Protecting Personal Data During Tax Season

Tax season presents a heightened risk for individuals regarding personal data exposure. Spammers and scammers often exploit this period, as data brokers provide easy access to sensitive information such as phone numbers, email addresses, physical addresses, and social security numbers. This information is frequently used in identity theft and various forms of fraud. The widespread availability of personal data is a result of systematic purchasing and collation by data brokers, who sell this information to marketers and other third parties.

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Data brokers operate legally, often taking advantage of vague terms in user agreements that allow for data sharing with "partners." This practice raises concerns about privacy, as individuals may unknowingly consent to their data being sold. Even robust privacy measures, such as those implemented by Apple, cannot fully protect users, as their digital footprint extends beyond individual devices and ecosystems.

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While laws exist that allow individuals to opt out of data collection, the process of identifying companies holding personal data and issuing removal requests is labor-intensive. Even if individuals manage to remove their information, data brokers can re-add it, and new broker websites frequently emerge, complicating the removal process.

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To address these challenges, Incogni offers a data-erasure service that simplifies the process of removing personal information from data brokers. Instead of individuals contacting numerous companies, Incogni handles the outreach to over 250 data brokers and people search sites, issuing demands for the removal of personal details. This service is available to users in the US, Canada, UK, EU, and Switzerland, utilizing relevant laws in each jurisdiction to facilitate data removal. Incogni also conducts ongoing scans to detect new uploads of personal data and automates the appeals process when companies contest removal requests.

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For readers of 9to5Mac, Incogni is offering a 58% discount on a one-year subscription for both individual and family plans. Subscribers can add up to four family members to their plan and request custom removals from any website that exposes their personal data, excluding social media platforms, government records, blogs, and forums. This service is designed to provide comprehensive protection against data exposure during tax season and beyond.

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As tax season approaches, individuals are encouraged to take proactive steps to protect their personal data from potential fraud. Utilizing services like Incogni can significantly reduce the risks associated with data exposure, allowing users to maintain their privacy more effectively.

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