How to Opt Out of RocketFuel: Complete Removal Guide
Your personal information is likely listed on RocketFuel, one of the many data brokers that collect, aggregate, and sell your private data to anyone willing to pay. This comprehensive guide walks you through every step needed to remove your information from this platform and protect your digital privacy.
Why Your Data Appears Here
The broker aggregates personal information from public records, social media profiles, purchase histories, and other data sources. The service compiles detailed profiles that may include your full name, home address, phone number, email addresses, relatives' names, employment history, and more. This data is then made available through its search platform and sold to third parties including marketers, debt collectors, and private investigators.
The data broker industry generates billions of dollars annually by trading in personal information, often without the knowledge or meaningful consent of the individuals whose data is being sold. This broker is part of that ecosystem, collecting data from dozens of sources including court records, property records, voter registrations, social media scraping, loyalty programs, and commercial data exchanges.
Step-by-Step Opt-Out Instructions
Estimated time: 5 min
Follow these steps carefully to remove your personal information from this service:
Step 1: Visit the Opt-Out Page Navigate to the official opt-out page at https://rocketfuel.com/privacy/opt-out/. Make sure you are on the legitimate website and not a phishing page. Check that the URL begins with "https://" and matches the official domain.
Step 2: Search for Your Listing Enter your full name and any identifying information requested. You may need to try variations of your name, including maiden names, middle names, or common misspellings. Search for your current city and state as well as any previous locations where you have lived.
Step 3: Identify Your Records Browse through the search results and identify all listings that correspond to your personal information. You may have multiple records if you have lived at different addresses or if the service has collected data from multiple sources. Note all records that belong to you.
Step 4: Submit Your Removal Request Click the opt-out or removal link associated with each of your records. The platform may require you to provide an email address for verification purposes. Some brokers also require additional identifying information to confirm that you are the person listed.
Step 5: Verify via Email Check your email inbox (and spam folder) for a verification email from the service. Click the confirmation link within the email to finalize your opt-out request. This step is critical because many brokers will not process your removal request until you complete email verification.
Step 6: Follow Up Most opt-out requests are processed within 24 to 72 hours, but some brokers may take up to 30 days or longer. Set a calendar reminder to check back and verify that your records have been removed. If your information is still appearing after the stated processing time, submit a follow-up request or file a complaint with the FTC.
What Information Is Collected
The service typically maintains the following types of personal information:
- Full legal name and any known aliases or maiden names
- Current and past home addresses going back 10 to 20 years
- Phone numbers including landline and mobile numbers
- Email addresses associated with your name or accounts
- Age and date of birth derived from public records
- Relatives and associates including family members and roommates
- Employment history compiled from public and commercial sources
- Social media profiles linked to your identity
- Court records including civil, criminal, and bankruptcy filings
- Property records including purchase prices and ownership history
Your Legal Rights
Several laws protect your right to control your personal data:
California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA/CPRA): If you are a California resident, you have the right to know what personal information is collected about you, request deletion, and opt out of the sale of your data. The broker is legally required to honor these requests within 45 days.
Virginia Consumer Data Protection Act (VCDPA): Virginia residents can request access to and deletion of their personal data, and opt out of data sales and targeted advertising.
Colorado Privacy Act (CPA): Colorado residents have similar rights to access, correct, delete, and opt out of the sale of their personal data.
General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR): If you are an EU or EEA resident, the GDPR grants you the right to access, rectify, and erase your personal data, and the company must comply if it processes data of EU residents.
Preventing Re-listing
Even after you successfully complete the removal process, your information may reappear over time as the broker refreshes its database from public records and other sources. To minimize the risk of re-listing:
- Set up monitoring alerts using Google Alerts for your full name and address
- Repeat the opt-out process every 3 to 6 months as data refreshes occur
- Limit your public records exposure by using P.O. boxes and LLCs for property
- Minimize your digital footprint by adjusting social media privacy settings
- Use a data removal service such as DeleteMe, Kanary, or Privacy Duck for ongoing monitoring
- Freeze your credit with all three major credit bureaus to limit data access
- Opt out of pre-screened offers by calling 1-888-5-OPT-OUT
Additional Resources
If you need further assistance with this removal process, consider consulting with a privacy professional or using an automated data removal service. These services can manage the opt-out process across hundreds of data brokers simultaneously and provide ongoing monitoring to ensure your data stays removed.
Remember that completing this removal is just one step in a comprehensive privacy protection strategy. We recommend also removing your data from other major data brokers, reviewing your social media privacy settings, and implementing strong security practices across all your online accounts.