Plain answers to the questions most people have when they find out this is happening.
What is a data broker?+
A data broker is a company that collects personal information about consumers from hundreds of sources — including public records, loyalty cards, app data, and purchase history — and sells it to anyone willing to pay. There are over 4,000 data brokers operating in the United States, and most Americans have never heard of them.
What information do data brokers have on me?+
Data brokers typically hold your full name, current and past addresses, estimated household income, net worth bracket, debt load, credit score range, political affiliation, voting history, inferred health conditions based on purchases, location history from your phone, family members and associates, and detailed purchase history. Every data category shown on this site is a real category actively sold by data brokers today.
Is it legal for data brokers to sell my information?+
Yes, in most of the United States it is legal. Only four states — California, Vermont, Texas, and Oregon — have meaningful data broker laws. The other 46 states have no specific protections. The FTC has documented the industry extensively but federal legislation has not passed. Data brokers operate largely without regulation or consumer notification requirements.
How do data brokers get my information?+
Data brokers collect your information from public records such as voter registration and property records, loyalty card programs, mobile apps that sell location data, data partnerships with retailers and financial institutions, social media activity, court records, and other data brokers. They then merge these sources into a single detailed profile.
How do I remove myself from data broker databases?+
You can submit opt-out requests directly to individual data broker websites, though this is time-consuming as there are thousands of brokers. The most effective approach is to use a data removal service like DeleteMe or Incogni, which submit removal requests on your behalf across hundreds of broker databases and rescan regularly — because brokers frequently re-add your information.
Who buys data from data brokers?+
Data broker customers include advertisers, insurance companies, landlords, employers, political campaigns, debt collectors, private investigators, law enforcement agencies, and financial institutions. The FTC has documented cases where stalkers obtained victims' home addresses directly from data brokers. There is almost no screening of buyers.
How much is my personal data worth?+
A single consumer profile typically sells for between $0.10 and $12 per transaction — but it is sold many times over to many buyers every year. The US data broker industry generates over $12 billion in annual revenue. The global market is estimated at over $300 billion. Your data is the raw material of one of the fastest-growing industries on earth.
Can data brokers affect my insurance rates or job applications?+
Yes. Insurance companies, landlords, and employers legally purchase consumer profiles from data brokers and use them to make decisions. This means your estimated income, inferred health conditions, and purchase history can influence your insurance premiums, rental applications, and employment prospects — without your knowledge and without any right of appeal.
