Right now, your home address, phone number, relatives' names, and estimated income are listed on dozens of websites you have never visited and never agreed to. These sites are called data brokers — companies that collect, package, and sell your personal information to anyone willing to pay for it.
The good news is you can remove yourself. The bad news is it takes time, the process varies by site, and most sites will re-list you within months if you don't stay on top of it. This guide covers the most common brokers and exactly how to opt out of each one.
The big ones first
Spokeo
Spokeo is one of the most widely used people-search sites and consistently ranks on the first page of Google for name searches. To remove yourself, go to spokeo.com/optout, enter the URL of your specific listing, and submit your email address for confirmation. You'll receive a verification email — you must click it or the removal won't process. Spokeo typically removes listings within 24–48 hours but may re-list you from new data sources within 3–6 months.
WhitePages
WhitePages requires phone verification for removal, which is more invasive than most. Go to whitepages.com/suppression_requests/new, find your listing, and submit. They'll call or text a verification code to the phone number listed. If the phone number on the listing is no longer yours, the process gets significantly harder — you'll need to contact their support team directly.
BeenVerified
BeenVerified has a dedicated opt-out page at beenverified.com/opt-out. Search for your name, select your listing, and submit a removal request. They require email verification and typically process within a few days. Unlike some brokers, BeenVerified tends to honor removals for longer periods.
Intelius
Intelius processes opt-outs via email to privacy@intelius.com. Send a message with your full name, current city and state, and a request to remove all associated records. Include "CCPA Deletion Request" in the subject line — this invokes your legal rights and tends to get faster responses.
FastPeopleSearch
One of the easier ones to remove from. Go to fastpeoplesearch.com/removal, enter your name and state, find your listing, and submit. They typically process within 24 hours and send a confirmation. No email verification required.
Radaris
Radaris requires you to create an account to manage your privacy settings, which feels counterintuitive. Go to radaris.com, search your name, find your profile, and use the privacy controls to suppress it. Processing typically takes 2–5 business days.
The ones people forget about
The sites above are the most visible, but there are dozens more that quietly list your information. Some of the commonly overlooked ones include MyLife, TruthFinder, Instant Checkmate, PeopleFinder, Pipl, ZabaSearch, and AnyWho.
Each of these has a slightly different opt-out process. Some require emailing a privacy department, some have online forms, and some (like MyLife) require filing a CCPA request with supporting documentation.
Why they keep coming back
Even after successful removal, data brokers will often re-list you. This happens because they continuously purchase new data from sources like voter registration records, property records, marketing databases, and social media. When new data about you comes in, it creates a new listing — and you have to remove it again.
This is why one-time removal doesn't work. Effective protection requires ongoing monitoring and re-submission of opt-out requests whenever new listings appear.
The faster way
If working through 50+ broker sites manually sounds like your weekend, there is an alternative. Vettadex identifies your listings across 50+ data brokers and automatically submits opt-out requests on your behalf — then monitors for new listings and re-submits when they appear. Removals that require email opt-outs are sent directly from your email address, citing CCPA, which brokers are legally required to honor within 45 days.