Data Brokers: What They Know About You and How to Opt Out

Data brokers are companies that collect personal information from public records, social media, loyalty programs, app usage, and hundreds of other sources — then compile it into detailed profiles they sell to marketers, employers, landlords, and anyone else willing to pay. There are over 4,000 data broker companies operating in the United States, and most people have never heard of them.

The information data brokers hold is extensive: your full name, current and past addresses, phone numbers, email addresses, relatives' names, estimated income, political affiliation, purchasing habits, health interests, and more. This data is used for targeted advertising — but it's also purchased by scammers who use it to craft convincing personalized fraud attempts. A scammer who knows your name, address, and the name of your bank can construct a very believable impersonation call.

The largest data brokers — Spokeo, WhitePages, BeenVerified, Intelius, and LexisNexis — each have opt-out processes, but they're deliberately cumbersome. Each broker requires a separate request, often with identity verification, and profiles frequently reappear after removal. Manually opting out of all major brokers takes 20–40 hours of work.

Data removal services like DeleteMe, Kanary, and Incogni automate this process — submitting opt-out requests on your behalf and monitoring for reappearance. They're not perfect (some brokers don't honor requests, and new brokers emerge constantly), but they dramatically reduce your exposure compared to doing nothing. For most people, a data removal service subscription is one of the highest-value privacy investments available.

Even without a paid service, there are high-impact free steps: opt out of the four major people-search sites (Spokeo, WhitePages, BeenVerified, Intelius), opt out of pre-screened credit offers at OptOutPrescreen.com, and remove yourself from Google's people search results. These won't eliminate your data broker presence, but they address the most commonly used sources.