Free self-check

See what a stranger can find about you.

Answer 12 questions about your own household. Some ask you to search for yourself first. You'll get a list of what to fix, starting with the records that feed everything else.

About 10 minutes. Nothing is saved or sent. Closing the page clears your answers.

Only search for yourself. Never run these checks on someone who hasn't asked you to.

1When you moved into your home, did you file a permanent change of address with the Postal Service?

This includes the online form at usps.com and the form at the post office.

2Do your bank and card statements come to your home address?

Check one statement from each bank and card. The address on the account is what credit records carry.

3Are your credit files frozen at Equifax, Experian and TransUnion?

Each adult needs a freeze at all three. A fraud alert is not the same thing.

4Is your file frozen at NCTUE, the utility and telecom exchange?

NCTUE collects account records from phone, pay TV and utility companies. It's separate from the three credit bureaus.

5Search your county property appraiser's website for your own name. Does your home come up?

Every Florida county has a free owner search. Elsewhere, search for your county assessor.

6When you call someone, does your name show on their caller ID?

Call a friend from each household phone and ask what their screen shows.

7Have you opted out of your children's school directory this school year?

Schools usually send the opt-out form at the start of the year, with a short deadline.

8Search your full name and city on Google. Does any result show your home address?

Put your name in quotes, like "Jane Smith" Miami, and check the first two pages.

9Look yourself up on two people-search sites. Is your current home listed?

Try TruePeopleSearch and FastPeopleSearch. Both are free to search.

10Do those listings name your spouse, children or other relatives?

Relatives' names let a stranger find you through someone else's listing.

11Is your house blurred on Google Street View?

Open Google Maps, drop into Street View in front of your home and look.

12Are photos of your home's interior still on real estate sites?

Search your address on Zillow and Realtor.com. Old listings often stay up for years.