How do data brokers get my information?

Sources vary by company. Broker data draws on government records and commercial sources,1 and the FTC says people-search sites may also use public social media profiles and buy from other data brokers, so one detail can spread across sites.2 A single listing does not establish where each of its details came from.

Frequently asked questions

Did they get my data from a breach?

A breach and a listing are different things. The FTC names government records, public social media profiles and other data brokers among people-search inputs. A breach notice or breach check tells you a company's data was exposed; it does not show where a particular listing came from. The fixes differ too: listings can often be removed through a site's opt-out, while leaked copies usually cannot, so a breach calls for securing the affected accounts.

Which sources can I actually cut off?

The commercial ones, slowly. You can decline loyalty programs, skip warranty registration, limit app permissions and opt out of marketing lists. Opting out of a people-search site does not delete the government record behind a listing, and whether access to a record such as a property deed or voter file can be limited depends on the record and where you live. That is why removal usually means suppressing published listings rather than erasing the source.

Do they buy data from each other?

Yes. The FTC says people-search sites may buy information from other data brokers, so a single record can appear across many sites. That is why an opt-out reaches only the sites its route names, and why listings can reappear when brokers receive new public records or partner data.

Does deleting my social media help?

It can limit what is public from now on, but it does not by itself remove an existing listing. The FTC names public social media profiles among people-search inputs, alongside government records and other data brokers. Use the site's opt-out for a listing that already shows your personal data, and review what your remaining accounts make public.

What does a Delist free scan check?

The open-web footprint we check: people-search sites, public records, data brokers, and breach-source signals (signals are not listings). It is not a dump-membership check.

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Related

• What is a data broker?
• What information do data brokers have about me?
• What is a people-search site?
• How to remove yourself from data brokers
• Is my personal information public?
• Dark web data versus data brokers