Removing Data from LexisNexis: Protecting Your Reputation and Privacy

What data does LexisNexis collect about you?

LexisNexis is a large information and analytical service owned by an international media conglomerate RELAX. For decades, LexisNexis has served as one of the most comprehensive legal and business databases, providing users with:

• Large-scale legal library: legislation, court decisions, comments and scientific articles.
• Business and news resources: media archives, company databases, analytical reports on markets and companies.
• Due diligence tools: modules that allow you to find and analyze information about individuals and legal entities, including in the context of sanctions and litigation.

This service is widely used by law firms to quickly search for documents and court precedents; banks and financial organizations to verify potential clients and business partners, compliance with AML/CFT requirements; large corporations – to make decisions on partnerships, investments, etc.

LexisNexis accumulates data from a wide range of sources: from official state registers and judicial databases to news publications and business directories:

• Registration data of companies: legal addresses, constituent documents, information about directors and beneficiaries;
• Credit history: for individuals, credit reports, information on debts, bankruptcies, and late payments may be displayed;
• Business reputation: references in the context of financial fraud, money laundering schemes;
• Criminal and civil courts: verdicts, claims, court decisions and resolutions, data on corporate disputes, contractual disputes, enforcement proceedings;
• Media archive: arrays of articles from newspapers, magazines, Internet resources. When searching by individual name or company name, the system may return results that reflect a negative context (scandals, accusations, investigations). Some analytical bulletins and reviews (economic, political) may contain references to connections with corruption, crime, etc.
• Business reference data: information on registered companies, their owners, authorized capital, annual reports, extracts from trade registers, information on bankruptcies, liquidations, reorganizations, assessment of reliability ratings received from agencies or banks.

LexisNexis carefully selects and aggregates information from official state registers, judicial databases, and respected media. Most information passes basic verification. Persons who believe that information is out of date or incorrect may take action to update it or removal by contacting LexisNexis directly.

How can your LexisNexis profile impact your business and personal life?

If you have negative or irrelevant information on your profile, it can make your business and personal life much more difficult. One of these consequences is denial of banking services and loans. If the bank sees in LexisNexis instructions about litigation, sanctions risks or negative publications, he can transfer the client to Enhanced Due Diligence mode. As a result of enhanced verification, the bank has the right to refuse to open an account, block existing assets or require additional certificates and documents. This complicates any financial transactions.

If LexisNexis shows you have been involved in lawsuits, corporate conflicts, or political scandals, banks and insurance companies may increase interest rates on loans, require more collateral, or deny business or life insurance coverage.

Any large company or fund, when concluding a transaction, conducts due diligence through specialized tools, including LexisNexis. Upon learning of an unfavorable profile, companies may refuse to sign a contract or even terminate existing agreements.  This is especially critical in international supply chains, where any sign of dishonesty can cost millions of dollars and reputational damage.

Immigration services in a number of countries actively use various databases when checking applicants. If LexisNexis indicates your involvement in litigation, corruption schemes or other negative aspects, there is a high risk of visa denial. Additional interviews, requests for documents, entry restrictions – all these are possible consequences of a negative profile.

Why is it important to remove or correct unwanted information?

Many companies and individuals do not realize the weight LexisNexis carries. 

Companies, banks and investors check future clients and counterparties. Having discovered negative data (financial irregularities, litigation, connections with dubious individuals), they may refuse to cooperate. Even an outdated or incorrect entry can lead to the termination of contracts, blocking of accounts and deprivation of access to investment resources. Timely correction or removal of incorrect information will help maintain and strengthen your competitive advantages.

Banks and credit institutions implement KYC and AML procedures by turning to LexisNexis to verify clients. The presence of a negative entry may result in refusal to open an account, restrictions on loans, or closure of existing accounts. Lack of access to banking services directly affects the ability to conduct business, obtain financing, and conduct foreign exchange and international transactions.

The presence of negative marks may call into question your internal compliance – a system of procedures confirming business transparency. When your LexisNexis profile is clean, you can more easily pass international audits and save time and resources when negotiating with new counterparties.

For private individuals, negative or distorted data can lead to scandals, slander and loss of trust among close circles, colleagues, and the electorate. Restoring a reputation is more difficult than maintaining a trustworthy status from the beginning. Therefore, it is important to control what is said about you in the public domain.

How do I request removal of data from LexisNexis?

The first stage is preparation and collection of information. It is important to first know what data is stored in LexisNexis. Often a person or organization discovers a reference through a bank check, a notice from a counterparty, or an attorney’s request. Specify what specific information (court cases, news, connection with sanctions) caused the recording.

After this, formulate the reasons for deleting or correcting the data:

• Outdated charges (case closed, sentence overturned);
• False information (eg journalistic error);
• Full refutation of the accusations in court or by official bodies;
• Correction of personal data (change of name, legal address).

Prepare an official package of documents (court decisions, certificates of dismissal of charges, confirmations from government agencies, media refutations) confirming the inconsistency or irrelevance of the information. Such materials will become the basis for argumentation when submitting a request.

The LexisNexis website has a “Contact Us” or “Privacy” section where you can contact us to request deletion or correction of data. You can send an email to customer support or send a formal letter by mail to the company’s legal address.

In the body of the letter, be sure to indicate:

1. Full name or company name, date of birth (for individuals), contact details;
2. The reason why you consider the information to be unlawful;
3. Links to supporting documents (attach copies or provide available links).

The request should be logically structured and contain all the important details. Briefly describe the consequences that the negative post has already brought (for example, refusal from the bank or reputational losses).

If LexisNexis determines that your claims are valid, the information in question will be corrected or removed entirely. In case of refusal, you can submit a second request, supplementing it with the missing evidence.

LexisNexis often acts as an aggregator, but not a primary source. If the negative entry comes from an ongoing lawsuit or from reliable registries, the service may refuse to remove it, citing that the information is legally relevant.

Legal assistance in removing information from LexisNexis databases

At the initial consultation, our specialists carry out a preliminary audit: they check whether there is really unwanted information, what the essence of the complaints is and how seriously this can affect the client’s activities. At this stage, we identify whether the data is current or outdated, whether the information is correctly reflected or whether there is an error/false accusation. This approach allows you to develop an effective defense strategy and identify key arguments for further interaction with LexisNexis.

If the information in the database is incorrect, lawyers help collect supporting documents: court orders dropping charges, official certificates from state registers, refutations from the media. This is critical for proving the illegality or unreliability of information. In an official letter, our specialists will formulate a clear requirement: to delete/correct the data within a specified period or indicate the reason for the refusal.

If the company requires additional materials or doubts the validity of the request, our specialists enter into negotiations, explaining the legal position, re-arguing the need to delete the data. It is important to answer all questions professionally, otherwise the risk of refusal increases.

How long does the data deletion process take?

Typically, upon receipt of the email, LexisNexis will confirm acceptance of the request. This may take from several days to 2 weeks, depending on the load and the selected communication channel.

During this period, the team studies documents and checks with sources. If the information is truly outdated or inaccurate, you need to further clarify this with primary sources. At this stage, delays are possible as the service awaits a response from government agencies, archives and media. Consideration of such requests takes from 4 weeks to 3 months. 

How can I avoid being logged into LexisNexis again?

Even if you were able to successfully delete or correct inaccurate information in the database, without appropriate control measures you can again find yourself in the crosshairs of the system. 

Before entering into business relationships with new partners, it is important to check their reputation so as not to become involved in legal disputes or scandals. If a partner is sanctioned or involved in financial crimes, LexisNexis may again associate your name with a negative context. Comply with compliance requirements, ensure timely payment of taxes, a transparent ownership structure and the absence of conflicting schemes. This way you reduce the likelihood of lawsuits and negative publications.

Do not distribute unnecessary personal information that could be used against you in the future.  When filling out forms (banking, insurance, etc.), provide only the minimum required information. Be careful with comments in the media and public statements – negatively interpreted phrases may end up in LexisNexis if they appear in authoritative sources.

There are special tools (such as Google Alerts) that allow you to track news publications based on your name or company name. If new material appears, you will be able to respond quickly, provide refutations or clarifications.

If your business is related to international trade, financing, logistics, regularly conduct Due Diligence in relation to suppliers and clients. Minimize the risk of participating in money laundering schemes and avoid interacting with sanctioned companies to avoid being included in negative lists with them. Update constituent documents, licenses, and permits in a timely manner.

During active business activities, it is good to have a PR strategy that ensures transparency and prompt response to any information leaks. A team of PR specialists and lawyers is capable of collectively preventing the formation of a negative information field.

Legal advice: protecting your data and reputation

All processes – from the preparation of documents to negotiations – are carried out under the guidance of professional lawyers in compliance with the law, attorney-client privilege and the interests of the client. In addition to removing information, we help with working with banks, compliance procedures, and eliminate the root causes so that negative information does not return to the database in the future.

Contact us now if you have encountered false, out of date, or negative information about you on LexisNexis. Our team is ready to audit the situation and develop an effective action strategy. We will help restore your reputation, remove any restrictions when working with banks and financial institutions, and ensure smooth business conduct at the international level.