Advocate for facilitating verification for the online presence of an entity

• US 8,904,500 B2
• Filed: 02/25/2014
• Issued: 12/02/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dun & Bradstreet Corp., DUN & Bradstreet Incorporated (Dun & Bradstreet Corp.), Hoover's Incorporated (Dun & Bradstreet Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Credibility Corp. (Dun & Bradstreet Corp.)
• Inventors: Stibel, Jeffrey M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Rahman, Mahfuzur
• Application Number:
  US14/188,973
• Publication Number:
  US 20140173732A1
• Time in Patent Office: 280 Days
• Field of Search: 726/5
• US Class Current: 726/5
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/043 using or handling presence information
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/126 the source of the received data
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/1408 by monitoring network traffic monitoring network traffic per se H04L43/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/54 Presence management, e.g. monitoring or registration for receipt of user log-on information, or the connection status of the users

Abstract

Some embodiments provide an advocate system to facilitate automated online presence verification for different entities on behalf of the entities. The advocate system places service providers on notice that profiles and information hosted by them and that form the online presence for a particular entity should first be verified with that particular entity. The advocate system further facilitates online presence verification by 1) directly or indirectly connecting the service providers that are placed on notice with the appropriate authoritative entities to facilitate the verification of the profiles and information, 2) selectively targeting service providers hosting profiles and information that are unverified, 3) automatedly verifying hosted profiles and information based on a verified profile lists and verified information that authoritative entities provide to a central repository. In so doing, the advocate system prevents potential damage to the authoritative entity'"'"'s credibility while also mitigating potential for fraud, identity theft, etc.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method performed by a verification system comprising a server with a hardware processor, the computer-implemented method for monitoring an online presence of a particular entity, the computer-implemented method comprising:

maintaining a list comprising a first set of service providers that host a verified online presence of the particular entity, wherein the verified online presence comprises at least one of information and a profile for the particular entity that has been verified;

querying each of a different second set of service providers using at least one identifier identifying the particular entity;

identifying a particular service provider from the second set of service providers that hosts an unverified online presence of the particular entity, wherein the unverified online presence comprises at least one of information and a profile for the particular entity that has not been verified;

placing the particular service provider on notice regarding the unverified online presence that it hosts for the particular entity; and

verifying with at least one of the particular entity and the particular service provider that the online presence of the particular entity that is hosted by the particular service provider has been verified.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein placing the particular service provider on notice elicits a verification action for verifying the online presence that the particular service provider hosts for the particular entity.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 2 further comprising updating the first set of service provides to include the particular service provider upon completion of the verification action.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 further comprising providing the particular entity with notice of the unverified online presence of the particular entity that is hosted by the particular service provider.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 4 further comprising receiving verification status for the online presence that is hosted by the particular service provider from the particular entity in response to providing the particular entity with the notice.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 further comprising receiving verified information from the particular entity for inclusion in the online presence of the particular entity.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 6, wherein identifying the particular service provider comprises identifying an inconsistency between the verified information from the particular entity and information present on the unverified online presence that is hosted by the particular service provider.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein placing the particular service provider on notice comprises passing said to at least one of the profile associated with the unverified online presence and the particular service provider.

9. A computer-implemented method performed by operation of a machine of a verification system, the computer-implemented method comprising:

receiving from an unknown party, a request to monitor an online presence of a particular entity;

verifying the party as the particular entity by sending a code using verified contact information that is obtained for the particular entity from a source other than said party and by receiving the code from said party;

confirming with said party, a set of service providers that host a verified online presence for the particular entity;

identifying an unverified online presence for the particular entity at a particular service provider that is not of the set of service providers, wherein the unverified online presence comprises any of information and a profile identifying the particular entity that has not been verified; and

eliciting verification of the unverified online presence at the particular service provider by providing notice of the unverified online presence to at least one of (i) the particular service provider, (ii) the particular entity, and (iii) a profile associated with the unverified online presence at the particular service provider, and wherein providing said notice comprises providing the verified contact information of the particular entity.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 9 further comprising receiving verified information from the party for inclusion as part of a verified online presence of the particular entity.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 10, wherein eliciting verification comprises verifying the online presence of the particular entity at the particular service provider when the information from the online presence matches to the verified information from the party.

12. The computer-implemented method of claim 10, wherein eliciting verification comprises providing the verified information to the particular service provider for inclusion as part of the unverified online presence at the particular service provider.

13. The computer-implemented method of claim 12, wherein eliciting verification further comprises verifying the online presence for the particular entity at the particular service provider by confirming that the online presence includes the verified information.

14. The computer-implemented method of claim 12 further comprising disseminating the verified information to each of a plurality of service providers that host a verified online presence of the particular entity.

15. The computer-implemented method of claim 14 further comprising verifying that the verified information is included within the online presence of the particular entity at each of the plurality of service providers.

16. The computer-implemented method of claim 10, wherein identifying the unverified online presence comprises indentifying that information provided in the unverified online presence does not match with the verified information from the party.

17. The computer-implemented method of claim 9, wherein eliciting verification comprises receiving verification of the online presence at the particular service provider after providing the notice and adding the particular service provider to a listing of service providers hosting a verified online presence for the particular entity.

18. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions which, when executed by a hardware processor of a verification system machine, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:

receiving from an unknown party, a request to manage an online presence of a particular entity;

verifying the party as the particular entity;

identifying a plurality of different service providers that host an online presence of the particular entity, wherein each online presence comprises common information about the particular entity;

receiving an updated value for the common information from the party;

eliciting verification of the online presence for the particular entity across the plurality of service providers by disseminating the updated value to each service provider of the plurality of different service providers;

verifying (i) that each of a first subset of the plurality of service providers hosts a verified online presence of the particular entity when the online presence for the particular entity at each service provider of the first subset of service providers includes the updated value for the common information and (ii) that each of a second different subset of the plurality of service providers hosts an unverified online presence of the particular entity when the online presence for the particular entity at each service provider of the second subset of service providers does not include the updated value for the common information; and

adding the first subset of the plurality of service providers to a listing of service providers that host a verified online presence for the particular entity.