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How scammers target you even without social media

28 Aug 2025 By foxnews

"I don't use Facebook. I don't even have an email. How could scammers possibly know anything about me?"

That's the question I hear from people over 60 all the time. If you assume that by staying off social media and avoiding the internet, you're invisible to fraudsters, think again.

The truth is, even if you've never posted a single thing online, scammers can still know your age, home address, relatives' names, property value, and even when you've suffered the loss of a loved one. How? Because the everyday details of your offline life are quietly being collected, digitized, and sold.

And scammers are taking full advantage.

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REMOVE YOUR DATA TO PROTECT YOUR RETIREMENT FROM SCAMMERS

Here's the uncomfortable reality: you don't have to "put yourself out there" for your information to appear online. Much of it becomes public record automatically, thanks to the way our legal and government systems work.

Some of the biggest sources include:

On their own, these may not seem dangerous. But combined, they create a shockingly detailed portrait of your life.

THE DATA BROKER OPT-OUT STEPS EVERY RETIREE SHOULD TAKE TODAY

One of the cruelest scams I've seen lately is what I call the bereavement scam.

Here's how it works:

A scammer scrapes local obituaries to see who's recently lost a spouse or child. They then reach out, by phone, email, or even mail, pretending to be a funeral home, a grief counselor, or a charity. Because they reference real names, dates, and relationships, their outreach sounds painfully authentic.

When you're in mourning, your guard is down. Scammers know this, and they exploit grief to steal money and identities.

The unifying factor is that these criminals don't need Facebook to learn about you. They already have a dossier built from public and brokered data.

What's even worse is that scammers can target your loved ones even years after your passing. They can call or text your close relatives claiming to offer free memorial services, annuities, or other common strategies when people are most vulnerable. Your exposed personal data fuels such morbid scams.

9 ONLINE PRIVACY RISKS YOU PROBABLY DON'T KNOW ABOUT

Here's the part most people don't realize: scammers rarely dig through dusty courthouse files themselves. They don't have to. That work has already been done by data brokers. Data brokers are companies whose entire business model is gathering and selling personal information. They collect from:

The result is a searchable profile that might include:

Once a broker has your data, they sell it. And once it's sold, it spreads. Even if you've never had a social media account, companies may build a 'shadow profile' of you from leaked data, online purchases, or details shared by others, leaving it ready to be abused.

The good news is, you're not powerless. While you can't stop public records from existing, you can make it much harder for scammers to access and weaponize your data. Here's how:

While no service can guarantee the complete removal of your data from the internet, a data removal service is really a smart choice. They aren't cheap, and neither is your privacy. These services do all the work for you by actively monitoring and systematically erasing your personal information from hundreds of websites. It's what gives me peace of mind and has proven to be the most effective way to erase your personal data from the internet. By limiting the information available, you reduce the risk of scammers cross-referencing data from breaches with information they might find on the dark web, making it harder for them to target you.

Check out my top picks for data removal services and get a free scan to find out if your personal information is already out on the web by visiting Cyberguy.com.

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Not being on Facebook doesn't mean you're invisible. Scammers don't need you to share your life online. Your offline life is already online without your consent. The obituary in the local paper, the deed to your home, the probate record of your loved one's estate, these are all turned into data points, sold to brokers, and resold to whoever wants them. That's why protecting your personal data isn't about avoiding the internet. It's about reducing what's already out there. The less data scammers can find, the harder it is for them to fool you with realistic, emotionally charged attacks. And that's a big step toward keeping your money, your identity, and your retirement safe.

Do you believe it's time for the government and companies to step in and protect your data privacy? Let us know by writing to us at Cyberguy.com.