I simply want to Close It
This is for you, if you have registered for quite a few internet accounts for one thing or another and for one reason or another have decided that you want to "close your account." Sounds easy. Right? Wrong. I for one, am fed up with sites that do not offer users a way to "delete/close account" information. Surely, if you join, signup, register, submit, information on a site, that website should offer the user a "delete/close account information"option at will.
Contents at a Glance
1. 2. 3. 4. Where is the Delete Option? What's a User to Do? Be Patient, Be Persistent What else Can I do?
Where is the Delete Option?
Sometimes there isn't one. How many of you have joined, registered, signed-up for an account with joe blow website, decided that you don't want to use it anymore--searched for a "delete/close account" option, but were unable to find one? So many hands are raised and I know why.
Websites that gather personal and or general information, more than likely have your information stored in some form of a database and they want to keep it. No service wants to loose a "customer" like website services don't want to loose a
registrant. Freely displaying a "delete/close account" option, isn't tops on their to-do list. From brief sign-ups, to long registrations, your information is saved. As easy as it is to provide your information, it should be just as easy to "delete/close account" ones information.
What's a User to Do?
Be nice ! Why? Because some services may believe that you are dissatisfied with their offering. So thank them, and proceed.
Below are samples of a brief, to the point email request that can be used to help. Be patient, you might not get an immediate response.
This first one is useful if you know you probably will not use this site/service again. Hello, Thanks for a wonderful service, however please delete my account information. My username is ******* Thanks again, This second one is used if you might want to use this site/service in the future. Hello, Thanks for a wonderful service. I am overhauling my website and hope to rejoin at a later time. Please delete my account information. My username is ******* Thanks again,
Be Patient, Be Persistent
Sometimes the response will be just as brief as your request with this: "Hello, you account has been deleted". If the website is worth it's salt, it should briefly inquire as to why you want to close your account, to learn more about user interests. You may not get a response right away, so make sure you bookmark and rename/label the site "deleteaccountrequest" this way you can keep track of the accounts you have requested to close. Create a folder in your favorites and call it "deleteaccounts" then, place your bookmarks there. If needed, try requesting again in a couple of weeks. If you're adamant, then perhaps calling and requesting would help. After all, it is your personal info that you want to keep abreast of.
What else Can I do?
Lastly, you can simply not log-in, lots of sites automatically deactivate and sometimes close user accounts after 30,60,90 days if a user has not logged on. Deactivation does not always mean your account is deleted or closed, it simply means that you can return and activate it, meaning your information is still in the websites database or system.