What to do if your name is identical to someone linked to an FTC lawsuit found in Google searches?

I’m reaching out in frustration. To keep it short: my unique name matches exactly with someone in Canada, who was sued in the U.S. by the FTC and faced a $5 million penalty for a telemarketing scheme from 2001 to 2005 (or 2008?). I’ve never lived in Canada—back in 2001, I was still in high school. But now, as I apply for jobs, I’m worried that recruiters are stumbling upon this lawsuit and mistakenly associating it with me.

The search result for this lawsuit appears right under my LinkedIn profile, and for the past two years, I’ve watched it slowly climb the Google search rankings. I fear that employers might falsely connect the dots and automatically reject my applications. When I explain this situation to people in person, some agree I need to address it, but how do I do that when I often don’t get the chance to speak directly with hiring managers?

I’ve written a cover letter addressing this issue, and while I’ll keep personal information private, I wanted to share my approach for feedback:

Hi [Employer’s Name],

I hope this message finds you well. I’m providing this cover letter in a slightly different format than usual. My resume details my qualifications, which I meet in full, but I want to clarify something that may come up in a Google search for my name:

My name, “—,” is unique, but it also belongs to at least one other individual associated with an FTC lawsuit. The second result that appears beneath my LinkedIn profile pertains to this lawsuit, which was against someone with the same name. Please understand that this is not me! The ruling was issued in Chicago in 2007 against defendants from Canada regarding unsolicited telemarketing calls made to consumers in the U.S. from 2001 to September 2005. I am from [your state in the USA], born and raised here, and in 2001, I was in high school—not involved in telemarketing or any related activities.

This situation has become frustrating, as I believe employers who rely on basic online searches for screening may mistake this lawsuit as a reflection of my character and qualifications. It can be disheartening to think I might be overlooked due to this misunderstanding.

I wanted to bring this to your attention to clarify any concerns. Should you have any questions or wish to discuss this in further detail, I would be happy to engage in a one-on-one or group conversation. Thank you for taking the time to consider my situation.

Best regards,
[Your Name]

I would appreciate any feedback or advice on how to handle this issue. Thank you!