ZDNET’s key takeaways
- Pros: Removes personal info from data brokers, ongoing monitoring, easy setup
- Cons: Some features locked behind higher tiers, can’t clean certain data
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Whether you realize it or not, your personal information is likely somewhere online. Massive data breaches over the years have poured millions of records onto the wider internet. It’s also no secret that some companies collect user data and sell it to data brokerage sites. If you’re like me and don’t want these third parties having your information, you may want to invest in a data removal service.
Very recently, I had the opportunity to test such a service called DeleteMe to scrub the internet of my data.
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I like to think I am a good candidate to test DeleteMe, since my information has been leaked multiple times. I know this is true thanks to a website called Have I Been Pwned, a database that lets you know if your personal data has ever been compromised.
According to the database, I’ve been a victim of eight data breaches, including the Under Armour leak from November 2025 and the ParkMobile hack from March 2021.
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How it works
DeleteMe scans the internet for personal information linked to your name and works to remove it from search engines and data-broker websites. The data it looks for includes email addresses, home addresses, phone numbers, and, in some cases, financial information. The company maintains a public list of the websites it targets, ranging from public record aggregators to Google Search itself.
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It is possible to remove this information yourself. Many data broker sites provide opt-out forms, and Google’s Results About You tools can remove certain search results. The problem is that these processes take time, must be repeated across dozens (if not hundreds) of sites, and may need to be repeated after future leaks. Services like DeleteMe handle that work for you.
Cesar Cadenas/ZDNET
The process
After signing up for DeleteMe, you’ll be asked to create a Data Sheet, which the service’s privacy experts utilize to locate your info online. You’ll be asked to provide details like your full name, phone numbers, current address and past addresses. The company will also ask you to upload a photo of a government-issued ID. This step is optional, although DeleteMe notes that some data brokers require proof of identity before removing records.
Once you submit your information, the service begins searching the internet for matches. You may receive opt-out emails from data brokerage sites. At that point, you’ll need to confirm the removal request.
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When done, DeleteMe experts will send you a privacy report detailing what they found. The first report arrives about a week after the initial request, and the company provides additional reports every three months or so.
I submitted my information on March 13 and received my records five days later on March 18. It revealed that DeleteMe reviewed 371 listings and took down 44 of them; many were still in process. Removal requests have differing timelines. Some may take two weeks; others, just two days. The report even reveals which data broker had the most information on you (for me, it was PeopleFinders).
To give you an idea of what to expect, below is a screenshot of a page from my actual report. You’ll see that all my info from AmericaPhoneBook was removed; meanwhile, the service is still working to clear out my name, age, address, and past address from Whitepages at the time of this writing
Cesar Cadenas/ZDNET
Additional tools
In addition to data removal, DeleteMe includes several built-in privacy tools.
- Email Masking – This lets you create disposable email addresses for situations where you don’t want to use your personal account. Messages are sent to the masked address, reducing spam and making it harder for bad actors to find your actual email.
- Search Yourself – Allows users to check whether their personal information is still present on Google Search. You may not see any changes right away. Again, removal requests take time, but after a few weeks, you can check the tool to see whether DeleteMe is working.
- Masked Phone – Similar to Email Masking, it creates a secondary phone number to hide your own. It aims to keep your real number out of public databases.
Limitations
As useful as this service is, there are limits to what DeleteMe can remove. It cannot delete information from official public records, such as court documents or government filings, because those records are legally required to remain public.
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Social media is another area where DeleteMe has limited control. The company cannot delete profiles or posts for you; you’ll need to remove sensitive details yourself. However, DeleteMe can remove public records and your social media info from data broker sites, and provide guidance on steps you can take to improve your security.
ZDNET’s buying advice
DeleteMe offers several subscription plans depending on how many people you want to cover and how much monitoring you need.
The most basic option is the 1 Person plan. It covers a single person for an entire year for $129 annually. There is a 2 People plan for couples at $229 a year, and a Family plan for four individuals at $329 a year. You can also choose two-year periods, if you prefer. It’ll save you some cash in the long term. Each plan provides the same services: data removal, quarterly reports, a personal expert, and masking tools, among others.
I highly appreciate DeleteMe removing me from so many data brokers. Hopefully, it stops the spam and weird phone calls from reaching me forever. If you’re looking for a fast way to clean up your data, I recommend it.
