The Data Broker Shakedown

Search your own name on Google.

Somewhere in the first few pages, you'll find websites you've never heard of. Spokeo. BeenVerified. Whitepages. TruePeopleSearch. Radaris. They're showing your full name, home address, phone number, age, estimated income, family members' names. Sometimes your political affiliation. All freely available to anyone who searches for you.

You didn't sign up for any of these sites. Your data was collected from public records, data purchases, and commercial sharing agreements, then published without your knowledge.

You want it removed. So you search "how to remove my information from data brokers." The top results are paid services: DeleteMe at $129/year, Incogni at $78/year, Optery at $249/year. They're real services that do real work. But the core of what they do is something you can do yourself if someone shows you how.

What data brokers actually are

Data brokers collect, package, and sell personal information. Some run consumer-facing people-search sites. Others sell data in bulk to marketers, insurance companies, and employers. Many do both. 543 data brokers are registered in California alone.

Spokeo pulls from public records, social networks, and commercial sources. Opt-out requires finding your profile URL, submitting a form, solving a CAPTCHA, confirming via email.

BeenVerified (also owns PeopleLooker and PeopleSmart) uses a web form with email verification. One opt-out per email address.

Whitepages has one of the hardest opt-out processes. It requires an actual automated phone call where you enter a verification code.

Intelius owns 18+ subsidiary sites including TruthFinder, Instant Checkmate, Zabasearch, and US Search. Opting out of Intelius should cover the subsidiaries, but users report inconsistent results.

The opt-out process is intentionally tedious. Each broker has its own form, its own verification method, its own processing time. The complexity isn't a technical limitation. It's a deterrent.

What the paid services actually do

DeleteMe ($129/year) uses a mix of automated scripts for 85 to 125 brokers and human "Privacy Advisors" for the rest. Their advertised "750+ brokers" count is misleading. Most are "Custom Requests" where the work shifts back to you.

Incogni ($78/year, owned by Surfshark/Nord Security) sends templated deletion requests citing CCPA, GDPR, or PIPEDA to 420+ brokers.

EasyOptOuts ($19.99/year) is the most interesting data point. 100% automated, zero human involvement, 200+ brokers.

Consumer Reports tested them

In 2024, Consumer Reports ran a rigorous study tracking removal rates across thirteen major brokers over four months.

The $20/year automated service outperformed the $129/year service by more than double. The most expensive option barely beat one in four.

The re-listing problem

Here's why data broker removal is such a good subscription business: 73% of brokers re-add your data within 90 days. Average re-listing happens about 23 days after removal.

The problem recreates itself, guaranteeing demand forever. That's real value from paid services. But it's also what makes the subscription model so sticky.

The law is on your side

19 to 20 US states now have privacy laws with deletion rights. Under CCPA, you have the legal right to demand any data broker delete your personal information.

California's DELETE Act is the big one. The DROP platform is live and enforcement is coming fast:

• January 1, 2026: DROP launched — California consumers can submit universal deletion requests covering all 543+ registered brokers in one request, for free.
• Spring 2026: CalPrivacy opens API access for data brokers to ingest opt-out requests automatically.
• August 1, 2026: Enforcement begins — all registered brokers must check DROP at least every 45 days or face fines of $200/day per violation.
• January 1, 2028: Mandatory independent privacy audits every three years kick in.

August 2026 enforcement is roughly four months away. The government just made the core function of DeleteMe and Incogni a free public utility. For everyone else, CCPA-style requests still work with most major brokers.

Who gets hurt

Domestic violence survivors. Having your home address on people-search sites is a physical safety threat. Every day a profile stays live is a day an abuser can find a new address.

Stalking victims. The same people-search sites that list your address and phone number are tools for stalkers.

Public-facing professionals. Teachers, social workers, healthcare providers, judges, law enforcement. People whose home addresses being searchable creates real personal safety risks.

Everyone else. Your published data enables spam calls, phishing, identity theft. The default state — your information published without your consent and removable only through hours of work or a paid subscription — is the actual problem.

The free alternative

I built nah.tools/remove because exercising your legal right to privacy shouldn't require a subscription.

The tool covers 25+ of the most impactful data brokers. You enter your information once, and it generates pre-filled opt-out emails citing CCPA/GDPR, step-by-step removal guides, direct links to each broker's opt-out page, and progress tracking.

Your personal information stays on your device. It's stored in your browser's local storage and never sent to any server. The tool prepares everything, you click send.

Is this more work than paying DeleteMe $129/year? Yeah. You'll spend a few hours. But Consumer Reports showed that DeleteMe only achieved a 27% removal rate anyway. You'll probably do better yourself.

How to protect yourself

1. Start with the top 13 brokers. You don't need to hit all 500+. Spokeo, Whitepages, BeenVerified, Radaris, Intelius (and its 18 subsidiaries), TruePeopleSearch, MyLife, Acxiom, and LexisNexis cover the vast majority of exposure.
2. If you're in California, use DROP. Single request, all registered brokers. Launched January 2026.
3. Expect re-listing. Your data will probably reappear within 30 to 90 days on some brokers. Plan to re-check every few months.
4. Use a dedicated email for opt-outs. Some brokers send marketing to addresses used for removal requests.
5. Know your rights. Under CCPA, brokers are legally required to process your deletion request. If they ignore it, file a complaint with the California AG.
6. Freeze your credit. Freezing your credit at Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion is free, takes about 10 minutes per bureau, and prevents unauthorized accounts.

Your personal information is being collected and sold without your consent. The law gives you the right to demand deletion. That right shouldn't cost $129/year.