Internet Fraud – Are you Protected?

Internet fraud is a topic that all businesses, regardless of their size, need to be well conversant in. This is true even if you do not sell products or services directly through your website. In fact, in many cases it is even more important to understand just how quickly the reputation of your local store-front operation or small service enterprise can be tarnished by unscrupulous business people on the internet. There are numerous ways that your good name or Brand can be misrepresented and often goes undetected until a substantial amount of damage has been caused.

One of the ways this can happen is by a single unsatisfied customer who may post unfounded negative information about you on the net via blog posts or through social media sites. These types of articles and posts can be read by virtually anyone and often spreads like wildfire. Former disgruntled employees can also spread malicious rumors about such things as poor working conditions or unfair wages, even though they are untrue. Then of course there are those businesses that would cash in on the hard earned reputation of your company’s Brand. This is often accomplished by saturating the internet with articles and posts designed to redirect potential customers to their website instead of yours. It is as easy as using a slightly altered logo or other identifiable mark or slogan that people would normally associate with your business.

While all these possible scenarios can cause severe damage they are also avoidable or easily rectified by adopting the right Brand Protection and Reputation Management Online Marketing Plan. Professional Branding Consultants will be able to assess any damage that may have already occurred and initiate a surveillance plan that monitors anything that is being said on the internet that relates to the products/services your business provides.

It certainly pays to take a proactive approach while building your company’s identity and leadership along with consumer confidence in your products and/or services. Some of the issues that should be addressed in order to adequately protect your business from identity theft and help build a positive reputation include:

• Who will you turn to for advice when your Brand or online reputation has been compromised?
• Do you have an ORM strategy in place including policies and procedures?
• Does you marketing plan include professional monitoring and management of your online reputation?
• Do you know if predators are phishing your web traffic to obtain personal information?

Being prepared in advance is the best way to protect your company’s livelihood and gives you the freedom to concentrate your efforts on sustaining and growing your business.