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Name search shows convict of same name Dept of Corrections listing

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mrmcq

New member
Hi there,

I'm not sure if I'm in the correct section - but I'm looking for advice on an issue that is affecting my contracting business AND new job opportunities.

When anyone searches my name in Google, one of the front-page listings includes a site from the Department of Corrections and a convict's name that is identical to mine. I've contacted the DoC and they say they can't remove it from public listings. Google says they can't remove it due to it being published by DoC.

I don't know what to do, but it's DRASTICALLY affecting my business prospects AND hopeful full-time job prospects if ANYONE were to search my name. A potential employer has already asked me directly about it.

What do I do? Do I have any options?

Thanks all!
 


quincy

Senior Member
Hi there,

I'm not sure if I'm in the correct section - but I'm looking for advice on an issue that is affecting my contracting business AND new job opportunities.

When anyone searches my name in Google, one of the front-page listings includes a site from the Department of Corrections and a convict's name that is identical to mine. I've contacted the DoC and they say they can't remove it from public listings. Google says they can't remove it due to it being published by DoC.

I don't know what to do, but it's DRASTICALLY affecting my business prospects AND hopeful full-time job prospects if ANYONE were to search my name. A potential employer has already asked me directly about it.

What do I do? Do I have any options?

Thanks all!
You cannot change the convict's name to help your business prospects.

What you CAN do is flood the internet with positive stories about yourself to bump the Department of Corrections site from page one on a Google search of your name.

Quite frankly, anyone who confuses you with an incarcerated offender is not very bright. A lot of people share names.
 

Just Blue

Senior Member
Hi there,

I'm not sure if I'm in the correct section - but I'm looking for advice on an issue that is affecting my contracting business AND new job opportunities.

When anyone searches my name in Google, one of the front-page listings includes a site from the Department of Corrections and a convict's name that is identical to mine. I've contacted the DoC and they say they can't remove it from public listings. Google says they can't remove it due to it being published by DoC.

I don't know what to do, but it's DRASTICALLY affecting my business prospects AND hopeful full-time job prospects if ANYONE were to search my name. A potential employer has already asked me directly about it.

What do I do? Do I have any options?

Thanks all!
Is your name common, ie... "John Smith" or uncommon..ie "Beelzebub Newhouse"?
 

quincy

Senior Member
Is your name common, ie... "John Smith" or uncommon..ie "Beelzebub Newhouse"?
It really doesn't change his options. :)

The Department of Corrections records are public records and are not going to be changed or deleted because someone doesn't like sharing names with an inmate.

mrmcq can change his own name (as Zigner suggests) or he can try to bury stories about the convict with stories about himself.

Again, though, most people are not stupid. If you are a 25 year old Orenthal James Simpson, it is doubtful anyone will confuse you with a 71 year old O.J. Simpson.
 

FlyingRon

Senior Member
Things keep changing on Google with my name. For a long time it dredged up very old internet mailing list things I wrote. Then for the long time it hit any body who had online copies of the LINUX manuals (my name is in there). Now it lists my linked in page, my personal webpage, a bio for my father (same name), a yelp page for my business, bunch of people selling background checks and alas an obit for some guy with my name in Indiana who passed away a few years back.

My neice, whose a budding actress (she's appearing now in Alice By Heart off Broadway), has the same name as several other famous people. She has a whole page on her site dedicated to people who are not her.
 

quincy

Senior Member
Things keep changing on Google with my name. For a long time it dredged up very old internet mailing list things I wrote. Then for the long time it hit any body who had online copies of the LINUX manuals (my name is in there). Now it lists my linked in page, my personal webpage, a bio for my father (same name), a yelp page for my business, bunch of people selling background checks and alas an obit for some guy with my name in Indiana who passed away a few years back.

My neice, whose a budding actress (she's appearing now in Alice By Heart off Broadway), has the same name as several other famous people. She has a whole page on her site dedicated to people who are not her.
It is also important to note that your own internet searches of your name will likely be different from other people's internet searches of your name. A lot depends on the browser you use and your browser settings.
 

FlyingRon

Senior Member
Not too much different doing it from an incognito browser. Gets my Father's facebook page first but the rest is pretty much the same.
Amusingly @FlyingRon on Twitter is not me.
 

quincy

Senior Member
Not too much different doing it from an incognito browser. Gets my Father's facebook page first but the rest is pretty much the same.
Amusingly @FlyingRon on Twitter is not me.
I know adjusterjack once mentioned how his various forum posts showed up as the first several hits on a Google search. I searched "adjusterjack" and came up with a page of jack screw adjuster dealers. :)

If you do not clear your browser history or if you do not have your privacy settings enabled, your searches reflect your personal browsing history ... or something. I never searched for jack screw adjusters before so I don't know what was being reflected with my adjusterjack search. :)
 
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mrmcq

New member
Hi everyone! Thanks for the responses - the solution to try to flood the Google frontpage with as many positive pages of my name is a nice thought..but probably highly unlikely haha

Unfortunately, not only does this individual have the exact same spelling as mine (which is an uncommon name)...their age and locale is VERY close to my own.

I mean, if there is nothing else I can do to legally have it removed from listings, maybe changing my name at least on all those sites I can update my name (even my own website).

I work very hard toward keeping the utmost professional presentation in my work and business - it's incredibly disheartening to have it collapse with ONE listing that isn't even you!
 

quincy

Senior Member
Hi everyone! Thanks for the responses - the solution to try to flood the Google frontpage with as many positive pages of my name is a nice thought..but probably highly unlikely haha

Unfortunately, not only does this individual have the exact same spelling as mine (which is an uncommon name)...their age and locale is VERY close to my own.

I mean, if there is nothing else I can do to legally have it removed from listings, maybe changing my name at least on all those sites I can update my name (even my own website).

I work very hard toward keeping the utmost professional presentation in my work and business - it's incredibly disheartening to have it collapse with ONE listing that isn't even you!
A name change is an option then. Perhaps just using your middle name (if you have one) or just initials can be enough to help you.

Good luck.
 

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