Reputation Changer Offers Identity Protection for Public Figures Seeking Private Lives

Online, May 21, 2012 (Newswire.com) - Identity theft has been a concern for as long as there has been an Internet. Indeed, for many, the greatest risk posed by using the Internet is the risk of one's personally identifiable information being stolen. A recent article in BusinessWeek highlights the fact that, even in 2012, anxiety over online identity theft has not subsided, with many wealthy Americans employing entire security teams to keep their identities secure. For others, however, the threat is not that an identity will be stolen, but simply that personal information will be made public-and perhaps fall into the wrong hands. As concerns over private information being made public grow more and more prominent, however, many public figures are turning to the identity protection services of companies like Reputation Changer.

Though Reputation Changer is known primarily for its reputation management services, Senior Strategist Mark Reffert notes that online identity protection is also a major priority for the company. "In the past, the concern has always been that someone would get online and hijack your identity," Reffert explains. "These days, the worry that many online users have is simply that their personal details will be made too public."

Reffert says that this is a bigger concern among some than others. "The people who really worry about identity protection are public figures who prefer to lead private lives, such as lawyers, police officers, and judges," Reffert says. "If you are in a position like this, then you're bound to make some dangerous enemies at some point, and the last thing you want is for your address and phone number to fall into their hands."

Frightening though it may be, though, Reffert says this is something that happens all the time. "Reputation management companies are always hearing from prosecutors or arresting officers whose contact information has made its way onto the Web," he says. "They are, naturally, worried about their safety, and about the safety of their families. That's why they come to us for identity protection."

The bad news is that even a reputation management firm cannot delete information that makes its way onto the Internet. "If a person's name and address find their way onto the Web, there is usually nothing that can be done to completely reel it back in," Reffert confirms. "However, a reputation management company can minimize the risk of this information falling into the wrong hands."

Reputation Changer accomplishes identity protection through the use of many of the same tools it uses for its regular reputation management campaigns, including the creation of unique Web content, the use of social media profiles, advanced SEO techniques, and more. Where a reputation management campaign is designed to clear unwanted listings or bad reviews from the first page of Google, however, an identity protection plan is more about obscuring the client's identity.

"If we cannot completely remove unwanted information about the client, we can at least make sure nobody finds it on Google, Yahoo, or Bing," Reffert explains. "If the client's name is Brian Mayflower, and he lives in Tennessee, we will create dozens upon dozens of false personas, all named Brian Mayflower and all residing in Tennessee. We will inundate the search engines with information about these fake Brian Mayflowers." The result, Reffert says, is simple. "People trying to find information about the real Brian Mayflower will never find it. They will simply find information about all of the false personas. The real Brian's information will be buried so deep within Google, it will basically be non-existent."

Reputation Management companies are well known for the work they do on behalf of major companies and small businesses, but Reffert says these identity protection services are growing more vital all the time. "There are plenty of people out there who want nothing more than privacy and peace of mind," he says. "We can help them achieve that, and keep their personal information, as well as information about their family, safe and secure."

ABOUT:

Founded in 2009 by a team of online marketing and sales professionals, Reputation Changer is one of the premier providers of online reputation management. The company works 24/7 to provide comprehensive reputation management strategies to its clients, which have included politicians, public figures, Fortune 500 companies, and more. Reputation Changer owns several media outlets, and is known for its innovation in positive SEO techniques, social media implementation, and other strategies. The company is also unique for the custom, individualized process it takes for every client and every campaign.