RocketReach Opt Out: How to Remove Your Profile and Protect Your Data

What Is RocketReach and Why Is Your Data There?

If you've discovered your contact information on RocketReach without your consent, you're not alone. RocketReach is a B2B data broker that maintains profiles on over 700 million professionals. The platform aggregates publicly available data from sources like LinkedIn, company websites, and social media platforms to create searchable profiles containing names, email addresses, phone numbers, job titles, and social media links.

Here's the thing most people don't realize: you never signed up for RocketReach, yet they likely have your data. Their technology scrapes publicly accessible information across the web and compiles it into their database. According to RocketReach, they can find at least one email address for 92% of the professionals in their database, along with an average of 1.8 phone numbers and 2.7 social media profiles per person.

This matters because having your information available on data broker platforms can lead to increased spam, unwanted sales calls, and potentially even expose you to phishing attacks. Cybersecurity researchers have documented cases where bad actors use B2B data brokers to find targets for social engineering campaigns.

Step-by-Step: How to Opt Out of RocketReach

There are three main methods to remove your information from RocketReach. The most straightforward option is using their official removal form, but I'll cover all approaches so you can choose what works best for your situation.

Method 1: Using the Official "Do Not Sell My Info" Link

This is the fastest and most reliable method:

1. Navigate to RocketReach.co and scroll to the bottom of the homepage
2. Click "Do Not Sell My Info" in the footer to access the removal page
3. Enter your verification details: your full name, current company, your LinkedIn URL or RocketReach profile URL, and a valid email address
4. Click "Submit Request" to initiate the process
5. Check your email for a verification message from RocketReach
6. Click the verification link in the email to confirm your identity
7. Select "Remove My Profile" and provide a reason for your opt-out request
8. Submit and wait for confirmation

The removal typically takes effect immediately on RocketReach's platform, but it may take several weeks for the changes to reflect in search engines like Google.

Method 2: Using the Remove Profile Form Directly

You can also go directly to rocketreach.co/remove-profile to submit a removal request. This page is specifically designed for profile claims and deletions. You'll need to provide:

• Your full name
• Your current or most recent company
• Your RocketReach profile URL or LinkedIn URL
• A valid email address for verification

After submitting, you'll receive a verification email. Follow the link in that email to complete the removal process.

Method 3: Email Request

If you prefer a paper trail or encounter issues with the online form, you can email your removal request directly. Send your request to [email protected] or [email protected] with the subject line "Do Not Share or Sell My Information."

In your email, include:

• Your full name
• The email address(es) associated with your profile
• Your LinkedIn URL or RocketReach profile URL
• A clear request to remove your data from their database

RocketReach typically responds to email requests within 45 days, though most are processed much faster.

Understanding Your Legal Rights

Your ability to opt out of RocketReach is supported by various privacy laws depending on your location. Residents of California, Virginia, Connecticut, Colorado, and Utah have explicit opt-out rights under state privacy laws.

Under the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), you have the right to:

• Know what personal information is being collected about you
• Request deletion of your personal data
• Opt out of the sale of your personal information
• Not be discriminated against for exercising these rights

RocketReach processes both opt-out requests and deletion requests by removing the consumer's personal information from their database. They also offer a "Do Not Sell or Share My Info" tool that allows you to opt out of the sale of your personal data and targeted advertising.

What Happens After You Opt Out

Once your opt-out is processed, your profile will no longer appear when someone searches for you on RocketReach. However, there are a few important things to understand about the post-removal landscape.

Google Cache Issues

Even after your profile is removed from RocketReach, it may continue appearing in Google search results for a period of time. This happens because Google caches web pages and doesn't immediately know when content has been removed from a site.

To speed up the removal from Google:

1. Go to Google's Remove Outdated Content tool
2. Enter the URL of your old RocketReach profile
3. Submit the request for removal from Google's cache

Google typically processes these requests within a few days to two weeks.

Profiles Can Reappear

Here's something most opt-out guides don't tell you: data broker removals aren't always permanent. RocketReach and similar platforms continuously scrape the web for professional information. If they find new data about you online, they may republish your profile even after you've opted out.

This means you'll need to periodically check whether your data has reappeared. Set a reminder to search for yourself on RocketReach every few months. If your profile resurfaces, you'll need to go through the opt-out process again.

Preventing Your Data From Being Collected

Opting out of RocketReach addresses the immediate problem, but preventing future data collection requires a broader approach. Since RocketReach primarily scrapes data from LinkedIn and other public sources, consider these protective measures:

Adjust Your LinkedIn Privacy Settings

• Limit who can see your email address and phone number
• Restrict your profile visibility to logged-in LinkedIn members only
• Disable your public profile if you don't need it for job searching

Audit Your Online Presence

Review what professional information is publicly accessible about you. This includes company websites, professional associations, conference speaker pages, and social media profiles. The less data that's publicly available, the less data brokers can collect.

Use Professional Contact Methods Strategically

Consider using a dedicated email address for professional networking that's separate from your primary personal email. This way, if that address gets scraped, you can more easily filter or redirect communications.

Taking Control of Your B2B Data Strategy

While opting out of RocketReach protects your personal information, it's worth understanding how businesses use these tools ethically. If you're on the other side of this equation—building prospect lists for sales or recruiting—there are better approaches than relying on scraped data.

Our B2B Targeting Generator helps you identify ideal customer profiles and target markets using AI-powered analysis rather than data broker databases. This approach is more effective because it focuses on finding companies that match your ideal customer criteria rather than cold-contacting individuals who may not want to hear from you.

The shift toward permission-based marketing and GDPR/CCPA compliance means the old spray-and-pray approach to B2B outreach is increasingly ineffective. Building targeted lists based on company characteristics, technology usage, and buying signals yields better results than mass-purchased contact lists.

Verifying Contacts Before Outreach

If you're in sales or recruiting and need to verify contact information, using a verification tool is more respectful and effective than relying on potentially outdated data broker information. Our Email Verifier can help you confirm whether an email address is valid before you send, reducing bounces and protecting your sender reputation.

For direct outreach, platforms like RocketReach do serve a legitimate business purpose when used ethically—sales teams and recruiters genuinely need ways to connect with decision-makers. The key is respecting opt-out requests promptly and not abusing the access to personal data.

Alternative Data Sources and Methods

For sales professionals looking for legitimate ways to find prospects without relying heavily on data brokers, consider these approaches:

• Intent data: Focus on companies actively searching for solutions like yours
• LinkedIn Sales Navigator: Uses LinkedIn's first-party data with user consent
• Website visitor identification: Tools like Dealfront identify companies visiting your site
• Community building: Create content and communities that attract your ideal customers
• Referral programs: Leverage existing relationships for warm introductions

For finding mobile numbers when you have a legitimate business reason and proper consent, our Mobile Number Finder provides verification alongside lookup capabilities, ensuring the data you use is accurate and current.

Final Thoughts on Privacy and Professional Data

The tension between privacy and professional networking isn't going away anytime soon. Data brokers serve a real market need—helping businesses connect with potential partners, customers, and candidates. But this needs to be balanced against individuals' right to control their personal information.

If you've opted out of RocketReach, consider also checking other major data brokers like ZoomInfo, Apollo.io, Lusha, and Clearbit. Each has its own opt-out process, and your information is likely on multiple platforms.

For ongoing protection, services that continuously monitor and submit opt-out requests on your behalf can save significant time—though they come at a cost. Whether you handle removals manually or use a service, the key is staying proactive about your digital footprint.

Remember: opting out of one database doesn't remove your information from the entire internet. It's a continuous process of managing your online presence. But taking control of platforms like RocketReach is an important first step in reducing unwanted contacts and protecting your professional privacy.