Quick answer: If Clever Shield shows you a record with an address, age, or relative that is not yours, it is because data brokers frequently mix up profiles. They combine information from many sources and sometimes merge details from different people into one listing. We surface these on purpose so we never miss something that actually is you. You can safely ignore or dismiss the ones that are not.

“That’s not my address. Why is it on my report?”

It feels strange to open your privacy report and see a street you have never lived on, a relative you do not have, or an age that is off by a decade. Your first thought is usually, “is this even working?” It is. Here is what is really going on.

How data brokers build their profiles

Data brokers do not have a clean, verified file on you. They assemble profiles by pulling from public records, old forms, app data, marketing lists, and other brokers, then stitching it together with software that guesses which pieces belong to the same person.

That guessing is imperfect. When two people share a name, a former address, or a relative, brokers often merge their records by mistake. The result is a single listing that is part you and part someone else. The inaccuracy lives in the broker’s data, not in our scan. We are simply showing you what that site is publishing about your name.

Why we show you records that might not be yours

We could hide anything that looks slightly off, but that would be risky. Brokers list people in surprising ways: an old address from fifteen years ago, a misspelled name, a nickname, a relative’s town. If we filtered too aggressively, we would miss real exposures that genuinely belong to you.

So we cast a wide net on purpose. That means you will occasionally see a record that is not yours mixed in with the ones that are. It is a deliberate trade-off that favors catching everything over showing a shorter, prettier list.

What you should do about them

You do not need to worry about records that are not you, and you do not need to claim them.

  • If a record clearly is not you, dismiss or ignore it. It will not count against your protection.
  • If a record is partly you (right name, wrong address), you can still have us pursue removal, since the broker is publishing it under your name.
  • If a specific listing keeps generating alerts and you are unsure, send it to [email protected] and we will help you sort out which parts are actually you.

Does this hurt my Shield Score?

No. Records that are not you are not the point of your score. Your Shield Score reflects your real exposure and the progress we make removing it. Dismissing a listing that belongs to someone else simply keeps your report accurate.

The bottom line

Seeing a record that is not you is normal and expected. It is a side effect of how messy broker data is, not a sign that something is wrong with your account. Ignore the ones that are not yours, let us handle the ones that are, and reach out any time you want a second set of eyes on a confusing listing.

Curious what is actually out there under your name? Run a free scan and see your real exposure.