How to Keep Your Address Private

PurviewBlue

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posted on 6 years ago — updated on 1 second ago

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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.

Things You Should Know

You can keep your address private by removing it from public domains.
Renting a private mailbox can keep your home address free from junk mail.
When removing your address from online websites, it may take some time to be removed from Google search.

Removing Your Address from Mailing Lists and Online Listings

Remove your address from any websites which publish it. 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. 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. 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.

Submit a Google removal request. 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.

Remove your address from direct mailing lists. You can opt out from unsolicited mail by calling 1-888-5-OPT-OUT (1-888-567-8688) or visiting http://www.optoutprescreen.com. 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.

Using a Private Post Office Box or Mailbox Rental

Sign up for a PO Box. 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.

Collect your keys. 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.

Redirect your mail. 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.