BrightScope

Thank you...

for contacting us.  
BrightScope's goal is to bring transparency to the retirement plan and wealth management marketplaces by publishing public information on our website in an easily-accessible, user-friendly format.   BrightScope has created an extensive database of publicly available information to allow consumers and investors to find information about financial professionals and their firms, receive answers to their financial questions, and in many cases select a financial professional to work with.
All of the information appearing on the website (http://brightscope.com) was obtained from public disclosure documents filed with the SEC or FINRA.   This information is publicly available through both the SEC's Investment Adviser Public Disclosure database and FINRA's BrokerCheck service (http://brokercheck.finra.org), and as such we do not remove this information from the website. BrightScope does not have access to or publish birth certificates, names of family members or any other information that is not publicly available via the SEC or FINRA.

Review: Britescope's website has my U4 data that consists of my licenses, exams passed, office address (incorrectly listed), and over 10 years of work history which predates my FINRA registrations. I emailed Britescope and requested they remove my page from their site as my license only requires that my info be found in the confines of SEC and FINRA. Everyone may log onto those sites and find my info there. I did not give my permission for Britescope to post my information on their website.Desired Settlement: Take me and all my U 4 info down today. Thank you.

Business

Response:

BrightScope's goal is to bring transparency to the retirement plan and wealth management marketplaces by publishing public information on our website in an easily-accessible, user-friendly format. BrightScope has created an extensive database of publicly available information to allow consumers and investors to find information about financial professionals and their firms, receive answers to their financial questions, and in many cases select a financial professional to work with.

Review: I have asked them to not publish my information on their website. I understand that my information is available on California-mandated websites for FINRA registry but I did not allow nor consent my information to be extracted from those sites and have a private, profit-generating company to use my information in their website. If I wanted my information to be publish in every single website, I would voluntarily do so. They do not have the proper instruments for opting out from their "alleged directory". I find this completely unscrupulous and uncalled for. I do not understand why it is almost a "requirement" to after getting licensed to have my information, suddenly published on their sites. Is this a government-sponsored website that requires advisors to be listed on? I refuse to have my information published on their websites for personal and legal reasons that may affect my overall safety. Desired Settlement: I would like all of my information to not be published on their listing or their site.

Business

Response:

Hello,

Review: BrightScope.com published my personal information on their website without my consent. I had no prior contact or relationship with this company. I contacted them to request that they permanently remove my information from their website, and they refused to do so. I understand my licenses require that my information be on the SEC and FINRA websites, but I did not consent for BrightScope to extract my information to publish and profit off of. The information they published includes my current work location and employment history which compromises my safety and security. Desired Settlement: Permanently remove all of my information from your website, including my U4 and profile that you created.

Business

Response:

For Revdex.com: The complaint was received and dated as of 3/5/15, still within the 14 day window.

Review: This company posted my personal information on their website without my consent. I understand that my licensing information is public knowledge, HOWEVER though the proper channels. This company has made personal information about me visible though just a [redacted] search and it makes me feel unsafe. I have tried to contact them multiple times and I either get no response or a generic response. They keep ignoring any of my requests. I want my information removed immediately as I never gave them permission to look up and post any of my information.Desired Settlement: I want any and all my information removed from their website immediately.

Business

Response:

Thank you for contacting us. BrightScope's goal is to bring transparency to the retirement plan and wealth management marketplaces by publishing public information on our website in an easily-accessible, user-friendly format. BrightScope has created an extensive database of publicly available information to allow consumers and investors to find information about financial professionals and their firms, receive answers to their financial questions, and in many cases select a financial professional to work with.All of the information appearing on the website was obtained from public disclosure documents filed with the SEC or FINRA. This information is publicly available through both the SEC's Investment Adviser Public Disclosure database (http://www.adviserinfo.sec.gov/IAPD/Content/Search/iapd_Search.aspx) and FINRA's BrokerCheck service (http://brokercheck.finra.org), and as such we do not remove this information from the website.That said, the accuracy of the information on our website is of great importance to us, so if you find that any of the information on our website is inaccurate, please compare the data on our website to the data in your latest regulatory filing (Form U4 of Form ADV). If the data presented on the website accurately reflects your filing, we will gladly update your data once you have updated your filing with the appropriate regulatory authority.

Consumer

Response:

I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and have determined that this proposed action would not resolve my complaint. For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.This is just a generic response that I have already received. I want all my information removed from their websiteRegards,[redacted]

Review: I am a financial professional and Brightscope has posted a public profile using my name that contains incorrect information which they did not have my authorization to post. I have requested several times that they remove this profile and the company refused. They are disseminating misinformation about me in a very public forum and I feel that it is professional slander.

They are not affiliated with FINRA or the SEC, nor are the monitored by those entities. My professional registrations and conduct are.Desired Settlement: I expect them to remove this unauthorized profile using my name immediately.

Business

Response:

Thank you for contacting us. BrightScope's goal is to bring transparency to the retirement plan and wealth management marketplaces by publishing public information on our website in an easily-accessible, user-friendly format. BrightScope has created an extensive database of publicly available information to allow consumers and investors to find information about financial professionals and their firms, receive answers to their financial questions, and in many cases select a financial professional to work with.All of the information appearing on the website was obtained from public disclosure documents filed with the SEC or FINRA. This information is publicly available through both the SEC's Investment Adviser Public Disclosure database ([redacted]) and FINRA's BrokerCheck service ([redacted]), and as such we do not remove this information from the website.That said, the accuracy of the information on our website is of great importance to us, so if you find that any of the information on our website is inaccurate, please compare the data on our website to the data in your latest regulatory filing (Form U4 of Form ADV). If the data presented on the website accurately reflects your filing, we will gladly update your data once you have updated your filing with the appropriate regulatory authority.

Consumer

Response:

I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and have determined that this proposed action would not resolve my complaint. For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.

I contacted BrightScope stating that my Form U4 field with FINRA was up to date and that their information was inaccurate. They refused to correct the information as well as refusing to remove my profile from their page. I don't care if the "sources where they are getting their information is public information." I did not and still do not authorize BrightScope as an unknown third party to list my name and/or information on their website.

Regards,

Business

Response:

All of the information appearing on the website was obtained from public disclosure documents filed with the SEC or FINRA. This information is publicly available through both the SEC's Investment Adviser Public Disclosure database ([redacted]) and FINRA's BrokerCheck service ([redacted]), and as such we do not remove this information from the website.That said, the accuracy of the information on our website is of great importance to us, so if you find that any of the information on our website is inaccurate, please compare the data on our website to the data in your latest regulatory filing (Form U4 of Form ADV).

Review: I searched my name. I found a copy of my birth certificate on one site, my name, address , name of my children on another. Then on Britescope's website my u4 that consists of my previous last names to include my maiden name, work address, and last 10 years work history. I have had to have my credit frozen. Being an employee in the financial sector requires my credit, identity be intact. Foremost my family's safety and their credit is at issue here as we'll.

I have emailed Britescope 3 times to take down the page they put on the web explaining my identity has been compromised. Each time they have refused stating the information is public.

My license only requires that my info be found in the confines of Sec and FINRA. The customer may log onto those sites and find my info there.

I did not give my permission for Britescope to post my info. Time is of the essence in this matter and I ask, for Britescope to take down the page with my info.

Thank you.Desired Settlement: Take me and all my U 4 info down today. Thank you.

Business

Response:

Thank you for contacting us.