Beware of Imposters on Facebook

ID Theft is the fastest growing crime in America. Take steps to protect yourself and your kids.
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clipped from online.wsj.com OCTOBER 12, 2009 CONSUMER TECHNOLOGY Social-Media Con Game Companies find new ways to battle fraudsters who create fake corporate profiles Last summer, a Facebook page was launched in the name of MarkMonitor Inc., a company that specializes in helping businesses safeguard their reputations online. Only MarkMonitor didn't create the profile, making the company a victim of just the kind of fraud it helps clients stamp out. "The page basically said MarkMonitor was a marketing and advertising company in Nigeria," recalls Frederick Felman, chief marketing officer of the real MarkMonitor, which is based in San Francisco. Thanks to its own technology for identifying impostors on social media, MarkMonitor learned about the bogus profile within 24 hours of its appearance and quickly had it removed. On social-media outlets like Twitter and Facebook, cyber criminals and pranksters are confusing consumers by creating fake profiles in companies' names. They're also reposting blog entries that