These are the highest-traffic data broker sites. If someone searches your name online, these are the sites most likely to show up in the results. Here's what each one holds and where to go to remove yourself.
A note before you start: each of these has its own opt-out process, most require you to locate your profile first, and removal typically takes a few days to several weeks. Brokers also frequently re-list information after removal. If you want automated, ongoing removal rather than a one-time manual effort, see the removal services comparison.
1. Spokeo
Spokeo aggregates data from public records, social networks, and directory listings. A typical profile includes current and former addresses, phone numbers, email addresses, relatives, and links to social media profiles. It's one of the most widely used people-search sites and frequently appears in Google results for name searches.
How to opt out: Go to spokeo.com/optout. Search for your profile, copy the URL of your listing, then paste it into the opt-out form and submit. Spokeo requires an email confirmation. Check back in a few days to confirm removal.
2. BeenVerified
BeenVerified markets itself as a background check service. Profiles include address history, criminal records, relatives, employment history, and vehicle information. It's one of the larger consumer background check services and has a significant marketing presence.
How to opt out: Go to beenverified.com opt-out. Use the name/location search to find your record, then select it and complete the opt-out form. An email verification is required.
3. Whitepages
Whitepages is one of the oldest and most comprehensive address and phone databases. It also operates Whitepages Premium, which provides full background reports. Even the free version displays current address, phone, and relatives for most people.
How to opt out: Navigate to whitepages.com/suppression-requests. Find your listing using the search, then click "Remove me." The process requires phone verification to complete removal.
4. Intelius
Intelius provides background reports covering address history, criminal records, employment, education, and relatives. It also powers several other people-search sites that use the same underlying database under different brand names.
How to opt out: Go to intelius.com/opt-out. Search for your profile, identify the correct listing, and submit the opt-out form. Email verification required.
5. MyLife
MyLife creates "reputation profiles" that aggregate address history, relatives, age, and criminal records into a composite public listing that often ranks highly in Google for name searches. Their profiles are designed to be visible and are among the more aggressive at surfacing in search results.
How to opt out: MyLife's opt-out process is more involved than most. You need to create an account, find your profile, and submit a removal request from within the account settings. Alternatively, email privacy@mylife.com with your profile URL and removal request. Some users have needed to follow up multiple times.
6. PeopleFinder
PeopleFinder aggregates address history, phone numbers, and public records. It's used both as a standalone search tool and by other downstream services that license its data.
How to opt out: Go to peoplefinders.com/manage. Search for your record, select it, and submit a removal request. An email verification link will be sent to confirm the request.
7. Radaris
Radaris aggregates address history, phone numbers, email addresses, social profiles, and business associations. It includes a "people monitoring" feature that notifies users when information about a subject is updated — which makes it a priority if you're in investigative work.
How to opt out: Go to radaris.com/page/how-to-remove. Create an account, locate your profile, and submit a removal request through your account dashboard.
8. TruthFinder
TruthFinder provides background reports covering criminal records, address history, social media, and contact information. It runs significant direct-to-consumer advertising, making it widely known to the general public.
How to opt out: Go to truthfinder.com/opt-out. Enter your name and location to find your record, then submit the opt-out form and verify via email.
9. Instant Checkmate
Instant Checkmate is from the same parent company as TruthFinder and operates a similar background check service. It holds address history, criminal records, relatives, and contact information.
How to opt out: Go to instantcheckmate.com/opt-out. Find your record, submit the opt-out form, and confirm via email.
10. FastPeopleSearch
FastPeopleSearch is notable because it displays full address, phone, and relative information for free, without requiring a paid subscription or account. That makes it a frequently used quick-lookup tool for anyone searching a name. It also displays neighbors, which can indirectly expose your address even to someone who finds a neighboring profile.
How to opt out: Go to fastpeoplesearch.com/removal. Enter your name and location, find your listing, and click the removal link. Confirmation is typically immediate or within 24 hours.
After You Remove Yourself
Removing your profiles from these 10 sites covers the highest-traffic people-search category. It does not cover the hundreds of smaller broker sites, wholesale data brokers, or sources that can't be opted out of (court records, government databases). For ongoing coverage, see the removal services comparison — a paid service monitors and re-submits across hundreds of sites automatically.
After completing your initial opt-outs, run a new Boolean self-search in four to six weeks to see whether re-listing has occurred. Most brokers will re-list within a few months from a fresh data pull, so this is not a one-time effort.