Many clinical social workers and therapists have found themselves caught up in a scam perpetrated by a company called CareDash.
The company presents itself as a directory of healthcare providers, and has collected information about thousands of Licensed Clinical Social Workers (LCSW) and therapists, without their consent. They obtain this content from county and state websites that share license information. CareDash then falsely markets the services of these therapists, but anyone who inquires about them is sent instead to a virtual therapy site called BetterHelp, or to other CareDash-affiliated organizations.
The intent is obvious – steal potential clients from licensed therapists. Worse, the company then sells whatever private data it collects from its clients to other companies.
What Can You Do?
Multiple complaints have been filed with the Better Business Bureau, and legal action against CareDash is now being explored. But it may be a long process before the situation resolves.
In the meantime, you can try to “claim” your profile on the CareDash site, to correct any errors. However, some therapists that have done so have discovered that CareDash then attaches false negative reviews to discredit that profile, and refuses to remove it altogether.
And so, unfortunately, the most you can do now is proactively protect your privacy. Your home address, cell phone number, and personal email address are the private data most often sought by scammers. Here is what you can do to safeguard them.
Home Address
Use a PO Box address for your license, or a mail forwarding service. Mail forwarding allows you to get an alternate address and have your mail (or some of it) sent to that address. If that address is leaked and someone heads there to confront you, they won’t find you there.
Cell Phone
Most people rarely change their cell phone numbers, which is why marketers highly prize those numbers. Try not to provide it to retailers or organizations (especially online) that request it – but when you must, use a VOIP number that accepts and forwards calls and text messages.
When you use the same email for savings clubs, social media, and professional site logins, you make yourself easier to track. We recommend using alias (disposable) emails that forward to your actual email address without revealing it. Change these accounts often, and turn them off when you are no longer using them.
Extra Protection
Online privacy protection is essential for social workers and therapists, now more than ever. In addition to sites like CareDash stealing information for their own selfish gain, you have your own personal safety to worry about as you dedicate your time to helping others. When you make a decision that involves the best interest of a child or family member, someone is going to get upset. When people get upset, they turn to the Internet, and can use the information they find online to target you and your family. We believe that home should be a safe space, which is why IronWall360 aims to protect your information so that you can continue to serve others safely.
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