The complete guide to removing yourself from data broker sites

What data brokers actually have

People-search sites like those at the top of a Google search of your name aggregate public records, marketing data, and breached information into a single profile. A typical listing exposes your current and past addresses, phone numbers, age, relatives, and sometimes your estimated income or property records.

That profile is the raw material for spam, scam calls, phishing, and identity theft. Removing it shrinks your attack surface dramatically.

The manual opt-out process

Most brokers are legally required to honor opt-out requests, but they bury the process. The general steps are the same across sites:

• Find your listing by searching your name and city.
• Locate the broker's opt-out or 'do not sell my info' page (often in the footer).
• Submit the removal request — some require email confirmation or ID verification.
• Wait 7–30 days, then re-check that the listing is gone.

Why removal isn't one-and-done

Brokers constantly re-acquire data from public records and each other, so a profile you removed often reappears within months. Effective privacy means continuously monitoring hundreds of sites and re-submitting opt-outs whenever you're re-listed.

That's exactly what Periscope automates — we scan 400+ brokers, submit the opt-outs for you, and re-submit the moment you're re-listed.