Sick of Scam Calls and Texts? You Can Now Request to Remove Your Details From Data Brokers

Constant spam calls and fake texts promising job offers, easy cash or, in some cases, a coffee date, have been the bane of my existence.

It’s not just me. According to the consumer advocacy organization US PIRG Education Fund, Americans received 2.56 billion robocalls per month from January to September 2025. And in recent years, scammers have increased their use of text messaging or DMs on social media platforms to get your information.

If you’ve ever wondered, “How are they even getting my phone number?” it’s because these scammers usually obtain your contact details from data brokers.

But this year, a feature of California’s privacy law called the Delete Request and Opt-out Platform (or DROP) is kicking in, allowing anyone living in the state to limit the amount of information available to these brokers by submitting deletion requests to have their information manually removed.

Because data brokers collect and sell a plethora of personal information about you — including names, addresses, income, political party, shopping habits and more, there are other reasons beyond spam calls to want your details removed from their databases.

It’s a good way to upkeep digital privacy and prevent other bodies — including, increasingly, federal agencies — from accessing even more information about you.

Keep reading for an overview of the DROP law, from what it does to how to submit a request yourself. The state also has its own thorough resource on navigating DROP, including what it means to delete your personal data.

How you can use DROP

Who can submit a DROP request? 

You can use DROP if you are a California resident, and must accordingly verify that you are a California resident when you fill out the form, by either:

• Providing personal information, including name, date of birth, address, phone or email. If you cannot provide a phone number or email, you may need to provide a Social Security number or Individual Taxpayer Identification Number. You will give this information on a state website called the California Identity Gateway, which is often used to verify residency. According to the state, this information will only be used to verify your identity and residency and will not be stored or shared.
• Creating an account through login.gov, a “federally hosted identity verification service used by many government agencies.”

Keep in mind that if you choose to verify either through the California Identity Gateway or login.gov, you will need to use the same method for future DROP requests.

Once your identity is verified, you will be able to proceed with the submission form on the DROP website.

How can I submit a DROP request?

You can submit a request using the state’s official DROP website.

After verifying you’re a California resident (see above), you’ll fill out some basic information, including:

• Full name (including any other variations of your name, like a maiden name or nickname)
• Date of birth
• Zip code(s)
• Email address(es), which you’ll be asked to verify by code
• Phone number(s), which you’ll be asked to verify by code
• Any unique IDs you have connected to your phone or smart TV since, according to the form, “Data brokers may use these IDs to track your habits and sell or share your data.”
• Vehicle Identification Number (found on your car’s registration documents)

According to the DROP form, the “more information you provide, the more likely your personal data will be deleted.”

The entire process – if you have these unique numbers on hand – takes under 10 minutes.

After submitting the form, you will receive a DROP ID. You should save this ID, and you can use it to track the state of your deletion request.

According to the state’s DROP website, the information you put in the form “won’t be sold or shared for any other reason.” The state’s website explains how it encrypts input data and what data brokers see in your requests.

Does submitting a DROP request cost anything? 

No. Submitting a DROP request is free.

Can I submit a DROP form for someone else?

Yes, you can submit a request for another person, like your child or your parent. The person must still be a California resident, and they must have given you permission to submit the DROP request for them.

If you are submitting a form for another person, you must use their details when verifying California residency, not your own.

After filling out the other person’s information, you will then need to provide your full name and your email address.

How does DROP work?

What data of mine will be deleted as part of DROP?

The new DROP law means that in August 2026, data brokers are required by law to start clearing their records every 45 days.

In addition to your phone number, this information about you that data brokers must begin to delete may include your:

• Name
• Birthday
• Address
• Email address
• Geolocation
• Health data
• Interests, such as your political party affiliation or your hobbies.

There are exceptions to what data these brokers must delete: For example, publicly available information (like a court appearance or property records) will not be deleted under DROP.

Where will the data be deleted from? 

According to the DROP form, “All current and future data brokers who register with CalPrivacy are included in your deletion request.”

You can check out the list of active data brokers on the DROP website, and even directly opt in for the ones you actually wish to be listed on. (According to the state website, deleting your information could lead to a less personalized web experience, like targeted ads.)

How long will it take for the data to be deleted?

Data brokers will start the deletion process on Aug. 1, 2026, and you’ll likely begin to see updates from brokers to your requests on your DROP profile by then. The possible status updates are:

• Deleted: Your data is deleted and will not be sold.
• Exempted: Your data is allowed to be kept because it is exempted by the privacy law, such as a court or public record.
• Opted-out: Data brokers couldn’t find the exact information you input.
• Record not found: Data brokers could not find the information at all.
• Pending: Your deletion request is still being processed.

You may need to provide more information or take extra steps if data brokers are unable to fulfill your request.

After Aug. 1, data brokers are required to delete information every 45 days and take up to 90 days to give an update.