Income levels leaked: what it means and what to do
Risk level: medium. Can you change it: no. Found in 16 breaches in this directory.
What this data is
An estimated or self-reported household or personal income band, collected by surveys, lenders, retailers, dating apps and marketing databases.
The risk on its own
An income bracket is less precise than an exact salary and cannot be used to reach any money. It is still private financial information most people would not share. Its main effect is to rank you on scam and marketing lists.
The risk combined with other data
With your name and contact details, a high bracket moves you up the list for investment scams, luxury goods fraud and account takeover attempts. A low bracket attracts payday loan, debt relief and fake government payment scams. Data brokers also use it to sell targeted credit offers.
How criminals use it
High income households are approached by fake investment platforms promising exclusive returns.
Lower income households receive fake cost of living payment texts that ask for bank details.
Payday lenders and debt relief schemes aim high cost offers at people in lower brackets.
Lookalike luxury brand shops target high earners with discounts on goods that never arrive.
What to do now
Check investment firms on the official regulator register before sending money, and never invest with someone who contacted you first.
Treat texts about government payments or bonuses as scams, and check your official government account directly instead.
Opt out of the data brokers that sell income and financial profiles.
Skip optional income questions on surveys and signup forms.
Change the password on the breached account.
Frequently asked questions
Is my income bracket sensitive?
It is private financial information, but not dangerous on its own. It mostly decides which scams and offers reach you.
Why do surveys ask for my income?
To segment you for marketing and advertising. The question is almost always optional.
Can I stop being profiled by income?
Opting out of data brokers and marketing profiles helps, and privacy laws in some places let you demand deletion.
Breaches that exposed this data
Exactis: 2018-06-01, 132M accounts, Credit status information, Dates of birth, Education levels, Email addresses, Ethnicities, Family structure
Addi: 2026-03-25, 35M accounts, Age groups, Credit scores, Device information, Email addresses, Government issued IDs, Income levels
Mate1.com: 2016-02-29, 27M accounts, Astrological signs, Dates of birth, Drinking habits, Drug habits, Education levels, Email addresses
Zoosk (2020): 2020-01-12, 24M accounts, Dates of birth, Drinking habits, Education levels, Email addresses, Ethnicities, Family structure
Prosper: 2025-09-01, 18M accounts, Browser user agent details, Credit status information, Dates of birth, Email addresses, Employment statuses, Government issued IDs
Unverified Data Source: 2021-01-26, 11M accounts, Bank account numbers, Credit status information, Dates of birth, Email addresses, Employers, Health insurance information
Data Enrichment Records: 2016-12-23, 8.2M accounts, Buying preferences, Charitable donations, Credit status information, Dates of birth, Email addresses, Family structure
Experian (2015): 2015-09-16, 7.2M accounts, Credit status information, Dates of birth, Email addresses, Ethnicities, Family structure, Genders
Aditya Birla Fashion and Retail: 2021-12-01, 5.5M accounts, Email addresses, Genders, Income levels, Job titles, Marital statuses, Names
Paytm: 2020-08-30, 3.4M accounts, Dates of birth, Email addresses, Genders, Geographic locations, Income levels, Names
Beautiful People: 2015-11-11, 1.1M accounts, Beauty ratings, Car ownership statuses, Dates of birth, Drinking habits, Education levels, Email addresses
MyFHA: 2015-02-18, 973K accounts, Credit status information, Email addresses, Income levels, IP addresses, Loan information, Names
Breach data sourced from Have I Been Pwned, used under CC BY 4.0. Additional breach metadata provided by XposedOrNot. DataExposed is an independent service and is not affiliated with or endorsed by either.