What is a Data Broker?

A data broker (also called an information broker or data vendor) is a company that collects personal information about individuals and sells it to other businesses or individuals. These companies operate largely in the shadows, gathering data from hundreds of sources without most people's knowledge or consent.

The Data Broker Industry by the Numbers

4,000+ data broker companies operate in the US alone
$200+ billion annual industry revenue
Average person has their data on 50+ data broker sites (we scan 1,500+)
1,500+ data points collected per person on average

How Data Brokers Collect Your Information

Public Records

Voter registration
Property records
Court records
Marriage and divorce records
Birth and death records
Business filings

Online Activity

Social media profiles
Website cookies and tracking
Online purchases
Search history
App usage data

Commercial Sources

Loyalty programs
Credit card transactions
Warranty registrations
Magazine subscriptions
Survey responses

Other Sources

Data breaches (illegally obtained)
Other data brokers (data sharing)
Telecom providers
Utility companies

Types of Data Brokers

1. People Search Sites

Companies like Spokeo, BeenVerified, and Whitepages that let anyone look up personal information.

2. Marketing Data Brokers

Companies that sell consumer data to advertisers for targeted marketing (Acxiom, Oracle Data Cloud).

3. Risk Mitigation Brokers

Companies that provide background checks and fraud prevention services (LexisNexis, Experian).

4. Health Data Brokers

Companies that collect and sell health-related information (often from apps and wearables).

What Information Do Data Brokers Have?

Data brokers may have:

Identity Data: Name, aliases, SSN, date of birth
Contact Data: Addresses, phone numbers, emails
Demographic Data: Age, gender, ethnicity, religion
Financial Data: Income estimates, credit scores, property ownership
Behavioral Data: Purchases, interests, online activity
Health Data: Conditions, prescriptions, fitness data
Location Data: GPS history, check-ins, travel patterns
Social Data: Relationships, associates, social networks

The Dangers of Data Brokers

Identity Theft

Criminals can purchase enough information to impersonate you and open accounts in your name.

Stalking and Harassment

Abusers can easily locate victims through people-search sites.

Discrimination

Employers, landlords, and insurers may use data broker information to discriminate.

Price Discrimination

Companies may charge you more based on your data profile.

Manipulation

Political campaigns and advertisers can micro-target you based on psychological profiles.

Your Rights Against Data Brokers

CCPA (California)

California residents can request data brokers:

Disclose what data they have
Delete your data
Opt out of data sales

GDPR (Europe)

EU residents have the right to:

Access their data
Request deletion
Object to processing

State Laws

Vermont, Nevada, and other states have data broker regulations requiring registration and opt-out mechanisms.

How to Remove Yourself from Data Brokers

Manual Opt-Out

Find your profiles on each data broker site
Submit opt-out requests individually
Verify your identity
Monitor for re-listings
Repeat every few months

Time required: 20-40 hours initially, plus ongoing maintenance

Automated Removal with GhostMyData

Sign up and enter your information once
We scan 1,500+ data brokers automatically
We submit removal requests on your behalf
We monitor for re-listings continuously
You stay protected without the hassle

Get your free privacy scan and see where your data is exposed.

What is a Data Broker? Everything You Need to Know in 2026