Data brokers
Who is selling your data, and what can you do about it?
Data brokers are companies that collect, package, and sell your personal information without your knowledge or consent. There are hundreds of them. Here is what you need to know.
The problem
Four types of companies profiting from your personal information
Data brokers operate legally in the US. They pull information from public records, social media, loyalty programs, court filings, and other brokers. You never agreed to this. And most people have no idea it is happening.
People-search sites
Sites like Spokeo, Whitepages, and BeenVerified publish your name, address, phone number, relatives, and estimated income to anyone who searches for you.
Background check services
Services like Intelius and TruthFinder sell detailed personal reports including criminal records, employment history, and court filings to employers and landlords.
Data aggregators
Companies like Acxiom and LexisNexis collect and sell behavioral data, purchase history, and demographic profiles to advertisers and financial institutions.
Marketing databases
Firms that compile mailing lists, email addresses, and household income estimates and sell them to businesses for targeted advertising campaigns.
Why it matters
The real harm data brokers cause
When your home address, phone number, and daily routine are publicly available for a few dollars, the people most at risk are not strangers. They are domestic abuse survivors, teachers, healthcare workers, and anyone with a controlling ex-partner or obsessive contact.
Beyond personal safety, data brokers fuel identity theft, targeted scams, and unwanted contact. Criminals use people-search sites to find victims. Scammers use aggregated profiles to make their calls sound legitimate.
Removing your data does not just protect your privacy. It reduces your exposure to a wide range of real-world threats.
700+
Data brokers operating in the US
$200B+
Annual data broker industry revenue
40+
Data points collected per person on average
72hrs
Average time for your data to reappear after removal
Your rights
Privacy protections vary by state
There is no federal data privacy law in the US. What you can demand from a data broker depends entirely on where you live. Select your state to see exactly what legal protections apply to you.
Click your state to see your privacy rights
Select a state to see what privacy protections apply to you.
Start removing your data today.
Saxalit tracks every broker holding your information and walks you through removing it, one by one, in order of priority. Free to start. No credit card required.
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