Data broker opt-out guide: remove your info from people-search sites

What data brokers are and why they matter for spam

A data broker is a company that collects personal information from many sources and sells or shares it. People-search sites are the most visible kind: type a name and they show addresses, phone numbers, ages, relatives, and email addresses. Marketing brokers sell lists to advertisers, and some of those lists end up with spammers and scammers.

Brokers typically draw on:

• Public records such as property records, court records, and voter files (where state law allows)
• Marketing and loyalty-program data
• Information from apps, websites, and online purchases
• Data bought from other brokers

Removing your listings won't stop all spam, because some lists are already in circulation. It does cut off a major ongoing source, and it makes you harder to target with personalized scams.

Step 1: Find out where you're listed

1. Search your full name plus your city or state in a search engine. Note which people-search sites show results.
2. Repeat with your phone number and email address in quotes.
3. Make a simple spreadsheet: site, profile URL, date you requested removal, date confirmed.

Don't buy a report on yourself to see what's there. The free search results usually show enough to identify your listing.

Step 2: Submit opt-outs to the big people-search sites

Most reputable people-search sites have an opt-out page, usually linked in the site footer as "Do Not Sell", "Opt Out", or "Privacy". The process is generally:

1. Search for your listing on the site's opt-out page.
2. Select your profile (and any duplicates).
3. Enter an email address to confirm the request. Use a secondary address or an alias, not your main inbox.
4. Click the confirmation link the site sends you.
5. Check back in a few days to a few weeks to confirm the listing is gone.

Start with the largest and most-visited sites, because they also feed smaller ones. Many sites share a parent company, and one opt-out may cover several brands; others require a separate request for each. Widely known people-search sites include Whitepages, Spokeo, BeenVerified, Intelius, PeopleFinders, TruePeopleSearch, FastPeopleSearch, Radaris, and MyLife, among many others.

Things to watch for

• Don't hand over more data than necessary. Some forms ask for extra details; provide the minimum needed to identify the listing.
• Avoid uploading ID unless the site's policy truly requires it and you trust it. Redact everything except name and photo if you must.
• Watch for "premium" removal upsells. Opting out should be free.

Step 3: Use your state privacy rights

A growing list of states give residents the right to request deletion of personal data and to opt out of its sale. If you live in one of these states, saying so in your request can make brokers more responsive.

• California: under the Delete Act, the California Privacy Protection Agency operates the Delete Request and Opt-out Platform (DROP), which lets California residents send a single deletion request to all registered data brokers. Registered brokers are required to process these requests on a recurring basis. Check the agency's official site for current details and eligibility.
• Data broker registries: California, Vermont, Texas, and Oregon require data brokers to register, and their public registries are useful lists of companies to contact.
• Other states with comprehensive consumer privacy laws (such as Colorado, Connecticut, Virginia, and others) provide rights to delete and opt out of sale or targeted advertising, though the details and exemptions vary.

Laws and effective dates change frequently. Your state attorney general's website is the best place to confirm what applies to you.

Step 4: Clean up search results

Google offers a free Results about you tool (in your Google account or the Google app) that lets you request removal of search results that show your phone number, home address, or email address, and can alert you when new results appear. Removing a search result doesn't delete the source page, so pair it with broker opt-outs.

Step 5: Stop new leaks

• Use email aliases and a secondary phone number for shopping and sign-ups. See our email spam guide for alias options.
• Opt out of prescreened credit offers at optoutprescreen.com, the official site run by the major credit bureaus, or by calling 1-888-5-OPT-OUT.
• Reduce junk mail through DMAchoice.org, the Association of National Advertisers' mail preference service (a small fee may apply).
• Review app permissions on your phone and turn off contact and location access for apps that don't need them.
• Consider a credit freeze with Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. It's free and doesn't stop spam, but it blocks new credit accounts if your data ends up in the wrong hands.

DIY or paid removal service?

Paid services such as DeleteMe, Optery, Kanary, and Incogni file opt-out requests on your behalf and re-check periodically. Whether one is worth it depends on how much your time is worth and how exposed you are.

	Do it yourself	Paid service
Cost	Free	Annual subscription
Time	Several hours up front, plus periodic re-checks	Minimal after setup
Coverage	Whatever you have time for	Depends on the service's broker list
Privacy tradeoff	You share data only with brokers	You share your details with the service too

A practical middle path: do the top people-search sites yourself, set a calendar reminder to re-check every three to six months, and consider a paid service only if you're facing harassment or have a high-risk profile. If you're dealing with stalking or domestic violence, contact a local advocate; many states have address confidentiality programs that offer stronger protection than opt-outs.