Updated
Updated · Fox News · Sep 24
Troy Murray Gets 121 Months for Selling 22,000 Lead Lists on 7 Million Older Americans
Updated
Updated · Fox News · Sep 24

Troy Murray Gets 121 Months for Selling 22,000 Lead Lists on 7 Million Older Americans

1 articles · Updated · Fox News · Sep 24

Summary

  • A federal judge sentenced North Carolina man Troy Murray to 121 months in prison after he pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud tied to lead lists sold to elder-fraud scammers.
  • From 2016 to 2023, DOJ said Murray sent at least 22,000 lists covering more than 7 million older Americans to customers including Jamaica-based lottery fraud operators, charging about $500 per 100 to 300 names.
  • DOJ said Murray made more than $5.2 million while victims lost more than $9.5 million, showing how names, phone numbers, addresses and other details helped scammers target people more likely to respond.
  • The case fits a broader DOJ crackdown on data brokers: Epsilon paid $150 million, while related prosecutions said nearly 100 lists helped a fraudulent client steal $23.7 million from more than 218,000 people.
  • The wider risk remains large: the FBI said Americans over 60 filed more than 201,000 fraud complaints in 2025 and reported over $7.7 billion in losses.

Insights

If the exact lists used to defraud millions remain completely legal to buy today, is anyone truly safe from targeted scams?
When data brokers map your vulnerabilities for marketers, who is actually stopping them from selling your psychological profile to fraudsters?
How does the data meant to show you personalized ads end up helping international crime rings drain your bank account?