"It's Scary How Much Information You Can Dig Up on Someone"
That's how BackgroundAlert marketed itself. The company compiled billions of public records into searchable profiles containing your criminal history, arrest records, address history, phone numbers, marriage and divorce records, and lists of people "associated" with you. For a fee, anyone could search for you by name and state.
On February 27, 2025, California's Privacy Protection Agency announced BackgroundAlert must either shut down for three years or pay a $50,000 fine. They chose the shutdown. [1]
What BackgroundAlert Collected
BackgroundAlert operated as a "people search" site offering non-FCRA compliant background checks. Translation: they sold your personal information without the legal protections that govern actual employment background checks.
Their profiles included:
- Criminal and arrest records
- Address history - everywhere you've lived
- Phone numbers - current and historical
- Marriage and divorce records
- Death records
- Professional licenses
- Birth records
- "Related persons" - people the algorithm decided might be your family or associates
The company drew inferences to identify people who "may somehow be associated with" whoever was being searched. Users could look for "alarming patterns" in the data. All sourced from billions of public records, compiled into profiles sold for profit. [1]
Why California Shut Them Down
California's Delete Act requires data brokers to register with the state by January 31 each year. BackgroundAlert didn't bother until October 8, 2024 - 250 days late, and only after California launched an investigation. [2]
The California Privacy Protection Agency (CPPA) found that Background Alert had been conducting business as a data broker throughout 2023 without registration. The late registration didn't save them.
250 Days
Late on registration deadline
3 Years
Mandatory shutdown period
$50,000
Alternative fine (they chose shutdown)
Feb 27, 2025
Enforcement announced
Michael Macko, the CPPA's head of enforcement, put it bluntly: "Californians enjoy important protections over their personal information, including inferences that businesses use to profile them." The message: even the conclusions data brokers draw about you are protected under California law. [1]
How to Opt Out of BackgroundAlert
The company's shutdown doesn't mean your data disappears. If you want your information removed, you'll need to do it yourself. Here's how:
Step-by-Step Opt-Out Process
- Go to backgroundalert.com/optout
- Enter your first name, last name, and state
- Click Search and browse results for your listing
- Click "That's Me" next to your profile
- Submit your email address
- Select an ID verification method
- Check your email for a confirmation link from BackgroundAlert
- Follow the confirmation link to complete the request
BackgroundAlert claims to remove data within 7 days of verifying your ID. Some users report immediate removal without actually uploading identification - the system may be partially automated. [3]
Alternative Methods
- Email: [email protected] - state you want all personal data deleted
- General contact: [email protected]
- Phone: 866-203-0027
They must respond within 30 days and may request identity verification.
Critical Tips
Use a throwaway email. Data brokers are notorious for adding opt-out requesters to new marketing lists. Don't give them your primary email.
Check back later. Data brokers regularly refresh their databases from public records. Your information can reappear. You may need to opt out again.
California residents: You can submit a formal CCPA Data Deletion Request for additional legal protection.
The Bigger Problem: BackgroundAlert Isn't Alone
BackgroundAlert is one site in an industry of thousands. The global data broker market hit $278 billion in 2024, with an estimated 4,000-5,000 data brokers operating worldwide. These companies trade information on more than 500 million consumers globally - collecting an average of 1,500 data points per person. [4]
People search sites similar to BackgroundAlert include:
Major Players
- BeenVerified - One of the largest consumer background check services
- Spokeo - Aggregates data from social networks, public records, and marketing databases
- Whitepages - The digital phone book that evolved into a data broker
- TruthFinder - Markets "deep web" searches on individuals
- Instant Checkmate - Criminal records and background checks
- Intelius - Also owns ZabaSearch, Classmates.com, and PublicRecords.com
- Radaris - Property records, court documents, and social profiles
- PeopleFinders - Public records aggregator since 1999
- MyLife - Creates "reputation scores" for individuals
Specialty Sites
- Social Catfish - Reverse image and identity searches
- PeekYou - Focuses on social media footprints
- InfoTracer - Public records and background checks
- Pipl - Professional-grade identity resolution
- FastPeopleSearch - Free people search with premium upsells
Each site requires its own opt-out request. There's no universal removal. You have to play whack-a-mole across dozens of databases, and the data often reappears within months.
What California's DELETE Act Changes
California's Delete Act (SB 362), signed in October 2023, does more than require broker registration. Starting in 2026, the state will launch DROP - the Delete Request and Opt-Out Platform. California residents will be able to direct all registered data brokers to delete their information with a single request. [5]
Until then, you're on your own. Current options:
- DataPurge (free): Generates legally-backed deletion requests citing CCPA, GDPR, and state privacy laws, sends them with one click, no account required
- Manual opt-out: Submit removal requests to each site individually
- Data removal services: Companies like DeleteMe, Optery, and Incogni will handle opt-outs for you (for a fee)
- Global Privacy Control: Browser signal that tells websites to not sell your data - honored in California, Colorado, and other states
Related Reading
We'll be covering individual data broker opt-out guides for each major people search site. Topics coming soon:
- BeenVerified opt-out guide
- Spokeo removal process
- Whitepages data deletion
- Intelius and subsidiary site removal
- TruthFinder opt-out steps
- Complete people search opt-out master list
The Bottom Line
BackgroundAlert's shutdown is a win, but it's one company in an industry of thousands. Your personal information - address history, phone numbers, criminal records, family connections - is scattered across dozens of databases, all available to anyone with a credit card.
California's enforcement shows states can hold data brokers accountable. But comprehensive federal privacy legislation doesn't exist, and most people search sites operate freely.
Your move:
- Opt out of BackgroundAlert using the steps above
- Search for yourself on other people search sites
- Submit opt-out requests to each one you find
- Consider a data removal service if manual removal feels overwhelming
- California residents: Wait for DROP in 2026, but don't stop opting out now
The data brokers made it hard on purpose. They profit from your information being accessible. Every opt-out you submit is friction they didn't want you to create.
References
- CPPA - Data Broker Promoting Ability to Dig Up "Scary" Amounts of Information Agrees to Shut Down (February 2025)
- The Record - California shuts down data broker for failing to register
- Incogni - Background Alert Opt Out & Data Removal Guide
- Grand View Research - Data Broker Market Size And Share Report, 2033
- California Attorney General - Delete Act (SB 362)