E-Personation Illegal in California and Victims Need Prompt Representation Notes Los Angeles Entertainment Attorney
Feb 4, 2012
Los Angeles, CA (Law Firm Newswire) February 3, 2012 – For businesses and those in the entertainment industry, e-personation can pose huge risks to their identity and revenue, sparking issues of defamation and lost profits. E-personation has been a growing trend as social media and the Internet becomes a stronghold where people shop and become influenced to make decisions.
Thieves, scam artists, and sometimes even competitors pretend to be someone else to either discredit or take money away from another person or company. The acts perpetrated on the victim can be defamatory, fraudulent, and harmful.
“There is a big difference between a parody or satire of a person or company and impersonating for ill gain,” said Los Angeles entertainment attorney Anthony Spotora. “How they damage your reputation online can have big consequences in the real world.”
California did pass a law in 2011, SB 1411, that states that anyone who impersonates another via an Internet website or other electronic means to harm, intimidate, threaten, or defraud another can be fined and/or imprisoned. Compensatory damages and injunctive or equitable relief can also be sought.
Recent cases have shown that people have created fake Facebook business pages, websites, or pretended to be someone else over email. “Prompt action needs to be taken whether you are a celebrity or business to protect your identity and livelihood,” said Spotora. “When your identity is hijacked, you need aggressive legal representation to take down the comments, photos, and fraud that has occurred.”
To learn more about the Los Angeles business attorney or Los Angeles entertainment lawyer Anthony Spotora, visit http://www.spotoralaw.com/.
Law Offices of Spotora & Associates, P.C.
1801 Century Park East, 24th Floor
Los Angeles, California 90067-2302
Call: (310) 556.9641
