TL;DR: Find your Spokeo profile URL, paste it with your email at spokeo.com/optout, complete the CAPTCHA, then click the link in the “Spokeo Directory Removal Confirmation” email. Spokeo says removal takes 2 to 3 days, but listings are often gone within an hour. Do one request per listing.
What Spokeo collects
Spokeo pulls together names, addresses, phone numbers, emails, relatives and social profiles into one page. It’s popular with people checking a date, a seller or an old classmate, and also with people you’d rather not hear from.
Spokeo runs more sites than you think
California’s data broker registry (an August 2026 snapshot compiled by Offlist) lists Spokeo, Inc. of Pasadena as doing business as:
| Site | Covered by spokeo.com/optout? |
|---|---|
| Spokeo.com | Yes |
| AnyWho.com | Yes |
| Family.me | Yes |
| Freepeopledirectory.com | Yes |
| Peoplewin.com | Yes |
| ThatsThem.com | No: it has its own form (ThatsThem guide) |
So one Spokeo opt-out does more than it looks, but ThatsThem still needs its own request.
In its 2024 registry filing, Spokeo reported receiving almost 3.8 million opt-out-of-sale requests. You’re far from the only person doing this.
Step by step
These steps follow DuckDuckGo’s Spokeo opt-out guide.
- Find your profile URL quickly. Spokeo’s normal search can be slow. Instead, type a URL in this format: spokeo.com/firstname-lastname/full-state-name/full-city-name. On the results, don’t click your listing; right-click your name and copy the link. It should end in a long ID string.
- Submit the request. Go to spokeo.com/optout, paste the profile URL, enter your email, complete the reCAPTCHA and click “Opt Out.”
- Confirm by email. Open the email titled “Spokeo Directory Removal Confirmation” and click the verification link. A green notice confirms Spokeo received the request.
How long it takes
Spokeo says 2 to 3 days. In practice, DuckDuckGo found listings are typically removed within about an hour. Search engines can keep showing the cached page for a few days to several weeks.
Common snags
- Multiple listings. If you’ve moved or used a different name, you may have several profiles. Each needs its own request.
- No email arrives. Check spam and promotions folders. Use an email you can access but don’t mind sharing; an email alias works well.
- Spokeo doesn’t cover other sites. As ThatsThem’s guidance notes, Spokeo’s removal doesn’t extend to other brokers. You still need to do the others.
California residents: add DROP
California’s Delete Request and Opt-out Platform (DROP) sends one deletion request to every registered broker, and Spokeo is registered. Malwarebytes explains that from 1 August 2026 registered brokers must check DROP and have 90 days to delete your records. Verify residency (manually or with Login.gov), submit once, and keep your DROP ID. Still do the Spokeo form above: it’s faster. Our DROP guide has the details.
Outside California? Oregon, Texas and Vermont require broker registration but have no one-stop tool, so you still go site by site.
Next sites to clear
Do Whitepages, BeenVerified and Radaris next, then check our full broker list. If you’d like to know whether your email has been in a data breach, too, a free email exposure check takes 30 seconds.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does a Spokeo opt-out also remove me from AnyWho?
Spokeo’s registry entry lists AnyWho, Family.me, Freepeopledirectory and Peoplewin as Spokeo sites covered by spokeo.com/optout. ThatsThem, also a Spokeo site, needs its own request.
How do I opt out of Spokeo?
Copy your profile URL, submit it with your email at spokeo.com/optout, complete the CAPTCHA and click the link in the confirmation email.
How long does Spokeo take to remove a listing?
Spokeo says 2 to 3 days, but listings are often removed within an hour.
Does a Spokeo opt-out remove me from other sites?
No. Each people-search site needs its own opt-out request.
Do I need to create a Spokeo account?
No. You only need the profile URL and an email address to confirm.
Sources
- DuckDuckGo Help: Spokeo opt-out guide
- Spokeo opt-out page
- Offlist: Spokeo, Inc. in the California data broker registry (Aug 2026)
- Malwarebytes: Californians can tell data brokers to DROP their information (Aug 2026)
- Cloaked: Manual opt-outs for PeopleConnect, Radaris, BeenVerified, Spokeo