How to Opt Out of BeenVerified

With over 1.1 million identity theft complaints in the U.S., we try to do everything in our power to keep our information private and secure.1 But, with hundreds of people-search sites and data brokers out there, keeping our information off the internet is more difficult than ever. These companies search the internet for public records, court documents, social media platforms, and dozens of other sources to build comprehensive profiles that they sell through subscriptions and data auctions. Today, we will combat them by showing you how to opt out of BeenVerified.

There is a shortcut that we want to let you in on. We recently tested Incogni and it automatically removed our data from 100 sites in a week. Even better, they sent another 158 removal requests to other sites. But to keep your credit card in your wallet, you’ll need to submit your request manually.

What Is BeenVerified?

Your information can make companies billions of dollars in revenue, and BeenVerified knows this. They’re a people search site that collects all your publicly available information, from real estate transactions and marriage licenses to social media profiles. Using the latest algorithms, they create detailed profiles linked to your identity that can include over 100 data points. Anyone with a piece of your information, whether it’s your phone number, email address, name, or physical address, can find the other information in your profile.

While BeenVerified only gathers information that’s already available, having all of that information readily available in one place poses some big risks. Cybercriminals can purchase detailed reports for as little as $26.89 per month, gaining instant access to your complete digital footprint. For instance, criminals could use that information to find the answers to security questions and break into your accounts. That’s why we opted ourselves out of BeenVerified and are about to show you how you can, too.

How Do I Opt Out of BeenVerified?

There are three ways to remove your data from BeenVerified. We’ve tested all of them to find the best approach. Like we mentioned, our favorite way is to use Incogni, but you can do it manually or use a different data removal service as well. We’re going to cover them all because we’ve done them all — starting with opting out manually.

>> Learn More: How to Opt Out of TruthFinder

How to Remove Your Data Manually from BeenVerified

Manually removing our data from BeenVerified went smoother than expected. There are only four steps and the whole process takes about 15 minutes. The fifth step is only needed if you have more than one profile. Here’s how we manually removed our data from BeenVerified:

1. Find your profile. Before requesting your data to be removed, you’ll need to find the specific profile BeenVerified has created using your information. To do that, go to the “Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information” link in the footer of the homepage. Here’s a link as well: https://www.beenverified.com/svc/optout/search/optouts. Then, fill in your name to find your record.

2. Choose your record. Your search will most likely result in more than one record like it did for us. Carefully review each result and select only those that accurately match your identity. If you have a common name, like John Smith, you’ll likely see a lot of results. If there’s more than one that matches your identity, you’ll need to complete the opt out process for each profile.

3. Start the opt out process. Select the “Proceed to Opt Out” button associated with your identity and then input your email to initiate the opt out process. BeenVerified will send a verification email within five minutes. You’ll see a confirmation link that expires after 48 hours

4. Verify your opt out request. When you hit the “VERIFY OPT-OUT” button, you should get redirected to a page confirming your opt out. BeenVerified processes most opt-out requests within 48 hours. Our complete removal took around seven business days.

5. Opt out all profiles related to your identity. If you find more profiles linked to variations of your name, previous addresses, or maiden names, you’ll need to repeat the process for each one. You need to opt out of every profile, otherwise BeenVerified still keeps some of your information.

Use Data Removal Sites and Services to Opt Out of BeenVerified

While opting out of BeenVerified was a straightforward process for us, that’s an uncommon occurrence when opting out of people search sites. In our experience, most data brokers deliberately make their opt-out processes complex. We’ve had to submit multiple forms of verification or even send physical mail. This is why automated removal services have become essential privacy tools. They don’t just opt out of BeenVerified after all. These services also opt you out of hundreds of other people search sites and data brokers.

Incogni is our favorite data removal service, but it’s not the only one. After testing multiple services, we identified our top three. We recommend Incogni for speed, Optery for thoroughness, and Kanary for a bit of both worlds. Incogni gave us the quickest results, but when we tested Optery, it was more thorough. We cover all the differences in our Incogni vs. Optery comparison. When we tested Kanary, we found that it sits in between Incogni and Optery. So, if you want something in the middle, it’s a solid choice. We did a comparison between Kanary and Incogni, too.

What Happens Once I Opt Out of BeenVerified?

Once you’ve opted out of BeenVerified, they hide your profile from public searches and stop selling your information to third parties. That means people can no longer purchase your data. It also prevents people from looking you up on BeenVerified to gather information about you. But, it’s not permanent.

After you opt out of BeenVerified, they can still create a new profile of you. Data brokers continuously look for new sources. They’ll pull from AI-scraped web data, IoT devices, and app permissions you’ve granted. For instance, if the profile you removed was based on information you posted on Facebook, BeenVerified could create a new profile of you using information on your Instagram account. We recommend setting calendar reminders to check for your information on BeenVerified every three to four months. Based on our experience, a re-listing shows up within this timeframe.

>> Learn About: A 2025 Guide to Data Removal Services

Why Should You Opt Out of BeenVerified?

With identity theft causing over $12.7 billion in 2024, removing your information from data brokers has become a critical security measure.2 Well, unless you like getting spam calls. But we’re going to assume you don’t. We like to opt out of BeenVerified and other people search sites because it helps us:

• Reduce our risk of identity theft: Once an identity thief gets one piece of your information, their first stop is people search sites like BeenVerified. That lets them get the rest of the information they need to start fooling banks, creditors, and even government aid organizations into thinking they’re you.
• Keep ourselves hidden from stalkers: A stalker having access to your latest address, place of employment, or phone number is downright dangerous. BeenVerified sells detailed reports to buyers with minimal verification.
• Get less spam calls: Americans receive over 2.5 billion robocalls a month, with data brokers being a source for contact lists.3 They use it in the same way they used to use the Yellow Pages, except instead of needing a book for each city, people search sites give them access to all of the names and numbers they could need

Final Thoughts: How to Opt Out of BeenVerified

Using our guide, manually opting out of BeenVerified takes about 15 minutes. That’s manageable for a single site. However, there are over 500 active data brokers operating in the U.S.. Manually removing your information from all of them would take hundreds of hours. That’s why we think data removal services provide good value.

Using a professional data removal service can automate the entire process. These services continuously monitor and remove your information from hundreds of sites, with some covering up to 500 brokers. They take care of the entire process for you on tons of people search and data broker sites. Our favorite is Incogni, since it uses an automated system that keeps your information off these sites as well. Since it’s automated, as soon as your information reappears, Incogni will be on the case, submitting a takedown request for you.