Contact Out Opt Out: Personal Information Removal Guide 2024

By Muhid Suleman

Muhid Suleman

Muhid Suleman, An expert writer from Pureprivacy's content team, Dedicate to make data privacy simple and accessible for you. Muhid, Our Content Wizard, weaves tales about online privacy using simple and user friendly procedures. He firmly believes that online privacy is your right and a big deal in the digital jungle.

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2 February 2024
11 mins read

Table of Content

Table of Contents

Data brokers like ContactOut offer free services at the cost of your personal information. A survey conducted by Pew Research Center shows that 81% of Americans say that the risks associated with data brokers collecting their data outweigh the benefits.

Leaving your data on ContactOut exposes you to scams and identity theft, and I’m sure you don’t want to fall victim. You can use the ContactOut opt-out options in this guide to remove your data and safeguard your digital privacy.

Key Takeaways

ContactOut gathers people’s contact details and shares them with advertisers, marketers, and recruiters.
Your data can fall into the wrong hands and be used for illicit activities such as scams and identity theft.
Opting out is the only way to protect your data. You can opt out manually by filling out an opt-out form or automatically by using PurePrivacy.
You can use PurePrivacy to opt out of ContactOut and dozens of other data brokers in less than a minute.

What Is ContactOut?

ContactOut is a firm established in 2015. It is all you need as a wingman for a sales pro, a marketer, or even a recruitment guru in the quest to find and connect with the right people.

Just like Indiana Jones, who owns several data sources with contacts running into millions, ContactOut has a database that contains more than 250 million contacts.

For some, it is an impressive tool. However, it is a threat to privacy for many others. This is because of the privacy issues and usage practices of ContactOut.

How Does ContactOut Dig Up Your Data?

ContactOut obtains phone numbers and email addresses from public sources on the internet, such as:

Forums
Blogs
Social media sites
Other websites

With this information, it matches phone numbers and addresses in the CRM system with the corresponding social profiles for more intel on contacts. ContactOut is compliant with GDPR, CCPA, and USA privacy laws.

How ContactOut Uses Your Personal Information

It is safe to say that ContactOut would not be in business today with people’s data. Its entire operation and services rely on people’s personal information. They will go to any length to get those data, not caring about the effect on the owners of the data.

Many might find this shocking, but data brokers like ContactOut also sell your information. They might also share it with their partners, which raises privacy concerns. You can take yourself off their data mess by opting out.

Why Is Opting Out of ContactOut Important?

Your contact details and personal information should be yours, and you should be the only person with the power to share it. Data brokers just won’t allow that to happen.

With your personal information in their hands, they can share or sell it to whomever they want. And you don’t want that to happen because it could end up in the wrong hands.

The only way you can protect your data and digital privacy is to opt out. Leverage the opt-out options in this guide to remove your data from the platform.

ContactOut Opt-out Methods - Your Ticket to Removing Your Data and Reclaiming Your Online Privacy

You have two options to explore when it comes to opting out - the manual and the automatic. I will always recommend the automatic option, but you can use anyone that works for you.

Method 1: ContactOut Opt-out Procedure - The Default Opt-Out System

Please follow these steps to opt out of ContactOut manually:

Step 1: Go to the ContactOut website

Open the ContactOut web page.

Step 2: Go to the directory and look for your profile

Go to the bottom of the page to access the "Directory" section
Type in the first letter of your last name to begin your search. You may need to go through multiple pages to locate your record.

Another method is for you to search for your profile on Google using a phrase like "ContactOut Mark Bowden." Open it when you find it.

Step 3: Copy the profile URL

To confirm that you have opened the correct record, go through the information provided in it.
Copy the URL of your profile page.

Step 4: Go to ContactOut’s opt-out page

Head to the bottom of the page and click "Do Not Sell My Info."

Step 5: Fill out the form to opt-out

You will have to enter your email address, full name, and your record’s URL to complete the form.
After that, click "Submit."

That’s it. All done.

After your request is approved, ContactOut.com should delete your profile within 30 days.

Method 2: Opt Out With PurePrivacy - The Supercharged Opt-Out Solution

You can finally bid farewell to the hassle associated with opting out of data brokers manually, thanks to PurePrivacy. With PurePrivcay’s automatic out feature, you can opt out of dozens of data brokers at the same time.

When you opt out of using PurePrivacy, you should expect the following:

Take control: Ensure protection of your privacy and your digital trail through PurePrivacy. They will locate those who bought your data and tell them to delete it.
One platform for all your privacy needs: PurePrivacy is a complete package that assists you in securing data privacy everywhere on the web. In other words, it does not require manual settings, and therefore, you can gain control of your online privacy effortlessly.
Stops advertisers from tracking you: With PurePrivacy, you can see who exactly is spying on you and stealing your details, what websites spy on, and how to prevent this. It enables you to decide if you should be giving out the details.

How to Use PurePrivacy to Opt-Out

From web app:

● Visit the PurePrivacy website.

● Sign up to PurePrivacy.

● Create your profile.

● Provide us your consent.

● Once you allow authorization the opt out process will begin. Pure Privacy automatically starts the monitoring & opt out process for your information. First ask them if they have your data or not. If they have simply opted out of data on behalf of you. This all process was done within a short period of time. Also Send a weekly email summary that combines and summarizes the activity related to removing data.

From Mobile App (Android & IOS):

● Launch PurePrivacy mobile app.

● Signup or Login to your account.

● Enter Details to create your profile.

● Allow us your express authorization to start the opt out process.

● Once you allow authorization the opt out process will begin. Pure Privacy automatically starts the monitoring & opt out process for your information. First ask them if they have your data or not. If they have simply opted out of data on behalf of you. This all process was done within a short period of time. Also Send a weekly email summary that combines and summarizes the activity related to removing data.

Manual vs. Automatic Opt-Out Methods

ContactOut Opt-out Procedure

Go to the ContactOut website.
Go to the directory and find your profile.
Copy the profile URL.
Go to ContactOut’s opt-out page.
Fill out the form to opt out.

PurePrivacy Opt-out Procedure

Visit the PurePrivacy official website.
Register on the platform.
Automate your opt-out.

Frequently Asked Questions

What information does ContactOut collect?

Personal information like log data, cookies, and user data are collected by ContactOut.
How is my data used by ContactOut?

ContactOut matches the contact information to the social media profiles of the contacts and personalizes and automates outbound messaging.
What are the methods for opting out of ContactOut?

There are two main methods for opting out of ContactOut:
● Manual opt-out: Go to the ContactOut website to do this. Look for your profile and type in all the details asked for. This process can sometimes take a long time – even 30 days before they delete the profile in question.
● Automated opt-out: Instead, use a service like PurePrivacy that can perform the opt-out process automatically
Is the Manual opt-out method convenient?

The manual opt-out method involves many steps and is time-consuming, making it less convenient.
How long does it take to opt out of ContactOut?

Completing the opt-out form takes less than 10 minutes. But you have to wait for a few weeks for ContactOut to completely remove your data from its database.

Choose Privacy, Opt Out Now

Over 610,000 scammed victims in 2022 were contacted via phone calls and SMS. Data brokers make it easy for these cybercriminals to access people’s personal information.

Leaving your data on this platform exposes you to scammers and identity thieves, and I’m sure you don’t want to be scammed or have your identity stolen. Opt out now to reclaim your digital privacy and protect your data.

Use PurePrivacy for an easy, smooth, and more convenient opt-out process.