Crazy as it sounds, just last week (March 20 2014) I caught someone stealing my professional credentials on Linkedin!
I documented the experience, and then shared it with some colleagues in an environmental consulting group on Linkedin where I am a member. The response was very supportive.
As a result of that feedback, I was encouraged to share it here with you, my clients, as an object lesson. There are some important takeaways from this experience:
1) If this kind of fraud can happen to me, it can happen to anyone - including you. So be vigilant, and if you catch someone, don't be afraid to call them out like I did! In this case, I consulted with my attorney on the matter, and he encouraged my action. The fraudster disappeared from LinkedIn within a few days.
2) The feedback I received from my colleagues really confirmed the extent to which this fraud hurts the perception of our entire profession! Again, this goes for your profession too.
3) When you hire a professional (in this case an "environmental professional) demand to see proof of credentials, references, and liability insurance if you have any question whatsoever about the veracity of the person you are dealing with.
4) Remember that the results you get are only as good as the people who do the job for you. Price (high or low), the size of the company (big or small), and claims made about experience and capabilities in marketing materials may be a good indicator - or - may have ZERO relevance to reality in the "information age".
5) There can be very serious and substantial legal liabilities for those who employ, hire, or recommend someone who is using false credentials, and damages later result. In the case of environmental contamination, the damages can run into the hundreds of thousands or even millions of dollars!
"Caveat Emptor" has never been more important than it is today.
