Data Broker Opt Out - Information Removal

Data Broker Removal Service

Identity theft is a worry most people push to the back of their minds because they think that no one would ever target them. Many believe it's an unlikely threat, but cybercriminals are closer than they think.

Our personal details are spreading at an alarming rate. Social media, business breaches, and even simple web browsing allow data brokers to collect and sell information easily. Many sites we willingly sign up for add to this wealth of data, too. Your full name and at least a few email addresses will likely be floating around their databases.

IDStrong's data broker removal service takes the power out of their hands. Our comprehensive online scans and monitoring process removes your sensitive information from sites across the web.

Why You Should Remove Your Information from the Internet

While some companies collect data for benign purposes, you never know when malicious actors might step in. Here are some of the biggest reasons to use IDStrong's removal services today.

Protecting Your Privacy: Data brokers collect and sell personal information about individuals, including their names, addresses, phone numbers, email addresses, and more. This opens the door to online fraudsters and identity thieves. Many of these cases are caused by trivial events that may expose you to increased risk.
Monitoring New Uploads: You never know when brokers might add more information to their sites. Even if you've successfully removed yourself from every database, a new broker could pop up and undo all your hard work. Information can still pop up even after opting out, making long-term monitoring essential. IDStrong's scanning service keeps an eye out for new instances of your information and sends an alert directly to your email.
Avoiding Identity Theft: Severe data breaches and even public data can expose vital information like full names including maiden names, birthdays, emails, bank details, and social security numbers. Cybercriminals can easily use these to gain access to certain accounts that allow them to steal your identity and damage your reputation and credit standing. They may even commit further fraud in your name.
Preventing Spam and Unwanted Marketing: Robocalls, unsolicited texts, and spam emails are the trifecta of annoying online messages. Data brokers use your personal information to create marketing profiles used in targeted advertising campaigns. So, even if you've never shown interest in a company, they can still contact you. Removing yourself from their databases gives you more control over your online experience.

Removing your information from data brokers' hands is essential in protecting your privacy, reducing your risk of identity theft, and maintaining control over your personal information. It can be a challenging process, but there are tools and services available that can help make it easier.

How to Check What Information is Available on You

If you're concerned about what data brokers know about you, there are several ways to check what is out there.

Use IDStrong's Lookup Services: Our scans search through hundreds of different data brokers with billions of records, including the dark web, to find instances of your exposed information. This is a much more comprehensive way to check data brokers' databases since they often try to stay out of the public eye. Just give us a few personal details you want us to watch out for, and you'll receive a notification whenever it shows up.

IDStrong’s initial scan is completely free. You’ll get a snapshot of all the exposed information you didn’t know was out there.

Review Social Media: Check your privacy settings on your social media accounts to see what information is available to the public. You can also search for your name on different social media platforms to see what posts or comments are associated with your name.

By taking these steps, you can get a better understanding of what information is available online and take steps to remove any information that you don't want to be public. It's important to be diligent and check regularly, as new information can appear online anytime.

Google Yourself: The first step is to run a Google search of your name. Check if any of your professional or social profiles pop up or if your name is mentioned in third-party posts. However, you'll likely find websites about others who share your name.

If you're concerned about something particular, specify your search with keywords like. For example, "Robert Smith Florida Divorce".

Ask Data Brokers Themselves: One of the best ways to learn what data brokers know is to ask them yourself. It’s easy to search your results since you can narrow the broker’s search by confirming facts like former addresses, age, and family relations.

These search engines are much more precise than Google and can pull up social media accounts, criminal history, and other basic information. However, you’ll need to pay a premium fee to get a complete look at what they know.

When left unchecked, data brokers can uncover a lot. Each broker allows you to go through and remove your information, but the process is time-consuming and can involve a lot of regular checking back in to make sure your information is gone. Below are the industry's most prominent data brokers with opt-out links that prevent them from collecting and selling your information.

How IDStrong Works

1. Monitor

We will continuously monitor your personal and financial information for any potential threats on the dark web and beyond

2. Alert

We will instantly notify you if we detect that your information is leaked, exposed, or breached

3. Resolve

Our identity protection experts are available 24/7 to help you take the necessary actions to restore your identity

Sign Up For Identity Protection

Our Benefits

Identity Monitoring

We monitor billions of records on the dark web and alert you if we detect that your information is exposed or traded

Credit Monitoring

We monitor your credit profile for any suspicious inquiries, new loans, or any credit related changes

Privacy Monitoring

We scan data broker sites that list and sell your information and allow you to remove it with a click

$1M Identity Theft Insurance

If you fall victim to ID theft, we will provide you with up to $1 million in coverage with a no deductible for identity theft recovery expenses

Lost Wallet Assistance

If your wallet is lost or stolen, we will provide you with quick and reliable help in navigating the recovery process. We will walk you through the entire process every step of the way

Identity Restoration

If you experience identity theft, our fraud resolution team will deliver step-by-step support to investigate and restore your identity

Have Questions? We Can Help!

You Can Protect Your Data from Critical Exposures

Data brokers are not defined by U.S. legislature, but they share similar functions; they harvest consumer information, neatly parcel it into a consumable format, and potentially expose personal details.

These personal details are taken from various sources, including public-access databases, integrated web beacons, government agencies, and private providers.

The consumer information on these reports is public, and in many cases, given by you without you realizing it is being kept for use at a later time. The data could lead to a wide range of problems, including increased spam, phishing attacks, ransomware, robo calls, doxxing, and even stalking.

Incorrect data is an inevitable aspect of consumer reports based on public information. It is sometimes also correct data being provided, albeit embarrassing, such as divorce records, which could lead to an increase in identity theft.

At the best of times, the data has no immediate consequences for a consumer; but at the worst of times, the claims can lead to career loss, financial challenges, and long-term problems.

Consumers can protect themselves and their families by learning about the threats their data faces. Depending on the services a data broker sells, their interest in information has nuances.

Financial data brokers are interested in property statistics and accounts. Some brokers offer credit details to companies and banks, while others may provide contract term agreements for businesses and properties. Financial brokers are why financial companies can mail consumers “firm” credit card offers.

Marketing data brokers take most of their information from web-based signatures. They can then generate targeted adverts for specific demographics of consumers. Market brokers are part of the reason we receive ads in the mail and online.

People search brokers are the most notorious of the groups. There are two distinct types: (1) larger brokers, with a vast number of database access permissions, who can generate consumer reports directly; and (2) smaller brokers, who typically moonlight as search engines for consumer reports, redirecting the searcher to another website, usually to access a “full” report.

Start Your Data Broker Opt-Out Journey

Conserving your data is an endurance race; the consumer must actively pursue a data broker opt out solution for their details whenever new or old information surfaces.

Most data brokers will offer a temporary, year-long solution to long-term problems. The most efficient way to approach wide-scale data broker opt outs is by aiming for the umbrella shafts. In the case of data privacy, this means targeting the most significant contributors of records and data.

Acxiom: a marketing data management option, data comes from web signatures.
CoreLogic: a consumer credit reporting agency for property and real estate.
Equifax: a consumer credit bureau, provides many services for third parties.
Experian: a credit monitoring company, some data results in “firm offers”.
LexisNexis: a data broker interested in selling personal and professional resources.
Epsilon Data Management LLC: a data management company, data comes from opt-ins and third-parties.
Exactis: a data broker that pulls data from online activity, social media, surveys, and more.
Dun & Bradstreet: a data analytics company that pulls data from financial statements, public sources, government agencies, and trade references.
Oracle America, Inc.: is a data technology company that pulls data from customer interactions, online behavior on its platforms, public data, and partnerships.
InfoGroup: a data and marketing company that pulls data from government agencies, public records, surveys, and business directories.
Clearview.AI: a facial recognition company that pulls data from online sources like social media and public websites to advance its detection capabilities.
FullContact: an intelligence company that pulls data from public channels, like social media, business directories, and other public records.
TowerData: a data services company that pulls data from opt-in subscriptions, public information, and partnerships with other data providers.
TLO: part of TransUnion, TLO is a data solutions provider that uses public records, social media, and government agencies to source its data.
IDI (Fluent): a data analytics company that uses government records, social media, and data provider partnerships to pull data from.
Tapad: a data technology company that pulls data from partnerships, opt-in sources, and public records.
Aristotle: a data solutions company that sources data from available government records, publicly available information, and partnerships with data providers.
TransUnion: a leading credit reporting company that uses public records, other credit bureaus, and financial records to source its data.
Verisk: a data analytics company that pulls data from public records, industry surveys, government agencies, and partnerships with data providers.

Consumer Data Privacy Opt-Out Laws

Although privacy is a human right, data privacy is a new frontier. Legislature struggles to keep up with its innovative pace, so only a handful of states have privacy laws; there’s nothing federal unless the broker complies with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) or Fair Credit Reporting Act.

However, all brokers, even those who do not comply with the FTC, are subject to geolocation bylaws. The following states have distinctive “rights to opt out”; consumers living in these areas are granted complex privacy rights outlined by the state legislature. Consumers beyond these state lines can still make opt out requests, but they may often run into rejections.

California: The California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) and amendments in the California Consumer Privacy Rights Act (CPRA) provide comprehensive data protections for residents. Under these laws, residents have the right to know how and what data a business collects from them. California consumers can exercise their data privacy rights by requesting an opt out; requests must be honored by state law. The laws also introduce civil penalties for data theft and operational penalties for those who discriminate against opted out consumers.
Colorado: Residents are given broad protections through the Colorado Consumer Protection Act and narrow protections via the Colorado Privacy Act (CPA). Generally, the CPA allows for data privacy management by a consumer, like the CCPA, but there are significant differences. Coloradans can access, correct, and move data from one company to another. A resident can exercise these rights based on the business’ privacy policy, although the right to delete is promised, suppression is not.
Connecticut: The studiously named Act Concerning Personal Data Privacy and Online Monitoring (CTDPA) gives applicable residents rights similar to the CCPA. This act gives Connecticuter consumers the right to access, create, or delete their data. The act also names data controllers’ responsibilities and obligations to the information they collect and move. “Personal data” in Connecticut is found to be all data related to a consumer, not only personally identifiable information (PII).
Maine: The Act to Protect the Privacy of Online Consumer Information exerts power over Internet Servicers like AT&T and Charter. Rather than have an automatic “opt in” consumer status like other states, ISPs cannot sell personal data without consent. Some service providers pack the consumer’s data selling options into their servicing contract, sneakily gaining their consent. Regardless of how they obtain consent to sell, Mainers can opt out of the services at any time.
Nevada: In the west, the Nevada Revised Statutes Chapter 603A (and amendments SB220 and SB260) provides privacy rights. The statute focuses on websites that collect and sell Nevadan consumer PII. Companies that obtain Nevadan PII must comply with the statute above; it forces the business to fully disclose where, how, and what they do with consumer data. Consumers can request an opt out of selling their data but are not entitled to a successful outcome.
Utah: One of the states to obtain a comprehensive consumer privacy law, the Utah Consumer Privacy Act (UCPA) uses CPRA concepts. It influences how and what consumer data is available for processing and selling. Residents can delete the data if they first provide it. Regarding opt outs, the consumer can opt out of targeted advertising, but they have no right to opt out of profiling or to correct inaccuracies.
Virginia: Lastly, the Virginia Consumer Data Protection Act (VCDPA) oversees the rights of Virginians. Imitating the comprehensive reach of the CCPA, the VCDPA promises many of the same rights to its residents. Among these rights, Virginians can delete their data and opt out of direct ads and data selling. Additionally, the act forces businesses to disclose how data is used or sold and how to opt out of services.

All Data Broker Opt Out Procedures

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a data broker?

A data broker is a company that collects and sells personal information about individuals from various sources like public records, online activity, shopping history, and location data. Unlike social media platforms and search engines, data brokers usually operate behind the scenes. They don't create a direct relationship with the individuals whose information they sell.

Why should I care about data brokers?

Data brokers can collect and sell your personal information without your knowledge or consent. Leaving them unchecked can lead to privacy and security concerns like identity theft, unwanted advertising, and even discriminatory practices when interacting with banks and businesses.

What is a data broker removal service?

A data broker removal service is an online service that helps individuals remove their personal information from various data brokers and other online sources. IDStrong's scans benefit individuals concerned about their privacy or who have been the victim of identity theft.

Can I remove my online data myself?

There are a few ways to remove your personal data without going through a service. Google allows users to request content removal from websites at any point in time, but this isn't a guaranteed process. Also, Google only scans websites that appear in basic searches and only notify you for new instances of your information getting posted. It is free to opt out of data collection, but the process can be incredibly confusing and time-consuming.

How do data broker removal services work?

Data broker removal services scan the internet for instances of your personal information and then contact the relevant data brokers to request that your information be removed.

We check in with the data brokers and websites to ensure that the information has been removed. In some cases, additional requests or documentation may be required to remove everything.

How long does it take for my information to be removed?

The time it takes to remove your information varies depending on the specific data broker and the amount of information they have on file. Some data brokers may remove your information immediately, while others may take several weeks. Our service is regularly looking for information changes, removing information when it appears back from those data brokers that take longer to process your request.

How effective is a data broker removal service like IDStrong?

IDStrong has a proven history of identifying and removing your personal information from data broker's databases. You can always go through and remove the data for yourself, but you will need to go back monthly and annually to ensure the information has not reappeared since most of it comes from public sources. By opting for a data broker removal service, you no longer need to do that since the service does it for you.

Can I completely remove my information from the internet?

There are thousands of data brokers thriving on your information. While a data broker removal service can help, clearing everything away may not be possible, and previously deleted information could resurface.

This is why continuous monitoring services are a game changer. IDStrong regularly looks for new sites uploading your information and intervenes before they can further spread your personal data.

How can I protect my personal information from data brokers?

Protecting your privacy doesn't require heavy restrictions on your online activity. It's about building healthy habits and using services that passively keep you safe. The best things you can start doing today are adopting unique passwords, sharing less on social media, and installing a virtual private network (VPN) on all your devices.

How to Remove My Name from Data Broker Websites?

Every broker has a privacy policy; the specific information will be there. Typically, consumers can find a Do Not Sell My Information or Opt Out Form at the bottom of the main page of a broker’s website. Some websites consider this data management.

Can I Remove Information from Data Brokers for Free?

All our guides give step-by-step instructions on requesting an opt out for free without creating additional accounts. Consumers can pay for these services but need help to guarantee their validity. The only way to know the information is opted out is by verifying for yourself and your family.

Are Data Brokers Legal?

They have rights to harvest, parcel, trade, and sell consumer data. Public-access databases, online signatures, and some government entities participate in these efforts. More than ten states are introducing data privacy bills to combat these business methods in the coming years.

My Opt-Out was Confirmed; Why can I still see people search records on Google?

Google’s live page maintenance cycle occurs every two weeks; pages go live, and if they are still live within two weeks, they stay up. Removals may take a few additional days overall. The removal processes should take at most two months.

My Opt-Out was Confirmed; Why do I see my people search profile?

You’ve saved a bookmark or link directly to the consumer profile. Delete any saved bookmarks and links, then clear your browser caches. Sometimes, when these websites are accessed, they store information in the browser. That data shows a “ghost” profile to the user, but rest assured, the opt out was completed.

My Opt-Out was Rejected; What do I do now?

As with most aspects of life, it depends on your determination and where you live. Those outside California, Nevada, Utah, Colorado, Virginia, and Connecticut may have to appeal directly to the company service team. Some states have appeals processes for rejection requests; check your local state legislature for privacy data law and compare it to the individual privacy policy of the broker.