Should I Pay a Data Broker Information Removal Service?

There are hundreds, if not thousands, of data brokers collecting and selling your personal information: your name, phone numbers, email addresses, current and past addresses, relatives, social media profiles, property records, court filings, employment history, education records, and much more.

I say “hundreds, if not thousands” because many brokers operate under multiple brand names and subsidiaries. It’s often impossible to tell who owns what. What is clear is that they’re all in the business of buying, packaging, and selling your data.

Why does that matter?

Because scammers use this information to make their calls, texts, and emails far more convincing. They know details that seem private, which makes their stories harder to dismiss. They may know where you live, who your family members are, where you work, properties you own, or even that you recently traveled.

And those are just complete strangers running scams. To them, you’re simply another name on a call list.

Then there’s the ...