Your name, home address, phone number, email addresses, family members, property records, and even your estimated income are for sale — right now — on hundreds of data broker and people search websites. These sites scrape public records, purchase data from third parties, and publish everything they find without your consent. The good news? You can opt out. This complete guide walks you through removing your personal information from every major data broker in 2026.

The data broker industry generates over £300 billion annually by collecting, aggregating, and selling personal data. Companies like Spokeo, Whitepages, Intelius, and PeopleFinders build detailed profiles on virtually every adult in the United States and United Kingdom. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) in the UK have both taken enforcement actions against data brokers for unfair data practices, but the onus remains on individuals to remove their information. As we covered in our guide to browser fingerprinting, your digital footprint extends far beyond what you actively share online.

What Are Data Brokers and Why Should You Care?

Data brokers are companies that collect personal information from public records, data breaches, social media, shopping habits, and other sources, then package and sell that data to marketers, employers, landlords, insurance companies, and even stalkers. A 2025 privacy audit by DuckDuckGo found that the average American adult has their data listed on 25-40 different people search sites.

The risks go beyond spam calls. Data broker profiles have been used for:

• Doxxing and harassment — abusers find victims' addresses through people search sites
• Social engineering attacks — cybercriminals use publicly available personal data to answer security questions
• Insurance discrimination — insurers purchase data profiles to adjust premiums based on inferred health and lifestyle data
• Identity theft — detailed personal profiles make it easier to impersonate you

The NIST Privacy Framework (NISTIR 8062) identifies data aggregation and resale as a key privacy risk, recommending individuals adopt a "data minimisation" approach — and the first step is knowing what data brokers hold about you. Our password manager metadata privacy analysis explores how even privacy-focused tools can reveal more than expected.

The 30 Most Important Data Brokers to Opt Out From

Not all data brokers are equal. These 30 sites represent the people search platforms that appear most frequently in SERPs and have the largest databases. Prioritise them in this order:

Priority	Site	Database Size	Opt-Out Method
1	Spokeo	12B+ records	Email verification + URL removal
2	Whitepages	250M+ profiles	Phone verification + profile deletion
3	Intelius	20B+ records	Email verification
4	PeopleFinders	17B+ records	Email verification
5	MyLife	700M+ profiles	Email + profile URL
6	BeenVerified	12B+ records	Email verification + CAPTCHA
7	Instant Checkmate	10B+ records	Email verification
8	TruthFinder	10B+ records	Email verification
9	Radaris	5B+ records	Manual URL removal
10	PeekYou	250M+ profiles	Email + profile URL
11	Pipl	3B+ records	Email removal request
12	ClustrMaps	5B+ records	Manual URL removal
13	FamilyTreeNow	3B+ records	Email removal request
14	CheckThem	5B+ records	Email verification
15	PeopleSmart	2B+ records	Email verification
16	Zabasearch	1B+ records	Email + phone verification
17	Yasni	500M+ records	Manual removal for EU residents
18	PublicRecordsNow	2B+ records	Email removal
19	SearchPeopleFree	1B+ records	Manual URL removal
20	IDtrue	500M+ records	Email removal
21	PeopleLooker	3B+ records	Email verification
22	Addresses.com	500M+ records	Manual removal
23	Phonebook.com	2B+ records	Email removal
24	ThatsThem	1B+ records	Automated opt-out (fastest)
25	PrivateEye	3B+ records	Email + phone verification
26	USSearch	1B+ records	Email verification
27	CyberBackgroundChecks	2B+ records	Email removal
28	PeopleSearchNow	1B+ records	Manual opt-out
29	LocatePeople	500M+ records	Email opt-out
30	GoLookUp	2B+ records	Email removal

How to Find Your Data Broker Profiles

Before you can opt out, you need to find where your information is listed. Three approaches work best:

Method 1: Search Your Own Name

Search for "Your Full Name" "City, State" on Google, DuckDuckGo, and Bing. People search sites rank aggressively for name searches — your profiles will appear within the first few pages of results. Use a private search engine like DuckDuckGo to avoid personalised results that might hide some listings.

Method 2: Use a Data Broker Removal Service

Paid services like DeleteMe (Abine), Kanary, and Incogni automate the opt-out process across 30-200 data brokers. They cost roughly £8-15/month and handle the verification emails and follow-ups for you. For a one-time deep clean, this is the fastest option — but if you prefer the DIY approach, the manual opt-out guide below covers every major broker.

Method 3: Check Data Breach Aggregators

Use Have I Been Pwned (HIBP) and Firefox Monitor to see which breaches exposed your email addresses and passwords. Data brokers purchase breach data to enrich their profiles. Use a dedicated email address for opt-out requests — an encrypted email service like TrekMail keeps your opt-out activity separate from your primary inbox.

General Opt-Out Procedure (Works for Most Sites)

Most data brokers follow the same basic opt-out flow. Master this template and you can handle any site in 5 minutes:

1. Locate your profile URL — Search the site for your name, find your profile page
2. Copy the profile URL — You'll need this for the opt-out request
3. Find the opt-out page — Usually at /optout, /privacy, or in the footer as "Do Not Sell My Info"
4. Submit your request — Paste your profile URL, enter your email, complete CAPTCHA
5. Verify via email — The site sends a confirmation link. Click it within 24 hours
6. Wait 24-72 hours — Most brokers remove your profile within 3 business days
7. Verify removal — Search for your profile again to confirm it's gone

Important: Data brokers may re-add your information from new data sources. Schedule a quarterly audit — search your name on each site, check for new profiles, and repeat the opt-out process.

Step-by-Step Opt-Out: Top 10 Data Brokers

1. Spokeo

1. Search your name at spokeo.com
2. Find your profile and copy the URL
3. Go to Spokeo's opt-out page
4. Paste your profile URL and enter your email
5. Check your email for the verification link and click it
6. Your profile is removed within 24 hours

2. Whitepages

1. Search your name at whitepages.com
2. Click your profile, then click "Remove this listing"
3. Enter your phone number for SMS verification
4. Enter the verification code sent via SMS
5. Confirm removal — your listing is deleted within 48 hours

3. Intelius

1. Search for your profile on Intelius
2. Copy the profile URL
3. Go to Intelius's opt-out page (linked in their Privacy Policy)
4. Paste your profile URL and enter your email
5. Check email for verification link and click it
6. Profile removed within 72 hours

4. PeopleFinders

1. Search your name on PeopleFinders
2. Find your record and click "Suppress This Record"
3. Enter your email address
4. Check email for the suppression confirmation link
5. Record is removed within 48 hours

5. MyLife

1. Search your name on MyLife
2. Find your "reputation profile" and copy the URL
3. Scroll to the bottom and click "Control Your Profile" or "Opt Out"
4. Submit the removal request with your email
5. Confirm via email — removal can take up to 7 days
6. MyLife often re-creates profiles; check back monthly

6. BeenVerified

1. Search your name on BeenVerified
2. Find your record and click the opt-out link
3. Enter your email address
4. Complete the CAPTCHA
5. Check email for the opt-out confirmation link
6. Record removed within 24 hours

7. Instant Checkmate

1. Search your name on Instant Checkmate
2. Click your record and select "Opt Out"
3. Enter your email
4. Check email for verification — click the link
5. Record removed within 24 hours

8. TruthFinder

1. Search your name on TruthFinder
2. Open your record and find the opt-out option
3. Enter your email
4. Click the verification link sent to your email
5. Record suppressed within 24-48 hours

9. Radaris

1. Search your name on Radaris
2. Open your profile and click "Claim this profile" or "Remove"
3. You may need to create a free account to claim the profile
4. After claiming, request removal
5. Radaris requires manual URL submission; removal takes 48-72 hours

10. PeekYou

1. Search your name on PeekYou
2. Find your profile and copy the URL
3. Go to the opt-out page in the footer
4. Paste your profile URL and enter your email
5. Wait for the confirmation email and click the link
6. Profile removed within 48 hours

Tools to Automate the Data Broker Opt-Out Process

If manually opting out of 30+ sites feels overwhelming, these services handle the entire process for a monthly fee:

Service	Monthly Cost	Brokers Covered	Key Feature
DeleteMe (Abine)	$10.75/mo	30+	Quarterly re-scans, removal reports
Kanary	$8.99/mo	200+	Most comprehensive coverage, includes international brokers
Incogni (Surfshark)	$6.99/mo	50+	Lowest price, AI-powered removal requests
PrivacyDuck	$12/mo	40+	Manual removal by real people, documented
Optery	$9.95/mo	50+	Free scan, screenshots of removal progress

For users who prefer maximum privacy during this process, use a VPN to mask your IP address while searching for your profiles and submitting opt-out requests. Services like Hide My Name VPN accept anonymous payments and keep no logs, ensuring that your data removal activities remain completely private.

How to Stay Off Data Broker Lists Long-Term

Data brokers constantly re-add profiles from new data sources. Opting out once is not enough. Follow these long-term strategies:

• Quarterly opt-out audits — Set a recurring calendar reminder every 3 months to search for your name on the top 10 data brokers
• Use a dedicated email alias — Create a unique email (via SimpleLogin or Firefox Relay) for opt-out requests. If that alias starts receiving spam, you know a data broker has re-added your data
• Enable privacy settings — On social media, set profiles to private and disable search engine indexing. Data brokers scrape Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter for contact information
• Opt out of data sharing — At banks, retailers, and loyalty programmes, submit "Do Not Sell My Personal Information" requests under the CCPA (California) or UK GDPR Article 21
• Use an encrypted email provider — Services like TrekMail prevent your email provider from scanning your inbox for data broker re-verification emails
• Minimum data disclosure — When filling forms, provide the minimum information required. Use +alias email extensions to track which companies sell your data

The ICO in the UK provides guidance under Section 179 of the Data Protection Act 2018 for individuals to object to data processing for direct marketing. ENISA also recommends data deletion as a core privacy hygiene practice. For a deeper look at how much data your tools already expose, read our guide to zero-knowledge password generation.

Can You Opt Out of All Data Brokers?

Realistically, no — there are over 4,000 data brokers worldwide, ranging from massive consumer reporting agencies (like Acxiom with 5,000+ data points on 700 million consumers) to small local aggregators. However, opting out of the top 30 eliminates approximately 95% of the unwanted exposure because most smaller brokers license data from the larger players.

The CISA (Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency) recommends data minimisation as a core cybersecurity practice. Removing your data from the largest brokers significantly reduces your attack surface for social engineering, identity theft, and targeted harassment.

FAQs

Is it free to opt out of data brokers?

Yes — every major data broker offers a free opt-out process. Some sites require an email verification step, and a few (like Whitepages) use SMS verification, but none should charge you to remove your profile. If a site asks for payment to opt out, it is not following legitimate data broker practices — avoid it.

How long does data broker opt-out take?

The verification process takes about 5-10 minutes per broker, plus 24-72 hours for the removal to process. A full sweep of the top 30 brokers takes 2-4 hours over a weekend, with most profiles removed within 3 days.

Do data brokers re-add your information?

Yes — many brokers re-scan public records and repurchase data quarterly. Spokeo, MyLife, and Radaris are known for re-adding profiles after 6-12 months. This is why quarterly audits are essential. Automated services like Kanary and DeleteMe handle re-removal for you.

Can data brokers sell my information after I opt out?

Under the CCPA and UK GDPR, once you submit a verified opt-out request, the broker must stop selling your data. However, they may still display information obtained from public records. Some US states have passed data broker registration laws requiring annual transparency reports.

What should I use as my opt-out email?

Use an email address that you check regularly, but prefer one that is not your primary email. An alias from SimpleLogin or an encrypted email address from TrekMail works well — it keeps your opt-out traffic separate and alerts you if a broker re-adds your data.

Does using a VPN help with data broker removal?

Yes — using a VPN while searching for your profiles prevents data brokers from logging your IP address and connecting your opt-out activity to your home internet connection. Some brokers use IP tracking to resist opt-out requests from users in certain regions.

What are the biggest data broker companies?

The largest consumer data brokers by revenue are Acxiom, Oracle Data Cloud, Epsilon, Experian Marketing Services, and TransUnion. These companies focus on marketing and credit data, maintaining extensive profiles on virtually every adult consumer. Opting out from these requires a written data subject access request (DSAR).