How to Remove Yourself From Background Check Websites

To remove yourself from background check websites, target the biggest people-search networks first: Spokeo, BeenVerified, Whitepages, Intelius, TruePeopleSearch, FastPeopleSearch, Radaris, MyLife, and PeekYou. A single PeopleConnect suppression at suppression.peopleconnect.us handles Intelius, TruthFinder, Instant Checkmate, and US Search in one form. Expect 20 to 40 hours of manual work — or automate the entire process across 100+ brokers with PrivacyOn.

What Counts as a Background Check Website?

People search and background check websites are consumer-facing data brokers that publish comprehensive profiles about you — name, address history, phone numbers, relatives, employers, court records, and sometimes photos — sourced from public records, marketing lists, and other brokers. Anyone can look you up on most of them, often for free. Unlike an FCRA background check performed by an employer, these sites are non-FCRA and legally cannot be used for employment, credit, or housing decisions. That doesn't stop bad actors from mining them for stalking, phishing, and social engineering.

Step 1: Search for Yourself on the Top 10 Sites

Before you can opt out, you need to know where you appear. Search the following sites for your name plus city or ZIP:

• Spokeo (spokeo.com)
• BeenVerified (beenverified.com)
• Whitepages (whitepages.com)
• Intelius (intelius.com) — also covers TruthFinder, Instant Checkmate, US Search
• TruePeopleSearch (truepeoplesearch.com)
• FastPeopleSearch (fastpeoplesearch.com)
• Radaris (radaris.com)
• MyLife (mylife.com)
• PeekYou (peekyou.com)
• Nuwber (nuwber.com)

Note each listing's URL — you will need to open the exact profile page during removal.

Step 2: Submit the Big Wins First

These four sites cover the largest share of background-check exposure. Do them first.

Intelius + PeopleConnect (4 sites, 1 form)

1. Go to suppression.peopleconnect.us.
2. Enter your email, agree to terms, and click Continue.
3. Verify via the email link.
4. Enter your date of birth (cannot be edited later).
5. Enter your legal name and click Continue.
6. Select the record that matches you.
7. Choose Suppressed from the Desired Behavior dropdown and Save.

This removes you from Intelius, TruthFinder, Instant Checkmate, and US Search simultaneously. Processing typically completes within 72 hours.

Spokeo

1. Search spokeo.com for yourself and copy your profile URL.
2. Go to spokeo.com/optout.
3. Paste the profile URL, enter an email address, complete the CAPTCHA, and submit.
4. Click the confirmation link Spokeo emails you. Removal typically takes up to 24 hours.

BeenVerified

1. Go to beenverified.com/f/optout.
2. Search for your name, city, and state.
3. Click your profile and then Proceed to Opt Out.
4. Enter an email address and verify via the link.
5. BeenVerified processes removals in roughly 24 hours.

Whitepages

1. Search whitepages.com for your name.
2. Open your profile and copy the URL.
3. Go to whitepages.com/suppression_requests.
4. Paste the URL, enter your reason, and submit.
5. Enter your phone number for the automated call verification.
6. Enter the 4-digit code Whitepages calls you with.

Step 3: Clean the Free People-Search Sites

These sites are free-to-view, which means they get more search traffic and are more likely to show up in someone Googling your name.

TruePeopleSearch

1. Go to truepeoplesearch.com/removal.
2. Search for your listing.
3. Click the record and follow the removal steps.
4. Verify via email link. Removal usually completes within 24 hours.

FastPeopleSearch

1. Search fastpeoplesearch.com and open your record.
2. Copy the URL.
3. Go to fastpeoplesearch.com/removal.
4. Paste the URL and complete the removal form and email verification.

Radaris

1. Search radaris.com and open your profile.
2. Click Control profile, sign in via email verification.
3. Use the Remove option in profile controls.
4. Follow the on-screen prompts. Radaris removal is notoriously slow (2 to 6 weeks); check back.

MyLife

1. Search mylife.com for your record.
2. Call MyLife directly at 1-888-704-1900 or email privacy@mylife.com with the URL of your listing and a request for removal. MyLife's online form has historically been unreliable, and a phone call is often the fastest path.

PeekYou

1. Go to peekyou.com/about/contact/optout.
2. Enter the numeric ID from your profile URL and submit.
3. Confirm via email link.

Step 4: Address the Long Tail (100+ Other Brokers)

Beyond the top 10, there are 100+ smaller people-search and background check sites that syndicate data among each other: AdvancedBackgroundChecks, Cyber Background Checks, Affordable Background Checks, Peoplewhiz, Public Records 360, Nuwber, Clustrmaps, USPhoneBook, ThatsThem, PublicDataUSA, and many more. Each has its own opt-out form.

Step 5: Keep the Data Down

Opt-outs are not permanent. Brokers re-scrape county property records, voter files, court dockets, and business filings continuously. Even after a successful removal, your profile typically reappears within 30 to 90 days.

To keep your info suppressed:

• Re-check each broker every 60 to 90 days
• Resubmit opt-outs when new listings appear
• Use a registered agent for business filings so your home address is not public
• Consider a UPS Store address for less sensitive mail (many brokers pull from USPS change-of-address feeds)

The Fastest Way: Let PrivacyOn Do It for You

PrivacyOn automates the entire background-check-site removal process. Sign up once, complete a 5-minute profile, and PrivacyOn takes over:

• Submits opt-out and suppression requests to 100+ background check and people-search sites automatically
• Handles email and phone verifications on your behalf
• Monitors 24/7 for re-listings and re-submits removals automatically
• Scans the dark web for your data in breach dumps and combolists
• Covers up to 5 family members on a single plan — one of the largest family plans in the industry

Plans start at just $8.33/month ($99.96/year). Start with a free scan to see exactly how many background check sites currently list you before you buy.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I permanently remove myself from background check websites?

Not permanently, no. Opt-outs suppress your existing listing, but brokers continuously re-scrape public records and re-list you 30 to 90 days later. The only way to stay off the sites long-term is to submit new opt-outs every quarter or use an automated monitoring service like PrivacyOn that re-removes you automatically.

How long does it take to remove yourself from all background check sites?

Manual removal from the top 10 sites usually takes 3 to 5 hours of active work spread across 4 to 6 weeks (because of email verification delays and 24- to 72-hour processing windows). Covering all 100+ brokers takes 20 to 40 hours the first pass. Using an automated service like PrivacyOn reduces active user time to about 5 minutes for signup.

Are background check website opt-outs free?

Yes. Every legitimate broker offers a free opt-out. If a site is asking you to pay to be removed, it is either a scam or a third-party removal service pretending to be the broker's official form. Always use the broker's own opt-out URL (the ones listed in this guide).

Do background check sites have to remove my info under state privacy laws?

Increasingly, yes. California (CCPA/CPRA and the Delete Act), Colorado, Virginia, Connecticut, Utah, Texas, and Oregon now grant residents a right of deletion against covered data brokers. However, most brokers are still easier to remove from via the standard voluntary opt-out form than through a formal legal request, and voluntary opt-outs are available to residents of every state.

Does removing myself from Google Search remove me from background check sites?

No. Google's Results About You tool can hide URLs from Google's search index, but the underlying data on Spokeo, BeenVerified, and other brokers still exists and is still searchable directly on those sites and via other search engines. You have to submit a removal request to each broker separately.

Why do employers and landlords still find my info if I opted out?

Two reasons. First, employers and landlords use FCRA-compliant background check providers (Checkr, Sterling, GoodHire) that pull from different databases than consumer people-search sites. Second, opt-outs typically require 24 to 72 hours to process and only cover the sites you specifically opted out of — smaller brokers may still list you.

Take Action Today

Background check websites publish your address, phone number, and family connections to anyone who searches. Whether you spend the weekend working through opt-out forms manually or let PrivacyOn automate the process, the important thing is to start now. Every week your information sits on these sites is another week it can fuel scams, doxxing, or worse.