Data brokers are companies that collect and sell your personal information, and auditing these sites is an essential step in anyone's digital footprint analysis, especially if you are conducting it for the first time.
Intelius: know your online history, or whatever. It is basically a search engine, a data broker who scans every last bit of you, for anyone wanting the full, unfiltered lowdown on who you really are. They're searching for names, past addresses, cell phone numbers, family ties, all your other info linked to their extensive data - then compiling everything into a profile you can easily download for a fee, if you want. Intelius boasts any person can look up anyone's profile, or you can spring for a premium report packed with more of your personal info, including court history and other contact numbers.
This company belongs to PeopleConnect, who also owns search engine sister sites such as TruthFinder, Instant Checkmate and US Search.
Fun Fact: With one suppression, one request for the suppression and an authorized email for any brand owned by PeopleConnect, you can effectively remove yourself from every single one. Next up, we'll outline exactly how this is achieved: we'll cover what kind of email and DOB (date of birth) is needed and, more importantly, how to prevent this thing from coming back to haunt you in the future.
What information does Intelius publish about you?
- Name in full, aliases, age
- Addresses that you previously owned or presently own
- Mobile and landline telephone numbers
- Email addresses, screen names
- Familial ties, associates and close neighbours
- Court details, property information, or any other public documents
Skip the manual work
Don’t want to fill out forms and answer verification calls? AntiBridge removes your data from Intelius and 150+ other brokers automatically.
Start automatic removalHow to opt out of Intelius: step by step
1Visit PeopleConnect Suppression Center
Go to suppression.peopleconnect.us. Alternatively, you could even go via the 'Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information' link which can be found at the footer of Intelius, directing you to the privacy tools. Follow 'Manage My Suppression Rules'. This option will have all the suppression details of Intelius, Instant Checkmate, US Search, and TruthFinder under one umbrella.
2Verify Your Email Address
First thing that they ask for is your email address. PeopleConnect will send a link which you are required to click to verify the email. This is an essential step as it connects the suppression with an identifiable person, to ensure the requests are not sent out by strangers.
3Provide Personal Information
Name and DOB are asked so that they can identify and match with their stored details to ensure that they are not mistakenly taking someone else's profile down. This data is used solely for suppression purposes.
4Locate and suppress your record
Select your record by name and state and confirm if age and the city are matching with your details (this step is crucial especially if you have a very common name) click 'suppress'. You also get to 'hide the records from the public display' and choose the future record suppression settings so new records created later are also suppressed.
5Confirm Removal (72 hrs)
The removal is processed in 72 hours (it could take more if there's a high load). Keep a copy of the email confirmation with you so that you can re-submit your request if it doesn't get removed or somehow gets back.
Quick reference
| Site | Opt-out method | Removal time | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| intelius.com | Suppression Center + email verification | Up to 72 hours | Free |
What happens after you opt out
The future-records settings may remove new PeopleConnect matches, but not those of the other data brokers that draw on the same public records as Intelius.
Therefore, to prevent the repeated listing of your information online, you must opt-out from all such listing sites, or use a removal tool like AntiBridge that can take care of all of these as well as future occurrences.
Tired of opting out one site at a time?
Data brokers make it easy for scammers, stalkers, and identity thieves to find you. Removing yourself from 150+ sites manually takes weeks – and your information can reappear. AntiBridge handles the removals for you and keeps watch so your privacy stays protected.
Remove my info automaticallyFrequently asked questions
Is the Intelius opt-out free?
Yes. The PeopleConnect Suppression Center is free, and there is no limit on how many of your records you can suppress.
Does this also remove me from TruthFinder and Instant Checkmate?
Yes. Intelius, TruthFinder, Instant Checkmate and US Search all belong to PeopleConnect and share the same Suppression Center, so one verified request covers all four brands.
Why do I need to give my date of birth and email?
PeopleConnect uses them to match you to the correct record and to stop anyone from suppressing another person's profile. The information is used for the request, not for marketing.
How long does the Intelius removal take?
PeopleConnect states removals take effect within about 72 hours of email confirmation, although some requests take longer during busy periods. If the profile is still live after a week, verify your email link was clicked and submit the request again.
