Understanding Your Data Journey: From Exposure to Protection

How Scammers Can use Your Info Against You
: A Cautionary Tale
The Danger is Real

Your Personal Data is like building Blocks...

The more pieces available—such as locations, likes, and connections—the clearer and more complete the image becomes. With AI technology, assembling these pieces is easier and faster, increasing your vulnerability to targeted scams

Types of People Who Will Exploit YOUR DATA

Stalkers

Use personal data to track your movements and invade your privacy.

Scammers

Exploit your information for phishing, identity theft, or financial fraud.

CyberCriminals

Hack into accounts, steal sensitive your data, or sell your information on the dark web.

Impersonators

Use your data to impersonate you or someone close, deceiving friends, family, or businesses.

For Stalkers, Data Brokers are the first resource for piecing your information together

With the extensive list of information gathered below, it’s evident how data brokers alone can create a very clear and detailed portrait of an individual. From personal identifiers to consumer behaviors and internet activity, each piece of data is a puzzle piece that, when assembled, reveals much more than just basic details. This comprehensive aggregation of data not only feeds targeted advertising but also poses significant privacy risks, showcasing the powerful and often intrusive reach of data brokers in our digital lives

1. The Data Broker Connection

Data Collection and Profiling

Data brokers collect vast amounts of personal information from various sources, compiling detailed profiles that include sensitive personal and demographic details. These profiles are continuously updated and expanded, making them highly valuable.

Revenue from Data Sales

Data brokers generate revenue by selling your personal information to advertisers, marketers, and even other brokers. This data is used to target consumers more precisely, influencing everything from the ads you see to the offers you receive

Barriers to Data Removal

Removing your personal information from data brokers can be challenging. These companies often require specific procedures to be followed, and they may not make the process clear or accessible, complicating efforts to protect your privacy

Data brokers collect a wide range of information about individuals, which can include:

Personal Identifiers: Full name, aliases, birthdate, Social Security number, driver's license number.
Contact Information: Home address, email addresses, phone numbers.
Financial Data: Credit scores, loan details, credit card usage, payment histories, bankruptcy records.
Employment History: Current and past job titles, employment status, workplace location, income level.
Education History: Schools attended, degrees obtained, field of study.
Consumer Behavior: Purchasing habits, brand preferences, subscriptions, loyalty card usage.
Internet Activity: Browsing history, search history, app usage data, social media profiles.
Geolocation Data: GPS data, location history from mobile devices.
Health Information: (where legally collectible) Prescription histories, medical conditions, health insurance information.
Legal Records: Criminal records, court cases, marriage/divorce records, voter registration.
Demographic Information: Age, gender, race, ethnicity, marital status, number of children.

For Impersonators, adding in Social Media Data only makes the picture even clearer

Integrating social media data into the profiles sourced from data brokers only sharpens the image they compile of potential targets. Social media platforms provide rich, dynamic content about individuals’ personal lives, including their daily activities, social circles, and personal preferences. This information, when combined with data from other sources, gives impersonators a much more detailed and actionable picture. The insights gained from social media activity can be exploited to tailor phishing attacks, impersonate acquaintances, or engineer other types of fraud with alarming precision and effectiveness.

2. The Social Media Exploitation

Voluntary Data Sharing

Social media users often voluntarily share a wealth of personal information, from basic identifiers like full names and birthdates to more intimate details like relationship statuses and life events. This data, when shared publicly, contributes to an extensive digital profile that anyone, including potential scammers and marketers, can view, making it a rich resource for anyone looking to understand or influence user behavior.

Interactions and Engagement

Every like, comment, share, and reaction on social media creates a data point that outlines a user's preferences, habits, and social circles. This interaction data is not only visible to friends and followers but can also be parsed by algorithms to enhance user profiles, increasing the potential for targeted content and interactions that are based on the user's demonstrated interests and activities.

Content and Behavior Transparency

The content you post on social media—photos, statuses, check-ins—can reveal a surprising amount of personal information. Public profiles provide a window into your hobbies, lifestyle, and even your current location. Such transparency, while fostering social connections, also makes users susceptible to privacy breaches, as the information is accessible not just to friends but to anyone who comes across the profile.

Social media platforms are treasure troves of personal data that can be accessed and analyzed to paint a detailed picture of an individual's life. Here's what can typically be gathered from your social media profiles:

Personal Identifiers: Full name, aliases, birthdate, and profile pictures.
Contact Information: Email addresses and sometimes phone numbers if publicly listed.
Relationship Information: Relationship status, family ties, and significant life events.
Employment and Education History: Current and past job positions, descriptions, workplace names, and educational institutions attended.
Likes and Interests: Pages you've liked, groups you are part of, music, movies, books, and hobbies you've shown interest in.
Internet Activity: Posts you've made, comments, shared articles, and other content interactions.
Geolocation Data: Places you've checked into, locations tagged in your photos, and general location settings.
Photos and Videos: Information about where and when photos were taken, who is in them, and possibly even background details like location specifics.
Friend List and Social Connections: Your friends, followers, people you follow, and how you interact with them.
Consumer Behavior: Products tagged or mentioned in posts, endorsements, and promotional content.
Public and Private Posts: Insights into your thoughts, feelings, events attended, and personal updates, depending on privacy settings.