Removing Yourself from Data Brokers

Data brokers are companies that: **Collect Information From:** - Public records (property records, court documents, voter registrations) - Social media and other public profiles - Purchase data from retailers - Warranty registrations - Contest entries - Survey responses - Website tracking - Mobile apps - Credit bureaus **Create Profiles Including:** - Name, age, birth date - Current and past addresses - Phone numbers - Email addresses - Employment history - Education - Family members and associates - Income estimates - Purchasing behavior - Interests and hobbies - Health information **Sell To:** - Advertisers for targeted marketing - Employers for background checks - Landlords for tenant screening - Insurers for underwriting - Debt collectors - Law enforcement The data broker industry generates over $200 billion annually. Your information is likely in dozens—possibly hundreds—of databases.

These sites publish personal information publicly and are the highest priority for removal: **1. FamilyTreeNow** - Opt-out: FamilyTreeNow.com/optout - Requires: Name, URL of your listing - Email verification: Yes - Processing time: Immediate-24 hours **2. FastPeopleSearch** - Opt-out: FastPeopleSearch.com/removal - Requires: Name, address, or URL - Email verification: Yes - Processing time: 24-48 hours **3. TruePeopleSearch** - Opt-out: TruePeopleSearch.com/removal - Requires: Name and URL of listing - Email verification: No (immediate) - Processing time: Immediate **4. Whitepages** - Opt-out: Whitepages.com/suppression_requests - Requires: Phone number or address - Email verification: Yes - Processing time: 24 hours - Note: Premium listings require additional steps **5. Spokeo** - Opt-out: Spokeo.com/optout - Requires: URL of your listing - Email verification: Yes - Processing time: Immediate-24 hours **6. MyLife** - Opt-out: MyLife.com/privacy/remove-profile - Requires: Email verification - Note: Often requires calling customer service - Processing time: 7-10 business days **7. BeenVerified** - Opt-out: BeenVerified.com/opt-out - Requires: Email verification - Processing time: 10 business days **8. Intelius** - Opt-out: Intelius.com/opt-out - Requires: Email verification - Processing time: 7-10 business days Prioritize FamilyTreeNow and FastPeopleSearch as they have the most comprehensive free listings.

Credit bureaus sell your data for marketing purposes. You can opt out: **Prescreened Offers Opt-Out** - Website: OptOutPrescreen.com - Phone: 1-888-567-8688 - Duration: 5 years temporary, permanent by mail - Removes you from credit card/insurance offer lists **Experian Opt-Out** - Opt-out: Experian.com/optout - Must create an account to opt out - Reduces marketing but doesn't affect credit reporting **TransUnion Opt-Out** - Opt-out: TransUnion.com/privacy - Email: privacy@transunion.com - Must provide personal information for verification **Equifax Opt-Out** - Opt-out: Equifax.com/privacy - Phone: 1-800-846-5279 - Must provide personal information **Innovis (Fourth Bureau)** - Opt-out: Innovis.com/privacy - Phone: 1-800-540-2505 Note: These opt-outs only affect marketing uses of your data. They don't affect legitimate credit checks for loans, employment, or housing.

These companies don't publish data publicly but sell it to marketers: **Acxiom** - Opt-out: Acxiom.com/opt-out - Must provide personal information for verification - Processing time: 10 business days **Epsilon** - Opt-out: Epsilon.com/privacy - Email: privacy@epsilon.com - Phone: 1-888-823-3828 **Oracle Data Cloud (formerly Datalogix)** - Opt-out: Oracle.com/privacy - Browser-based opt-out available **Corelogic** - Opt-out: Corelogic.com/privacy - Phone: 1-800-525-9685 **Krunch** - Data aggregator owned by credit bureaus - Opt-out: Optout.krunch.com - Removes you from marketing databases **RRW Holdings** - Parent of multiple data brokers - Opt-out: 1-800-724-7118 **Polk** - Automotive data broker - Opt-out: Polk.com/privacy **Marketing opt-outs are less permanent** than people search removals, as these companies buy data from many sources and your information may reappear.

**Subject: Data Broker Opt-Out Request - [Your Name]** To: [Company Privacy Department] Dear Sir/Madam, I am writing to request that my personal information be removed from your database and that I be placed on your permanent opt-out list. My personal information is: Full Name: [Your Full Name] Current Address: [Your Current Address] Previous Addresses: [List any previous addresses that may appear] Phone Numbers: [List all phone numbers that may appear] Email Addresses: [List all email addresses that may appear] Date of Birth: [MM/DD/YYYY] If you require additional verification, please contact me at: Email: [Your Email Address] Phone: [Your Phone Number] Under the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), I have the right to request deletion of my personal information. I am a California resident and request that you delete my information from all databases and directories under your control. Please confirm when this opt-out has been processed and provide the expected timeline for complete removal. Sincerely, [Your Full Name] [Date] **Note:** Always reference CCPA or GDPR if applicable, even if you're not a resident. Many companies honor these requests universally.

**CCPA (California Residents):** - Submit deletion requests to any data broker doing business in California - Must respond within 45 days - Can opt out of data sales permanently - File complaints with California Attorney General if non-compliant **GDPR (EU Residents):** - Submit erasure requests under Article 17 - Must respond within 30 days - Brokers must delete unless they have legitimate reason to keep data - Can file complaints with national data protection authority **Even If You're Not Covered:** - Reference these laws in your requests anyway - Many companies apply opt-outs universally - Language from these laws carries weight **Sample Language:** "Under the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), I request that you delete my personal information from your database and opt me out of any future data collection or sale." Even non-California residents often have success using this language.

If manual opt-outs feel overwhelming, consider these services: **DeleteMe** - Cost: $129/year for individuals - Removes you from 50+ data brokers - Quarterly re-optimization - Handles verification and follow-up - Provides detailed reports **Privacy Bee** - Cost: $127/year for individuals - Removes from 100+ brokers - Continuous monitoring - Family plans available - Includes dark web monitoring **Incogni** - Cost: $75-120/year depending on plan - Uses GDPR and CCPA to automate requests - Removes from 180+ brokers - Handles follow-up automatically **Optery** - Cost: $99-199/year - Free basic tier available - Removes from 45+ brokers - Continuous monitoring **OneRep** - Cost: $8.33-16.58/month - Removes from 100+ sites - Weekly scans - Family plans available **DIY Cost Comparison:** - Manual: 4-8 hours initially, 1-2 hours quarterly - Automated: $75-150/year, saves significant time For most people, the paid services are worth the time saved.

After removing your information, take steps to prevent re-collection: **1. Use Email Aliases** - Create unique addresses for each service - Track which companies sell your email - Disable compromised aliases - Services: SimpleLogin, AnonAddy, Fastmail **2. Limit Public Information** - Set social media to private - Don't list your phone number publicly - Remove your birth year from profiles - Don't use your full legal name online **3. Opt Out at Point of Collection** - Uncheck data sharing boxes when registering - Use "Do Not Sell My Info" links - Request deletion promptly after closing accounts **4. Use Privacy-Focused Services** - Search: DuckDuckGo, Brave Search - Email: ProtonMail, Tutanota - Browser: Brave, Firefox - VPN: Mullvad, ProtonVPN **5. Be Mindful of Public Records** - Property records are public - Court documents are often online - Voter registrations are public - Professional licenses are public You can't prevent all data collection, but you can significantly reduce what's available about you.

After opting out, monitor for re-appearance: **Monthly Checks:** - Google yourself - Check FamilyTreeNow (re-adds data aggressively) - Check FastPeopleSearch - Review one additional broker from your list **Quarterly Reviews:** - Full search of major people search sites - Check credit reports for new inquiries - Review social media privacy settings - Submit new opt-out requests as needed **When You Find New Listings:** 1. Document the URL and information shown 2. Submit an opt-out request immediately 3. Keep records of all requests 4. Consider using an automated service if this becomes burdensome **Note on Reappearance:** Data brokers acquire data from many sources. Your information may reappear even after successful opt-outs. This is normal and doesn't mean your original opt-out failed—it means new data was acquired. Establish a routine for monitoring. Set calendar reminders for monthly checks on the most problematic sites.