How to Remove Your Data from Data Broker Sites

calendar May 16, 2026 / · 4 min read · opt out data brokers  ·
Share on: linkedin copy

Your Data Is Being Sold Right Now

Data brokers are companies that collect, aggregate, and sell personal information — your name, address, phone number, email, relatives, estimated income, purchase history, and more — without your direct knowledge or consent. The Privacy Rights Clearinghouse, a nonprofit that has tracked consumer privacy since 1992, maintains a database of over 500 data broker companies currently operating in the U.S.

These companies source data from public records (county property transfers, voter registration, court filings), social media profiles, loyalty programs, retail purchase histories, and other brokers. Once your information is in the ecosystem, it is resold repeatedly. A single address change can take years to propagate through opt-out requests because each downstream purchaser needs to be notified separately.

The downstream harm is real and quantifiable. Junk mail, robocalls, targeted phishing, and physical security risks (stalking cases frequently trace back to people-search sites) all originate in data broker databases. Removing your data does not guarantee privacy — new data enters the ecosystem continuously — but it reduces exposure and the quality of data available about you.

How to opt out: step by step

  1. Identify which brokers hold your data — Search your full name plus city on the major people-search sites: Whitepages, Spokeo, BeenVerified, Intelius, MyLife, Truthfinder, Radaris, and FastPeopleSearch. Note the URLs of your profiles — you will need them for individual opt-out requests.

  2. Submit individual opt-out requests to high-traffic brokers — Each broker has its own opt-out process:

    • Whitepages: whitepages.com/suppression_requests
    • Spokeo: spokeo.com/optout
    • BeenVerified: beenverified.com/opt-out
    • Intelius: intelius.com/opt-out
    • MyLife: mylife.com/ccpa/index.pubview (requires account creation)
    • Radaris: radaris.com/page/how-to-remove Most require you to locate your specific profile and submit a form; some require email confirmation.

  3. Use a removal service for scale — With 500+ data brokers operating, manual opt-outs are impractical for full coverage. Two services automate this:

    • Incogni (Surfshark product) — sends removal requests to 180+ brokers on your behalf and tracks response status. Plans start at $6.49/mo annually.
    • Optery — covers 200+ brokers with a free tier (manual opt-out links provided) and a paid tier ($3.99–$16.99/mo) that automates submissions and re-submits periodically.

  4. Submit a CCPA request if you are a California resident — The California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) gives California residents the right to request deletion of personal data from any company that meets the CCPA threshold (annual gross revenue over $25M, or buys/sells/receives personal data of 50,000+ consumers). Send a deletion request using the company's CCPA link — most major brokers publish one. Non-California residents can cite the company's privacy policy deletion rights, which many extend nationally.

  5. Opt out of Google search results (where applicable) — Google's "Results About You" tool at myaccount.google.com/data-and-privacy allows you to request removal of search results that display your personal contact information. This does not remove data from the source broker site, but reduces discoverability.

  6. Repeat quarterly — Data broker databases are not static. New public records are processed continuously, and brokers share data with each other. Services like Incogni and Optery re-submit removal requests automatically. Manual opt-out users should repeat the search-and-submit cycle every three to six months.

What to expect

Individual broker opt-outs typically process in 30–45 days. Some brokers (particularly smaller aggregators) take longer or require follow-up. Automated services like Incogni report that the majority of requests are fulfilled within 30 days, with some brokers taking up to 90 days.

After initial opt-outs, expect your profile to reappear on some sites within 6–12 months as new data enters. This is not a failure — it is the nature of a data ecosystem fed by continuous public record updates. The value of automated removal services is ongoing re-submission, not a one-time clean sweep.

The Privacy Rights Clearinghouse notes that some brokers operate opt-out systems that are deliberately difficult to use (broken forms, email confirmation loops that time out). Document your submissions with screenshots or confirmation emails in case you need to escalate or file a complaint.

References

  • Privacy Rights Clearinghouse. "Data Brokers." PrivacyRights.org, https://privacyrights.org/. Retrieved 2026-05-19.
  • Incogni by Surfshark. "Remove Your Personal Data from Data Broker Sites." Incogni.com, https://incogni.com/. Retrieved 2026-05-19.
  • Optery Inc. "Delete Your Personal Information." Optery.com, https://www.optery.com/. Retrieved 2026-05-19.

Posts in this series