The Blog of P.U.R.E. and Sue Scheff

Back in September 2006, I was awarded over $11.3M jury verdict for damages. They were defamatory and false statements about my organization , myself and my family. I fought back, and won! The defendant attempted to have the judgment set aside - although she was firmly denied in July 2007, she filed an appeal. Today, it is official - she loses again in the appellate court, and the $11.3M judgment stands firm! Free speech is still in tact, but it will not condone defamation. Remember, think before your post - sometimes keystrokes can be costly!

THE FIGHT AGAINST INTERNET DEFAMATION STRENGTHENS! As attorney's and judges are reviewing these cases, the recognition for action is loud and clear. Fight back - it is your right! Recently I have personally meet with both a prominent Senator and a well-know attorney. Both were completely astonished at the reckless regard for the truth that lingers on the Internet and agree, it is time to fight back! More and more lawyers are considering these cases on a contingency basis. Free Speech will not condone defamation and it has become more clear that there is a blatant disregard and lack of respect for the first amendment right. I am proud to be part of this movement to help other victims that will rise above people that believe free speech will protect them.

Today Sue Scheff and Michael Fertik ( Reputation Defender ) appeared on the Fox News Morning Show with Mike and Juliet. The discussion of Internet Defamation is growing larger and expanding throughout the country. Free Speech will always have its' place on the Internet, however it doesn't condone defamation . Libelous comments can be held accountable as in the Sue Scheff vs Carey Bock case. A jury deliberated for several hours over the slanderous and libelous posts and found damages in the amount of $11.3M . Currently, after Carey Bock Levine was denied to have the judgement set aside, the garnishment of her wages will start shortly. Mike and Juliet are excellent hosts and understand that this issue is a growing concern today.

The law of Defamation has come under renewed scrutiny with the advent of the Internet. This is largely because it is the nature of the Internet to give the average, anonymous person an opportunity to express their opinion well-beyond any previously defined venue. Consider the fact that a person of modest means now has the ability to publish a statement, article, or news item across the world in an instant, without an editor checking the facts. Thereafter, the item will linger on the 'Net for months, or even years, impossible to recover and amend, if the "facts" are erroneous. Therefore, it is inevitable that problems are going to arise. The main issue to remember when dealing with the Internet is that people still have their basic legal rights intact on the Net, and - likewise - the Internet is not as completely anonymous as the typical person may presumes. What is Defamation? The law of defamation has been defined in the West for centuries, and the Internet variety holds...

With this unprecedented jury verdict (not a default verdict) of $11.3M - comes more slander! If you are reading ugly and malicious information about me, you can understand why. The defendant - Carey Bock - who attempted to get the judgement set aside - was denied with a strong order set down by the Judge. She is being held liable for the defamation and invasion of privacy she created to myself and my family. I have also received a mass amount of media attention from prominent news outlets such as 20/20 ABC News i-Caught, Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, Forbes and more. All these reputable journalist did their due diligence on my case. Freedom of speech is here to stay - Defamation is not acceptable.

Whatever can hurt you the worst, has the equivalent power to help you the most. For all those that have written me of their stories of Internet Harassment and Abuse - I received this in my email today. It is worth passing on to everyone.

Just a quick note of thanks to all the people that have emailed me about my story on 20/20 ABC News i-Caught. I appreciate all your notes and I am overwhelmed at the amount of abuse that is on the Internet. Personally, I will always have my critics, as many people that are making a difference have, but being able to speak out and help others has been rewarding. Thanks again to all that wrote. A special thanks to Micheal Fertik and the team at Reputation Defender and MyEdge for helping me to come forward and speak out.

Tuesday, August 14 th , 2007 - Sue Scheff and Michael Fertik , CEO of Reputation Defender were featured on 20/20 ABC News new series - i-Caught . Sitting down with renown Journalist, Martin Bashir , Sue Scheff and Michael Fertik share the seriousness of maintaining your Online Profile and fighting malicious and online attacks.

On Friday, August 10 th - Michael Fertik , CEO of Reputation Defender was featured on The Today Show on NBC . His service to help people monitor their online profiles and reputations has become a priceless service for many people that are becoming victims of Internet ugliness. Reputation Defender is not about chilling your first amendment right, it is about bringing the truth to the top! Unfortunately there are people that want to hurt others and their new weapon is using Cyberspace to literally attempt to ruin others with a few keystrokes. Personally, I am a client of Reputation Defender and hold them in the highest regard. Recently I won an unprecedented case of $11.3M in a jury trial for damages for Internet Defamation and Invasion of Privacy. Since this victory - the campaign to discredit and destroy me as escalated since some extremist believe the First Amendment allows them to defame others. The First Amendment does not condone defamation. I was a victim " Caught in...

Sue Scheff and Michael Fertik , CEO of Reputation Defender , recently were on the BBC and NPR Talk Radio with Dan Damon. The National and International attention that ReputationDefender is attracting is due to the overwhelming use of slander and defamation on the Internet. With today's Cyberspace world - more people will Google others to get information about them. It is critical to monitor your online reputation. Like Identity Theft, this can be devastating and potentially ruin businesses and people's lives. As a victim of Internet Defamation, I have decided to share my success story after the horrors of slander, defamation and invasion of privacy I endured.

Calling In Pros to Refine Your Google Image By Susan Kinzie and Ellen Nakashima Washington Post Staff Writers Monday, July 2, 2007; A01 At the height of the cyber-abuse, Sue Scheff , a consultant to parents of troubled teens, would type her name in a Google search box and brace herself: Up would pop page after page of attack postings. Sue Scheff is destroying lives. She is a con. She takes kickbacks. She is the biggest fraud there ever was. The stream of negative comments began in 2002 after a woman who had sought advice from Scheff turned on her. The postings appeared on PTA Web sites in Florida , where Scheff lives. On bulletin boards and online forums. There were even YouTube videos threatening her. She sued for defamation and won an $11.3 million verdict , but the attacks only got worse. In December, Scheff turned to ReputationDefender , a year-old firm that promised to help her cleanse her virtual reputation. She no longer dreads a Google search on her name. Most of the links on t...

InternetGoogle -Proof PR? Andy Greenberg , 05.25.07, 6:00 AM ET Sue Scheff's business, Parents Universal Resource Experts, places troubled teens in reform schools--and generates a lot of controversy. Disgruntled clients have accused Scheff's company of sending kids to abusive programs, and the Web is full of complaints: A quick Google search used to reveal sites describing her as a "fraud," a "con artist" and a "crook." Google Scheff's name now, however, and the first few pages of results are far less controversial: They include Scheff's own sites about teen pregnancy , her upcoming book, and, until recently, recipes for broccoli casserole and pork chops . That last one might seem strange to Scheff's friends, who know she doesn't cook. "The truth is, if it doesn't go in the microwave, I don't make it," she admits. Related Stories: Grading Google So who wrote the cooking advice at sue- scheff .net? Not Sue Sche...