National Public Data, a people search site responsible for a massive security incident, has returned online under new ownership over a year after the original National Public Data breach exposed billions of records.
Return Under New Ownership
The site has relaunched as National Public Data Perfect Privacy LLC, a company not affiliated with the VPN service of the same name. Despite the new ownership, its core business model of allowing anyone to look up personal data using only a name has not changed.
National Public Data did not respond to a request for comment.
The relaunch underscores how quickly exposed information can resurface online. The site disappeared from the internet following the breach but has now returned with a similar function.
Risks of FCRA Personal Data Misuse
While the site includes disclaimers about the Fair Credit Reporting Act, there are concerns about potential FCRA personal data misuse. The information could be improperly used for major decisions regarding employment, housing, or credit.
NPD sources its information from public records, property databases, social media, and government agencies. A test of the relaunched platform revealed a mix of both outdated and accurate information, and it struggled to process hyphenated names correctly.
The Lasting Impact of the National Public Data Breach
The original breach exposed the personal information of 3 billion individuals, making it one of history’s largest. The site’s return highlights that even when a breach fades from headlines, the exposed data rarely disappears permanently.
Dozens of other people search sites, such as Whitepages, Spokeo, and Radaris, operate in a similar fashion. Many of these services pull information from the same public databases.
How to Remove Information from National Public Data
For users seeking people search site data removal, a request can be submitted directly on the NPD site. A separate request is required for each profile listed under an individual’s name.
It is recommended to check the site a few days after submitting a request to ensure the information is gone. Using an alias or a disposable email address for the removal request can help protect your primary contact information.
Broader protective actions include regularly searching for your name on other search engines, using a data removal service, and monitoring your financial statements and credit reports. Individuals can also set up free fraud alerts with credit bureaus, tighten privacy settings on social media, and request redactions from local county records where possible.
