How to Remove a Deceased Person from Data Brokers

Why Data Brokers Matter After a Death

People-search websites like Spokeo, Whitepages, BeenVerified, Intelius, and Radaris aggregate personal information from public records, social media, and commercial databases. They sell this data to anyone willing to pay — and they don't stop when someone dies. Your loved one's full name, date of birth, known addresses, phone numbers, and known associates can remain visible and purchasable for months or years after their death.

This isn't just a privacy concern. It's a security vulnerability. Criminals who already have a name and city from an obituary use data broker profiles to fill in the gaps — confirming a Social Security number match, identifying the deceased's bank by their address history, or finding family members to impersonate during phone verification. Removing these profiles eliminates a major intelligence source that fraudsters rely on.

The Manual Opt-Out Process

There's no single button that removes a deceased person from all data brokers. Each site has its own opt-out process, its own verification requirements, and its own processing timeline. You'll need to submit requests individually.

Spokeo: Go to spokeo.com/optout. Search for the deceased's name and location to find their profile. Copy the profile URL and paste it into the opt-out form. Enter your email address — Spokeo sends a confirmation link you must click. Processing takes 24 to 48 hours.

Whitepages: Visit whitepages.com/suppression-requests. Search for the deceased's listing, select it, and confirm removal. You may need to provide a phone number for verification. Whitepages also operates Premium and Background Check products — you'll want to opt out of each separately.

BeenVerified: Go to beenverified.com/app/optout/search. Search for the deceased by name and state, locate their profile, and submit the removal request. Processing typically takes a few days.

Intelius: Visit intelius.com/opt-out. Search for the profile, confirm the match, and submit. Intelius also owns several sub-brands (Zabasearch, AnyWho, PeopleLookup), so check those as well.

Radaris: Email data@radaris.com with a request to remove the deceased's information. Include the profile URL and a statement that you're the authorized estate representative. Radaris also has an online removal form.

These five cover the largest aggregators, but there are dozens of smaller sites that may also carry the deceased's data. A thorough removal effort means checking 15 to 20 sites.

The California Delete Act (DROP)

California's Delete Request and Opt-Out Platform (DROP), launched in 2026 under the California Delete Act, lets residents submit one free deletion request to registered data brokers in California. The platform repeats the purge every 45 days. Before using DROP for a deceased person's profile, check its current instructions for representative eligibility.

This is significantly more efficient than manual opt-outs, but it covers registered data brokers in California, not every source that may hold the person's information. Check DROP's current instructions for proof of identity and representative authority.

For brokers not covered by DROP, manual opt-outs remain the practical route.

How to Track What You've Done

The challenge with data broker removals isn't any single request — it's keeping track of two dozen submissions across different sites with different timelines. It's easy to lose track of which sites you've checked, which confirmations you've clicked, and which ones need follow-up because the profile reappeared.

A spreadsheet helps, but you need to check again in 30 to 60 days. Some brokers re-index public records periodically, which can resurrect a profile you already removed. Others process removals within hours but re-aggregate the data from a different source within weeks.

Don't Stop at Data Brokers

Removing data broker listings is one layer of protection. It reduces the information available to criminals, but it doesn't freeze credit, block tax fraud, or close digital accounts. A complete identity protection strategy also includes credit bureau deceased alerts, IRS Form 56 filing, mail redirection, and digital account closures.

The Identity Theft Prevention After Death toolkit includes a curated data broker opt-out directory with direct links and step-by-step instructions for each major aggregator, plus a tracking sheet to record submission dates and confirmation status — so you can work through the list methodically instead of trying to remember which sites you've already handled.