How to Keep Your Address Private

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If you're concerned about your privacy, and want to protect yourself from burglary, scams and identity theft - or maybe even just excess junk mail! - there are steps you can take to keep your home address private. You can rent a private mailbox, and/or remove your address from anywhere it might be publicised.

Quick Guide: Hiding Your Address from the Public

  1. Submit removal requests to any websites that publish your address.
  2. Call 1-888-5-OPT-OUT to remove yourself from unsolicited mail lists.
  3. Rent a private mailbox or PO Box and use it for all mail.
Method 1
Method 1 of 2:

Removing Your Address from Mailing Lists and Online Listings

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  1. Do a Google search for your address. If you find any sites listing your address publicly, contact the administrator of any site which lists it and ask them to remove your address immediately. [1]
    • Some of the biggest 'people search' sites, such as Family Tree Now, WhitePages and Spokeo, have instructions on their website for removing your address listing. [2]
    • For smaller sites, you'll have to email and ask them. Use the contact form on the site if there is one; if no contact details are listed, try contact@[nameofsite].com.
  2. Even after a site admin removes content that lists your address, it may still show up in Google searches for a while. You can remove this information from Google search results more quickly by submitting a request directly to Google. Visit https://www.google.com/webmasters/tools/removals and enter the URL of the page you wish to be taken down.
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  3. You can opt out from unsolicited mail by calling 1-888-5-OPT-OUT (1-888-567-8688) or visiting http://www.optoutprescreen.com . [3]
    • When you call or visit the website, you'll be asked to provide some personal details, including your home telephone number, name, Social Security number, and date of birth. These will be used only to process your request to opt out.
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Method 2
Method 2 of 2:

Using a Private Post Office Box or Mailbox Rental

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  1. This will allow you to receive mail and packages without giving out your real address.
    • You can reserve a USPS PO Box at poboxes.usps.com.
    • Google ‘private mailbox rental’ to find private alternatives like Mail Boxes Etc or UPS.
    • Both USPS PO boxes and private mailbox rentals now give you the option of a street address, so senders don’t have to know you’re using a PO Box. [4]
  2. Visit the Post Office or other service providing your mailbox to get the keys for your box. You will need to bring two forms of ID. [5]
  3. Navigate to the USPS website at https://www.usps.com/manage/forward.htm . Click 'Change your address', then click 'Get Started'. Choose whether to forward mail for an individual, family, or business, then enter your name and address details, giving the PO Box address as your new address.
    • There is no charge for redirecting your mail with USPS.
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      Tips

      • The size of mailbox you need depends on how much mail you get, what type of mail you receive, and how often you pick up your mail. A ‘medium’ sized mailbox is likely to be sufficient for most individuals mailbox users.
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      • You cannot use a PO Box address as the address on your driver's license.
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      References

      1. ↑ https://www.abine.com/blog/2017/how-to-delete-things-from-the-internet/
      2. ↑ https://lifehacker.com/how-to-opt-out-of-the-most-popular-people-search-sites-1791536533
      3. ↑ https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/0262-stopping-unsolicited-mail-phone-calls-and-email
      4. ↑ https://bizfluent.com/info-8667273-mailbox-rental-usps-vs-private.html
      5. ↑ https://bizfluent.com/info-8667273-mailbox-rental-usps-vs-private.html

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