Many content creators, whether they’re looking to expand their voice or feeling pressure to grow their list quickly, may be tempted to buy lists from brokers or lead generation companies. However, the reality is that purchased lists are almost never built using consent-based methods. 

Most often, they are compiled from questionable sources, recycled across list vendors, and riddled with outdated or inaccurate contact information. And the result is often predictable: high complaint rates, poor deliverability, and long-term damage to your reputation.

To better help you understand how list brokers and lead gen companies actually operate, this article breaks down how they collect their data, the misleading claims they often use, and the real consequences of using a purchased list. 

We’ll also explain how these lists impact deliverability, why beehiiv doesn’t allow them on our platform, and, most importantly, offer advanced tips on how to grow your audience the right way.

How List Brokers Build Their Lists

List brokers rarely disclose where their data comes from, and that’s usually intentional. Most of these lists aren’t permission-based or transparent. Instead, they’re compiled using tactics designed to create the appearance of legitimacy, skipping the consent required for reputable email outreach.

Here’s a look at how these lists are typically built:

Scraping Public Directories

Email addresses are harvested from LinkedIn, company websites, conference speaker lists, and other public-facing sources. These addresses are often paired with inferred data like job titles or company size, then packaged and sold, without the individual’s knowledge.

Data Swaps and Recycling
Brokers often acquire data from other vendors, recycling the same contacts across platforms. This makes it impossible to verify origin, consent, or accuracy. The result is outdated, over-mailed contacts with no clear audit trail.

Co-Registration Schemes and Bundled Opt-Ins
Some platforms bury consent deep in the terms of a giveaway, sweepstakes, or form, allowing them to share data with a long list of “partners.” Recipients aren’t opting in to you or your newsletter, they’re unknowingly giving their information to vague third-party marketing outfits.

Intent Signals and Behavioral Targeting
Many lead generation companies claim to use proprietary “intent data” to identify people who are ready to engage with your content. In reality, this data is often based on vague or unrelated behaviors, like visiting a website, reading an article, or searching for a broad topic. 

This activity is then stitched together from third-party tracking or ad networks and linked to individuals using questionable identity matching. The result is a list of contacts labeled as “high intent” who have never heard of you, never opted in, and have no idea their data is being used this way.

It may sound sophisticated, but it’s often just cold outreach in a more technical disguise, and it still doesn’t meet any standard for valid, affirmative consent.

Third-Party Newsletters With Indirect Opt-Ins
Some vendors boast they obtain consent because recipients clicked on embedded ads for your newsletter inside cold emails sent to large, third-party audiences. On the surface, it might appear legitimate; after all, the recipient clicked your ad.

But what’s framed as consent, and often left out of the conversation, is the fact that this single click triggers an automatic subscription to your newsletter: no form, no confirmation, no clear opt-in. The recipient simply clicked an ad and never knowingly shared their information, asked to subscribe, or expects to hear from you.

AI-Powered List Generation
Many brokers now use AI to scale their operations. These models ingest scraped profiles, web activity, and behavioral signals to predict who might be a good target, and then auto-generate contact records, assign intent labels, or even write outreach copy. While marketed as “intelligent targeting,” it’s often just a faster way to build lists with no consent or accountability.

Pattern-Based Guessing
Some brokers rely on guessed addresses based on naming conventions, like [email protected]. After testing whether these are deliverable, they’re labeled as “verified” and added to lists. No permission, no context, and no relationship with the recipient.

Original False Promises: How List Brokers Try To Sell Legitimacy

List brokers know that most senders are wary of spam complaints, poor deliverability, or getting flagged by their email platform. That’s why they lean hard on language designed to ease those fears. On the surface, the pitch sounds safe: the lists are “opt-in,” “GDPR-compliant,” or built using “proprietary intent data.” But behind the buzzwords, these claims rarely hold up.

In many cases, the term “opt-in” is used loosely. It may refer to a single, long-expired form someone filled out years ago, or to passive permission buried in a website’s terms of use. These contacts haven’t agreed to hear from you, and they probably don’t know how their information is being passed around.

“Compliant” doesn’t mean what you think it does, either. Data brokers often interpret compliance as a legal gray area, one that allows them to share or sell personal data based on vague disclosures or default settings. That’s not the same as consent, and mailbox providers don’t treat it as such!

And then there’s “intent data,” or “intent-based signals,” which is often just a collection of loose behavioral signals, stitched together and sold as insight. Someone browsing a blog post or visiting a competitor’s site doesn’t mean they want your emails. It’s speculation, not permission.

These terms are all designed to sound trustworthy, but none of them replace direct, affirmative consent. If a vendor can’t show you exactly how the data was collected, and when and where the subscriber explicitly agreed to hear from you, their list isn’t safe to use, no matter how it’s labeled.

What Happens When You Use These Lists

Once these lists are imported and emails start going out, problems often show up fast.

Contacts begin marking your messages as spam, although some are polite and unsubscribe. Mailbox providers notice the elevated complaints, unsubscribes, and low engagement, which can raise red flags and hurt your reputation. There’s a good chance your emails will land in junk, or doesn’t get delivered at all. And if your metrics catch the attention of beehiiv’s Compliance team, you may be asked to provide proof of consent, else your account may be disabled, or off-boarded from our platform entirely.

It doesn’t matter that a vendor promised the list was “verified,” “opt-in,” or “intent-based.” Major mailbox providers don’t care what your vendor told you; they care about how their users react. And when someone receives an email they didn’t ask for, they often report it!

What the Industry Says About Purchased Lists

beehiiv’s stance on list quality and consent aligns with the standards upheld by the broader email ecosystem, including anti-abuse organizations and major mailbox providers.

M3AAWG (the Messaging, Malware and Mobile Anti-Abuse Working Group), a global leader in messaging best practices, is clear in its position:​

“M3AAWG considers the harvesting, sale, purchase, or use of email addresses without consent to be abusive and contrary to industry best practices. Consent is required regardless of whether the email address is personal or business-related.”

This position is echoed by major mailbox providers like Gmail, Yahoo, and Microsoft, who routinely evaluate sender reputation based on user engagement, spam complaints, and whether the message was expected by the recipient.

Grow the Right Way- 10 Creative, Consent-Based List Building Strategies

Building a high-quality, engaged email list takes more than a basic sign-up form. The strategies below are designed to help you grow with purpose, attracting subscribers who want to hear from you, and who stick around for the long haul.

1. Segmented Lead Magnets by Content Categories
Start with value. Offer targeted resources like guides, templates, or short email series based on your core content topics. This not only attracts subscribers but also helps you learn what they care about from day one.

2. Tool-Based Acquisition
Create a lightweight tool, calculator, or interactive resource that solves a problem for your audience. Gating access with a clear, value-forward opt-in is one of the most effective ways to grow a quality list.

3. Interactive Content for Engagement
Add quizzes, polls, or surveys to your landing pages or posts, as they can boost engagement and help attract new subscribers. But they should feel natural and valuable, not forced. Overusing or linking to them in every email may hurt more than help.

4. Guest Publishing With Embedded Email Capture
Write for or appear in other creators' newsletters or blogs, especially those adjacent to your niche. Include a direct sign-up CTA to reach aligned readers through trusted channels.

5. Strategic Partnerships and Co-Branded Campaigns
Go a step further by partnering with complementary brands or creators. Co-branded downloads, webinars, or content swaps can expose your newsletter to new, relevant audiences without list sharing.

6. Leverage User-Generated Content (UGC)
Invite your audience to contribute their ideas, experiences, or creative work. Featuring UGC builds loyalty and encourages word-of-mouth growth through social proof and community engagement.

7. Micro-Segmentation
Once your list starts growing, don’t treat everyone the same. Group subscribers based on interests, referral source, or content interactions to keep messaging personal and relevant.

8. Mobile-First Design
Most sign-ups and emails are viewed on mobile. Make sure your forms, CTAs, and onboarding flow are clean, fast, and responsive.

9. Exit-Intent Popups
Use beehiiv’s built-in exit-intent popups to reach users just as they’re about to leave your site. Offer a compelling reason to stay connected, like a free download or ‘special’ newsletter preview.

10. Utilize QR Codes for Offline Engagement
Extend your list-building offline. Add QR codes to physical materials, event booths, flyers, postcards, and packaging that link directly to your website sign-up form. 

Final Thoughts:

There’s no substitute for building a list the right way. When people sign up because they want to hear from you, your emails land better, your engagement improves, and your reputation stays strong.

It’s easy to be tempted by fast growth through third-party data or lead-gen shortcuts, but these lists often bring more harm than help. Spam complaints, unsubscribes, and inbox issues are common outcomes, and they’re hard to undo. As we often say, “it takes a long time to build a good reputation, but only an instant to ruin it.” 

If your goal is long-term growth and healthy deliverability, focus on earning permission. Build your audience through content, consistency, and trust, not by a quick fix. 

beehiiv was built for creators who want to do it right from day one. Whether you’re starting fresh or scaling to millions, we give you everything you need to grow your list organically, keep your emails out of spam, and turn subscribers into superfans.

Start building on beehiiv today — where deliverability meets sustainable growth.