Remove yourself from public record search sites: Consumer Website of the Week

If you've ever searched for a phone number online, you may have noticed the somewhat creepy offer to run a "background check" on the subject of your query, in exchange for a fee.

Well, a Reddit user has compiled a list of links to the opt out sites for the major background check sites, which I found via Lifehacker.

Some of the sites have simple forms you can fill out online and others require additional steps, but if you want to prevent people from finding your contact information online, this is one way to do it.

I have to admit that I appreciate it when people are listed in the phone book, because it helps me as a reporter. When I still had a landline, I left my own number listed, because I felt like it was only fair.

But there are plenty of people --- victims of domestic violence, for example --- who have a very good reasons why they would want to limit who can access their home address and other contact information, which is why we're highlighting this as our Consumer Website of the Week.