With the world currently online, it is no surprise that people get signed into a lot of platforms, some of which they no longer use. It has become the norm for users to create an account on these platforms, and personal information is always required.
This information such as personal data, identity details, home address, and credit card details is very delicate and should not be left on the internet. If such information is accessed by the wrong people, a lot of damage can be caused due to such neglect. And so, your best option is to delete any online account you don’t use.
In this post, we will take an in-depth look at how to delete an online account. And you will see the different methods you can use in deleting your online account. Based on the platform you use, you will be able to decide on what method is best for you. But before we get right into it, let’s take a look at why you need to delete an online account you don’t use.
Why You Should Delete Your Online Account
In our world today, data breaches seem not to be news anymore. It’s now common for hackers to get illicit control of an account that is not theirs. Most of these people perpetrate fraud through these hacks. Apart from hackers gaining access to an account, the security of most platforms can also be breached and the personal data of users can be accessed.
A developer can decide to abuse the credit card details of users and carry out fraudulent or malicious practices. A lot of breaches have occurred over the years which has revealed how vulnerable most of these platforms can be. And so, if you can’t risk leaving your details out wide in the open for hackers. You need to delete them along with your personal information.
How to Delete an Online Account
Now that you’ve understood the risk behind leaving an online account dormant, deleting them should be your next line of action.
While many people find this to be daunting, it is easy if you know what exactly to do. Fortunately for you, we’ve got you covered.
There are different methods you use in deleting an online account, but for the sake of this post, we will focus on the basic three methods:
1. Delete an online account from the platform’s website.
This is the basic way to delete an online account. All you have to do is to locate the delete button on the website and delete your online account.
Step 1. Visit the website of the platform you have an account with.
Step 2. Go to the search bar on the homepage of the website and search for “How to delete an account”.
Step 3. You will be shown multiple search results. Select the one with the title you searched for.
Step 4. The searched result should include a link or button to delete your account.
Step 5. Click on the delete button and you are done.
Most of the platforms will require you to read and accept their policy before deleting your account. Pending on which platform that is, the above step should get your account deleted immediately.
2. Delete an online account through a request via email.
If you can’t get your account deleted through the first method, requesting via email should be the next method to try out. This is more assertive than the first, cause here, you will communicate with the platform’s support team. Here’s how to:
Step 1. Log in to the Gmail account used in opening the account.
Step 2. Locate the create message icon and click on it.
Step 3. Address the message to the support email of the service you use.
Step 4. Include the title of the message in the title bar. The title should be “REQUEST TO DELETE MY ACCOUNT”.
Step 5. Go to the body of the message and write out a simple deletion request for your account to get deleted.
Within a few working days, you will receive a reply from the support team. Depending on the platform, you may be required to perform other requirements before a complete delete.
3. Delete an online account by abandoning the account.
While this method isn’t the wisest, it is one sure way to get your online account deleted. But this largely depends on the platform. Most platforms carry out an automatic update of their database. And so, most times, when an account is detected to have been dormant for a long period, it will automatically get deleted.
Again, while this is possible, it is not advisable to leave such actions in the hands of the platforms. Your details are always there and could be exploited. And without an iota of doubt, you should delete your account yourself if you don’t use the platform anymore.
Conclusion
Any of the above methods should help get the job done. It’s worth mentioning that they are third-party sites online that can help you delete your account on any platform.
Most of the sites have apps that are on the Google Play Store or Apple App Store. You just need to download them and delete your account. We hope you find this post helpful. It’s always safe you delete your online account yourself.
