Facebook Photo Album Security & Manulife Financial Insurance

Introduction

A recent story that appeared on the CBC web site about Manulife Financial withdrawing disability benefits due to photos found on Facebook has prompted me to write this article. The CBC story can be found at http://www.cbc.ca/canada/montreal/story/2009/11/19/quebec-facebook-sick-leave-benefits.html. Thanks to some personal experiences dealing with Manulife Financial, I have a clear idea as to how insurance companies and WCB handle disability claims.

Facts on Facebook & Photo Sharing

Even if you are always very careful with whom you accept friend requests from and what you post, always assume that anything you or anyone posts to Facebook can be seen by anyone.

Here are some basic guidelines.

When you create or upload photos to an album on Facebook, check the settings and who has access to the album. Sometimes photo albums may be set to be viewable to ANYONE, whether or not they are on your friend list.
Facebook usually notifies you if you have been tagged in a photo that has been uploaded by someone else. Always check any photos you have been tagged in.
Mouse over the Settings menu in Facebook and click on Privacy. The Privacy page will appear with the following options.
- Click Profile to examine and change who may see various parts of your Facebook profile.
- Search is very powerful. It controls what people see if they type your name into Google or other search engine or if they search for you within Facebook.
- Facebook usually notifies you if you have been tagged in a photo that has been uploaded by someone else. Always check any photos you have been tagged in.

Google and other search engines often cache pages that are found. So even when things get deleted, that data or images may not be gone forever.

Facts about Manulife Financial and Disability Claims

First thing to note is that the only goal of any corporation is to make money. Manulife Financial is no different. The more claims they deny that are not challenged the more money they get to keep. Whether or not Manulife Financial or any other insurance company is totally honest about what they do is another story. It is this writers opinion that Manulife Financial is often extremely dishonest when it comes to dealing with disability claims.

Manulife Financial uses private investigators to check up on those receiving benefits and/or those who have applied for benefits. If you ever get a telephone call from someone who claims to be with a courier, there is a good chance someone is checking up on you. The ONLY delivery people who have ever called me to confirm when I will be home are those delivering flowers. Last time a “courier” called and it wasn’t a flower delivery, I saw a van parked outside my home. Sure enough, said van proceeded to follow us to an appointment. In Red Deer, Alberta there is a private investigator for Manulife that uses a dark Ford SUV with a license plate that starts with BUJ.

As per the CBC article (http://www.cbc.ca/canada/montreal/story/2009/11/19/quebec-facebook-sick-leave-benefits.html), Manulife have confirmed that they DO use Facebook to check up on those receiving or applying for benefits.

The bottom line is Manulife Financial and other insurers are often quite dishonest when it comes to honoring claims. I know this from personal experience. My recommendation for anyone who has a legitimate claim, who feels they are being dealt with unfairly, is to contact a lawyer who works on contingency. We did and it made a huge difference with how our claim was handled.

A recent story that appeared on the CBC web site about Manulife Financial withdrawing disability benefits due to photos found on Facebook has prompted me to write this article.

Share and Enjoy:

My wife and I are regular vendors at a local Farmers’ Market. We also enjoy working trade shows and similar events. Since we sell food products, we often have samples available. A recent guest interaction has prompted me to change my plan regarding sampling.

Recently at the local Farmers’ Market I am approached by a young lady who seemed interested in Verve, a healthy energy drink, that is on my table. She is unsure and asks if she may have a sample of the sugar-free version. I wasn’t set up for sampling that day but since I had the sample containers with me I obliged. She had a sip of what I had to offer and that was it. No purchase.

I felt ripped off as I realized this lady had no intentions of actually buying anything. She was curious as to what the product tasted like and that was it. Now I was left with an open can of product that eventually got tossed and out the cost of a can of Verve.

Later on I was discussing this with a buddy who I have partnered with to promote functional gourmet coffee. Beau sends out samples all the time but not necessarily to anyone who asks. He tells me that it is his gut feeling that decides. Beau knows a fellow who never sends out samples and, if asked, will tell you that if you want to try his product you can buy a box.

While contemplating this blog post I decided to consult my favorite book on working trade shows, Guerrilla Trade Show Selling (by Jay Conrad Levinson, Mark S. A. Smith, and Orvel Ray Wilson). On Page 120 is a blurb that describes sampling and exactly what happened at the Market.

If your product is edible, you obviously want people to sample your wares. But keep in mind that classic trade show sales story:

Simple Simon met a pieman going to the fair.

Said Simple Simon to the pimean, “Let me taste your wares.”

Said the pieman to Simple Simon, “Let me see your penny.”

Said Simple Simon to the pieman, “I fear I haven’t any.”

Before offering a sample, the pieman qualified his prospect, checking for economic buying power. Applying this idea to your samples, always ask for something in exchange for giving your sample. Get information.

Bottom line is I had not qualified the lady at the market who wanted a sample. Going forward, some options I am considering are:

Shoot videos of people sampling my product. Those less interested may back away. Those that are interested are helping me with promotional material. (Yes, I will post a video even if the person is not pleased with the taste. The occasional grimace on video lends more credibility and is funny too!)
When asked for a sample, respond, “If you want to try the product, it is $4.95 per can.”
Money back guarantee. Tell the person asking for the sample that if they buy a can, drink it, and are not completely satisfied that I will refund their money.

I look forward to your comments.

Share and Enjoy:

Recent Posts

Recent Comments