How to request to remove info from people search sites – Whitepages, MyLife, Spokeo, and more

Ever type your name into one of the many people search sites dotting the internet? If you haven't, you might be surprised at how much potential employers, former classmates, relatives, and internet strangers can learn about you from these data-based sites.

People search sites scrape information from across the internet to build profiles of any person you search for. These profiles might contain people's phone numbers, current and past addresses, past traffic infractions or criminal charges, social media profiles, and any debts that person might owe. The sites collect most of their information from public records, but also pull it from social media sites.

How are free and paid searches different?

Most people search sites offer free and paid searches. A free search might uncover basic information that you could easily find with Google searches. The paid search will provide a deeper look at a subject, with some sites listing foreclosures, bankruptcies, traffic violations, legal judgments, and other personal information.

One of the most popular of these search sites, Intelius, promises to provide criminal and traffic records, whether a person is on a government watch list, if a person has a concealed carry permit, whether civil judgments have been filed against your search subject, and whether the person is a registered sex offender.

The catch? Intelius provides barely any information for free. After it finishes compiling your report, it offers you the chance to pay fees at varying levels to uncover more information about your subject.

How can I remove my personal information?

This might seem intrusive, and it is. It’s not illegal, though, because people search sites give you the option to remove your name and information from them. And if you do this, you will boost your online privacy.

The challenge? Removing information from people search sites isn’t always easy. The sites require different steps to remove your records. And there are so many search sites, that removing your name from all of them could take a long time.

Here, then, is a guide to removing your name from the most common people search sites on the internet. Removing your information from these lists could help protect you against scammers, spammers, and telemarketers.*

Whitepages opt-out process

Whitepages is another one of the more popular people search sites. It also provides information to aggregators, which are search engines that scour other search engines and pull results from them.

Unfortunately, opting out of Whitepages is a bit complicated.

• First, visit Whitepages.com and run a search for your name. This will bring up one or more search results, depending on how common your name is. Copy the URLs for all your listings.
• Next, go to the Whitepages opt-out page. Paste the URLs of your listings here and then click the "Opt-out" option. Verify the record that you want to remove and click the "Remove me" button.
  
• This will bring up a new screen that will ask for the reason you want to remove your listing. Choose one of the reasons from the drop-down menu.
• You'll then have to enter your phone number to receive an automated confirmation call. Click the "Call now to verify" option, which will send you to a new page with a confirmation code.
  
• Wait for a robocall to your phone and then follow the prompts. You'll need that confirmation code to finish the opt-out process.
  

That's a lot of work, and you're not done yet. Whitepages also offers a premium search to its paid subscribers. To opt-out of that search, you'll have to send Whitepages a support ticket.

• You start the opt-out process in the same way. Visit Whitepages.com and run a search on your name. Look for a report labeled Premium. It will be the listing with the blue "View Full Report" button.
• Right-click that button and select the "Copy link address." Then go to Whitepages’ support request page.
  
• Select "I need to edit or remove a listing" from the dropdown menu and fill out the form. The form will ask for your complete name, city, state, and listing URL. If you do this, your information will be removed even from the Premium search list in about 72 hours.
  

MyLife opt-out process

MyLife is another people search site that collects information from public records and social media sites. It uses this information to create a MyLife Public Page on anyone you search. MyLife provides everything from people's names, ages, home addresses, and work addresses to phone numbers, employment histories, family members, and photos.

Like other people search sites, MyLife provides both free basic public profiles and more extensive profiles that come with a fee.

• MyLife says on its privacy page that you can remove both these paid and free profiles by calling customer service at 888-466-1066.
• MyLife's customer service is available Monday through Friday from 6 a.m. until 9 p.m. Pacific Standard Time.
• When you call, MyLife will verify that it is actually you on the other end of the phone. So have your full name, age, birthday, email address, and current and past mailing addresses ready.
  
• You can also remove a profile from MyLife on your own. That, though, requires that you first create an account on MyLife. Calling customer service is an easier way to remove your information.
  

Spokeo opt-out process

Like the other sites on this list, Spokeo collects and organizes information on people. Spokeo says that it pulls this information from public records, mailing lists, surveys, public social media profiles, and other sources. Customers can use Spokeo to get the contact information, court records, social media sites, and historical records of the people they search.

Spokeo does provide information in its Help Center on how to remove your information from the site.

• First, visit Spokeo and search for your listing by entering your name, phone, email address, or mailing address.
• Find your listing and right-click on the report you want to remove.
• From the dropdown menu, select "Copy link address." This will give you your report's URL.
• Next, go to Spokeo's opt-out page.
  
• Right-click on the "Enter URL here" box and paste your profile's URL in it.
  
• Provide your email address. Spokeo will use this to verify that you want to remove your listing.
  
• Spokeo will then make sure you are an actual person. Click "I'm not a robot" and either select the requested photos or enter a verification code. Click the "Remove this listing" box at the bottom of the page.
  
• Spokeo will send a confirmation email to your inbox. Click on the link at the bottom of this email to complete the process.
  

BeenVerified opt-out process — includes PeopleSmart

BeenVerified is another data broker that collects your information. Fortunately, opting out of this service is relatively easy. And when you do it, you also opt out of the PeopleSmart search engine.

• Log onto BeenVerified's opt-out site here.
• Once you're on the site, enter your first and last name to find your records. Make sure the third dropdown box, the one for the state you want to search, says "ALL," which will instruct BeenVerified to search all states for your information.
  
• Find your record in the results. Click on the arrow to the right of your listing.
  
• This will bring you to the page where you can submit your opt-out request. You'll do this by entering your email address and clicking the Send Verification Email button on the bottom of the page.
  
• Check your email. You should receive a confirmation email. Open that email and click "verify opt-out" at the bottom of the message.
  
• This should take you back to BeenVerified's site where you will see a message confirming that you've opted-out. BeenVerified says it usually takes 24 hours to remove your information.

ZoomInfo opt-out process

ZoomInfo is a business-to-business people search site, which means it collects information about business people and companies and then sells this data to sales, marketing, and recruiting professionals.

• To remove your information from ZoomInfo, go to its opt-out page here.
• Enter your email address in the box at the top right of the page. Click the “Get Code” red button.
  
• ZoomInfo will send a confirmation email to your inbox with a four-digit code. Enter that code on the opt-out page to start the removal process.
  
• This will take you to a new page. Click on the "I would like to delete my information" option.
  
• Also click on one of the four listed reasons for removing your profile. If you are concerned about privacy issues, click "I have a privacy concern."
  
• Ignore the box under "Is there anything else you would like us to know,” click the "I'm not a robot" option and then click the red REMOVE button.
  
• You should then be directed to a page confirming that your information has been removed.

Instant Checkmate opt-out process

Instant Checkmate advertises itself as a public records search that lets you run online background checks instantly on anyone in the country. Want to remove yourself from this search service? Here are the steps:

• Visit Instant Checkmate's opt-out page here. 
• Enter your first name, last name, and city. Make sure that the box under the heading "STATE" says "All States." 
  
• Find your record in the list that pops up on the next page. Click on the green button saying "REMOVE THIS RECORD."
  
• You'll then be taken to a new page to officially submit your request to remove your record. Enter your email address in the box on this page, click on the "I'm not a robot" reCAPTCHA box and click on the green "SEND CONFIRMATION EMAIL" box.
• You should soon receive an email confirming that your records have been removed.

Intelius opt-out process — includes ZabaSearch

Intelius is one of the bigger people search sites, one that also includes the related site ZabaSearch. If you opt out of Intelius, you'll also be removing your information from ZabaSearch.

Fortunately, removing your information from Intelius is a fairly simple process.

• Visit Intelius' Information Optout page.
• Enter your first and last name. Make sure the State option is set to "All States." On the same page, enter your email address. Then click the big green "Continue" button.
  
• This will take you to a page of records. Find the record for you and click on the green "REMOVE THIS RECORD" button to the right of it.
• You should then receive an email from Intelius. Open the email and click on the "Confirm Email" green button on its bottom. 
• This should bring you to a web page stating that your request has been accepted. Intelius should remove your listing within 72 hours.
  

FamilyTreeNow opt-out process

FamilyTreeNow is a combination of a standard people search site and genealogy tool that you can use to research your ancestry.

If you want to remove your information from the site, you can take these steps: 

• First, go to FamilyTreeNow's opt-out page.
• Click the "Begin" button. This will take you to a search page.
  
• Run a search for yourself.
  
• After you have found yourself, click on the record detail. Verify that the record is of you and not just someone else with your same name.
  
• Click the red "Opt Out" button on the page.
  
• You will then receive an email with a link. Click on that link to finish the opt-out process.
  

Pipl opt-out process

Pipl is another people search site. Fortunately, removing your information from this site is a fairly simple process.

• Visit Pipl's opt-out page.
• Fill out the form on the page. You'll have to provide your name and email address. You'll also have to fill out the message field, explaining that you want your information removed from the site.
  
• Complete the reCAPTCHA at the bottom of the page.
  
• Click the orange "Submit" button.
  
• Pipl might — or might not — send you a message through email to verify that it is actually you requesting that the information be removed.
  

Apollo.io opt-out process

Companies use Apollo.io to find information about potential customers. If you don't want them finding information about you, you can remove your information from Apollo's database.
Removing this information is a bit of work compared with the process at other people search sites.

• To do this, you must first find your listing on Apollo.io. Search for your profile on Google by searching for your name, the name of your company, your title, and Apollo.io. That should bring up your listing if you have one on Apollo.io. (You might not have a listing on the site, so don’t be surprised if your Google search doesn’t bring up any information.)
• Once you find your profile on Apollo.io, open it. Copy the profile's URL.
  
• Next, visit Apollo.io's opt-out page.
  
• You'll need to fill out the information boxes on the right side of the page so that Apollo.io can verify your profile. You'll need to provide your work email and your Apollo.io profile URL, the same one you saved after searching for your profile.
  
• Click on the big "Get Verification Information" button.
  
• Apollo will send a verification email to your work inbox. Open that email and click the "Download File" button at its bottom.
  
• You'll then have to fill out the CCPA and GDPR Identity Verification form from this download. You'll have to verify that you are the sole user of your email addresses and the sole user of your Apollo.io profile URL. You'll then have to provide your full name and sign the document. You can send the document back to support@meetapollo.io.
  

Fast People Search opt-out process

With FastPeopleSearch.com you can run searches by name, address, or phone number. With these searches, you can find the owner of a phone number, location of a friend from your past, or contact information of a distant relative. If you don't want your information included in this search site, you'll have to go through its opt-out process.

• First, visit FastPeopleSearch.com's opt-out page.
• Provide your email address in the box.
• Click on the small box next to FastPeopleSearch's terms. This is how you verify that you are on the subject of the record you want to remove.
• Click the box next to "I'm not a robot"
  
• Click on the green "BEGIN REMOVAL PROCESS" button.
• You will now be prompted to search for your record. Approve this. 
• Once you find your record, click the "Remove My Record" button under your name. This will remove your record from the site.
  

PeekYou opt-out process

PeekYou is another in the long line of people search services available online. To remove your information from the site, follow the steps below: 

• Go to PeekYou.com and enter your name and location in the site's search bar. 
• This will bring up a list of search results. Find your name and click on it to open your profile.
  
• Click on the "Opt Out" button in the top right corner of your profile. This will take you to PeekYou's opt-out page.
•  This will bring up several options from which you can choose. Click on the "Request to Delete" button.
  
• Enter your first name, last name, city, state, and email address in the boxes.
  
• Click on the "I'm not a robot" box.
  
• Click all the boxes under the "I confirm that" section.
  
• Click the big "Submit" button on the bottom of the page. This should erase your information.
  

PeopleFinders opt-out process — includes Private Eye

You can use PeopleFinders.com to look for people by their phone numbers or names, perform background checks, and check property records. If you opt out of PeopleFinders, you'll also be removing your information from Private Eye, another people search site that the company owns. Here's how to remove your profile from these sites.

• Search for your information on PeopleFinders.com.
• Click on your profile when the site brings up a list of names.
• Copy the URL of your profile.
•  Go to PeopleFinders.com's opt-out page.
  
• Enter the URL you copied earlier. Enter your email address and click on the "I'm not a robot" box.
  
• Click on the green "Send Request" button.
  
• You will then receive a confirmation email. Click the button in this email to finish your opt-out request.
  

Radaris opt-out process

Radaris, which advertises itself as a public records deep search, is another people search site. Fortunately, removing your information from this site is a simple process. 

• First, go to Radaris.com and search for your listing.
• After finding your profile, click the "Full Profile" button to the right. When the profile comes up, copy its URL. 
• Go to the Radaris opt-out page.
• Past the URL of your profile in the box provided. Enter your name, exactly as it appears in your listing, in the box set aside for that information. Enter your email address.
• Click on the "I'm not a robot" box on the bottom of the page and then click the orange "Send Request" button.
• Next, go to your email inbox. You should receive a confirmation email from Radaris. Open it and click the confirmation link in it. You will then be taken to a confirmation page from Radaris. Your information should be removed within 48 hours.

TruthFinder opt-out process

TruthFinder is another public records search. It promises some salacious content, too. When you first visit the site, a pop-up message warns users that they might not like what they find out about loved ones. Removing your name from TruthFinder is, fortunately, a fairly quick process.

• First, visit TruthFinder's opt-out site.
• Enter your name and city. Make sure the "STATE" field is set for "All States." Click the green "SEARCH" button.
  
• Once your listing comes up, click on the green "REMOVE THIS RECORD" button on the right of it.
  
• This will bring up a new page with the heading "Submit Your Request to Remove a Record." Enter your email address, check the "I'm not a robot" box, and click on the green "SEND CONFIRMATION EMAIL" box.
  
• You will receive a verification email stating that your information will be removed. This removal should happen within 48 hours.
  

True People Search opt-out process

True People Search lets users run a people search that brings up the addresses, phone numbers, relatives, and email addresses of search subjects. The site claims to have search data on nearly every U.S. adult. To remove yourself from this site, follow the steps below.

• Go to True People Search's removal page.
• Enter your email address in the box provided and click on the smaller box to agree to the terms listed on the page. Then check the "I'm not a robot" button.
• Click the "Begin Removal" button. 
  
• Once your profile comes up, click the "Details" button to open it. Click the "Remove This Record" button.
• You will then receive an email with a confirmation link. Click on that link to confirm your removal request. 
• True People Search says that your record should be removed from the site within 72 hours.
  

USA People Search opt-out process

As its name suggests, USA People Search is another people search site giving users the opportunity to search for people in the United States. You can search this site by a person's name, address, or phone number. Fortunately, USA People Search makes it easy to remove your information.

• Go to USA People Search's opt-out site.
• Enter your name, city, and state. Click the red "Find My Listing" button.
• If you find more than one listing in your name, you will have to delete all of them separately.
  
• Once you find your listing, click the red "THAT'S THE ONE" button on the right. 
  
• On the next page, click the "I'm not a robot" box. Then check both boxes under that CAPTCHA. Finally, hit the red "CONTINUE" button.
  
• You will then be directed to a confirmation page stating that your information will be removed. You can expect USA People Search to remove your information within 24 hours.
  

US Search opt-out process

US Search says that it specializes in people data. It offers a people search, reverse phone lookup, social network search, email search, property records search, criminal records search, and background check service.

• To remove your information, go to US Search's opt-out page.
• Enter your first name and last name in the boxes provided. Make sure to select "All States" in the "State" box. Type your email address in the appropriate box. 
  
• Click on the orange "Continue" box at the bottom of the page.
  
• This will bring you to a page of listings. Find your listing and click the orange "REMOVE THIS RECORD" button. 
  

What to do after your information is removed

Requesting the removal of your personal details from people search sites is a good way to boost your online privacy. Keep in mind data brokers don’t always have to abide by your request. And, if they remove your information, they can put the information right back up. Also, these sites pull your information from public records data. This means that others can find your information, too, even without using a people search site.

If you do value your privacy, limit what you post online. Be especially careful with what you post on social media sites such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. The more information you post on these sites — including comments about your employment, photos of recent vacations, and messages about your family members — the easier you make it for people search sites to compile data on you.

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