Instant Checkmate Opt Out: Remove Your Name, Phone And Email In 2026
David Roberts
Founder & CEO
09.10.2026
To opt out of Instant Checkmate, go to the PeopleConnect Suppression Center (instantcheckmate.com/opt-out redirects to suppression.peopleconnect.us), verify your email, enter your date of birth and legal name, select your record, confirm a code, then set “Desired Behavior” to “Suppressed” and Save. That hides you from name searches for free. It does not stop Instant Checkmate’s reverse phone and email lookups, so you also need to email privacy@peopleconnect.us asking for those reports to be deleted.
Instant Checkmate is a background report site run by Instant Checkmate LLC, 375 Camino De La Reina, San Diego, part of the PeopleConnect group alongside TruthFinder and Intelius. It sells two main products that matter for your privacy: person reports, found by searching a name, and phone reports, found by searching a number.
Report type
What it can include
Covered by name suppression?
Person report (search by name)
Birth information, photos, phone numbers and emails, address history, social media, employment and education, business ownership and assets, criminal, traffic and court records
Yes
Phone report (search by number)
Owner’s name and address, photos, address history, possible associates, social media profiles
No, separate request needed
Email lookup
Identity and profiles tied to an email address
No, separate request needed
Instant Checkmate says its data comes from public record databases and social media sites. The phone report is the reason this guide exists as a separate piece: someone who has only your cell number, from a dating app, a classified ad or a business card, can still put a name and address to it after you have suppressed your name.
The Two Layers Of An Instant Checkmate Removal
Layer
Tool
Time
Covers
1. Name search suppression
PeopleConnect Suppression Center
About 15 minutes
Instant Checkmate, TruthFinder, Intelius, US Search name searches
2. Reverse lookups
Email to privacy@peopleconnect.us
5 minutes to send, follow-up as needed
Phone, address and email-based reports
Do layer 1 first, because PeopleConnect can then match your email request to an already verified record.
Layer 1: Instant Checkmate Opt Out For Name Searches
The Instant Checkmate opt out page is shared with the rest of PeopleConnect: instantcheckmate.com/opt-out returns a redirect to https://suppression.peopleconnect.us/. The steps below follow current documentation and independent walkthroughs from 2026. Do it in one sitting, since you cannot save progress.
Click the verification link in the email from PeopleConnect within about 15 minutes.
3
Enter and confirm your date of birth. It cannot be changed afterward.
4
Enter your full legal name, tick the attestation, and add former names if relevant.
5
Choose the record that is yours, using age, city and relatives.
6
Pick a partially masked phone or email from your record, type it in full, and request a code.
7
Enter the code and click Submit Verification Code, then Continue.
8
Set Desired Behavior to Suppressed and click Save.
9
Screenshot the confirmation and note any request ID. No email confirmation follows.
Step 8 is where removals quietly fail. Verifying in step 7 proves who you are; only Save in step 8 actually hides the record. If you have already completed this flow for TruthFinder or Intelius, you do not need to repeat it for Instant Checkmate: the same suppression covers all four PeopleConnect search brands. Our TruthFinder opt out guide has troubleshooting for each screen.
Layer 2: Removing Reverse Phone And Email Results
PeopleConnect describes suppression as covering name searches. Lookups by phone number, address or email are outside that scope. To close the gap, send a written request.
What To Send
Email privacy@peopleconnect.us (copying help@instantcheckmate.com is optional) with a subject like “Deletion request: phone and email reports”. Include:
Your full legal name and the date you completed suppression
The request ID from the Control page, if shown
Every phone number you want removed from phone reports
Every email address you want removed from email lookups
Any current or past addresses you want removed from address reports
A clear request: “Please delete or suppress all phone, email and address-based reports associated with these identifiers across Instant Checkmate, TruthFinder, Intelius and US Search.”
A Copy-And-Paste Email Template
Adjust the bracketed parts and send it from the same email address you used in the Suppression Center.
Template
Subject: Deletion request: phone, email and address reports
Hello,
On [date] I suppressed my record in the PeopleConnect Suppression Center (request ID: [ID, if shown]). My name is [full legal name], [city, state].
Name suppression does not cover reverse lookups. Please delete or suppress all reports returned when searching the following identifiers on Instant Checkmate, TruthFinder, Intelius and US Search:
If you live in a state with a consumer privacy law that gives deletion rights, such as California, say so and cite your right to delete. California residents can also use the state’s DROP platform, which registered data brokers must process from 1 August 2026 (details on the CPPA data broker page). The PeopleConnect privacy policy also describes a Nevada “Do Not Sell” email request for Nevada residents. This is information, not legal advice.
Test It
About two weeks after sending, search each of your phone numbers on instantcheckmate.com in a private window. You should not see your name and address attached to the preview. If you do, reply to your original email with a screenshot.
Instant Checkmate’s Sister Sites And Feeder Domains
Instant Checkmate LLC’s California data broker registration lists four domains, and PeopleConnect runs several sibling brands.
Site
Relationship
Action
instantcheckmate.com
Main search product
Suppress and send the reverse-lookup email
cellphonedirectory.com
Instant Checkmate LLC domain; passes searches to Instant Checkmate
Test your number there after the email request
freepeople-search.com
Instant Checkmate LLC domain; passes searches to Instant Checkmate
Test your name after suppression
cheaterslie.com
Instant Checkmate LLC relationship blog that feeds the paid product
Unrelated brokers sell the same public records. After PeopleConnect, the next highest-impact removals are covered in our Whitepages opt out and TruePeopleSearch opt out guides, while the Acxiom opt out cuts off a major upstream marketing data source.
Common Instant Checkmate Opt Out Mistakes
Mistake
Result
Fix
Using the in-report “Remove” or “Flag” button
Per the FTC, hides data only from your own view
Use the Suppression Center
Not clicking Save after verification
Record stays public
Set Desired Behavior to Suppressed and Save
Skipping the reverse lookup email
Your phone number still returns your name and address
Send the template above
Listing only your current number
Old numbers still tie back to you
Include every number you have used in recent years
Testing in a logged-in browser
Cached results mislead you
Use a private window
Canceling a membership and assuming you are removed
Billing stops, listing stays
Do both actions separately
Who Should Prioritize This Removal
Everyone benefits from a clean Instant Checkmate record, but some people should do it this week rather than someday:
People who share their cell number publicly, such as real estate agents, contractors, sellers on marketplaces and anyone on dating apps, because reverse phone lookups connect that number to a home address.
People leaving an abusive relationship or dealing with a stalker, where address exposure is a direct safety risk. Pair this with a safety plan and local support services.
Public-facing professionals, including healthcare workers, teachers, journalists and executives, who are more likely to be targeted by angry members of the public.
Anyone recently doxxed or threatened online. Our guide on what to do if you get doxxed covers the full response.
How Long Instant Checkmate Removal Takes
Action
Typical time
Basis
Name suppression form
About 15 minutes to complete
2026 walkthroughs
Name search hidden on Instant Checkmate
Usually 48 to 72 hours
Independent testing; no official SLA
Change visible across all four brands
Up to about 10 business days
Independent testing
Email request for phone and email reports
Varies; follow up after two weeks
No published timeline
California DROP request
Brokers must check DROP at least every 45 days
CPPA
Instant Checkmate LLC’s own registry figures show 24,499 deletion requests in 2024, of which 1,255 were denied. Most go through, about one in twenty does not, so verify.
How To Verify Your Removal
Wait 72 hours after saving your suppression.
In a private window, search your name and state on instantcheckmate.com and freepeople-search.com.
Search each phone number on instantcheckmate.com and cellphonedirectory.com after your email request has had two weeks.
Check truthfinder.com, intelius.com and ussearch.com for your name.
Instant Checkmate’s Track Record: FTC Orders And A Data Leak
Searches for “is Instant Checkmate legit” and “is Instant Checkmate safe” run at more than three times the volume of the opt-out query. The record is mixed.
Year
Event
What it means for you
2014
First FTC settlement with Instant Checkmate over Fair Credit Reporting Act issues, including report accuracy and checking users’ permissible purpose
Reports have long had accuracy problems
Feb 2023
PeopleConnect confirmed a 2019 backup with about 20 million Instant Checkmate and TruthFinder customer accounts (emails, hashed passwords, names, phone numbers) had been posted online
If you were a customer, change that password everywhere you reused it
Sep 2023
FTC announced a $5.8 million civil penalty against Instant Checkmate, TruthFinder and affiliates for FCRA violations and deceptive claims, including that in-report “remove” and “flag” buttons only hid data from the user’s own view
Never rely on in-report buttons to remove yourself
So, is Instant Checkmate legit? It is a real, registered company that delivers reports, under an FTC order requiring accuracy procedures and honest descriptions of its features. Is it accurate? Not reliably; the FTC case centered on reports that overstated records. Treat anything it says about you or anyone else as unverified. If a report about you contains a wrong criminal record, your opt-out removes it from public name searches, but a background check run for employment or housing through a regulated screening company is a separate matter under the Fair Credit Reporting Act.
Canceling An Instant Checkmate Membership
Canceling stops billing; it does not touch your own listing. Cancel from your account or through Instant Checkmate customer care, which its California filing lists at (877) 564-3003, weekdays 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Pacific. Note the cancellation confirmation, then do the two-layer opt-out above if you also want to disappear from searches.
Re-Listing And How To Keep It Off
Suppression flags a record; it does not erase the source data. A new phone number, a move or a new court filing can create a fresh record or a fresh phone report.
Every new phone number needs its own request. Add it to a follow-up email to privacy@peopleconnect.us.
Recheck every 90 days, and after any move or name change.
Limit where you publish your number. Use a forwarding number (Google Voice or similar) for listings, dating apps and marketplaces.
Use state rights where available, including California’s DROP.
Handled, though you may need to forward a PeopleConnect verification code
Phone and email reports
Your own email request
Ask the provider whether reverse lookups are included
Other brokers
One at a time
Dozens to hundreds at once
Re-listing
Manual rechecks
Automatic rescans
Compare providers in our ranking of the top personal data removal services, or read our DeleteMe vs Incogni comparison if you are choosing between the two best known.
If an Instant Checkmate report is being used against you, for harassment, doxxing or to damage your reputation, ReVerb’s reputation management hub collects our removal guides, and our list of top online reputation repair companies covers firms that handle escalated cases.
Instant Checkmate Opt Out FAQ
How do I remove my information from Instant Checkmate?
Suppress your record in the PeopleConnect Suppression Center for name searches, then email privacy@peopleconnect.us to request deletion of phone, email and address-based reports. Verify both after a few days.
What is the official Instant Checkmate opt out page?
https://suppression.peopleconnect.us/. The URL instantcheckmate.com/opt-out redirects there.
Is the Instant Checkmate opt out free?
Yes. No account, report purchase or payment is required.
Is Instant Checkmate legit?
It is a registered PeopleConnect company that sells real reports. It has also settled with the FTC twice, in 2014 and 2023 (the latter a $5.8 million penalty), over report accuracy and deceptive practices.
Is Instant Checkmate safe to use?
Technically yes, but customer data from 2011 to 2019 was exposed in a leak PeopleConnect confirmed in 2023, and searches you run may mislabel people. Use a unique password and treat results cautiously.
How accurate is Instant Checkmate?
Inconsistent. The FTC’s 2023 complaint alleged the company told users people had arrest records when they only had traffic tickets. Expect outdated addresses and mixed-up records for common names.
Does opting out of Instant Checkmate remove me from TruthFinder?
Yes, for name searches. The same Suppression Center request covers TruthFinder, Intelius and US Search.
Why can people still find me by my phone number?
Name suppression does not cover reverse phone lookups. Email privacy@peopleconnect.us listing each number you want removed.
Does canceling my Instant Checkmate membership delete my data?
No. Canceling ends billing only. Use the opt-out steps to hide your own record.
The Short Version
Instant Checkmate removal is two jobs. First, suppress your name at suppression.peopleconnect.us and make sure you click Save with Desired Behavior set to Suppressed. Second, email privacy@peopleconnect.us listing your phone numbers, email addresses and addresses for deletion from reverse lookups. Verify after 72 hours and again after two weeks, test your number on cellphonedirectory.com, and recheck every time you get a new number or move.
This guide is general information about privacy tools, not legal advice.
