Why do scammers know my name and address?
The short answer
Usually because your details were bought, leaked or looked up, not because you did anything wrong. The main UK routes are marketing lists built from the open electoral register and companies' "partner" tick boxes, people-search websites such as 192.com, and data breaches.
Trading Standards investigators believe the lists scammers use are built from data that started with ordinary marketing companies. Taking your details off those lists makes you harder to find and makes scams less convincing.
Where scammers get your details
| Route | What they get | What you can do |
|---|---|---|
| Marketing lists, bought and resold | Name, address, phone number, sometimes age | Opt out of the open register, credit agency marketing, TPS and MPS |
| People-search websites | Address, age range, who you live with, past addresses | Remove yourself from 192.com and the other UK sites |
| Data breaches | Email, passwords, sometimes phone and date of birth | Check Have I Been Pwned; change reused passwords |
| "Suckers lists" | People who have answered a scam before | Never reply or pay; report it; get help for a parent |
| Social media and public records | Names of relatives, where you live, directorships | Tighten privacy settings; directors can use form SR01 |
Checked 26 October 2026 against each organisation's own website. Times are typical, not promises.
How a name gets from a council to a criminal
It often starts legally. Councils sell the open electoral register. Data companies combine it with other lists and sell marketing data. Lists get bought, merged and resold, and some end up with criminals.
In one operation, investigators seized 13 "suckers lists" with almost 200,000 names, used to target people with fake prize draws. The average age of those targeted was 74 (National Trading Standards Scams Team, 2015). Investigators believe the lists were built from data sets that came from legitimate marketing companies.
Why AI makes your details matter more
Writing a convincing, personal scam used to take time. AI now writes fluent messages and can copy a voice from a short recording. What it can't do is invent your real name, address and family. Someone still has to supply those, and many come from the lists above. Your details are the part you can still control.
Fraud is the most common crime in England and Wales: 4.5 million incidents in the year to March 2026 (ONS).
How to make yourself harder to find
- Opt out of the open electoral register.
- Remove yourself from 192.com and the other people-search sites.
- Opt out of marketing at Experian, Equifax and TransUnion, and register with the Telephone and Mailing Preference Services.
- Check your email at Have I Been Pwned and change any reused passwords. What to do after a breach.
- Agree a family code word, so a panicked call from a "relative" can be checked.
If someone calls knowing your details
- Knowing your name and address doesn't make a caller genuine.
- Hang up and call back on a number you already have, not one they give you.
- If they say they're your bank, call 159 to reach your bank safely.
- Never move money, share a code sent to your phone, or give card details because a caller asks.
- Report scams to Report Fraud on 0300 123 2040 (Police Scotland on 101), and forward scam texts to 7726.
Take your details off the lists, with us
- We send your Telephone Preference Service, Mailing Preference Service and Experian opt-outs in one click
- We write the emails for your council, 192.com, Equifax and TransUnion, so you just press send
- All 10 main steps in one plan, with your progress and every reply in one place
- A check of your email and passwords against known data breaches
- Moving home? Your new address is includedOne move within 12 months of signing up.
You can do everything in this guide yourself for free. We make it quicker and keep track of it for you. Nobody can promise your details are gone for good.
About 10 minutes to get started. Buying for a parent or grandparent? Choose “A family member” when you sign up. Cancel within 14 days for a full refund. We never sell your data.
Questions people ask
How did a scammer get my address?
Usually from a marketing list, a people-search website such as 192.com, or a data breach. In the UK, the open electoral register is one of the main sources behind marketing lists and people-search sites.
Does knowing my details mean the caller is genuine?
No. Your name and address can be bought or looked up. Hang up and call back on a number you already have. If they say they are your bank, call 159.
Can I stop scammers having my details?
You can't recall lists already sold, but you can stop new copies being made and take your details off the sites people search. That makes you harder to find and makes scams less convincing. Nobody can stop every scam.
What is a suckers list?
A list of people who have responded to a scam before, which criminals sell to each other. National Trading Standards found the average age of people on seized lists was 74. If a parent is getting lots of scam mail, they may be on one.
Where do I report a scam?
Report Fraud on 0300 123 2040 in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, or Police Scotland on 101. Forward scam texts to 7726. If money has gone from your account, call your bank straight away on 159.
Sources
- ONS: Crime in England and Wales, year ending March 2026
- GOV.UK: Opt out of the open register
- 192.com: Remove your details
- Have I Been Pwned
- Report Fraud
- Ofcom: Unwanted calls, texts and emails
Last checked: 26 October 2026. Time estimates are our own. General information, not legal advice.
Keep reading
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