Data Broker Opt-Out Request Template (Free, Copy-Paste)

Pick the Path That Fits You

Two routes get the same result. Pick one.

• California residents: Use the free DROP consumer portal. One submission, every registered broker, statutory authority. For the step-by-step on identity-proofing and what to include, see our California DELETE Act guide.
• Everyone else (and California folks hitting brokers outside California): Copy the letter below and email it to each broker's privacy contact. Our People Search Master List has direct opt-out endpoints for the major people-search sites. Our Data Broker Opt-Out Guide walks through the broader campaign (Acxiom, LexisNexis, Epsilon, credit bureaus).

The Template (Copy, Fill, Send)

Replace the bracketed fields with your real information. Send from an email address you check. Data brokers are required to acknowledge receipt and act on verifiable requests.

To: [Privacy Officer / Data Protection Officer]
From: [Your full legal name, current mailing address, phone, and email]
Subject: Deletion Request under California Civil Code §§ 1798.105 and 1798.99.80 et seq.

Dear Privacy Officer,

Pursuant to my right to delete under California Civil Code § 1798.105, and the data broker obligations established by the Delete Act (SB 362) at California Civil Code §§ 1798.99.80 through 1798.99.90, I request that you delete all personal information you have collected about me, and direct your service providers, contractors, and any third parties to whom you have sold or shared my personal information to do the same.

Identifiers you may use to locate my record:
- Full name: [your full legal name, plus any previous names]
- Date of birth: [MM/DD/YYYY]
- Current address: [street, city, state, ZIP]
- Previous addresses: [list any that might appear in your records]
- Email addresses: [list all known]
- Phone numbers: [list all known]
- Mobile Advertising ID (MAID): [optional; see below to find it]
- Connected TV ID: [optional]
- Vehicle Identification Number (VIN): [optional]

I am making this request as a verifiable consumer. Please confirm receipt within 10 business days and complete the deletion within 45 days as required by Cal. Civ. Code § 1798.99.86(c)(1). If you decline to delete any portion of my information, identify the specific records you are retaining, the statutory exception under § 1798.105(d) you are relying on, and the business purpose for retention.

If you have sold or shared my personal information with third parties, identify them and confirm you have instructed them to delete as well.

Sincerely,
[Your name]
[Date]

Variants for Specific Audiences

European Union / EEA / UK residents: Replace the CCPA citation with Article 17 of the GDPR (right to erasure). The letter body stays the same; the legal hook changes.

Colorado, Connecticut, Virginia, Utah, and other states with comprehensive privacy laws: Cite your state's right-to-delete statute alongside the CCPA. Most brokers voluntarily extend CCPA-style rights to all U.S. consumers.

When the broker says it cannot verify you: Some brokers require identity verification (a copy of a driver's license, a photo). If asked, redact the photo and license number, and say so in the letter.

Where to Send It

The template above works for any broker. For the high-traffic sites, the opt-out endpoint is faster than email:

For the people-search networks (BeenVerified, Intelius, Spokeo, Whitepages, MyLife, Radaris), our Data Broker Opt-Out Guide has a full table with direct links and the verification trick each one uses.

What the Law Actually Says

The legal authority for the letter above is short and quotable. California Civil Code § 1798.105(a) provides:

"A consumer shall have the right to request that a business delete any personal information about the consumer which the business has collected from the consumer."¹

And California Civil Code § 1798.99.86(c)(1) requires registered data brokers to act:

"Beginning August 1, 2026, a data broker shall access the accessible deletion mechanism at least once every 45 days and process all deletion requests and delete all personal information related to the consumers making the requests consistent with the requirements of this section."²

These two provisions are the floor. The full § 1798.99.86 also requires brokers to direct service providers and contractors to delete, blocks them from re-selling new data about you once you have opted out, and starting January 1, 2028 obligates every data broker to undergo independent third-party compliance audits every three years.² California law lists specific exceptions under § 1798.105(d) where a broker can refuse to delete, including security and fraud prevention, debugging, free speech, and legal compliance.¹

DIY vs. Paid Service: An Honest Comparison

A 2024 Consumer Reports evaluation of seven people-search removal services across 32 test subjects over four months concluded the services are "largely ineffective" when used in isolation.³ Key findings:

• Manual opt-outs beat paid services in speed: about 70% of listings were gone within one week when sent by hand, versus anywhere from 0% to 58.7% for paid services in the first week.³
• Best-performing paid services still miss a third: Optery at 68% and EasyOptOuts at 65% removal after four months.³
• Worst-performing services are nearly worthless: Confidently at 4% and ReputationDefender at 6% after four months.³
• Hardest sites to remove from: CheckPeople, PublicDataUSA, and Intelius.³

The takeaway: a free DIY campaign using this template is the most efficient starting point. A paid service is worth considering only if you want to outsource the re-submission cycle, or you do not have 20-40 hours for the initial pass.

If You Decide to Use a Paid Service

The only service Consumer Reports' study explicitly named a top performer, and the only one our affiliate program supports with a tracking link that registers conversions, is Optery.⁴ Their 2026 personal-plan pricing is published:

All paid Optery plans include a 30-day money-back guarantee. Optery explicitly states it "is not possible for Optery to remove 100% of your personal information from the Internet": the service does not cover blogs, news sites, social media, forums, or the dark web.⁴

For anyone considering a paid service, the Consumer Reports finding matters: the manual letter above removed 70% of listings in a week. No paid service matched that in the first week.³ The honest trade is time for money, not magic.

What This Template Won't Do

A deletion letter, including one sent via DROP, does not:

• Stop a broker from re-acquiring your data from public records later. Re-submit every 90 days.
• Delete information sourced from a direct business relationship (your bank, your employer, your gym).
• Force a broker in another country to honor the request unless it voluntarily extends CCPA-style rights.
• Remove blog posts, news coverage, court records, or government filings, exempt under § 1798.105(d).
• Identify you if you do not give enough identifiers. Give brokers enough to find you: name, DOB, current and prior addresses, email, phone, and ideally your MAID.

The template is one tool. Pair it with our Data Broker Opt-Out Guide for the broader campaign, our People Search Master List, and our California DELETE Act guide if you are a California resident.

References

1. California Civil Code § 1798.105 (Right to Delete) - California Legislative Information
2. California Civil Code § 1798.99.86 (Delete Act data broker obligations) - California Legislative Information
3. Consumer Reports: Evaluation of people-search site removal services finds that they are "largely ineffective"
4. Optery Pricing