Shumita Basu

As Nguyen explains, there are a lot of risks that come with leaving personal data exposed, from relatively benign nuisances like getting more junk mail to much more serious threats like identity theft or impersonation scams.

A lot of your personal data online can be found by scammers for free through social media and public government records, things like speeding tickets or home sale records. But there's also an entire industry for personal data, where data brokers scrape the internet for information on you,

A lot of your personal data online can be found by scammers for free through social media and public government records, things like speeding tickets or home sale records. But there's also an entire industry for personal data, where data brokers scrape the internet for information on you,

A lot of your personal data online can be found by scammers for free through social media and public government records, things like speeding tickets or home sale records. But there's also an entire industry for personal data, where data brokers scrape the internet for information on you,

digging into things like magazine subscriptions, credit card applications, and warranty cards, and then they package that information up for a price. Avoiding the data brokers isn't easy.

digging into things like magazine subscriptions, credit card applications, and warranty cards, and then they package that information up for a price. Avoiding the data brokers isn't easy.

digging into things like magazine subscriptions, credit card applications, and warranty cards, and then they package that information up for a price. Avoiding the data brokers isn't easy.

Nguyen recommends using a burner email and phone number to shop online. Don't post publicly on social media either. And try to avoid sharing your birthday with websites.

Nguyen recommends using a burner email and phone number to shop online. Don't post publicly on social media either. And try to avoid sharing your birthday with websites.

Nguyen recommends using a burner email and phone number to shop online. Don't post publicly on social media either. And try to avoid sharing your birthday with websites.

If you want to figure out what personal information data brokers have collected about you, there are a few tools. Google has a free one called Results About You, which surfaces search results that contain your personal data. You can use it to request to have your data removed from those sites.

If you want to figure out what personal information data brokers have collected about you, there are a few tools. Google has a free one called Results About You, which surfaces search results that contain your personal data. You can use it to request to have your data removed from those sites.

If you want to figure out what personal information data brokers have collected about you, there are a few tools. Google has a free one called Results About You, which surfaces search results that contain your personal data. You can use it to request to have your data removed from those sites.

And if you really want to keep your exposure low, you'll have to comb through people search websites and data brokers to request they delete your information too. Now, that can get pretty tedious. There are hundreds of these sites, and you'll need to re-scan the internet a few times a year and repeat the process.

And if you really want to keep your exposure low, you'll have to comb through people search websites and data brokers to request they delete your information too. Now, that can get pretty tedious. There are hundreds of these sites, and you'll need to re-scan the internet a few times a year and repeat the process.

And if you really want to keep your exposure low, you'll have to comb through people search websites and data brokers to request they delete your information too. Now, that can get pretty tedious. There are hundreds of these sites, and you'll need to re-scan the internet a few times a year and repeat the process.

But there are a couple of tools for a price that can do the work for you on an ongoing basis. The services Nguyen mentions by name in the article are called Optory and DeleteMe.

But there are a couple of tools for a price that can do the work for you on an ongoing basis. The services Nguyen mentions by name in the article are called Optory and DeleteMe.

But there are a couple of tools for a price that can do the work for you on an ongoing basis. The services Nguyen mentions by name in the article are called Optory and DeleteMe.

And if hearing all of this has you feeling a little overwhelmed, just know Nguyen says the reality is it's really hard to not leave digital breadcrumbs these days. So be patient, be aware, and just do your best to stay vigilant. Before we let you go, a few other stories we're following.