It actually depends on what particular field a broker is. Mortgage Brokers for example, who were not lending their own money, pushed risk onto the lenders. Lenders, who sold mortgages soon after underwriting them, pushed risk onto investors. [ Based on wikipedia, the source information for data aggregators may originate from public records and criminal databases; the information is packaged into aggregate reports and then sold to businesses, as well as to local, state, and federal government agencies. This information can also be useful for marketing purposes. The agencies then gather and package personal information into consumer reports that are sold to creditors, employers, insurers, and other businesses.