Guides
Opt Out of People Search Sites: DIY Steps and Checks
Opt out of people search sites with a site-by-site DIY sequence for Spokeo, Whitepages, BeenVerified, Intelius and FastPeopleSearch, plus California's DROP, Google's Results about you tool, and checks for paid services.
What to take away
- To opt out of people search sites, find your profile on each site, copy its URL, and submit the site's opt-out form yourself, or pay a service to do it.
- Verification differs by site. Spokeo and BeenVerified use an emailed link, Whitepages uses a phone call, and Intelius uses PeopleConnect's suppression center with identity checks.
- There is no single nationwide opt-out form covering every data broker. California residents can use the Delete Act's DROP platform, and Google's Results about you tool hides listings from search.
- Re-check after the removal window, because profiles can return.
- Ask paid services for a written list of covered sites before you pay.
Scopes that are actually different jobs
Opting out without a lawyer splits into two different jobs. Filing requests yourself on Whitepages, Spokeo, Intelius and other people-search sites is one job. Paying a removal service to send those requests and check for reappearances is another. A one-time removal is not the same as ongoing monitoring.
A service that removes from 50 sites is not covering the hundreds of smaller brokers that resell data. You choose between handling each site yourself or delegating the chase to a service that claims to cover many brokers.
DIY vs Paid Removal Service
DIY filing
- Who sends requests
- You
- Sites covered
- Each site you file
- Reappearance checks
- None
- One-time vs ongoing
- One-time
- Smaller brokers
- You chase them
Paid service
- Who sends requests
- Service
- Sites covered
- Claimed broker list
- Reappearance checks
- Ongoing monitoring
- One-time vs ongoing
- May be ongoing
- Smaller brokers
- Often not covered
What it covers
- One-time DIY removal
- Submitting your own requests to Whitepages, Spokeo, and similar sites
- Paid removal service
- Sending requests on your behalf and often rechecking periodically
- Legal help
- Advising on state-specific rights or suing a broker
What it does not cover
- One-time DIY removal
- Re-checking months later or removing new profiles
- Paid removal service
- Guaranteeing that no future broker will ever repost your data
- Legal help
- Handling day-to-day removal forms without a lawyer
Paid removal services charge subscriptions, and plans change often. Compare the vendors' current published plans and note the date you read them. No removal service is endorsed here.
How to remove your profile yourself
The general sequence is the same everywhere:
- Find your profile. Search your name plus your city on each site and copy the profile URL. Check for duplicates under old addresses or nicknames, since each may need its own request.
- Submit the opt-out request. Use the site's official opt-out form, and give only the details the form requires. If the link has moved, start from the "Do Not Sell" link in the site footer.
- Verify. Respond to the confirmation email or call within the stated window.
- Save proof. Keep the confirmation email or a screenshot.
- Re-check after the processing window and again a few weeks later. If the profile returns, submit a new request.
The quirks differ by site. The details below follow the sites' own flows as described in recent removal guides, which also vary on timing, so treat the times as rough.
- Spokeo:go to spokeo.com/optout, paste your listing URL, enter an email and click the verification link Spokeo sends. Spokeo says most requests are processed within 24 to 48 hours.
- Whitepages:go to the suppression request page, paste your profile URL, choose Remove Me and verify by phone. You enter your number, receive an automated call and type the code. Premium profiles can be separate pages, so check for a second request.
- BeenVerified:use its opt-out search with your name and state, choose your record, enter an email, and click Verify Opt-Out in the email. The tool handles one record at a time, so repeat for each listing. Guides put removal at one to three days.
- Intelius:use the privacy or "Do Not Sell" link in the footer to reach PeopleConnect's suppression center. Verify by email, then confirm your identity, select your record and set it to suppressed. PeopleConnect also runs sister brands such as TruthFinder and Instant Checkmate, so check each. Timing guidance ranges from a few days to weeks.
- FastPeopleSearch:use its removal page, find your record, and click the verification link in the email. Expect more than one CAPTCHA and sometimes a second form.
These opt-outs are free. If a page asks for payment or a sensitive number beyond what is needed to find your record, stop.
California residents: DROP
California's Delete Act created the Delete Request and Opt-out Platform (DROP), run by the California Privacy Protection Agency (CalPrivacy). It is free for California residents, who verify their identity and send one deletion request to all registered data brokers. Consumer sign-up opened on 1 January 2026.
Registered brokers have to start processing DROP requests on 1 August 2026 and then check the platform at least every 45 days. DROP covers registered data brokers only, so it will not catch every site, and you should still check the sites above. For the wider state rules, see CCPA and CPRA duties for online communities.
Residents of other states may also have rights under their own privacy laws to ask for deletion or to opt out of sale, and some sites offer a state-specific form. Look for the "Your Privacy Choices" or "Do Not Sell" link in the footer.
Google's Results about you
Removing a listing from a people-search site does not stop Google from showing cached or other copies. Google's free Results about you tool lets you sign in, add the phone number, address and email you want to protect, and request removal of search results that show them. It also alerts you to new matches.
The tool hides the result from Google Search; it does not delete the information from the original website. To remove it entirely, you still need the site's opt-out. Google may decline content it treats as newsworthy or public record.
How long removals take to show up
Sites state windows from about a day to several days, and guides often report longer. Wait for the stated window, then search your name again. Do a second check a few weeks later, because brokers refresh their data and a profile can reappear.
Questions to ask before you pay for a service
- "Which sites do you actually cover, and can you give me the current list?"
- "How often do you re-check, and what happens if my profile reappears?"
- "Will you send me a confirmation email for each removal request?"
- "Do you handle Whitepages and Spokeo directly, or do you only cover smaller brokers?"
- "What personal data do I have to upload to you, and how is it stored?"
Evidence to request from any opt-out service
Ask for a sample removal report. A real service can show a redacted screenshot or a confirmation email from a people-search site. It should list the URL of the profile removed and the date.
If the service says it cannot share any sample because of confidentiality, treat that as a red flag. Ask for one from Whitepages or Spokeo if the service claims to cover them.
What a Sample Report Shows
- Site name
- Profile URL removed
- Date of removal
- Confirmation email or redacted screenshot
- Standard format for Whitepages and Spokeo
The agreement should state which sites are covered, whether the fee covers one removal pass or ongoing monitoring, and what happens if your profile reappears. It should name the party responsible for submitting requests, and give a simple cancellation method.
Answers that should end the conversation
- "We cover all sites, but we cannot give you a list." A service that will not name its covered sites cannot be verified.
- "We guarantee permanent removal." No service can promise that, since brokers can regain data from new sources.
- "Send us your full Social Security number or card scan to start." Providing more than the matching details a removal needs is a reason to walk away.
- No cancellation method, or no refund policy if confirmations are not produced.
For a broader look at how profile settings affect your exposure, see online identity and self-presentation.
