Your phone rings with an unknown number. A scam email arrives using your full name and home city. A phishing text mentions your bank by name. None of this is coincidence.
More than 400 data broker companies are buying, packaging, and reselling your personal information right now, and their customers include identity thieves, phishing operations, and robocall scammers.
Your home address, phone number, financial profile, and browsing history are sitting in more than 50 databases today, each reselling to hundreds of buyers. However, you can request removal from most of them, and starting with the highest-volume brokers produces the fastest results.
Free vs. Paid Ways of Opting Out
You can opt out of data brokers by visiting each company’s privacy or opt-out page, submitting a removal request, and confirming deletion by email. The current 12 highest-priority brokers are Acxiom, Experian Consumer Data, Epsilon, Spokeo, Whitepages, BeenVerified, TruthFinder, Intelius, PeopleFinder, PeopleLooker, Instant Checkmate, and MyLife. Manual opt-out is free but takes four to eight hours on average. Paid services like DeleteMe, Optery, and Incogni automate the process for around $97 to $300 per year.What Data Brokers Have on You
Data brokers make their money by selling valuable data about you and your life. Here are the categories of data that brokers typically hold:- Full name, current address, and past addresses.
- Phone numbers and email addresses.
- Family members’ names and relationships.
- Employment history and estimated income.
- Shopping habits and purchase history.
- Health conditions inferred from purchase and search data.
- Political affiliation and donation records.
- Browsing history, location data, and app usage.
- Targeted advertising and consumer profiling
- Personalized recommendations on apps and websites
- Market research and product development
- Credit, insurance, and fraud-risk scoring
- Identity theft, phishing, and account takeover
- Scam targeting, robocalls, and spam
- Tracking your location or habits over time
- Selling or sharing your information with other companies
- In some cases, planning physical crimes like burglary, if location and travel details are exposed
The 12 Data Brokers to Target First
These companies account for roughly 70 percent of consumer data being resold in the United States. Clearing your listings here produces the greatest exposure reduction for the time invested.| Data Broker | Where to Opt Out |
| Acxiom | acxiom.com/optout/ |
| Experian Consumer Data | experian.com/privacy/opt-out-targeted-advertising |
| Epsilon | legal.epsilon.com/optout |
| Spokeo | spokeo.com/optout |
| Whitepages | whitepages.com/suppression-requests |
| BeenVerified | beenverified.com/svc/optout/search/optouts |
| TruthFinder | truthfinder.com/opt-out |
| Intelius | intelius.com/help/how-to-remove-information-from-intelius/ |
| PeopleFinder | peoplefinders.com/opt-out |
| PeopleLooker | peoplelooker.com/opt-out |
| PeopleConnect | suppression.peopleconnect.us/login |
| MyLife | mylife.com/privacyrequest |
How to Opt Out: Step by Step
The removal process is broadly similar across most data brokers:- Go to the broker’s website and search for “opt out” or “privacy request.”
- Complete the removal form or send the required email.
- Verify your identity if prompted, usually through an email confirmation link.
- Save all confirmation emails as proof of your request.
- Wait 30 days, then search your name on the site to confirm removal.
Free vs. Paid Opt-Out: What’s the Difference?
| Option | Annual Cost | Time Required | Broker Coverage |
| Manual opt-out | Free | 4-8 hours | As many as you target |
| DeleteMe | $129 | Minimal after setup | 750+ brokers |
| Optery | $48-$300 | Minimal after setup | 200+ brokers |
| Incogni | $97 | Minimal after setup | 180+ brokers |
Manual opt-out works well if you have a few hours and want to handle the process yourself. Paid services make more sense when your exposure is high or continuous monitoring matters more to you than the annual cost.
Why Your Data Keep Coming Back
One round of opt-outs won’t hold permanently. Brokers buy data from each other, so your profile can reappear three to six months after a successful removal.Plan to opt out every quarter. Set a recurring calendar reminder now and revisit each broker’s site to check your listing. Paid services handle reappearance monitoring automatically.
Additional Protections Worth Adding
Opt-outs work best as part of a broader privacy strategy. Consider adding these steps:- Freeze your credit at all five bureaus: Equifax, Experian, TransUnion, Innovis, and Dun & Bradstreet (only commercial entities). A freeze is free and blocks new accounts from being opened in your name.
- Opt out of prescreened credit offers at optoutprescreen.com to stop pre-approved mail from reaching you or anyone who intercepts it.
- Use alias or masked email addresses for non-essential signups to slow future data collection.
- Review your credit report at annualcreditreport.com for inquiries you didn’t authorize.
What Opt-Out Won’t Remove
Government records, public court filings, and data held under legitimate business agreements remain accessible regardless of your requests. Some smaller brokers ignore removals without legal pressure.
If you live in California, Colorado, or Virginia, state privacy laws give you stronger deletion rights under legislation known variously as the CCPA/CPRA, CDPA, and VCDPA. Your state’s official privacy portal is the fastest route to pursue those removals.
FAQs About Data Broker Opt-Outs
How Long Does It Take Data Brokers to Remove My Information?
Most data brokers complete removal requests within 30 days of confirmation. Some finish sooner, while others use the full window. After 30 days, search your name on each site to confirm the listing is gone. If it reappears a few months later, which is common because brokers repurchase data from each other, submit a new request and keep your confirmation emails on file as a record of each submission.Do I Still Need to Opt Out If I Already Froze My Credit?
Yes. A credit freeze prevents new credit accounts from being opened in your name, but it does nothing to remove your contact information from data broker databases. Robocallers, phishing scammers, and targeted ad platforms can still reach you using data they already purchased before your freeze was in place. Opt-outs and credit freezes protect against different threats and are most effective when used together.Does Opting Out of Data Brokers Reduce My Risk of Identity Theft?
It significantly reduces your exposure but won’t eliminate the risk entirely. Removing your information from broker databases makes it harder for scammers and identity thieves to target you using your own personal details. Public records and court filings stay accessible regardless of opt-out status. For the strongest protection, combine quarterly opt-outs with a credit freeze, regular credit monitoring, and strong password hygiene on all financial accounts.The Epoch Times copyright © 2026. The views and opinions expressed are those of the authors. They are meant for general informational purposes only and should not be construed or interpreted as a recommendation or solicitation. The Epoch Times does not provide investment, tax, legal, financial planning, estate planning, or any other personal finance advice. The Epoch Times holds no liability for the accuracy or timeliness of the information provided.
