How Redacted works
Verified personal data removal, and an honest account of its limits.
The one-sentence promise
We prove your data is gone, and we tell you the honest truth about everything we can't yet prove.
That means we never label something "removed" unless we have independently re-checked the original source and captured evidence. We use nine distinct status labels so you always know exactly where each removal stands. No vague "processing" catch-alls.
The removal process, step by step
- 1
You run a free scan
Enter your name and city. We search 934 data-broker, people-search and background-check sites using the same sources brokers use. We show you every listing we find, with a screenshot of the actual page, and tell you honestly which ones we can request removal from and which are legally exempt.
- 2
You sign an authorization
Data brokers are only required to honor removal requests from an authorized agent acting on your behalf. The authorization (your Mandate) is the legal basis for everything we do. We collect the minimum information needed to match your listings, and nothing more.
- 3
We send removal requests
For each removable broker, we submit an authorized data-deletion request using that broker's required process: their opt-out form, email, or API. We only send the fields the broker explicitly requires, we log every field we send, and any optional field requires your explicit approval each time.
- 4
We wait the statutory window
Most US privacy laws (CCPA, state equivalents) give brokers 15–45 days to comply. We show you an honest expected-time range for each broker. We don't pretend removals are instant.
- 5
We independently verify and capture proof
After the removal window closes, we re-scan the original source. If your listing is gone, we capture a before-and-after screenshot pair and mark the item Verified removed. That pair is your evidence, viewable in your dashboard and in the downloadable audit report.
- 6
We keep watching
Data brokers re-list people. Our scheduler runs periodic re-scans. When we catch a re-listing, we name it for what it is, our monitoring catching a regression, and automatically restart the removal cycle.
What the status labels mean
Every removal in your dashboard has one of nine honest labels. Here's what they mean:
Verified removed
We re-checked the original source after the removal window and the listing is gone. We have a before-and-after screenshot as evidence. This is the only label where we claim the data is actually removed.
Confirmed by site — verifying
The broker reports your data has been removed from their system. We have not yet independently verified this at the source, so we're checking. This label never looks like Verified removed. The difference is intentional and enforced.
Removal requested
We've sent the authorized request. The broker has the statutory window to comply. Typical range: 2–6 weeks depending on the broker and applicable law.
Exposed
We found your data on this site. A removal request is underway or pending approval.
Legally exempt
This data is protected from removal by law. Examples: court records (public record), data held under FCRA (credit/employment screening), GLBA (financial services), or HIPAA (healthcare). We explain exactly which exemption applies and, where a user-driven opt-out process exists, walk you through it.
Needs you
Some brokers require a human step to proceed: an SMS confirmation, an email click, or an ID verification. We queue these in your Action Center with the specific step inline. We never ask for more than the broker explicitly requires, and we show you exactly what will be shared before you confirm.
Blocked — working on it
The broker is actively blocking automated removal (CAPTCHA, broken form, anti-bot measures). We don't bypass these controls. Instead, a specialist handles the submission manually. This is our obstacle, not yours.
Escalated
The broker hasn't complied within the required window, or denied a valid request. We've opened an escalation: follow-up correspondence, a regulator complaint packet, or search-delisting. We'll keep you updated.
No exposure found
We searched this broker and found nothing linked to you. We'll re-check on the monitoring cadence.
What we honestly cannot do
We don't make claims we can't back up. Here's a plain list of things outside our scope:
Court records and public filings
Arrest records, civil case filings, property records, and similar public-record databases are legally protected from removal under state public-records law. We label these Legal exception and explain the specifics.
FCRA-governed data (credit, employment screening)
Consumer reporting agencies covered by the Fair Credit Reporting Act are exempt from general opt-out requests. We can't remove your data from credit bureaus, background-check firms used for employment/housing, or similar regulated sources.
GLBA and HIPAA-governed data
Financial institutions and healthcare providers operate under separate federal privacy regimes with specific opt-out processes. We label these and explain what you can do directly.
Your employer or direct business relationships
We can't remove you from places you have an active relationship with: your employer's directory, a vendor you do business with, LinkedIn, or social media you've signed up for.
Dark web marketplaces or credential dumps
We don't monitor or remove data from the dark web. We're a people-search removal service, not a dark-web monitoring or identity-theft bundle.
A guarantee of 'zero exposure forever'
We make no claim that we can make you permanently invisible. Brokers re-list. New brokers appear. We keep re-scanning and handling re-listings, but we won't promise a result we can't deliver.
What data we collect and why
We collect the minimum information needed to find and remove your listings. Every field is justified in the intake form.
Name variants and aliases
Brokers index under maiden names, former names, and middle initials. More variants mean a more complete scan.
Current and past addresses
Brokers aggregate by address history. Past addresses uncover listings filed under old records.
Phone and email
Required by some broker opt-out processes.
Your authorization signature
The legal basis for acting as your agent. Required, not optional.
All PII is encrypted before it's saved. You see "Encrypted before it's saved" in the intake form. We use envelope encryption with a per-account data key and Postgres-backed key management service. Optional fields (for example, an alternate phone number a specific broker requests) require your explicit per-use approval before we send them. We log every field sent to every broker.
Right to delete: account deletion is a real crypto-shred, so your PII becomes unrecoverable. The non-PII audit log (which removals were filed, when, with what result) is retained for integrity purposes.