How to Opt Out of Data Brokers (2026)
Free opt-out links for Spokeo, Whitepages, BeenVerified and 15 more brokers — plus California's DROP
Updated
If you can type your name into Spokeo or Whitepages and see your home address, phone number, and relatives, you're not alone — and you don't need to pay anyone to take it down. Every site in this guide has a free opt-out form. I've tested each link and written down what it actually asks for, so you can work through the list in an afternoon.
Not sure how exposed you are? Run the free Data Broker Exposure Report first — it shows what your IP address and ISP already reveal before you start removing listings.
Quick Reference: Every Opt-Out Link
All of these are free. Click a site to jump to its opt-out link and steps. Times are how long the site says removal takes after you confirm the request.
| Site | Verification | Removal Time |
|---|---|---|
| California DROP | CA residency check | Brokers process every 45 days |
| Spokeo | Email link | 24–72 hours |
| Whitepages | Phone call or text | Up to 48 hours |
| Intelius, Instant Checkmate, TruthFinder, US Search | Email link | A few days |
| BeenVerified | Email link | About 24 hours |
| FastPeopleSearch, TruePeopleSearch, SearchPeopleFree, USPhoneBook | Email link (valid 24 hours) | Up to 3 days |
| PeopleFinders | None | Up to 3 days |
| FamilyTreeNow | Email link (valid 24 hours) | Up to 3 days |
| ThatsThem | Form | Varies |
| Acxiom, LexisNexis, Epsilon, Cotality | Varies — some ask for ID | Up to 30 days |
| Credit offers, calls, junk mail | Varies | Weeks |
Before You Start
Five minutes of prep saves a lot of repeat work:
- Use a separate email address. Most forms send a confirmation link, and some brokers keep the address. A free throwaway inbox or an email alias keeps your main address out of their database.
- Search for every version of your name. Maiden names, middle initials, and old addresses often create separate profiles — each one needs its own opt-out.
- Copy the profile URLs. Spokeo and Whitepages ask for the exact link to your listing. Paste them into a note before you start.
- Never send your Social Security number. No legitimate opt-out form needs it. If a company asks for a driver's license, black out the number and photo first.
- Keep a simple log. Site, date, and confirmation email — so you know what to re-check in a few months.
California Residents: Use DROP First
If you live in California, start here. Under the state's Delete Act, the Delete Request and Opt-out Platform (DROP) sends a single deletion request to every registered data broker — more than 600 of them. It's run by the state privacy agency, and it's free.
DROP doesn't cover everything. It only reaches companies registered as data brokers in California. Do the people-search opt-outs below as well — they're the sites that show up when someone Googles your name.
People-Search Sites
These are the sites that put your address and phone number in front of anyone with your name. They're also the easiest to remove — no account, no ID, just an email confirmation.
Spokeo
- Search your name on spokeo.com and open the listing that matches you.
- Copy the URL of that listing from your browser's address bar.
- Paste it into the opt-out form, add your email, and submit.
- Click the confirmation link in the email — nothing happens until you do.
Repeat for every listing. If you've moved or changed your name, there are probably several.
Opt out ofSpokeoWhitepages
- Find your listing on whitepages.com and copy its URL.
- Paste it into the suppression request form and confirm it's you.
- Pick a phone number from the listing and get the verification code by call or text.
The phone step trips people up: if you use call screening or spam blocking, watch your blocked calls for the verification call.
Opt out ofWhitepagesIntelius, Instant Checkmate, TruthFinder & US Search
All four belong to the same company, PeopleConnect, and one request through its Suppression Center hides your background report on every site it owns. That's four opt-outs for the price of one.
- Enter your email address in the Suppression Center.
- Open the verification link PeopleConnect emails you.
- Find your record and choose to suppress it.
BeenVerified
- Enter your first name, last name, and state, then pass the captcha.
- Pick your record from the results and enter your email.
- Click the link in the confirmation email.
The form removes one record per request. If you find more than one, email [email protected] with the extra listings. BeenVerified's property search and contact search have their own opt-outs — the links are right above the FAQ on the opt-out page.
FastPeopleSearch, TruePeopleSearch, SearchPeopleFree & USPhoneBook
These four free people-search sites use the same opt-out process, so once you've done one, the rest take a couple of minutes each:
- Enter your name and email, then complete the captcha.
- Open the link they email you within 24 hours — after that you'll have to request a new one.
- Fill in the form so it matches your record exactly. Missing or wrong details are the most common reason a removal fails.
FastPeopleSearch opt-out · TruePeopleSearch removal · SearchPeopleFree opt-out · USPhoneBook removal
PeopleFinders
Scroll past the "Free Identity Monitoring" offer at the top of the page — you don't need it. The actual opt-out is the Record Suppression Form further down. It asks for your name, email, street address, city, and state; phone number and date of birth are optional but help it find the right record.
Opt out ofPeopleFindersFamilyTreeNow
It looks like a genealogy site, but FamilyTreeNow shows current addresses and relatives for living people too. Enter your name and email, open the verification link, then fill in the detailed opt-out form.
Opt out ofFamilyTreeNowThatsThem
ThatsThem lists names, addresses, phone numbers, and sometimes IP addresses. Fill in the opt-out form with the details shown on your listing.
Opt out ofThatsThemRemoval denied because of your state? In 2026, TruePeopleSearch, PeopleFinders, and FamilyTreeNow started rejecting some requests from people in states without a comprehensive privacy law, with a reply saying your state "does not have a comprehensive consumer privacy law" that applies to their data. Not every request gets this answer, and we haven't seen reports of it from the other sites in this guide.
Use the regular opt-out form linked above rather than a privacy-rights or "Do Not Sell" request, which is where the residency check happens. If you're still refused, reply and ask them to process it as a standard opt-out — FamilyTreeNow's privacy policy, for one, says it may apply requests to public-records data as a courtesy. After that, a complaint with the Better Business Bureau and your state attorney general is the next step; people have reported TruePeopleSearch reversing its denial once a BBB complaint was filed. Either way, Google's Results about you tool can remove search results that show your phone number, email, or home address, even when the listing itself stays up.
Looking for Radaris or PeekYou? Both domains are now controlled by Atlas Data Privacy Corporation following lawsuits under New Jersey's Daniel's Law, and neither site works as a people-search engine anymore. There's nothing to opt out of there right now.
Marketing Data Brokers You've Never Heard Of
You'll never find your profile on these sites by searching your name — they sell to advertisers, insurers, and lenders, not the public. They still hold some of the most detailed files on you, and they all offer an opt-out.
| Broker | What It Holds | What to Expect |
|---|---|---|
| Acxiom | Consumer profiles for marketing — demographics, interests, purchase history | Suppresses your data from marketing use; can take up to 30 days |
| LexisNexis | Identity, legal, and insurance data, including your C.L.U.E. claims history | Requires identity verification; some data used for fraud prevention can't be removed |
| Epsilon | Marketing profiles used for targeted mail and online ads | Online data subject request form |
| Cotality (formerly CoreLogic) | Property, mortgage, and financial records | Online privacy portal; property records themselves stay public |
Stop Credit Offers, Calls, and Junk Mail
These aren't data brokers in the strict sense, but they cut off the biggest streams of your data being sold for marketing. All three are official programs, not third-party services.
| Program | What It Stops | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| OptOutPrescreen | Pre-approved credit card and insurance offers | One request covers Equifax, Experian, TransUnion, and Innovis. Online opt-out lasts 5 years; a permanent one needs a signed form by mail. |
| National Do Not Call Registry | Telemarketing calls | Free, run by the FTC. Doesn't stop political calls, charities, surveys, or outright scammers. |
| DMAchoice | Marketing mail from member companies | Run by the ANA marketing trade group; charges a small processing fee. Also has free opt-outs for deceased relatives. |
After You Opt Out
Clear the Leftovers From Google and Bing
Search engines keep a cached copy of a profile for a while after the broker deletes it. Once the page is gone from the broker's site, ask them to refresh it:
Set a Reminder to Check Again
Opting out isn't permanent. These sites keep buying voter rolls, property records, and phone directories, and a new address or phone number can create a fresh profile that your old request doesn't cover. Search your name on the big sites every three to six months and repeat the opt-out for anything new.
While you're at it, check whether your email has shown up in a data breach — breached data is another common source for broker profiles — and see what the websites you visit can track about you right now.
Don't Want to Do It by Hand? Paid Removal Services
Affiliate Disclosure: I independently review everything I recommend. When you buy through my links, I may earn a commission at no cost to you.
The free forms above work — the hard part is remembering to repeat them. A removal service sends requests to hundreds of brokers, including ones you'd never find yourself, and re-checks automatically. Prices are for one person on an annual plan.
Optery
Optery's free plan scans people-search sites and shows you where you're listed — with screenshots — before you pay anything. That alone makes it a useful companion to this guide. Paid plans then handle the removals and re-check every quarter.
Pros
- Free exposure report with screenshots of your listings
- Cheapest paid entry point of the three
- Clear per-plan broker counts
Cons
- The $39 Core plan covers far fewer sites than higher tiers
- Top tier ($249/year) is the priciest option here
Incogni
Incogni is the set-and-forget option: sign up, authorize it to act on your behalf, and it keeps sending removal requests to both people-search sites and marketing brokers. You get a dashboard showing which requests have been completed.
Pros
- Covers people-search sites and marketing brokers
- 30-day money-back guarantee
Cons
- No free scan before you pay
- Custom removals for sites outside its list need the Unlimited plan ($179.88/year)
DeleteMe
DeleteMe is the longest-running service in this space. Alongside automated removals, it assigns you a privacy expert, takes custom removal requests, and sends a detailed privacy report every quarter.
Pros
- Human privacy experts plus custom removal requests
- Quarterly reports showing what was found and removed
Cons
- Most expensive entry plan of the three
- Doesn't publish an exact broker count on its pricing page
The Verdict
In California: Submit a DROP request first — one free form reaches 600+ registered brokers.
Everywhere else: Start with Spokeo, Whitepages, and the PeopleConnect Suppression Center. Those three requests cover six of the most-searched people-search sites, and they take about half an hour together.
If you won't remember to repeat it: Run Optery's free scan to see where you're still listed, then decide whether a paid plan is worth it to you.