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Data brokers are companies whose entire business model revolves around collecting your personal information — your name, home address, date of birth, phone number, relatives, and more — and selling it to marketers, advertisers, and anyone willing to pay. They gather this data from public records, social media, loyalty programs, and dozens of other sources without ever asking your permission. McAfee Personal Data Cleanup finds where your information is being bought and sold and helps you get it removed, giving you back meaningful control over your digital privacy.

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The Scope of the Problem

30+ Data Broker Sites

McAfee scans over 30 of the most active data broker and people-finder sites where your personal information is most likely to appear and be sold.

70%+ Feel Powerless

More than 70% of people report feeling powerless over how their personal data is collected and shared online. Personal Data Cleanup changes that.

95% Have Info Sold

Studies show that 95% of Americans have had their personal information sold by data brokers — often without ever knowing it happened.
Data brokers don’t just create privacy headaches — they create real security risks. When your home address, phone number, and daily routine are available for purchase online, you become a target for phishing, social engineering attacks, and even physical harm. Removing your data from these sites is one of the most impactful privacy steps you can take.

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How Personal Data Cleanup Works

McAfee Personal Data Cleanup follows a continuous four-step cycle designed to systematically find and eliminate your personal information from data broker databases.

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Scan

McAfee automatically scans more than 30 data broker and people-finder websites — including some of the most widely used platforms like Spokeo, WhitePages, BeenVerified, and similar services. The scan searches for your name, address, date of birth, phone number, email address, and known relatives. You receive a detailed report showing exactly which sites have your information and what data each one holds.

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Review

Transparency is central to how Personal Data Cleanup works. After the scan, you can see a complete breakdown of every site that’s selling your data, what specific information they have, and how long it’s been listed. You’re never in the dark about your exposure — McAfee lays it all out clearly so you can make informed decisions about what to prioritize.

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Remove

Once you know where your data lives, it’s time to get it removed. McAfee provides two removal modes depending on your plan:
  • Guided removal (all plans): McAfee walks you through the opt-out process for each data broker, providing direct links and step-by-step instructions to submit removal requests yourself.
  • Automatic removal (McAfee+ Advanced and Ultimate): McAfee submits removal requests on your behalf automatically — no manual steps, no filling out forms. Just set it and let McAfee handle it.

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Monitor

Data brokers don’t give up easily. Even after your information has been removed, they often re-collect it from public records, social media updates, and other data sources within a few months. McAfee Personal Data Cleanup automatically rescans every 2–4 months and alerts you when your data reappears, then repeats the removal process. It’s an ongoing defense, not a one-time fix.

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What Information Gets Removed

McAfee targets the personal details data brokers most commonly collect and sell:
  • Full legal name and known aliases
  • Current and past home addresses
  • Phone numbers (mobile and landline)
  • Email addresses
  • Date of birth
  • Known relatives and household members
  • Employment history
  • Social media profile links

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Plan Comparison

Guided removal. McAfee scans 30+ data broker sites and provides step-by-step instructions for submitting opt-out requests yourself. Ideal if you’re comfortable following guided instructions and want to stay hands-on with the process.

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Setting Up Personal Data Cleanup

1

Activate your McAfee+ plan

Visit mcafee.com/activate to begin your McAfee account activation. Enter your 25-digit McAfee product key and complete your McAfee subscription activation to unlock Personal Data Cleanup and all other McAfee+ features.
2

Navigate to Personal Data Cleanup

Open the McAfee app on your device, select Privacy from the main menu, then tap or click Personal Data Cleanup to begin.
3

Enter your personal details

Provide your name, address, date of birth, and other details McAfee will use to search for your information on data broker sites. More detail equals more accurate results.
4

Review your scan results

McAfee runs an initial scan and presents a full report of every data broker site holding your information. Review the results to understand your current exposure.
5

Start the removal process

Choose guided or automatic removal based on your plan. McAfee tracks the status of each removal request and updates your dashboard as brokers confirm deletion.

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Why Ongoing Monitoring Matters

A common misconception is that removing your data once is enough. In practice, data brokers re-collect personal information on a regular basis — pulling from public records updates, new voter registration data, property records, and social media activity. Without continuous monitoring, your information can quietly reappear on these sites within months of being removed. McAfee Personal Data Cleanup is built for this reality. Its automated rescan cycle runs every 2–4 months, catches new listings as they appear, and (for Advanced and Ultimate subscribers) automatically resubmits removal requests without any input from you. Your privacy is maintained continuously, not just on day one.
Automatic removal — where McAfee submits opt-out requests on your behalf — is available exclusively with McAfee+ Advanced and McAfee+ Ultimate plans. Visit mcafee.com/activate to complete your McAfee software activation using your 25-digit McAfee product key and start removing your personal data from broker sites today.
Google your own name and home address before running your first Personal Data Cleanup scan. The search results give you a quick preview of how visible your personal information currently is, and you can compare those results after McAfee’s removal process is complete to see the difference firsthand.