Controlbox.com Online Consumer Privacy Shield ™ Now Available Nation-Wide Through AutoTrader.com

June 20, 2012 - PRLog -- Lake Orion, MI (June 20, 2012) -  ControlBox.com LLC announces today that Privacy Shield ™, the company’s unique privacy solution and value-added sales tools for online consumers, is now available to all private sellers enrolled with AutoTrader.com. The decision by the Internet's leading automotive marketplace and consumer information website follows the February 2012 announcement http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/autotradercom-takes-an-equity-stake-in-controlboxcom-to-advance-online-privacy-and-security-products-139456763.html that AutoTrader.com had taken an equity stake in Privacy Shield™, committing to safeguard the personal phone numbers and the email addresses of private sellers while promoting and streamlining interactions with buyers. Test piloted for one year and available in over one-third of the U.S. markets since the beginning of 2012, Privacy Shield ™ is now available nation-wide on June 15, 2012 http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/autotradercom-launches-privacy-shield-nationwide-to-further-protect-private-seller-customer-privacy-on-autotradercom-159572755.html.

“During the first three months of 2012 Privacy Shield ™ blocked more than 100,000 telemarketing phone calls and I predict this is just the tip of the iceberg,” says Steven McAuley, the CEO of ControlBox.com LLC.

“Just because someone is interacting online, doesn’t mean that person should have to resort to creating multiple email accounts and generate several phone numbers just to isolate themselves from privacy risks.”

There is increasing demand by the public to control personal online information to protect unique identifying email addresses and Rebecca Herold, a veteran privacy and security consultant and author, advises that phone numbers and email addresses are no longer viewed as harmless tidbits of information.

“Phone numbers and email addresses now can provide a treasure trove of explicit personal information through a variety of online search tools, especially when provided with online dating sites and sites where personal ads are posted,” warns Herold, the Privacy Professor ™.

While reducing time and effort throughout the sales process by recording and tracking interactions with potential buyers, Privacy Shield ™ will address the public demands to reduce telemarketing calls and help to confront spammers and rebuff phishing scams.

The Privacy Shield ™ solution protects personal phone numbers and emails while offering safe and easy avenues for sellers to interact with interested buyers.

1.   A masked local phone number is provided to conceal personal contact information and interested buyers connect using the ControlBox.com telephone system’s interactive voice response system (IVR) that is protected by security protocols to identify and block telemarketers and fraudsters.
2.   With Privacy Shield™ the email addresses of both parties remain anonymous and secure email communication is safeguarded to prevent email fraud activity.

McAuley sees the momentum building in the American market for these types of privacy innovations as the AutoTrader.com endorsement follows just weeks after the announcement that ControlBox.com was selected as a Finalist for Red Herring's Top 100 Americas award, http://www.prlog.org/11872376-consumer-privacy-provider-c... a prestigious list honoring the year’s most promising and innovative North American private technology ventures.

About Controlbox.com
ControlBox.com LLC provides telephone and email communication privacy products with extra layers of security as well as powerful conversation management tools that allow consumers to take control of their interactions, whether looking to buy, sell or connect on the Internet.ControlBox.com LLC was started in 2010 by founder and CEO Steven J. McAuley, a veteran auto industry executive, who along with a team of technologists built proprietary Secure Messaging™ products to keep the personal contact information of Sellers and Buyer private while still allowing them to connect confidently.

About AutoTrader.com
Atlanta-based AutoTrader.com, created in 1997, is the Internet's ultimate automotive marketplace and consumer information website. AutoTrader.com aggregates in a single location millions of new cars, used cars and certified pre-owned cars from thousands of auto dealers and private sellers and is a leading online resource for auto dealers, individuals and manufacturers to advertise and market their vehicles to in-market shoppers. The company also provides a robust suite of software tools for dealers and manufacturers to help them manage and market their vehicle inventory and display advertising on the Internet. AutoTrader.com continues to grow key business metrics, including revenue, profitability and site traffic. Today, AutoTrader.com attracts millions of unique monthly visitors who utilize the site to review descriptions, photos and videos of vehicles for sale; research and compare vehicles; review pricing and specials; and read auto-related content like buying and selling tips and editorial coverage of major auto shows and automotive trends. AutoTrader.com operates one other auto marketing brand, AutoTraderClassics.com. AutoTrader.com also owns used vehicle management software company vAuto, Kelley Blue Book (Kbb.com), HomeNet Automotive, a leading provider of online inventory management and merchandising solutions for the automotive retail industry and VinSolutions, a leading provider of end-to-end solution platforms for dealers. AutoTrader.com is a majority-owned subsidiary of Cox Enterprises. Providence Equity Partners is a 25 percent owner of the company and Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers is also an investor. For more information, please visit http://www.autotrader.com/.

For more information, please visit http://www.controlbox.com
Media contact: Kerry Mortimer, +1-613-884-1335 (m), kmortimer@controlbox.com


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