Data broker opt-out after a breach

People-search sites can show your name, addresses, and relatives next to an email that just leaked. File official opt-outs yourself, or use a removal service. EmailLeaked does not remove your data. Last updated: August 2026.

Official opt-out forms

Whitepages People-search profile; uses their suppression / privacy request form. Spokeo Search your listing, then use the published opt-out page. BeenVerified Opt-out help page with a request form for their people-search properties. Intelius Same family of people-search sites; official opt-out URL. PeopleFinders Search your listing, copy the profile URL, then submit the published opt-out form. Radaris Privacy / suppression controls; listings often reappear after refreshes.

URLs were current as of August 2026. Prefer the company’s own domain. If a form asks for a photo ID, check the URL first.

Optery

Start with their free exposure report if you want help filing repeat opt-outs.

See Optery’s free report →

DeleteMe

A removal service that files repeat opt-outs. Compare coverage before you pay.

See DeleteMe →

How do you opt out yourself?

You do not need a 400-row spreadsheet. Broker opt-out URLs go stale, get moved behind login walls, or start requiring a photo ID. Use official pages, keep a simple log (site, date, confirmation email), and recrawl your name in a private browser window a few weeks later.

Search your legal name plus city in a private window. Open the people-search result, not a random blog. Copy the exact profile URL — many forms ask for it.
Use that broker’s published privacy or opt-out page. Prefer the company’s own domain. If a link in an email looks off, check the URL against known threat lists before you upload an ID photo.
Send only what the form requires. Do not volunteer your Social Security number to a people-search site. If they demand ID, use a process you recognise from their official help centre.
Save the confirmation. Recheck in 2–6 weeks. If the listing is back, file again or decide a service is worth the time.

Community and government starting points (these are directories and rights pages, not a scan of your life):

California Data Broker Registry — who is registered to sell California residents’ data, with each company’s listed privacy contact (as of 2026, check the live registry; it changes)
Digital Advertising Alliance opt-out — interest-based ad cookies in participating browsers, not people-search dossiers
Network Advertising Initiative opt-out — similar ad-tech opt-out, useful alongside broker work, not instead of it
FTC consumer advice — identity theft and privacy basics from the US consumer protection agency

The high-traffic people-search forms are at the top of this page. This is not a complete industry directory. If you only have an hour, file the sites that already rank for your name, then stop.

What are data brokers, in plain English?

A data broker gathers personal details from public records, marketing lists, and other companies, then sells search results. Type a name into a people-search site and you often see addresses, phones, possible relatives, and sometimes an email. That is their product — not a hack.

A breach is a company losing a file. A broker listing is someone packaging you for sale. After a leak those two meet: a stolen email makes a people-search profile easier to confirm.

What does opt-out actually do?

It asks one broker to hide or delete the profile they show for you. It does not pull your data out of the original breach file, stop every other broker, or guarantee the same site will not rebuild a page from a later refresh.

That is why opt-out feels like it “doesn’t work.” Plan for repeat visits, or pay a service that repeats the filings.

What about a spouse, parent, or household?

People-search pages often list relatives. A phishing email that names your partner is more convincing than a generic lockout note. Ask before you file for someone else. For minors, use the broker’s published process — do not upload a child’s ID to a random helper page.

Frequently asked questions

Does EmailLeaked remove my data from brokers?

No. We explain how opt-out works and point you to official forms and, if you want help, a named removal service. We do not scan 200 broker databases or file removals on your behalf.

Is a paid removal service worth it?

It can be if you have a household to cover, you are short on time, or listings keep returning. We do not currently earn a commission from the product links on this page. You can also do the DIY path with official opt-out forms and pay nothing.

Does opting out actually remove my listing?

On that broker, usually yes — for a while. Many listings come back when the broker refreshes from another source. Opt-out is maintenance, not a one-time wipe.

Will opting out stop data breaches?

No. Brokers are a second pipeline. You still need unique passwords, two-factor authentication, and an occasional email breach check.

Check your email See whether this address was in a known breach first. Check an opt-out link Look up a people-search or “opt-out” URL on threat lists. After-breach checklist Lock accounts, then shrink public listings. Credit freeze after SSN leak When people-search dossiers sit next to a stolen SSN.