What Are Data Brokers and How Did They Get Your Information?

Data brokers are companies that collect, package, and sell personal information. Most people have never heard of them, yet these firms hold detailed profiles that can include your home address, phone numbers, relatives, age, and even estimated income.

Where the data comes from

Brokers pull from public records such as property deeds, voter rolls, court filings, and marriage licenses. They combine that with commercial sources: loyalty programs, warranty registrations, app data, and purchase histories.

Once merged, a single profile can link your current address to past addresses, family members, and phone numbers going back decades.

Who buys it

Buyers include marketers, people-search websites, background-check services, and unfortunately scammers, stalkers, and identity thieves. Anyone with a few dollars can often look you up.

What you can do

Many people-search sites offer an opt-out process, but each one is different, and listings can reappear when new records arrive. Keep a list of the sites you contact and check them again after removal. Ongoing monitoring can help reduce exposure, but cannot guarantee that all information will stay offline.