How to Remove Your Personal Information From the Internet

If you've ever searched for someone on the web, what you usually end up finding is data gleaned from publicly accessible information. Websites that have this data—including phone numbers, addresses, land records, marriage records, death records, and criminal history—have collected and consolidated it from dozens of different places and put it in one convenient hub.

Websites that offer this information are not breaking any laws. This is all public information, so they function as search engines for public data. Aggregating all this information into one place and making it easily accessible can raise privacy concerns and make people uncomfortable. A simple people search website is enough to make it easy for basically anyone to research your life.

Here, we'll look at how you can opt out of several of the most popular background check and people search websites. You don't need to pay for your information to be removed.

Radaris

To delete your information from Radaris, find yourself in their public records and then verify that you are who you say you are.

1. Visit Radaris, and search for yourself using the text boxes.

2. Select View Profile on the result that pertains to you. You can use the filtering options to narrow down the results if there are several.

3. Select the small arrow next to the Background Check & Contact Info button, and choose Control Info.

4. Select Control Info again.

5. Log in to finish removing your data. You can make a new account right now using the form on the page, or log in with Facebook or Google.

6. Select Manage Info.

7. Verify that this profile is yours, and then select the X next to your information.

USA People Search

USA People Search lets you fill out a form to review what the website has on you so that you can choose to opt out of their database.

1. From the USA People Search Opt Out page, enter your email address and agree to the terms, and then select Begin Removal Process.

2. Search for yourself.

3. Select VIEW DETAILS next to your entry.

4. Choose Remove Record.

5. Open the email from USA People Search and select the link. Your information on their site should be deleted within 72 hours.

Whitepages & 411.com

Whitepages doesn't let you edit the information they have on you, nor can you necessarily delete the details. However, they do provide a way to hide your information from their website.

1. Search for yourself from the Whitepages home page.

2. Select View Details next to your information.

3. From the navigation bar, copy the URL to your profile page.

4. Open the Opt-out of Whitepages form, and paste the link into the box, and select Next.

5. Verify that the information that populates pertains to you, and then choose Remove Me.

6. Answer why you want your information to be removed, and then enter your phone number into the space provided so that Whitepages can call you.

7. Listen to the automated phone call, and when asked, enter into your phone the code that's displaying on the Whitepages website. Once verification is confirmed, your information will be removed within the next 24 hours.

PublicRecordsNOW & Private Eye

Both of these websites use an identical opt out form. Here's how to use it:

1. Visit the contact page on PublicRecordsNOW or Private Eye, and choose CLICK HERE TO OPT OUT.

2. Enter your name and location and complete the reCAPTCHA.

3. Select Opt out.

PeopleFinders

To delete your name and other information from this site, you have to first find your profile.

1. Visit PeopleFinders and search for your information.

2. Select View Details next to your entry.

3. Let the page fully load (it might take several minutes), and then once you're on the checkout page, copy the URL.

4. Open the PeopleFinders Opt Out page and paste the URL into the first box.

5. Complete the other questions on that page and then select Send Request.

6. Open the email they sent you and select the "remove" link to confirm the request to have them delete your information. It should take no longer than 48 hours to process.

Intelius & ZabaSearch & AnyWho

Intelius is one of the most widely-known pay-for-information people search websites, so it has lots of information on many people. In order to delete your data from their site, you have to fill out a form.

If there are details about you that you want removed from ZabaSearch or AnyWho, you can follow these same steps since those sites pull information from Intelius.

1. Use the Intelius Information Optout form to find your information.

2. Locate the entry that includes the information you want to remove, and choose REMOVE THIS RECORD. There's a Perform an advanced search link you can use if you need to.

3. Select Confirm Email in the email from Intelius to confirm the removal.

PeekYou

PeekYou offers a very simple form to fill out to delete your information from their directory.

1. Search for yourself on PeekYou.

2. Select your name when you find the right entry. You can use the Search Tools button to filter the results if you need to.

3. Go the URL in your browser and copy the string of digits at the very end.

4. Visit the PeekYou OptOut form and fill out all the fields, entering into the Unique ID box the part of the URL you just copied.

5. Agree to the terms by checking those boxes, and then select Submit.

6. Open the email PeekYou sent you, and choose the long URL to confirm that you want your information removed from their site. You might need to check the Spam folder to find it.

BeenVerified & PeopleSmart & PeopleLooker

Deleting your data from BeenVerified can be accomplished by completing a form on their website, and then you have to follow through by selecting a link in your email. Your information is typically deleted 24 hours later.

The same directions apply if you want to delete your information from PeopleSmart or PeopleLooker.

1. Search your information in BeenVerified's Opt-Out people search.

2. Use the filters off to the side if you have to, and then select your entry when you find it in the list.

3. Enter your email address and check the verification box, and then choose Send Verification Email.

4. Select the confirmation link in the email BeenVerified sent you.

Spokeo

Spokeo provides a super easy method for removing your personal information. All you need to do is submit the URL to your profile and confirm the removal request via email. It should take two to three days to process.

1. Visit Spokeo and find yourself through the search tool.

2. Select your name from the results list. If there are too many to look through, use the filters to search by location, age, and other details.

3. Copy the URL to your profile.

4. Paste the URL into the first text box on the Spokeo Opt Out page, and provide your email address in the second box.

5. Confirm the robot check and then choose REMOVE THIS LISTING.

6. Select the second link in the email Spokeo sent to confirm the removal of your personal information from their website.

TruthFinder

After a search for your record, you'll get an email where you'll confirm that you want your information deleted from TruthFinder.

1. Open the TruthFinder Information Optout page.

2. Answer the question of whether you've ever been a customer. You don't need to be one in order to remove your information; just press No if you've never had an account.

3. Log in if you answered yes, otherwise fill out the form.

4. Select REMOVE THIS RECORD next to yours. There's an advanced search function and a sorting tool if you need to narrow down the results.

5. Open the email TruthFinder sent to the address you provided earlier, and choose Confirm Email.

FastPeopleSearch

Like most of these people finders, FastPeopleSearch lets you remove your data by first having you find your record. Once you confirm the removal through an email, your information will be deleted within 72 hours.

1. Open the Removal Request Form from their site.

2. Type your email address and confirm the checkboxes, and then select BEGIN REMOVAL PROCESS.

3. Select your name when you find the entry that corresponds to you.

4. Choose REMOVE MY RECORD.

5. Select the removal link in the email they sent.

FamilyTreeNow.com

This family tree website lets you delete your public records from their site through an easy-to-use form. It could take up to 72 hours to complete the request.

Know, however, that according to their privacy policy, removing your public data might not delete everything they have on you.

...we may need to retain certain information for recordkeeping purposes and there may also be residual information that will remain within our databases and other records, which will not be removed or changed.

1. Open the Opt Out of Records page.

2. Enter your email address, confirm the robot check, and then select Begin Opt Out Procedure.

3. Enter your information and press Search.

4. Select View Details next to your entry.

5. Select Opt Out This Record, and then confirm via the link in the email they sent you.

TruePeopleSearch

This site works just like the others, and removing your information is identical to finding it, but you have to go through their opt-out page first. It should take no longer than 72 hours for them to remove your data.

1. Open the TruePeopleSearch Removals page.

2. Type your email address and confirm the checkboxes, and then select Begin Removal.

3. Search for yourself and then select your name when you find it.

4. Scroll to the very bottom of the page and choose Remove This Record.

5. Open the link in the email they sent you to confirm the request.

Instant Checkmate

Deleting your information from Instant Checkmate is done through a special opt-out form.

1. Open the Instant Checkmate Opt Out form, and use it to search for your information.

2. Choose REMOVE THIS RECORD next to your entry.

3. Enter your email, confirm the robot check, and then select SEND CONFIRMATION EMAIL.

4. Select the appropriate link in the email to confirm that you want your information deleted.

ThatsThem

Deleting your personal information from ThatsThem works a little differently than similar sites. Instead of searching for your record, you need to enter all of your details into an opt-out form. It could take up to 7 business days for the request to be fully processed.

1. Visit the ThatsThem Optout form.

2. Fill out the text fields with your information, and then select Submit.

Nuwber

Find your information and then click a few buttons to start the removal process. Your personal details will be deleted from Nuwber within 24 hours.

1. Visit Nuwber and search for yourself.

2. Select your entry when you find it.

3. Choose Control your listing from the right side, or scroll to the very bottom of the page.

4. Select the link called NUWBER OPT OUT, and then choose OPT OUT on the next page.

5. Review the information to confirm that it's yours, enter your email and confirm the robot check, and then submit the request with the REMOVE button.

6. Select the confirmation link in the email you got. You'll immediately receive another email to confirm that your opt-out request has been accepted.