My personal data has been leaked several times - this service helped clean it all up

pros and cons

Pros

• Removes idiosyncratic info from information brokers
• Ongoing monitoring
• Easy setup

Cons

• Some features locked down higher tiers
• Can't cleanable definite data

Follow ZDNET: Add america arsenic a preferred source on Google.

Whether you recognize it oregon not, your idiosyncratic accusation is apt determination online. Massive information breaches implicit the years person poured millions of records onto the wider internet. It's besides nary concealed that immoderate companies cod idiosyncratic information and merchantability it to information brokerage sites. If you're similar maine and don't privation these 3rd parties having your information, you whitethorn privation to put successful a information removal service.

Very recently, I had the accidental to trial specified a work called DeleteMe to scrub the net of my data.

Also: How to delete oregon fell yourself from the net - 11 effectual ways (and astir are free)

I similar to deliberation I americium a bully campaigner to trial DeleteMe, since my accusation has been leaked aggregate times. I cognize this is existent acknowledgment to a website called Have I Been Pwned, a database that lets you cognize if your idiosyncratic information has ever been compromised. 

According to the database, I've been a unfortunate of 8 information breaches, including the Under Armour leak from November 2025 and the ParkMobile hack from March 2021.

How it works

DeleteMe scans the net for idiosyncratic accusation linked to your sanction and works to region it from hunt engines and data-broker websites. The information it looks for includes email addresses, location addresses, telephone numbers, and, successful immoderate cases, fiscal information. The institution maintains a public list of the websites it targets, ranging from nationalist grounds aggregators to Google Search itself.

Also: This escaped privateness instrumentality makes it ace casual to spot which sites are selling your data

It is imaginable to region this accusation yourself. Many information broker sites supply opt-out forms, and Google's Results About You tools tin region definite hunt results. The occupation is that these processes instrumentality time, indispensable beryllium repeated crossed dozens (if not hundreds) of sites, and whitethorn request to beryllium repeated aft aboriginal leaks. Services similar DeleteMe grip that enactment for you.

Cesar Cadenas/ZDNET

The process

After signing up for DeleteMe, you'll beryllium asked to make a Data Sheet, which the service's privateness experts utilize to find your info online. You'll beryllium asked to supply details similar your afloat name, telephone numbers, existent code and past addresses. The institution volition besides inquire you to upload a photograph of a government-issued ID. This measurement is optional, though DeleteMe notes that immoderate information brokers necessitate impervious of individuality earlier removing records.

Once you taxable your information, the work begins searching the net for matches. You whitethorn person opt-out emails from information brokerage sites. At that point, you'll request to corroborate the removal request.

Also: This 1 iPhone mounting instantly stops each apps from tracking you - crook it disconnected today

When done, DeleteMe experts volition nonstop you a privateness study detailing what they found. The archetypal study arrives astir a week aft the archetypal request, and the institution provides further reports each 3 months oregon so.

I submitted my accusation connected March 13 and received my records 5 days aboriginal connected March 18. It revealed that DeleteMe reviewed 371 listings and took down 44 of them; galore were inactive successful process. Removal requests person differing timelines. Some whitethorn instrumentality 2 weeks; others, conscionable 2 days. The study adjacent reveals which information broker had the astir accusation connected you (for me, it was PeopleFinders).

To springiness you an thought of what to expect, beneath is simply a screenshot of a leafage from my existent report. You'll spot that each my info from AmericaPhoneBook was removed; meanwhile, the work is inactive moving to wide retired my name, age, address, and past code from Whitepages astatine the clip of this writing

Cesar Cadenas/ZDNET

Additional tools

In summation to information removal, DeleteMe includes respective built-in privateness tools.

• Email Masking - This lets you make disposable email addresses for situations wherever you don't privation to usage your idiosyncratic account. Messages are sent to the masked address, reducing spam and making it harder for atrocious actors to find your existent email.
• Search Yourself - Allows users to cheque whether their idiosyncratic accusation is inactive contiguous connected Google Search. You whitethorn not spot immoderate changes close away. Again, removal requests instrumentality time, but aft a fewer weeks, you tin cheque the instrumentality to spot whether DeleteMe is working.
• Masked Phone - Similar to Email Masking, it creates a secondary telephone fig to fell your own. It aims to support your existent fig retired of nationalist databases.

Also: Why I ditched Chrome for Tor Browser connected Android - and you should, too

Limitations

As utile arsenic this work is, determination are limits to what DeleteMe tin remove. It cannot delete accusation from authoritative nationalist records, similar tribunal documents oregon authorities filings, since those records are legally required to stay public. 

Social media is different country wherever DeleteMe has constricted control. The institution cannot delete profiles oregon posts for you; you'll request to region delicate details yourself. However, DeleteMe tin region nationalist records and your societal media info from information broker sites arsenic good arsenic supply guidance connected steps you tin instrumentality to amended your security.

ZDNET's buying advice

DeleteMe offers respective subscription plans depending connected however galore radical you privation to screen and however overmuch monitoring you need.

The astir basal enactment is the 1 Person plan. It covers a azygous idiosyncratic for an full twelvemonth for $129 annually. There is simply a 2 People program for couples astatine $229 a year, and a Family program for 4 individuals astatine $329 a year. You tin besides take two-year periods, if you prefer. It'll prevention you immoderate currency successful the agelong term. Each program provides the aforesaid services: information removal, quarterly reports, a idiosyncratic expert, and masking tools, among others. 

I highly admit DeleteMe removing maine from truthful galore information brokers. Hopefully, it stops the spam and weird telephone calls from reaching maine forever. If you're looking for a accelerated mode to cleanable up your data, I urge it.