What Are People Search Sites?

Light bulb icon.

Quick Answer

People search websites collect data from public and private databases and sell comprehensive reports filled with personal information. You can try to opt out of each site on your own or use a service to help remove your information from multiple sites.

woman in yellow shirt looking people search sites on a computer screen

People search websites, sometimes called people finder sites, are websites that collect and sell personal information.

You might use one of these sites to learn more about a new neighbor, potential roommate or first date, or to look up an old friend. Private investigators, law enforcement and the media could even turn to them during an investigation. But there's also the danger that hackers, identity thieves and stalkers are using the sites.

Here's what you should know about people search sites, how to check if your information is on one, how to remove it and other ways to protect your identity.

How Do People Search Sites Work?

People search sites are a type of data broker, a general term for companies that specialize in collecting, storing and selling information.

People search sites may collect data from local, state and federal public records, along with information that's posted online in public forums and on social media. They may also purchase information from private companies, including other types of data brokers.

The sites might be ad-supported and give users free access to the information. However, many people search sites require you to sign up for a subscription or to purchase a one-off report.

What Information Do People Search Sites Have?

You may be surprised how much personal information these sites collect and what can appear in a people search website report. The specifics will vary by person and by site. However, the information available about you either for free or for sale could include your:

  • Name, previous names and aliases
  • Age and gender
  • Current and previous addresses
  • Current and previous roommates
  • Phone numbers and email addresses
  • Marital status, records and divorce records
  • Family members, including children, parents and extended family
  • Social media profiles and other online activity
  • Occupation and estimated income
  • Political affiliations
  • Education level
  • Property records
  • Criminal and civil records, including bankruptcies, liens and judgments

Learn more: Ways to Reduce Your Digital Footprint

How to Check a People Search Site for Your Information

You can search people search sites for your information, such as your name, address or phone number, to see what pops up. Some well-known sites include:

  • BeenVerified
  • CheckPeople
  • ClustrMaps
  • Dataveria
  • Instant Checkmate
  • Intelius
  • Nuwber
  • PeopleFinder
  • PublicDataUSA
  • Radaris
  • Social Catfish
  • Spokeo
  • ThatsThem
  • TruthFinder
  • USSearch
  • Whitepages

Some of these are actually part of the same parent company. For example, PeopleConnect also runs TruthFinder, Intelius, Instant Checkmate, USSearch and several other people search sites.

You can also Google your name, or your name plus the name of a people search site, and look through the results. Even if your profile page from a people search site doesn't appear, you might find mentions of your name on a relative's profile page.

Additionally, you can use Experian's personal privacy scan to run a one-time free scan that looks for your information in various people search websites, including your name, address, phone number and email.

Learn more: Protect Against Digital Harassment With a Privacy Scan

How Much Does It Cost to Use a People Search Site?

You can generally get basic results from people search sites without paying. However, you may need to purchase a report or sign up for a subscription to see more details and to run multiple searches. Sometimes, you won't see the price—or realize that you have to pay for a full report—until you get to the end of a lengthy process to find someone on the site.

Costs can vary, and the monthly rates may range from around $20 to $40, with lower fees if you opt to pay for a multi-month subscription. Some sites offer a short trial for a small fee.

There may also be different plans and pricing depending on how you want to use the site. For example, whether you want to search for people using their name or do a reverse lookup and start with a phone number, email or address. There could be optional add-ons as well, such as a fee if you want to download a copy of the report.

Can You Remove Your Information From People Search Sites?

You can usually request that a people search site removes your information from the site or make it invisible to others, and some states have data privacy laws that can put legal weight behind your request. But removing your information from people search sites can be tricky, and keeping it off the sites is even more difficult.

Much of the data comes from public records, and removing information from the people search site doesn't remove it from those databases. The sites also regularly check for new information from public records.

You could find that recent information gets added back to the websites, especially if some of the details vary; for example, if you removed information related to your legal name but new public records are tied to your nickname. With this in mind, you might want to do a new search several times a year.

If you want to remove your information, you can submit opt-out requests with each site directly or try a deletion service.

Submit an Opt-Out Request

People search sites typically need to give users a way to opt out and have their information removed or suppressed from the website. You could start by searching for the website plus "opt out" to see if there's a dedicated page for these requests.

The process varies depending on the site, but you may need to:

  • Search for your profile. Sometimes, you need to start by searching for yourself and then ask the company to remove your profile.
  • Submit the request. Fill out and submit a form asking the company to remove you from their search results or to delete your information. You may be able to submit the form online, by mail or by fax.
  • Verify your submission. You might receive an email with a verification link that you need to click on to confirm your request.
  • Confirm the results. Use a private browsing tab several days or weeks later to verify that you don't appear in the results.

Use Experian's Personal Privacy Scan Tool

You can also sign up for a deletion service that looks for your information on multiple people search sites and submits opt-out or deletion requests on your behalf.

These tend to be subscription services that regularly scan for your information and submit new opt-out requests if it reappears. The ongoing support can take an otherwise tedious task off your to-do list, but there are also limitations with all these tools. For instance, they might not cover every people search site.

Experian's personal privacy scan tool offers a one-time free scan that you can use to see what information may be exposed on people search sites.

You could use the results to start submitting opt-out requests on your own. Experian members can also get help removing their info. The removal assistance is part of a paid premium membership that comes with other features and benefits related to protecting your identity, credit and money.

How Can I Protect My Personal Information?

Here are a few additional steps you can take if you want to keep your personal information personal.

  • Don't share personal information online. Be cautious about what you share in online forums and on social media sites. Also, limit what you share with companies when you create an account.
  • Delete old accounts. Delete accounts that you don't use anymore to reduce the chances that your information will be exposed in a data breach.
  • Review accounts' privacy settings. Look at the privacy settings for your online accounts—social media accounts in particular—to make sure you're not sharing more than you intended.
  • Install software updates. Hackers can use malware to steal personal information from your devices and accounts. Regularly install updates and run malware or antivirus scans to help keep your devices clean.
  • Use strong passwords and multifactor authentication. Creating strong and unique passwords for all your accounts, and enabling multifactor authentication (MFA) when it's available, can help keep someone from breaking into and taking over your accounts.
  • Beware of phishing attempts. Fraudsters may try to trick you with a phishing email, call or text. Learn to spot these scammers to avoid sending them your personal information or money.

Learn more:Identity Theft Protection Tools and Measures You Can Use

Keep Your Personal Information Personal

Your personal information could be easily accessible on people search sites, and identity thieves can use it to try to trick or impersonate you. Keeping your information private can be difficult, and it may be an ongoing task. But asking people search sites to remove you from their results—or using a tool to submit these requests on your behalf—can be a helpful step in the right direction.

Is your info on the dark web?

Internet criminals buy and sell personal data on the dark web to commit fraud. Could they have your info? Find out with a free Dark Web Scan.

Run a free scan
Promo icon.

About the author

Louis DeNicola is freelance personal finance and credit writer who works with Fortune 500 financial services firms, FinTech startups, and non-profits to teach people about money and credit. His clients include BlueVine, Discover, LendingTree, Money Management International, U.S News and Wirecutter.

Read more from Louis

Explore more topics

Share article

Experian's Diversity logo.
Experian’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
Learn more how Experian is committed