TULSA, Okla. — Data brokers sell your name, address, income, and more. Here's how to find and remove it.
Your name, phone number, home address, income, shopping habits, and even your family connections are likely being bought and sold online right now, and most people have never done anything about it.
Cybersecurity experts say everyone should clean up their personal data online at least every three to six months. But for many people, the task feels so overwhelming that it never gets done.
"I don't think that I have. No," said Kaitlyn Tindle, a Tulsa internet user, when asked by 2 News Oklahoma if she had ever searched the internet to see what personal information was out there about her.
That's a common response, but experts warn that the consequences of ignoring what is out there can be serious.
"I can imagine that stuff gets out there that, you know, hackers or people like that can use against you if the need arises," Tindle said.
What data brokers collect and why it matters
Data brokers are companies that collect, compile, and sell personal information. According to Digital Footprint Check, the data they profit from includes:
Names, phone numbers, and addresses
- Income and employment information
- Friends and family connections
- Shopping habits and social media behavior
Bad actors use that information to steal identities and money, generate spam calls, texts, and emails, and even stalk or dox individuals.
Digital Footprint Check notes that companies profiting from personal information work hard to make removal difficult. Even when data is removed from one site, it may still be resold from other locations, including old posts or information that is no longer accurate.
How to start cleaning up your data
The easiest first step is to search your own name on Google, then check people-search sites like Spokeo, Whitepages, and BeenVerified to see what information is publicly listed.
From there, the process of manually removing your data is time-consuming and can feel like playing whack-a-mole. Each site has its own opt-out process, and data brokers continuously reacquire information, which is why a one-time cleanup is not enough.
Google's "Results about you" tool is one free option that can help. It allows you to monitor and request the removal of personal contact information, such as your home address, phone number, and email address, from Google Search results. The tool also sends email notifications if your information reappears. Keep in mind that while Google can remove results from its search engine, the data still exists on the original websites, so you may need to contact those sites directly as well.
To access it, open the Google app, tap your profile picture, and select "Results about you."
Free vs. paid removal services
For those who do not want to handle opt-outs manually, there are both free and paid services that will submit removal requests on your behalf.
Free options include manual opt-outs and free scans from services like DeleteMe and Optery.
Paid services automate the process across hundreds or even thousands of data broker sites. Options include:
- Incogni covers more than 420 data brokers, and costs approximately $60 to $100 per year
- DeleteMe offers family plans
- Privacy Bee handles more than 1,000 sites automatically
- Aura includes identity monitoring
What to prioritize removing
Not all personal data carries the same risk. Cybersecurity experts recommend prioritizing the removal of information that could enable financial fraud, stalking, or identity theft, including:
- Social Security numbers and government-issued IDs
- Bank account and credit card details
- Home addresses and personal phone numbers
- Medical information
How to reduce your exposure going forward
Cleaning up existing data is only part of the solution. Experts also recommend:
- Making social media accounts private
- Deleting old or unused online accounts
- Using privacy-focused search engines
- Being cautious about entering personal information in contests, surveys, or promotional sign-ups
Tindle said knowing this information gave her a new perspective on cleaning up her personal data.
"Wow, I should probably look into doing one sometime soon," Tindle said.
The key to protecting your reputation and lowering your risk of fraud and financial loss is doing it consistently at least every three to six months.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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