How Incogni Removes Your Data?

Incogni removes your personal data from 420+ broker sites automatically and keeps you safe. In an age where personal data has become a trada...

Incogni removes your personal data from 420+ broker sites automatically and keeps you safe.

In an age where personal data has become a tradable commodity, privacy protection isn’t just about installing antivirus software — it’s about controlling where your data lives. That’s exactly what Incogni, a service by Surfshark, was built to do. It automates the process of removing your personal data from over 420+ data broker databases worldwide.

The hidden world of data brokers

Data brokers are companies that gather and sell your personal information to advertisers, credit bureaus, and even scammers. They aggregate details such as your name, phone number, email, address, and online behavior — often without your knowledge or consent. Once your data is sold, it can circulate indefinitely across hundreds of platforms.

“Every time you sign up for a new service, enter a giveaway, or shop online, there’s a chance your information gets sold to third parties,” says Surfshark’s privacy research team. “Over time, this data becomes fuel for identity theft and scam operations.”

In a real-time incident, a BBC investigators armed with a hidden camera caught scam call center workers. One worker bragged about making over $250,000 from victims. The disturbing truth! Scammers don’t pick random phone numbers — they buy data from brokers. Once your personal details are circulating, it opens the door to not only spam calls but also phishing, impersonation, and full-blown identity theft. That’s why we recommend Incogni. It removes your data automatically from more than 420 broker sites and continuously monitors for re-collection, keeping your digital footprint under control.

How the removal process works

Incogni operates under international data protection laws like the GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) in Europe, the CCPA (California Consumer Privacy Act), and PIPEDA (Canada’s Privacy Law). These laws guarantee your “right to be forgotten” — allowing you to request that companies delete any personal data they hold about you. Incogni automates this process on your behalf, sending legally binding data removal requests to every broker in its network. Once you create an Incogni account, you grant the platform limited legal authorization to act for you. Incogni then:

1. Scans hundreds of known data brokers and people-search sites. 
2. Identifies where your personal information is likely stored. 
3. Sends formal deletion requests referencing applicable privacy laws. 
4. Tracks responses and verifies compliance using an internal monitoring system.

Many data brokers must legally comply within 30–45 days. If a company refuses, Incogni follows up with additional requests and compliance documentation, pushing for full erasure.

One major issue with manual data removal is data reappearance. Brokers often reacquire data through third-party resellers. Incogni solves this by maintaining continuous monitoring — automatically re-sending deletion requests when new brokers are detected or when your data resurfaces.

The platform’s dashboard provides real-time updates on which brokers have deleted your data, which are pending, and which are under review. This level of transparency turns what used to be a months-long manual process into a single automated workflow.

Privacy 

Incogni encrypts all user data, operates under a strict zero-trust security architecture, and deletes all identifiable information after processing. It doesn’t sell or share any data with third parties — its only function is to remove existing records from data brokers. You can cancel at any time or delete your account, after which all stored data and authorizations are permanently erased from the system.

With AI voice cloning, deepfakes, and targeted phishing on the rise, protecting your personal data has never been more critical. Every record that remains online increases your risk of being impersonated or financially targeted. Removing your information from brokers doesn’t just cut down on spam — it breaks the data supply chain that fuels scams and identity theft. It’s one of the most direct, practical defenses you can take against cybercrime.

To begin, visit Incogni’s official site and create an account. Once you sign an authorization form, the platform immediately begins contacting brokers. The first results typically appear within a few weeks, and the system continues working in the background year-round.