Think of opting out like maintaining your lawn. Brokers re-list you. This is maintenance, not a vanish button.
The Reality of Data Opt-Out
Opting out of data collection isn't a one-time task. Data brokers keep collecting and trading what they can find. You often have to give them information to prove you are you before they will suppress or remove a record. Set aside about 20 minutes for the list below, then use the directory when you have more time. A credit freeze is a separate, high-value step: freeze your credit. Do not treat a VPN as an opt-out tool.
Do these first (~20 minutes)
Anyone can finish this list. You do not need to live in California. Official URLs only.
- Google Results about you — myactivity.google.com/results-about-you. Hides results in Search; it does not take the source page down. Google help. As of February 2026 this also covers government ID numbers.
- OptOutPrescreen — optoutprescreen.com (official four-bureau site; it may block bots). Phone 1-888-567-8688. Online opt-out lasts 5 years and needs SSN/DOB. Permanent opt-out is a signed mailed form. Do not mix this with TransUnion's CCPA do-not-sell portal.
- Global Privacy Control (GPC) — globalprivacycontrol.org. Firefox setting; Brave and DuckDuckGo send it by default; or use EFF Privacy Badger. The old NAI opt-out at optout.networkadvertising.org sunset September 15, 2025. Skip it.
- Phone advertising ID — iOS: Settings → Privacy & Security → Tracking off; Apple Advertising → Personalized Ads off. Android: Settings → Privacy → Ads → Delete advertising ID.
- Google Ad Center — myadcenter.google.com/home.
- Do Not Call — donotcall.gov. This reduces legitimate telemarketing. It does not stop scams.
If you are a California resident, file DROP at privacy.ca.gov/drop after the list above (start there, not consumer.drop.privacy.ca.gov). One request can reach 600+ registered brokers. Processing duty as of August 1, 2026. Status can take 90 days. Brokers re-check about every 45 days. If you are not in California, skip DROP. It does not work for you. Google and Meta are not DROP "data brokers." Public records stay. This is not a forever wipe.
Your options
Do it yourself
Free. Use the 20-minute list, then the directory. Repeat about twice a year.
- PeopleConnect often refuses paid third-party agents. Do that row yourself even if you subscribe to a removal service.
- Set a 90-day reminder to re-check links.
Paid removal (optional)
Not the hero, and not a hard sell. No affiliate links.
- Consumer Reports (2024, still cited 2025–26): manual work cleared about 70% of 13 test sites in a week. Paid services scored 0–59%. DeleteMe was about 27% at 4 months. You still repeat ~twice a year.
- Wirecutter (June 27, 2025): DeleteMe if you will not DIY (~$129/yr); budget EasyOptOuts (~$20/yr). Optery if you want screenshots or custom removals.
- Mozilla Monitor Plus shut down December 17, 2025. Do not buy it.
- California: DROP is free and broader than paid tools. Paid services are for non-CA readers, or the long tail and re-listing.
Don't bother
- A BCC blast to a pile of privacy@ inboxes. One email does not satisfy verification, and privacy@corelogic.com is stale.
- Trying to finish an 80-broker list in one sitting. Link a long list if you want it later. Do not treat completion as the goal.
- Using a VPN as an opt-out.
A credit freeze is worth doing. This page is not the place for it. Use freeze your credit.
See it for yourself
Search your name on a people-search site such as TruePeopleSearch. Addresses, phones, and relatives are often sitting there. That is what scammers use to sound like they already know you.
Why it matters
This is not just a privacy nicety. A caller who knows your address or a relative's name is more convincing as a fake utility, bank, or government desk.
CoreLogic / Cotality opt out
CoreLogic is now Cotality. This is not a people-search site, and you will not "delete in 3 minutes." The old portal at cotality.com/legal/state-privacy-laws is a 404. Use the California notice at cotality.com/legal/california-notice-at-collection (checked 2026-07-31) and email datasubjectrequests@cotality.com. privacy@corelogic.com is stale. CA phone 1-866-221-9291. They honor GPC. Property, GLBA, and FCRA data is exempt — ownership records will not vanish. If you are in California, DROP may still reach them if they are a registered broker.
Radaris opt out
Use radaris.com/control-privacy. Search → Start removing → email + CAPTCHA. Fallback: customer-service@radaris.com. Removal is quick — often under an hour, up to about a day. They re-scrape.
PeekYou opt out
PeekYou's site footer advertises an official do-not-sell form at peekyou.com/about/contact/ccpa_optout/do_not_sell/, but the form could not be verified in a normal browser. Try it first, and include your name, city/state, and PeekYou profile URL. Do not rely on guessed opt-out mailboxes for this one.
Data Broker Opt-Out Directory
Directory last_verified 2026-08-19. Re-check these links in 90 days (mid-November 2026). BeenVerified, TruePeopleSearch, and FamilyTreeNow may challenge bots or privacy browsers — open those in a normal browser.
Not in the first table on purpose:
- Acxiom: acxiom.com/optout (later, not "do today").
- LexisNexis: optout.lexisnexis.com needs SSN. Skip it on a 20-minute pass.
- HireRight (IDTrue / BackgroundCheck): off this table. Employment-background, not people-search.
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