Researches have shown that small businesses identity theft has surpassed individual identity theft by a small percentage because most of them don’t have the necessary resources or enough money required for protecting their information from data breach.
Conducting a business name search is one of the simplest ways of coming up with a perfect business name and being a step ahead of the identity thieves. It’s pretty simple to start your search for some of your few names on major search engines like Google, Yahoo and Bing for reliable information about new and existing businesses across the country. If preferred name isn’t being used then you can proceed with your keeper to the next step.
At this stage you ought to be extra careful, in order to come up with your own domain which will enable your potential customers to find you the same way and with ease. Simply add a .com after the keeper on the address bar and initiate a search. Even if you find that the domain and the name exists don’t just stop your search but instead be more creative.
Your next phase is to use the online directories or the phone book in your locality. Most of the available online directories enable sole proprietors of various companies to list their businesses without any formal certifications or documentation. So if you spot the name that you desire on online directories like YELP, Manta and MerchantCirlce don’t be discouraged. In fact, it’s good to know that such a company exists, just in case.
The online database of your Secretary of State’s website should be your next stop. In order to get a detailed search, you might be required to open an account for free. You can contact a Secretary of State Corporation & Business Entity Search for a business in Georgia or any other state in the other pages.
Consider searching for one word at a time from the proposed business names. For instance if one of your proposed business names is “Delicious Indian Cuisine”, then start by searching the word delicious, then Indian and finally cuisine separately. Repeat the process for all your desired business names so as to verify any similarities.
After completing the search, it’s now prudent to reserve your business name for a 30 to 90 days state level protection.
The final step is conducting a search on the United States Patent & Trademark Office (USPTO) database, where a large bank of businesses is protected on a national level. However, this is only necessary for budding entrepreneurs who intend to conduct business beyond their states.
USPTO uses the Trademark Electronic Search System (TESS) to enable businesses to protect their names beyond their states. In fact, at this point you may require some professional input as the search is quite technical.
It’s vital to note that most identity thieves might try to manipulate state records of your business and end up deceiving your creditors or finance institutions into some fraudulent transactions. To be on the safe side, you should:
Enroll for email alerts – this will enable you to get a warning whenever your information has been fraudulently updated or changed.
Review your online registration information on a regular basis. Visit your Secretary of State or Corporation Division site if it doesn’t offer email alerts.
Implement safeguards such as filing your annual reports and renewals in a time.
It’s virtually your responsibility to ensure that an identity thief doesn’t use your name in opening another similar business in a different state. You ought to be very vigilant when it comes to handling your personal and business information. Your employees should know the boundaries of what can and cannot be shared with individuals outside the organization.
