How to remove your personal info from Spokeo

What is Spokeo?

Spokeo is one of the most widely used people-search engines in the United States, operated by Spokeo, Inc. (Pasadena, California). It aggregates public records, social media data, and commercial databases to display your name, current and past addresses, phone numbers, email addresses, relatives, and estimated income. Spokeo also operates AnyWho.com, ThatsThem.com, Family.me, PeopleWin.com, and FreePeopleDirectory.com, opting out of spokeo.com alone does not remove you from these sister properties.

Why your data appears on Spokeo

Spokeo ingests data from voter registration rolls, property tax records, court filings, social media profiles, and purchases from third-party data aggregators. Your profile is updated automatically when any of these sources change, for example, when you move and the USPS NCOA database is updated.

Step-by-step: How to remove yourself from Spokeo

1. Step 1: Search for your profile on Spokeo. Go to spokeo.com and search your full name plus city/state. Open an incognito window so your search history does not affect results. You may find multiple listings if you have lived in different cities.
2. Step 2: Copy the URL of your profile. Click on your listing to open it. Copy the full URL from the browser address bar, it will look like spokeo.com/Name/State/ID. You will need this URL in the next step.

   💡 Tip: If you find multiple listings, repeat this process for each one separately.

3. Step 3: Navigate to Spokeo's opt-out page. Go to spokeo.com/optout, this is Spokeo's official removal portal. Do not use any third-party removal service for this step; the direct opt-out is free.
4. Step 4: Paste your profile URL and enter your email. Paste the URL you copied into the removal form. Enter a working email address. Spokeo will send a verification email to this address. Use a secondary email address if you prefer not to expose your primary inbox.
5. Step 5: Verify via email. Check your inbox for a message from Spokeo with the subject "Spokeo Opt-Out Request." Click the verification link inside the email within 24 hours. Without this step, the removal request is not processed.
6. Step 6: Confirm and wait. After clicking the verification link, Spokeo shows a confirmation page. Your listing should be removed within 2–3 business days. Cache in Google may persist for up to 2 weeks, use Google's "Remove Outdated Content" tool to accelerate de-indexing.
7. Step 7: Repeat for sister properties. Spokeo's sister sites. AnyWho.com, ThatsThem.com, and FreePeopleDirectory.com, each require separate opt-out requests. Your record on Spokeo is not automatically removed from these domains.

How long Spokeo removal takes

What to do if Spokeo removal fails

If your profile is still live after 7 days: (1) Re-submit the request at spokeo.com/optout, you may have missed the verification email (check spam). (2) Email privacy@spokeo.com directly with the subject line "CCPA Deletion Request" and include your full name, the profile URL, and a citation to California Civil Code § 1798.105. (3) If unresolved in 45 days, file a complaint with the California Attorney General at oag.ca.gov. California residents have a statutory right to deletion under CCPA.