Protect Your Privacy: How to Block Your Phone Number from Google Search Results

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Discussion Overview

This thread discusses concerns about privacy related to phone numbers and their visibility through online search engines, particularly Google. Participants share personal experiences regarding the accessibility of their addresses through phone number searches and express varying levels of concern about privacy and safety.

Discussion Character

  • Opinion-based
  • Anecdotal
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • One participant shares their experience of discovering their address linked to their phone number on Google, expressing concern about privacy and safety.
  • Another participant mentions that reverse lookups can be done through various online search engines, providing examples like 411.com and zabasearch.com.
  • Several users note that they are uncomfortable with the idea that someone could find their address using only their phone number.
  • One participant, identifying as a consultant, discusses the potential benefits of using a service like Vonage to keep their number unlisted.
  • Another participant mentions that despite using Vonage, their number still appears on Google.
  • One participant states that their unlisted phone number returned the address of a previous owner, which they found acceptable.
  • Another participant shares that their old address appeared in search results, indicating inaccuracies in the data.
  • Some participants express skepticism about the effectiveness of removing information from Google, citing other sources that can provide similar information.
  • One participant emphasizes their choice to keep their home number and address off business materials for privacy reasons.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Views differ on the effectiveness of privacy measures and the extent of concern regarding the accessibility of personal information through phone numbers. No clear consensus emerges on the best approach to maintaining privacy.

Contextual Notes

Participants share a range of experiences related to phone number visibility, including the implications for personal safety and the challenges of keeping information private in an increasingly digital world.

Who May Find This Useful

This discussion may be of interest to individuals concerned about their privacy and safety regarding personal information available online, particularly within the consultant community.

krzymomof4
krzymomof4
Silver Member
Messages
1,682
Thought you all might find this interesting.

This is hard to believe, but TRUE !!! So please read !!!!



Everyone should be aware of this!


Google.com has implemented a new feature wherein you can type
someone's
telephone number into the search bar and hit enter and then you will
be given a map to their house.

Note that you can have your phone number removed or blocked.

Before forwarding this, I tested it by typing my telephone number in
google.com. My address came up, and when I clicked on the MapQuest
link, it actually mapped out where I live. Quite scary.

Please look up your own number.


Read below for details.

Think about it--if a child, ANYONE gives out his/her phone number,
someone
can actually now look it up to find out where he/she lives. The
safety issues are obvious, alarming, and many!

In order to test whether your phone number is mapped, go to:
http://www.google.com/

Type your phone number in the search bar (i.e. 555-555-1212) and hit
enter.

If you want to BLOCK Google from divulging your private information,
simply click on phonebook results link above your phone number and
scroll down. I removed my name, but it takes 48-hours.

NOTE: If you are unlisted in the phone book, you might not be in
there,
but it is a good idea just to check. Guarantee that your work phone
number is in there if you've given it out to anyone commercially. If
your home number does come up if you hit map, it will show you a
direct map to your house.

You might want to pass this on to friends and family
 
You can do a reverse lookup through a lot of online search engines, and get the address right there.... then just type that in to mapquest and see the same thing. Check out 411.com and zabasearch.com for 2 examples.
 
Also whitepages.com and peoplesearch.com
 
  • Thread starter
  • #4
I didn't mind the fact that you can mapquest my address. I give my address to people for that reason. I was uncomfortable with the fact that if they only have your telephone number they can get access to your address from far away. I guess I just get a little creeped out because of the dateline stories and having 4 children that don't seem to get the concept of "everybody doesn't need to know your whole life story"
 
It is scary... but on all of these pages you can do a reverse lookup from just your phone number and get your address.You might want to think about not listing your phone number in the phone book....I believe that it will not show up on these sites if it is set to private. Another thought is to go to Vonage. Your phone number will not be listed anywhere, because it doesn't relate back to your address (except for 911 calls) since you can plug it in anywhere that has a broadband service. If you want more info, I have it, and could sign you up as a referral.
 
We have vonage and it does map out on google. We've known about the google thing for a while and unfortunately having vonage didn't help.
 
Rebeccascabinet said:
We have vonage and it does map out on google. We've known about the google thing for a while and unfortunately having vonage didn't help.
Click to expand...
Interesting, mine does not show up when I look it up...Just a thought, is your number listed in the phonebook?
 
I think it is.
 
I think people that really want to find this information will pretty much get it no matter what.

If your Revenue Office for your land taxes is on the internet, they can look up the location of your house there too.
 
My phone number is unlisted so when I did it the number/location came back to the prior individual who had my phone number. OK with me!!!!!:)
 
pkd09 said:
My phone number is unlisted so when I did it the number/location came back to the prior individual who had my phone number. OK with me!!!!!:)
Click to expand...
mine too, I've had this number for 4 years and I get calls for him all the time.
 
I checked my phone number and it gives my old address (we moved almost 5 months ago) and then when the map pops up - they have our old house in the wrong area of where we lived.
 
Taking it off of google won't help for lots of reasons -- as mentioned above there are lots of other sites that do reverse look up and google and most other search engines also have a cached feature so if it was EVER in google, you can still look at the cache.

Our home phone is unlisted (and I use my cell phone for Pampered Chef), but in my county all the land records are on-line and searchable so all anyone has to know is my last name and they can find out exactly where I live, how much my property taxes are and how much I paid for my house.
 
ivykeep said:
but in my county all the land records are on-line and searchable so all anyone has to know is my last name and they can find out exactly where I live, how much my property taxes are and how much I paid for my house.
Click to expand...

Our minds think a like b/c I had previously posted this b/c our county does this too.
 
This is exactly why I do not have my home # or street adress on any of my catalogs or info I hand out.

I Got my Cell Phone # specifically for business. It's a write off and I feel more secure in many ways.
 
It didn't come up with my number and it's a listed number. Who knows?
 

Frequently Asked Questions

What does it mean to block my phone number from Google search results?

Blocking your phone number from Google search results means taking steps to prevent your personal phone number from appearing in search engine results, thereby protecting your privacy and reducing unwanted calls or spam.

How can I remove my phone number from Google search results?

You can remove your phone number from Google search results by using Google's removal tool. You will need to submit a request to remove specific URLs that display your number, and you may also need to contact the website owner to request removal if the number is listed on their site.

Will blocking my phone number from Google affect my business?

If you run a business and rely on phone calls for customer inquiries, blocking your personal phone number may limit visibility. Consider using a dedicated business phone number or a virtual phone service that can be listed publicly while keeping your personal number private.

Can I block my phone number from appearing on all search engines?

While you can take steps to block your number from Google, other search engines may have different policies. You should check the privacy settings and removal processes for each search engine individually to ensure comprehensive privacy protection.

How long does it take for my phone number to be removed from Google search results?

The removal process can vary in duration. Once you submit a request through Google's removal tool, it typically takes a few days to a couple of weeks for the changes to take effect, depending on the complexity of the request and the volume of requests Google is processing.

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