Why Data Broker Re-Listing Happens Every 60–90 Days
Most people think removing their information from data broker sites solves the problem.
It doesn’t.
Personal data often comes back within weeks. In many cases, the average data broker re-listing happens about 23 days after removal, and studies show 73% of data brokers re-add consumer information within 90 days.
This isn’t a mistake. It’s how the industry works.
To understand why re-listing keeps happening, you have to understand how data brokers operate, how their business model depends on constant data collection, and why a single opt-out request rarely leads to complete removal.
What Data Brokers Actually Do
Data brokers are companies that collect, organize, and sell personal information about people with whom they have no direct relationship.
Many data brokers collect information from:
- public records
- court filings
- social media accounts
- loyalty programs and loyalty card purchases
- magazine subscriptions
- online accounts
- purchase histories
- background check databases
- commercial mail records
They combine this consumer data to create detailed profiles stored inside large broker databases.
These profiles often include:
- home address and old addresses
- phone number history
- family members and associates
- employment data
- social media activity
- inferred income or interests
Information data brokers then sell personal data to companies for advertising, risk scoring, people search tools, and background check services.
The data brokerage industry is estimated to be worth $200 billion per year, with up to 4,000 companies worldwide selling personal information.
And that scale explains the re-listing problem.
What Data Broker Re Listing Means
Data broker re-listing happens when personal information reappears on broker sites after you asked for it to be removed.
Most opt-outs do not permanently delete data. They suppress a single record inside a database snapshot.
When brokers obtain new data, they rebuild the profile.
That’s why many consumers describe the process as a game of whack-a-mole.
You remove one listing. Another appears. Then the original comes back.
The system is designed to continuously recreate profiles.
Why Re-Listing Happens Every 60-90 Days
The short answer: automated data pipelines.
Major brokers like Spokeo and BeenVerified maintain systems that refresh their databases every 2 to 4 weeks using new public sources and partner feeds.
Here’s what happens behind the scenes:
- Data brokers collect information from public sources.
- New data enters broker databases.
- Matching algorithms connect new data to old profiles.
- Suppressed listings reactivate.
- Information spreads to smaller brokers.
A single broker re-listing can quickly distribute updated data across dozens of sites, as many brokers buy and resell information from one another.
Opt-out requests only affect the current version of a record. They do not stop future matching.
That’s the core reason re-listing keeps happening.
The Business Model Incentivizes Re-Listing
Data brokers sell data. Fresh data sells better.
Their business model depends on:
- continuous data collection
- creating detailed profiles
- selling updated personal information repeatedly
Data brokers often have no incentive to maintain permanent deletions. Removal requests slow revenue, but don’t change how databases operate.
Many brokers treat deletion requests as temporary interruptions rather than permanent control.
Some even require users to create accounts to delete listings, which can result in additional data collection.
Where Brokers Get New Data
Even after removal, new data keeps entering the system.
Common sources include:
1. Public Records
Property, court, and voter records, as well as address updates, are scraped regularly. Removing your listing does not delete the original record.
Using a P.O. box or a commercial mail-receiving agency can reduce exposure, as brokers heavily rely on address data.
2. Social Media Activity
Social media accounts constantly generate new identifiers. A new job update or location change can rebuild a profile.
3. Financial and Purchase Data
Loyalty programs and purchase histories are fed into broker databases through partnerships.
4. Online Accounts
Deleting unused accounts helps reduce the data trail brokers have access to.
Every new data point gives brokers enough information to recreate a profile.
Why Manual Opt Outs Rarely Work Long Term
Manual opt-outs sound simple, but fail at scale.
Reasons include:
- thousands of broker sites exist
- many data brokers require identity verification steps
- removal applies only to one database version
- brokers refresh data every few weeks
- some sites use deceptive opt-out processes
Manual opt-outs also take business days per broker, making full coverage unrealistic.
Research consistently shows manual opt-outs are largely ineffective for long-term privacy protection.
Most people stop after removing listings from major brokers, while smaller brokers continue spreading data.
Why Automated Removal Services Perform Better
Because re-listing is continuous, removal must also be continuous.
Automated services perform ongoing monitoring and simultaneously handle multiple deletion requests across many brokers.
Testing has shown:
- Incogni removed information from 127 out of 134 broker sites within 30 days.
- Automated removal services consistently outperform manual opt-outs.
- Continuous monitoring catches re-listing faster.
Services like Incogni, DeleteMe, and PrivacyDuck submit recurring requests aligned with broker refresh cycles.
That matters because stopping brokers requires persistence, not a single request.
Legal Rules That Affect Re-Listing
State laws are slowly changing how brokers operate, but gaps remain.
1. California
California residents benefit from stronger protections:
- The California Consumer Privacy Act allows consumers to request deletion and opt out of data sales.
- CPRA amendments require brokers to honor requests for at least 12 months.
- The DELETE Act created the DROP platform, enabling a single request to reach all registered data brokers in California.
Even so, re-listing can occur when new data is added to databases.
2. Virginia
The Consumer Data Protection Act requires consent before adding individuals to new broker databases.
3. Europe
GDPR requires explicit consent before companies collect personal data.
4. Proposed Federal Law
The American Data Privacy and Protection Act would penalize unauthorized re-listing with fines up to $50,000 per incident if passed.
Privacy advocates have pushed for these rules for decades because the industry operates with limited transparency.
The Real Risks of Re-Listed Data
Re-listing is not just annoying. It creates a real privacy risk.
Re-listed profiles can:
- increase identity theft exposure
- enable scams and phishing
- reveal family members and locations
- support stalking or doxxing
- affect insurance or employment decisions
Reports show 67% of identity theft cases in 2025 involved information originally gathered from data broker sites.
Re-listed data may also contain inaccuracies because automated systems mix records from people with similar names or addresses.
That creates both safety and reputation risks.
How to Reduce Exposure and Stop Data Brokers
Complete removal is difficult, but exposure can be reduced.
Start with practical steps:
- audit and delete unused online accounts
- limit social media visibility
- freeze credit to slow data sharing
- verify accuracy of public records
- use Google Voice instead of a primary phone number
- replace home address listings where possible
Then add ongoing monitoring.
Important note: opting out is not a one-time task. Long-term protection requires repeated checks.
Continuous monitoring prevents brokers from rebuilding profiles unchecked.
Why Re-Listing Keeps Happening
In simple terms:
Data brokers create detailed profiles faster than individuals can delete them.
New data enters systems constantly. Databases refresh automatically. Profiles rebuild.
So even when consumers delete information, the process restarts.
That’s why data broker re-listing every 60 to 90 days is common across the industry.
It isn’t a failure of your request.
It’s the system’s design.
The Bottom Line
Data brokers continuously collect information, repeatedly sell personal information, and rebuild profiles whenever new data becomes available.
Manual opt-outs address one moment in time. They don’t stop future data collection.
Real control comes from reducing data sources, using ongoing monitoring, and understanding that privacy protection is a process, not a single action.
And until stronger state laws require permanent deletion, re-listing will remain part of how broker databases operate.
