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The “Opportunity Seeker” Lists: How Scammers Can Use Consumer Data

DOJ prosecutions show that consumer data and targeted lead lists were misused in specific fraud schemes. Here’s what those cases establish—and what they don’t prove about you.

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There is no evidence that everyone who enters a sweepstakes—or responds to a money-making offer—ends up on a single secret list. But U.S. Department of Justice cases show that ordinary marketing data and targeted lead lists have, in specific instances, been used to reach people by fraudsters. In one case, employees called targeted consumers “opportunity seekers.”

What “opportunity seeker” means—and what it doesn’t

The phrase comes from the Justice Department’s prosecution of Epsilon Data Management. In a January 2021 agreement, DOJ said Epsilon employees used “opportunity seekers” for consumers targeted by certain solicitations and “opportunistic” for the clients sending them. The agreement said those consumers frequently included elderly and vulnerable Americans. These were terms used in that case, not an official label for consumers generally or proof that a particular person is on a list.

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Marketing segmentation and criminal targeting are not the same thing. Companies may group consumers according to predicted interests or likelihood of responding to an offer; the existence of such a segment alone does not establish fraud. The documented concern is that, in particular cases, information and lists intended to help target solicitations reached fraudsters.

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What DOJ records establish

The Epsilon prosecution

DOJ reported in 2024 that Epsilon used transactional data collected from marketing clients and algorithms to predict “responsive buyers.” Its database covered 100 million U.S. households; that figure describes database coverage, not the number of people defrauded. DOJ said two Epsilon employees sold nearly 100 lists to one fraudster client. That client’s scheme defrauded more than 218,000 victims of more than $23.7 million. These figures describe that client’s scheme and the sales in that prosecution, not the conduct of all data brokers. DOJ’s Epsilon conviction announcement

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In a separate 2021 agreement, Epsilon agreed to $150 million in penalties and victim compensation, with $127.5 million designated for victim compensation. DOJ’s Epsilon case page

The Murray sentencing

In a separate lottery-scam case, DOJ said Troy Murray sold lists containing names, phone numbers and physical addresses, and in some cases ages and email addresses. The conduct ran from 2016 through 2023, and the lists included information on more than seven million older Americans. DOJ said Murray sent scammers at least 22,000 lead lists and that victim losses exceeded $9.5 million.

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On May 28, 2026, the court sentenced Murray to 121 months’ imprisonment and three years of supervised release; DOJ also reported a forfeiture of $5,214,688.48. These are case-specific figures, not a measure of how often lists are used for fraud. DOJ’s sentencing announcement

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How to check your exposure—and the limits of a scan

A scan from a people-search or data-removal service can show whether personal details appear on the broker and people-search sites that service checks. It cannot establish whether your information is on a private “opportunity seeker” list or a criminal lead list like those in the DOJ cases. Coverage differs by service, and a scan is not a search of every private database.

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Removing a profile from a broker site may reduce its visibility there, but it cannot retrieve information already held by criminals or guarantee removal from every source. Such services may not reach government or court records, and they do not necessarily cover every private database. No population-wide statistic in the cited DOJ cases establishes what share of consumers are on scammer lists.

Practical steps to reduce risk

  • Share less where you can. Be selective about submitting personal details for sweepstakes, money-making offers and other promotions.
  • Use site-specific opt-outs. If a people-search site publishes a profile, check its removal process. A data-removal service may help submit requests, but coverage and procedures vary; a scan still cannot reveal every private or criminal list.
  • Verify unexpected offers independently. Look up the organization’s official contact information yourself rather than relying on details in an unsolicited message or call.
  • Report suspected fraud or identity theft. Use the government reporting services identified by the source article, rather than responding to the person who contacted you.

These actions can limit exposure or help you respond, but none erases every record or guarantees that a scam attempt will be prevented.

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What the cases do—and don’t—say about data sales

The DOJ cases document serious misuse of consumer information in specific prosecutions. They do not show that every marketing-list sale is fraudulent, that you personally are listed, or how prevalent scammer lists are across the population. A broker-site scan is a limited check, not proof that your data is or is not in criminals’ hands.

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