Many clinical social workers and therapists have found themselves and their reputations under assault by a scam perpetrated by a company called CareDash.
What They're Doing
The company claims to be a directory of healthcare providers, but all it does is collect information about thousands of Licensed Clinical Social Workers (LCSW), to market their services without their consent. But when someone inquires about one of these professionals, they are told that person no longer accepts new patients, and are then directed to a virtual therapy site called BetterHelp.
The intent, according to therapists who went public with their concerns –appears to be an attempt to steal potential clients. Worse, the company sells whatever private data it collects to other companies. None of this is acceptable, and it is hoped that a pending lawsuit will eventually put CareDash out of business, or force them to be more forthcoming about what their site provides.
In the meantime, sadly, therapists impacted by this scam can only take steps now to protect their privacy if another situation like this happens. We recently published a blog with tips on how to do so.
IronWall360 has always offered privacy protection to Licensed Clinical Social Workers (LCSW) and those who work in the psychological and mental healthcare professions. We even have LCSW professionals on staff to help us identify the unique threats faced by those in this profession.
This infograph illustrates the danger:
Are You Protected?
If you are a therapist or mental health professional and are interested in online privacy protection, let us hear from you. We would be pleased to offer you a free, no-obligation privacy report, that will provide you with a partial listing of sites and companies that have either published your private information, or will sell it to anyone who asks.
