How to Remove Yourself From Intelius

Intelius is a major people-search and data-broker website that aggregates and sells detailed personal information including your full name, current and past addresses, phone numbers, email addresses, relatives, neighbors, and sometimes employment history. If you value your privacy and want to reduce the amount of your information that appears in background checks or is sold to marketers, removing yourself from Intelius is an important step. This guide walks you through exactly how to do it manually, what to watch out for, and when you might want help handling this across hundreds of similar sites.

Why Removing Yourself from Intelius Matters

Intelius makes money by compiling public records, voter rolls, property data, and other sources into easy-to-search profiles. Anyone with a credit card can buy reports on you. This information often ends up on other people-search sites, fueling spam calls, identity theft attempts, doxxing, and unwanted marketing. Even if you have nothing to hide, reducing your digital footprint protects your family, limits harassment risks, and makes it harder for scammers to build a complete picture of your life. The process is free but requires effort, and Intelius, like many brokers, may require you to repeat parts of it if your information reappears later.

What Information Intelius Typically Shows

Before you begin, search for yourself on the site to see what is exposed. You will usually find multiple records tied to your name, old addresses, or phone numbers. Each record may list:

• Full name and age
• Current and previous addresses (sometimes up to 20 years)
• Phone numbers (cell and landline)
• Email addresses
• Relatives and associates
• Possible employment or education details

Take screenshots of the records you want removed. You will need specific details from these pages during the opt-out process.

Step-by-Step: How to Opt Out of Intelius

1. Go to the Intelius website and use the people search to locate every record that belongs to you or your immediate family members. Do not log in or create an account if possible; the opt-out process works without one.
2. For each record you want to remove, click on the listing to open the full profile page.
3. On the profile page, scroll to the bottom and click the small link that says “Opt Out of this Record” or “Do Not Sell My Personal Information.” The exact wording can vary slightly, but it is usually near the footer or in a privacy section.
4. You will be taken to an opt-out verification page. Here you must enter the exact first and last name as shown in the record you are removing.
5. Next, provide either a phone number or email address associated with that record. Intelius uses this to send a verification code.
6. Choose whether you want the verification sent by text message or email, then click “Send Verification Code.”
7. Check your phone or email for the six-digit code. Enter it on the Intelius page within the time limit (usually 10–15 minutes).
8. After successful verification, you will see a confirmation screen stating that the record has been submitted for removal. Intelius typically says the change will take 24 to 48 hours, though it can sometimes take up to 10 business days.
9. Repeat this process for every record you find under your name, your spouse’s name, your children’s names if they appear, and any variations (middle initial, maiden name, nicknames).

After the Initial Removal

Intelius does not guarantee that your information will stay off their site forever. New records can appear when public records are updated or when data is refreshed from other sources. Set a calendar reminder to check Intelius every three to six months. Search for yourself again and repeat the opt-out steps for any new or reappeared listings. This is the reality of manual data removal: it is an ongoing task rather than a one-time fix.

Common Mistakes and Pitfalls

Many people run into avoidable problems when trying to remove their information from Intelius. Here are the most frequent ones and how to avoid them:

• Only removing one record when multiple exist under slight name or address variations. Always search using several combinations of your name and every address you have lived at.
• Using an email or phone number that is no longer active. The verification code must reach you, so choose contact details you currently control.
• Skipping family members. If your spouse, partner, or children appear in records, their information should be removed too.
• Creating an Intelius account during the process. This is unnecessary for opt-out and may lead to more marketing emails.
• Expecting instant removal. The site often keeps the record visible for hours or days after you submit the request. Do not panic if it is still there the next day.
• Forgetting to document your submissions. Keep a simple list or folder of screenshots showing which records you opted out of and on what date. This helps if you need to follow up later.
• Assuming one successful opt-out covers every site. Intelius shares data with many partner sites, so you must repeat similar processes on Spokeo, BeenVerified, TruthFinder, PeopleFinder, and dozens of others.

If the verification code never arrives, double-check your contact information, wait five minutes and request a new code, or try the alternate contact method (text instead of email or vice versa). If the site shows an error, try a different browser or clear your cache. In rare cases the opt-out page may behave differently depending on whether you are on a desktop or mobile device.

What to Do If Something Goes Wrong

If your record reappears within a few weeks, go through the opt-out process again and keep records of the dates. If you receive spam or suspicious contact that seems clearly linked to Intelius after removal, you can submit a complaint through the Federal Trade Commission website or your state attorney general’s consumer protection office. For California, Virginia, or other states with strong data privacy laws, you may also have additional rights to demand deletion under their respective consumer privacy acts. When in doubt, document everything. If the site continues to refuse removal or you encounter technical problems that last more than a few days, consider reaching out to a privacy service that specializes in data broker removal.

The faster way

Manually repeating this process across Intelius and the hundreds of other data brokers that hold similar information is tedious and time-consuming. Each site has its own forms, verification methods, and reappearance schedules. If you want to handle Intelius along with more than 800 other people-search and data-broker sites in one place, and have ongoing monitoring so new listings are caught automatically, GalaxyWarden’s DoxxScan offers a practical automated solution for those who prefer not to manage the workload themselves.

Removing yourself from Intelius is a worthwhile step toward taking control of your personal information. Start with the records you find today, be methodical, and make it part of your regular privacy maintenance.