How to remove your personal information from Whitepages in 5 steps - and why you should - technology-news.space

Charlie Osborne / Elyse Betters Picaro / ZDNET

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ZDNET’s key takeaways

Whitepages lets anyone find your personal details online.
You can request to remove your data using the opt-out form.
Data removal services can handle ongoing opt-out requests.

Whitepages is one of the most well-known online repositories of US resident data.

Since its inception in 1997, the organization — which calls itself a US online phone book and address directory — has recorded names, contact information, public criminal records, and property data. To date, Whitepages claims to have information relating to more than 250 million people nationwide.

Also: 5 simple ways to regain your data privacy online – starting today

If you’ve ever searched for yourself on this website by submitting your name, home address, or phone number, you might have found a record. While Whitepages claims the service is designed to help its customers “stay connected, protected, and make informed decisions,” these records can be used for spamming individuals, cold calling, robocalling, and more nefarious purposes.

If you’re wondering how to opt out and remove your information from Whitepages, follow the steps below.

How to remove yourself from Whitepages

On the Whitepages landing page, you will find a search bar for names and locations. Submit your name and state (or location), and click search.

whitepages people search — Charlie Osborne/ZDNET

Whitepages is restricted in what it will show you for free. But you should be able to examine some records that may indicate it is your profile. Some public datasets will be available, revealing approximate ages, names, locations, email addresses, and potentially who the person is related to – as well as any public criminal records.

Also: How to delete your 23andMe data ASAP (and why you should)

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I have blurred certain datasets for privacy.

Charlie Osborne/ZDNET

whitepages people search record — I have blurred certain datasets for privacy.
Charlie Osborne/ZDNET

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Keep your record open. In a new tab, visit the address whitepages.com/suppression-requests–>.

Go back to your record page, copy the URL from the address bar, and submit the URL into the tab on the Whitepages Opt-out page. Click “Next.” You will then be asked to confirm that this is the record you want to remove. Click “Remove Me.”

whitepages people search optout — Charlie Osborne/ZDNET

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Whitepages will now want to know why you want it removed. You have four options:

My profile information is incorrect
I am receiving junk calls and spam mailings
I am being harassed or stalked by someone
I just want to keep my information private

You can also add a comment if you wish. Once you have chosen an option, click “Next.”

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Whitepages will now require a phone number, saying, “You will receive a call from a friendly Whitepages robot and be asked to supply a verification code.” If your phone number is already included in the record, you may not care too much about submitting it, but if you would prefer not to (understandably!), consider signing up for a temporary number service online. Many are only a few bucks or offer a free trial that you can take advantage of.

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On the call, you will be given a verification code that you will need to submit to Whitepages on the next page to wrap up your request.

You can also reach out to Whitepages directly via customer support–> or email (privacyrequest@whitepages.com) to submit a request.

In theory, that’s it! You should be told that your data removal request has been received. However, there’s no definitive timeline on when (and if) your record is removed, and there may also be multiple profiles on you that require you to complete the steps above for each record. There are numerous complaints<!–> related to removal on the Whitepages Better Business Bureau page.

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It is also possible that your record will reappear in the future, requiring you to undergo this process again. Furthermore, if you are listed as a family member on someone else’s profile, these familial ties will not be affected.

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You don’t have to manually go through the process of trying to remove yourself from Whitepages. Alternatively, we recommend using a dedicated data removal service.

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A data removal service is a company that handles the data removal request process on your behalf. You will need to provide them with some basic information, such as your name and potentially an email address, phone number, or location. Once this is done, the service will locate your records and automatically send out removal requests.

Data removal services tend to run automatic removal systems, and so if your information reappears, another request will be made without any additional input. However, you can reach out to them if you need help with a specific website or data broker.

Also: The best data removal services of 2025: Delete yourself from the internet

All reputable data removal services will provide you with an account, reports, and hopefully a dashboard so you can keep track of requests made, records removed, and how many suppression (opt-out) lists you have been added to.