Who Is Selling Your Personal Info? What Data Brokers Are and How to Get Your Name Removed

Here is what's actually true: there is a whole industry of companies you have never heard of that collect information about you, package it, and sell it. They are called data brokers. You never signed up with them, and you can't simply close an account, because you were never a customer. You are the product.

What is a data broker?

A data broker is a business that gathers personal details from many places and sells or shares them with other businesses. Think of it as a giant, secret filing cabinet with a folder on nearly every adult. The details can include your name, home addresses going back years, phone numbers, email addresses, age, relatives, and the names of people who live with you. Some brokers also build lists such as "likely to buy a new car" or "retired homeowners," based on your shopping and browsing habits.

They get this material from public records (property deeds, voter files, court records), from stores and apps that sell customer data, from loyalty cards and online forms, and from other brokers. Much of it is legal, which is exactly why it feels so unfair.

Why should you care?

Most of the time the result is annoying: more spam calls, junk mail, and ads that seem to know too much. But the same information helps scammers. A caller who knows your address, your age, and your daughter's name sounds very convincing, which is how many "family emergency" and fake bank calls work. Some "people-search" websites also publish this information for anyone to look up for free, which can be a real safety risk for people who are trying to avoid an angry ex or a stalker.

What you can do today

You can't erase yourself completely, but you can shrink your footprint a lot. Work through these steps in order.

Step 1: Search for yourself

Type your full name plus your city into a search engine and look for "people search" style websites showing your address, age, and relatives. Write down each site that lists you. These are the ones worth removing first, because anyone can see them.

Step 2: Use each site's opt-out page

Most reputable people-search sites have a page, usually linked at the very bottom of the site and called something like "Do Not Sell My Info" or "Opt Out." You typically find your listing, submit it for removal, and confirm through an email link. Use a spare email address if you can, since you are handing over contact details to do this. Expect it to take a few days, and be patient, because each site works a little differently.

Step 3: If you live in California, use the new DROP tool

California now runs a state website called DROP (the Delete Request and Opt-out Platform), found at privacy.ca.gov/drop. Instead of contacting hundreds of companies one by one, a California resident files one request, and every data broker registered with the state must act on it. Since August 1, 2026, registered brokers are required to check DROP, and they have 90 days to delete the records they match to you. You verify you live in California, give your name, address, and an email or phone number so brokers can find you, and you receive a tracking ID to check progress.

There are limits. DROP only covers brokers that registered with the state, and no other state has an equivalent one-stop tool yet. If you live elsewhere, you still need to send requests to brokers individually, though some states give you the legal right to ask for deletion.

Step 4: Cut off the supply

Removing yourself helps less if you keep refilling the pot. Say no when a cashier asks for your phone number or email for a discount. Use a separate email address for store sign-ups and contests. Review the privacy settings on apps, and turn off location sharing for anything that doesn't need it. Our guide to app permissions walks through how.

Step 5: Check back every few months

Records tend to come back, because brokers buy fresh data from each other. Set a reminder to search your name twice a year and repeat the opt-outs. Paid removal services exist that do this for you. They can save time, but they cost money every year, so decide whether the convenience is worth it for you. They are optional, not required.

Be careful of fake "removal" offers

Because this is a worry for many people, scammers have noticed. Be suspicious of any unexpected email or call claiming your data has been "found" and offering to delete it for a fee. Go to the opt-out pages yourself by typing the site address, never through a link in a message you didn't ask for.

The bottom line

You can't make yourself invisible, and you don't need to. Aim to get your details off the public-facing sites, use California's DROP if it applies to you, and stop handing out your information casually. An hour of effort now makes you a much harder target for spam and scams.