Data Broker Scams are targeting individuals, even those offline, by using legally collected public records and purchased data. Scammers exploit this personal information to build detailed profiles for fraudulent activities.
Many people, especially those over 60, believe staying offline protects them from fraud. They often wonder, “I don’t use Facebook.
I don’t even have an email. How could scammers possibly know anything about me?”
In reality, criminals can easily find a person’s age, home address, property value, and relatives’ names without any social media presence. This is because the everyday details of a person’s offline life are being collected, digitized, and sold.
Bereavement Scams and Public Records
A particularly cruel tactic is the “bereavement scam,” where criminals use local obituaries to find grieving individuals. This type of bereavement scam thrives because public records, like death certificates, are easily accessible.
The scammer then contacts the victim by phone, email, or mail while impersonating a funeral home or grief counselor. Because they use real names and relationships from collected data, the outreach sounds authentic, allowing them to exploit grief to steal money and identities.
Understanding Data Broker Scams
The source of this information is often data brokers, which are companies whose business model is to gather and sell personal information. They compile extensive profiles from sources like voter registration, property records, and purchasing histories.
These searchable profiles can include a person’s full name, income level, marital status, and personal interests. This raises concerns about data privacy for seniors not on social media, as their information is still collected and sold.
Even without a social media account, companies can create a “shadow profile” from leaked data, online purchases, or details shared by others. Answering the question of what is a shadow profile, it is a dossier built without a user’s direct participation.
How to Remove Information from Data Brokers
While public records cannot be erased, individuals can take steps to make their data harder for scammers to access. This involves limiting the information that is easily available for criminals to cross-reference and weaponize.
One recommended action is to contact data brokers directly to request they remove your personal data. Consumers can also place a security freeze on their credit reports with the three major credit bureaus.
For a more comprehensive approach, data removal services monitor and systematically erase personal information from hundreds of websites. CyberGuy.com suggests getting a free scan to discover if personal information is already exposed on the web.
