anywho.com

What is AnyWho.com

AnyWho is a web-based people search/directories service. On their site you can search by name, phone number, address to find people’s contact data and public records. (anywho.com)
It offers a “free” basic lookup service (names, phone numbers) and then links to deeper paid services for more information. (DeleteMe)

It supports things like:

In short: it aggregates publicly available records, directories, phone books etc and makes them searchable.

Who’s behind it / how it’s structured

While AnyWho appears independent, it is tied into a larger ecosystem of “people search / data broker” services.

  • The parent company for many of these services is PeopleConnect, Inc. (which owns several people-search brands). (wiki.onerep.com)

  • The well-known company Intelius, Inc. (founded ~2003) is part of this ecosystem. It provides background check / people search services. (Wikipedia)

  • Many opt-out/removal guides say “to remove yourself from AnyWho you must go through Intelius / PeopleConnect suppression process.” (IDStrong)

So although the user interface says “AnyWho”, the underlying data collection, hosting etc is much broader.

How it works (practical usage)

If you go to AnyWho.com:

  • You’ll see options for entering name + location, or phone number, or address. (The basic search is free). (DeleteMe)

  • If you want detailed information (full background, employment, education, etc) you’ll likely be redirected to a paid service (via Intelius or similar) because the free version only shows limited data. (DeleteMe)

  • The data shown is drawn from public records, directories, phone lists, “white pages” style stuff. It is not guaranteed to be accurate or complete. Guides warn that mistakes happen, mismatches happen. (Pet Symposium)

Why you might use it

  • If you want to reconnect with someone: an old friend, business contact, using limited info.

  • If you receive a call from an unknown number and you want to do reverse lookup.

  • If you need to check a name/address combination quickly (though you’ll want to verify further).

What you should watch out for / limitations

  • The data quality: Because they compile from many sources (public records, directories) there’s room for error (wrong person, outdated address, etc). (Pet Symposium)

  • Privacy issues: Your own data may appear on AnyWho (and other sites) without your consent. If you’re worried about exposure you’ll want to look into the opt-out.

  • Free vs paid: The free service is decent for basic lookup, but deeper detailed reports will cost money. Some staff commentary say the business model includes redirecting to paid offerings. (DeleteMe)

  • Usage restrictions: These services explicitly say they are not meant to be used for certain regulated purposes (tenant screening, employment screening) unless they comply with the relevant laws (e.g., in the US the Fair Credit Reporting Act). E.g., one page said “You may not use our service … to make decisions about consumer credit, employment … that would require FCRA compliance.” (anywho-com.govbackgroundchecks.com)

How to opt-out / remove your data

If you find your personal info on AnyWho and want to suppress it:

  • The removal is not done directly through AnyWho itself in many cases. You’ll be directed to Intelius / PeopleConnect suppression tools. (IDStrong)

  • A common process: On AnyWho site footer click “Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information” (or equivalent) → you’ll be redirected to a data privacy tool. Enter email, verify via email link, give date of birth, name, choose suppression. (DeleteMe)

  • After submission your profile is set to “Suppressed” so it should not show publicly in results, but note: this doesn’t guarantee all future data won’t appear, you may need to revisit if you pop up again. (DeleteMe)

Legal / privacy context

  • People-search and data broker sites like AnyWho operate in a somewhat gray area: they aggregate public records, directories etc. Because data is already “public” in many cases, they are allowed to compile & resell / share it (in the US).

  • But there are consumer protections and regulatory scrutiny: For example Intelius (which is part of this ecosystem) has faced lawsuits for how it marketed, how opt-out was handled etc. (Wikipedia)

  • Researchers have studied these sites (including AnyWho) for their privacy implications. One paper noted that sites like these (AnyWho linked through Intelius/PeopleConnect) pose risks in terms of “doxxing, identity theft”. (Pet Symposium)

Summary: Is it worth using?

If I were to sum it up: yes, AnyWho can be useful for quick “who is this phone number / who lives at this address” type lookups. But you should approach with caution: the data might be incomplete or inaccurate; making important decisions based on it (without further verification) would be risky. And if you are concerned about your own privacy, the opt-out process is something you should take seriously.

Key Takeaways

  • AnyWho is a free people-search site (powered by a larger data-broker network) that lets you search names, phone numbers, addresses.

  • It uses aggregated public records & directories; accuracy is not guaranteed.

  • It connects to paid deeper services (via Intelius) if you want full background reports.

  • You should not rely solely on it for employment, tenant screening, or other regulated uses.

  • If your own data appears and you want it removed, you will likely have to follow the suppression/opt-out process through Intelius/PeopleConnect rather than just through AnyWho.

  • Because of the privacy implications, it’s good to check what data of yours is exposed and possibly suppress it.

FAQ

Q: Is AnyWho free?
Yes — basic search capabilities (name/phone/address) are free. For more detailed info they will redirect you to paid services. (DeleteMe)

Q: Can I trust the information on AnyWho?
You should treat it as a starting point. Because data is aggregated from many sources, there can be errors (wrong person, outdated info). Always verify with other sources if the decision is important.

Q: How do I remove my info from AnyWho?
Go to the AnyWho website footer and find “Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information” (or equivalent). Follow the link to Intelius/PeopleConnect suppression page: verify email, DOB, name, select the record, choose “Suppressed”. (DeleteMe)

Q: Will removal be permanent?
Suppression means the record should not show on that site (and associated ones) once processed. But new data may appear in future. You may need to revisit occasionally. (DeleteMe)

Q: Can I use AnyWho for employment background checks?
No — it is not designed for regulated uses like employment, tenant screening or credit decisions without compliance to laws such as the FCRA (in the US). (anywho-com.govbackgroundchecks.com)

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