individuals’ information in this way without consent.
Some key facts on the legality of Nuwber:
- Not regulated by the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA)
- Data is compiled from public records, not credit reports
- Users agree not to use Nuwber’s data for credit/lending, insurance, employment or tenant screening
- No way to enforce proper data use or prevent abuse
While Nuwber may be legal, it facilitates stalking, doxxing, identity theft, and harassment. Many advocate for stronger regulation of data brokers like Nuwber to better protect consumer privacy.
Until then, opting out is the best way to gain control over your personal data.
Why You Should Manually Opt Out of Nuwber
Here are some key reasons to remove your personal information from Nuwber:
- Prevent stalking or harassment – Abusers can easily look up your home address, relatives, phone numbers, and more. This facilitates stalking, domestic abuse, and harassment.
- Protect your family – Nuwber reveals details about your family members too, putting them at risk.
- Avoid identity theft – Compromises your security by exposing info commonly used for identity verification.
- Maintain privacy – Your sensitive details should not be publicized without consent. This violates personal privacy.
- Inaccurate information – Nuwber reports often contain incorrect or outdated details, which can cause reputational damage.
- Regain control – Opting out helps you regain control over your personal data and online presence.
- Prevent discrimination – Employers, lenders, insurers may make decisions based on your Nuwber report, even though they claim not to.
Overall, removing your details from Nuwber reduces privacy risks and prevents your information from being used maliciously.
How Nuwber Obtains Your Personal Data
To provide some context before we walk through the opt-out process, here’s an overview of how Nuwber gathers the personal information on you:
- Public records – marriage licenses, birth certificates, voter registration, property records, court documents
- Government databases – driver’s licenses, tax records, professional licenses
- Data brokers – information purchased in bulk from other people search sites and data aggregators
- Social networks – profiles, photos, posts, comments, contacts
- Websites – addresses, phone numbers, and other details found online
- Public postings – classified ads, phonebooks, forums, reviews
Nuwber automatically aggregates data from hundreds of sources through web scraping, APIs, public record requests, and data broker networks. This is all done without your consent.
While public information isn’t illegal to share, many argue aggregating private details into searchable online profiles is highly unethical.
Now let’s get into the step-by-step process for opting out.
How to Manually Opt Out of Nuwber in 7 Steps
Opting out of Nuwber is free and can be done directly on their website. The entire process takes about 10-15 minutes.
Here is the manual opt-out process step-by-step:
Step 1: Search for your Nuwber profile
Go to nuwber.com and use the search bar to look up your name.
Make sure to try variations of your name as well. It may take a few searches to find your profile.
Step 2: Open your Nuwber profile
Browse through the search results and click “View Details” on your profile.
Verify the details like age, location, relatives, etc. to confirm it is your record.
Step 3: Scroll down and click the “Nuwber Opt Out” link
Scroll to the very bottom of your Nuwber profile page.
Under the “Control Your Listing” section, click the link that says “Nuwber Opt Out”.
Step 4: Copy the profile URL into the opt-out box
This will open the Nuwber opt-out page. Copy the full URL of your profile page and paste it into the text box.
If the URL isn’t already populated, go back to your profile, copy the link from the address bar, then paste into the opt-out box.
Step 5: Enter your email and hit submit
Type your email address into the opt-out page. Read over the details to verify it is your information.
Finally, click the Remove button to submit your opt-out request.
Step 6: Confirm via email
Check your inbox for a verification email from Nuwber.
Open the email and click the second link that says “Confirm Request”. This verifies and completes the opt-out.
Step 7: Monitor your profile periodically
Nuwber may re-add your information after some time. Check back every few months to make sure your profile is still removed.
If not, simply repeat the opt-out process. Using a people search monitoring tool can automate this.
And that’s it! You’ve successfully opted out of Nuwber manually.
How Long Does Nuwber Take to Remove Your Information?
After submitting your opt-out request, Nuwber claims it will take up to 48 hours to complete removal of your profile.
However, most users report it actually takes 3-7 business days for their profiles to be fully deleted.
Be sure to check back after a week to verify your information no longer appears on Nuwber.
Does Nuwber Permanently Delete Your Data?
Unfortunately, Nuwber does not guarantee permanent removal of your information.
They state that your data may be added back into their database in the future if found in public records again.
You will not be notified if your information reappears on Nuwber.
To prevent republication, you’ll need to periodically search yourself on Nuwber to monitor your profile. Using a people search monitoring service can automate this process.
If your data does get added back, simply repeat the opt-out process above to request removal again.
Alternative Ways to Opt Out of Nuwber
Manually opting out on Nuwber’s website yourself is the main way to get removed. However, there are a couple other options:
- By mail – Send a written opt-out request with a copy of your ID to Nuwber headquarters.
- Using a removal service – Companies like DeleteMe or OneRep can handle the opt-out process for you across multiple sites.
- Right to be forgotten – In the EU, you can request erasure under GDPR data privacy laws. You may also want to check out this Nuwber review for more background.
For most people, submitting the online opt-out form is the quickest and easiest method to get removed from Nuwber.
Can You Fully Delete Your Data from Nuwber?
Nuwber does not offer permanent, irreversible deletion of your personal information.
They will remove your profile from their main site after opting out. However:
- Your data may be republished in the future
- Archives of your profile may remain internally
- Information could persist on Nuwber partner sites
This makes fully deleting your data from Nuwber difficult. Opting out repeatedly serves more as an ongoing suppression of your details.
Is There Any Way to Prevent Re-Listing on Nuwber?
Unfortunately, there is no one-time fix to permanently prevent Nuwber from re-listing your personal information in the future.
A few options that can help reduce the chances of republication:
- Keep a small online footprint – less data for Nuwber to collect
- Use identity monitoring to detect re-listing early
- Frequently request opt-outs to stay under the radar
- Lobby for stronger privacy regulations on data brokers
But ultimately, staying off Nuwber requires being proactive and continually monitoring your profile.
Can You Sue Nuwber for Publishing Your Information?
Some people consider suing Nuwber for violation of privacy rights or unauthorized use of personal data. However, litigation is difficult for a few reasons:
- Nuwber has disclaimers in its terms of service to limit liability
- All data comes from public sources, limiting legal options
- Costly and lengthy process with low chance of reward
- Opt-out process provides a quicker form of recourse
Instead of suing Nuwber directly, advocating for stricter laws governing people search sites is likely a more impactful approach for the future. But will not help remove current information.
Is Nuwber Safe to Pay and Use as a Search Engine?
Nuwber itself is generally safe to use as a search tool, when done ethically and legally. However users should be aware:
- Information contained in reports may be inaccurate or outdated
- Users must agree not to use data for discriminatory purposes
- Still facilitates privacy invasions despite terms against abuse
- Proceed cautiously before paying or relying on any Nuwber reports
Searching yourself periodically is wise to see what data is exposed. But avoid paying or abusing Nuwber’s invasive offering.
Can You Get Nuwber Fined or Shut Down?
There is currently no avenue for individuals to pursue direct legal penalties or shutdown of the Nuwber platform.
Nuwber argues it simply aggregates public domain data, protected under the First Amendment. Attempting a lawsuit or report for abuse has little chance of success.
The most effective recourse is to opt-out yourself and advocate for stronger consumer privacy laws governing people search platforms. This can gradually drive change over time across the data broker industry.
Is Nuwber Owned by Any Other Sites?
Nuwber operates independently and has no direct ownership ties to other major data brokers. However, they likely purchase data in bulk from a shared network of data suppliers.
Some companies Nuwber potentially shares sources or ownership stakes with include:
But Nuwber itself operates as a standalone people search engine. Opting out of Nuwber does not remove your information from any external sites.
Can You Get Nuwber Shut Down for Good?
There is no direct way for individuals to pursue legal action to get Nuwber shut down entirely, unfortunately.
As Nuwber operates legally there are limited regulatory avenues to challenge their core business model compiling public data.
The only ways shut down could happen are:
- Stricter privacy laws passed restricting people search sites
- Law enforcement action if systematic abuse occured
- Economic factors forcing Nuwber out of business
But Nuwber has proven durable since launching in 2014. Our best recourse is opting out and supporting better consumer data rights.
Attempting a lawsuit or report for abuse has little chance of success. The most effective recourse is to opt-out yourself and advocate for stronger consumer privacy laws governing people search platforms. This can gradually drive change over time across the data broker industry. You may want to review this guide on opting out of Radaris for a similar example.
Is Nuwber the Same as Truthfinder or Instant Checkmate?
Nuwber operates independently from other major people search engines like Truthfinder and Instant Checkmate. Each site maintains its own databases and profiles.
However, all these data brokers likely draw from some overlapping public sources and data suppliers. They compete in the same invasive industry compiling dossiers on individuals.
Opting out of Nuwber does not remove you from Truthfinder, Instant Checkmate, or others. You must request removal from each site individually.
Can Nuwber Help Me Find Long Lost Relatives?
Nuwber search results can sometimes help identify long lost relatives through current contact details, past locations, names of family members, and other clues.
However, use caution before contacting anyone found on Nuwber. Details may be outdated, incorrect, or pertaining to a different person with the same name. Independent verification of identities is important.
Also consider if your relative wishes to be contacted or located after years apart. Always respect their privacy – do not abuse Nuwber’s invasive offering.
Is There Any Way to Update or Correct Inaccurate Info on Nuwber?
Nuwber provides no direct mechanism to request edits or updates to your profile data.
The only option is to opt-out, which removes the record entirely. You cannot selectively edit incorrect details while leaving the rest of your profile.
If information is especially damaging, you may be able to file disputes with the original sources such as courthouses or municipalities where records are held. But this is a lengthy process.
Your best options are to opt-out of Nuwber and other sites sharing incorrect data while working to minimize your digital footprint.
Can You Download Your Data from Nuwber?
Nuwber does not allow users to download a full copy of their personal data profile and history.
You can view, screenshot, or print your information from the website. But there is no way to export a comprehensive report.
If requiring your full Nuwber data file, you would need to pursue legal action and submit formal public records requests. This is impractical for most individuals.
Is Nuwber a Legitimate and Reliable Source?
Nuwber builds profiles by aggregating public record data, making them legitimate in a legal sense. However:
- Information may be outdated, incorrect, or taken out of context
- Lacks oversight for fairness, accuracy, and transparency
- No controls preventing abuse or harassment
- Unethical business model profiting from non-consensual exposure
So while “legitimate” under the law, Nuwber enables invasions of privacy. Relying on their data for decisions is risky. Opting out is recommended.
Can You Go to Jail for Using Nuwber?
Simply searching on Nuwber as an individual is not illegal. However, certain misuse of data could violate laws:
- Harassment, stalking, or threats
- Discrimination in lending/housing
- Identity theft or fraud
- Targeted scams against individuals
- Searching minors or protected classes
Nuwber users found systematically abusing personal data for illegal purposes can face civil or criminal prosecution. But routine searches on consenting adults normally will not result in jail time.
Is Nuwber Safe? Can They Steal My Identity?
Nuwber itself will not steal your identity. However, the personal details they expose publicly make identity theft simpler for anyone with bad intentions.
Information like your full name, date of birth, addresses, relatives, and past locations can easily help scammers impersonate you and commit fraud.
So Nuwber creates indirect identity theft risk by making your information readily available without your consent. Removing your profile is wise.
Key Takeaways: Summary of Main Points
Here are the key tips to remember about manually opting out of Nuwber:
- Nuwber profits from exposing profiles with aggregated public and online data
- Your sensitive information can facilitate stalking, fraud, discrimination, and abuse
- Opting out removes your Nuwber profile but your data may resurface later
- Follow the step-by-step process to submit a manual removal request
- Allow 1-2 weeks for Nuwber to fully delete your information
- Periodically check Nuwber to ensure your data stays removed
- Use a search monitoring service if you want automated alerts
- Support stronger consumer privacy laws to better regulate data brokers
Staying off Nuwber for good requires diligence. But gaining control of your information is worth the effort.
Frequently Asked Questions About Nuwber Opt-Outs
Does opting out of Nuwber remove you from their affiliate sites too?
No, the Nuwber opt-out only applies to nuwber.com itself. It does not remove your data from any subsidiary sites or industry partners. Additional opt-outs would be required.
How long does it take Nuwber to confirm my opt-out request?
You should receive the confirmation email within 5 minutes after submitting the online opt-out form. Click the verify link immediately to complete the process. Removal from the site itself takes 1-2 weeks.
Can I opt out on behalf of someone else like my child or parent?
No – Nuwber only processes opt-out requests submitted directly by the individual listed in the profile. However, you can guide your loved ones through the removal process themselves to protect their privacy.
Does Nuwber completely delete my data after opting out?
Unfortunately no – Nuwber maintains they may continue storing archives of your personal information internally even after opt-out. Your profile just gets removed from the public search on their site. Complete data deletion is unlikely.
Can I get in legal trouble for using Nuwber?
As an individual user, you are unlikely to face legal penalties for basic searches on Nuwber. However, systematically abusing the data for discrimination, fraud, theft, stalking, or harassment can result in civil or criminal prosecution.
What should I do if Nuwber refuses to remove my information?
First, confirm you followed all opt-out steps correctly, verified your email, and allowed sufficient time. If your profile still remains public, send a removal appeal to Nuwber or consult a consumer rights attorney regarding options to compel removal under data privacy laws.
Does opting out prevent Nuwber from collecting my data again in the future?
Unfortunately opting out does not stop Nuwber from scraping your information from public sources and republishing in the future. You will need to monitor your profile periodically and repeat the opt-out process if needed.
Can I edit or correct any wrong information on my Nuwber profile?
Nuwber does not allow profile corrections – your only option is complete opt-out removal. To fix falsities in public records, you would need to contact the original data sources like courts or municipalities directly.
How can I prevent Nuwber from having my information in the first place?
Limiting your digital footprint, securing social media accounts, and avoiding public listings are the only ways to reduce Nuwber’s data sources. But with hundreds of aggregation methods, it is unrealistic to prevent Nuwber from obtaining any details on you at all.
Does opting out of Nuwber also remove me from MyLife, Truthfinder and similar sites?
No, you will need to repeat the opt-out process independently for every major people search site publishing your data. Nuwber will not coordinate removal on your behalf across other platforms.
Can I sue Nuwber for violating my privacy rights?
You can consult a lawyer, but suing Nuwber directly is typically unrealistic. They legally gather public domain data and argue they have the First Amendment right to publish. Until stronger regulations exist, opting out and supporting privacy advocacy groups are your best options.
We hope this guide gave you a comprehensive overview of how to manually opt out of Nuwber and regain control over your personal information. Let us know if you have any other questions!
