How to Opt Out of Melissa Data (Melissa Corp)

To opt out of Melissa (formerly Melissa Data), submit the consumer-privacy form at apps.melissa.com/user/consumerprivacy.aspx, then email optout@melissa.com with your full name, current address, phone, and email and ask for deletion from all Melissa databases. California residents should also file a CCPA request to CCPArequest@melissa.com. Removals take 30 to 45 days.

Who Melissa Is and What They Have on You

Melissa Corporation — legally the same company that operated as Melissa Data from 1985 until the 2017 rebrand — is a global identity-verification and data-quality vendor. They license consumer records to marketers, financial institutions, insurance carriers, and background-check companies. The Melissa file typically includes:

• Full name and known aliases
• Current and previous home addresses
• Email addresses
• Landline and mobile phone numbers
• Age, gender, and estimated household income
• Property, mortgage, and deed history
• Business firmographics (if you own a business)
• Geocoded location data down to lat/long

Step 1: Submit the Online Consumer-Privacy Form

1. Open https://apps.melissa.com/user/consumerprivacy.aspx directly (the form is also linked from the Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information link in the footer at melissa.com).
2. Select the request type — Opt-Out of Sale/Share, Delete My Personal Information, or both.
3. Enter your full legal name, current mailing address, phone number, and email address so Melissa can find every matching record.
4. List any previous addresses used in the last 5 years, and any name variants (maiden name, hyphenated forms, middle-initial variants).
5. Submit and save the confirmation number that appears on screen.

Step 2: Send a Backup Email to optout@melissa.com

Even after the web form, email creates a paper trail Melissa can search by thread:

1. Email optout@melissa.com with subject Data Deletion and Opt-Out Request.
2. Include your full name, current address, prior addresses, phone number(s), and email address(es).
3. Ask for deletion from all Melissa products and databases — not just marketing lists.
4. Request written confirmation of the deletion.

Step 3: File a CCPA Request If You Live in California

California residents have stronger rights under the CCPA/CPRA. File a formal CCPA request to CCPArequest@melissa.com exercising your Right to Know, Right to Delete, and Right to Opt-Out of Sale. Include the same identifying details as your opt-out email. Melissa is required to respond within 45 days and can extend once by another 45 days.

Step 4: Phone Backup (If You Do Not Get a Response)

Call 1-800-635-4772, business hours 6:00 AM to 5:00 PM Pacific, Monday through Friday. Ask for the consumer privacy team and reference your online confirmation number.

Step 5: Mail Backup

Certified mail creates the strongest documentation. Send a written opt-out request to:

Melissa Corporation
Attn: Opt-Out Service
22382 Avenida Empresa
Rancho Santa Margarita, CA 92688-2112

What Actually Happens After You Opt Out

• Processing time: 30 to 45 days for standard opt-outs; up to 45+45 days for a CCPA delete request Melissa chooses to extend.
• Identity verification: Melissa may email you to confirm the request. Respond within their stated window or the ticket may auto-close.
• Partial retention: Melissa can keep minimal records for legal compliance, fraud detection, and to honor your opt-out (they need a record to know not to re-add you).
• Downstream copies stay: Data already licensed to Melissa's business customers lives on inside those customers' systems. Melissa cannot recall it.

Why Melissa Is Harder Than a Typical People-Search Site

• B2B pipeline, not consumer profile pages. Melissa does not publish a public profile page you can point to. Deletion is invisible to you — you cannot search yourself and confirm it is gone.
• Continuous re-ingestion. Melissa aggregates from public records, warranty cards, magazine subscriptions, and third-party feeds. Your record can be rebuilt from raw inputs weeks after removal.
• Multiple product lines. Personator, Global Address Verification, Total Verify, Property Data, MatchUp, Business Coder, and the Consumer Database are separate products, and your file may exist across several.

How PrivacyOn Handles Melissa and 100+ Other Brokers

Melissa is one of dozens of large data companies that quietly move your information between marketers and verification vendors. Individually opting out of each one is a full-time project — and re-collection undoes it within a few months.

PrivacyOn automates the entire cycle: it submits opt-out and CCPA/CPRA requests to 100+ data brokers including Melissa, monitors continuously with 24/7 surveillance, and re-files whenever your data reappears. It also runs dark web monitoring so a leak from a downstream Melissa customer does not blindside you. Plans start at $8.33/month, family plans cover up to 5 people, and the free scan surfaces every listing before you subscribe.

Extra Steps to Shrink Your Marketing Footprint

• Opt out at the DMA: Register with the DMAchoice mail preference service to reduce direct mail.
• Opt out of the big marketing brokers: Acxiom (now LiveRamp), Epsilon, Experian Marketing Services, and Data Axle all sell overlapping segments.
• Retire product-registration cards: Warranty cards feed brokers. Product warranty is triggered by proof of purchase alone.
• Use a mail-forwarding address for commercial signups: A P.O. Box or a mail service keeps your home address off the marketing rails.
• Use a dedicated signup email: Keep your primary inbox separate from every promotional list.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Melissa Data the same company as Melissa?

Yes. Melissa Corporation rebranded from Melissa Data in 2017, but many people still call the company Melissa Data. Opt-out submissions to Melissa apply to the same databases.

How long does the Melissa opt-out take?

Standard opt-outs process within 30 to 45 days. A California CCPA delete request has a 45-day statutory window, extendable once by another 45 days. Save every confirmation number and email response — Melissa customer support can search by ticket ID.

Is Melissa Data legal to sell my information?

Yes, in most U.S. states. Selling consumer data derived from public records, commercial transactions, and licensed sources is legal. State privacy laws — CCPA/CPRA in California, CPA in Colorado, VCDPA in Virginia, and others — grant deletion rights but do not ban the business model itself.

Will opting out of Melissa stop all my junk mail?

No. Melissa is one of many marketing data providers. To meaningfully reduce direct mail you also need to opt out of Acxiom/LiveRamp, Epsilon, Experian, Data Axle, and register with DMAchoice. A service like PrivacyOn handles most of these in a single dashboard.

Can Melissa Data legally refuse my opt-out?

Melissa can retain minimal records for legal, fraud-prevention, or opt-out-suppression purposes even after you request deletion — a legally permitted exception in state privacy laws. What Melissa cannot do is keep selling or sharing your data for marketing after a valid opt-out.

Does PrivacyOn remove me from Melissa automatically?

Yes. PrivacyOn covers Melissa as part of its 100+ broker roster, submits the opt-out on your behalf, and re-checks for re-listings on an ongoing basis so you do not have to remember to resubmit every few months. The free scan will show whether Melissa currently has a matching profile.