private investigations Archives - Page 5 of 15

What DO Private Investigators DO?

It’s not unusual for furious people to call or visit . They aren’t furious with us, but with a situation and that is the reason they are contacting us. And sometimes with that fury comes an intent that we cannot service. For instance, one man recently came in with a situation that had him in a blind rage. He was red in the face and yelling. He knew an employee was stealing from his supply house and he wanted this employee stopped. He wanted us to, “threaten him with his job and intimidate him into confessing publicly.” We let him have his say and then we told him we would not, could not do as he requested. He stopped and told us he thought that [...]

A Date is Such a Little Detail Until an Investigation Hinges on It

The world seems to get smaller every day – and more confusing. With global business and transportation becoming a norm, Americans must become more aware and accepting of different ways of doing things. The liter is more prevalent around the world than the gallon. Measurements are based on the metric system in most countries other than the United States. While these might seem like little things, one very simple, yet critical, difference is that of the format of dates. are very cognizant of the differences because in our line of work, it can really matter. In fact, a date may be a life or death bit of information. Because we conduct so many computer forensic investigations on business devices that conduct transactions in the global [...]

Owners have Options When Business Reviews are Faked

Marketing and PR firms continually tell their clients about the importance of client reviews and testimonials. Good reviews online and on sites like Yelp can mean a thriving business or severely damage the bottom line. That’s why fictitious reviews are a growing problem. First of all, positive reviews bought and posted degrade the credibility of the review sites, so professional sites are on guard against them. And, if detected, will remove them. If the abuse is continual or excessive, the business could also be removed from the review site. So business owners who are solicited by firms that guarantee positive reviews, and a certain number of them, will likely get burned in the end. The other side is the negative reviews and the damage that [...]

Virtual Currency and Bad Guys

Private investigators like consider staying on top of technology one of the requirements of the job. So when the bad guys start a trend of using a new technology, we are ready with investigative strategies to stay in step with them. We do a lot of computer investigation, forensic computer analysis and mobile phone forensics. In our experience, bad guys are trying to move money through services like Bitcoin. Many believe that transactions through these services are undetectable. While tracing the transactions takes extra skill and perseverance, they are not completely hidden. One example is that in order to get funds into the systems, the virtual currency has to actually be purchased. And purchases leave a paper trail. Computer forensics specialists, especially those who are [...]

So You Wanna Be a Private Eye

All you have to do is Google “become a private investigator” to find all sorts of blogs, books and sites dedicated to showing you how to become your own, self-employed private eye. Trouble is, most of the advice given to prospective investigators involves searching the Internet for leads and practicing following people without detection – and most of the “tips” are based on the old, outdated stereotypes. After decades in the business, knows there is a level of skill, knowledge and resources that separates the professionals from the wannabes. Professional investigators have specialists and experts on call: Personal asset search investigators Divorce asset investigators Child custody investigators Infidelity investigators Handwriting analysis experts Forensic examiners Computer forensics specialists Certified computer examiners Technical Surveillance Countermeasures experts Social [...]

4 Reasons Businesses Should Conduct Technical Surveillance Countermeasures

Sometimes business owners and leadership of businesses can’t believe that their business would be the target of any corporate espionage or illegal activity. But innovative small businesses have become not only a hotbed of technological advances, but the victim of crimes that devastate their enterprise. For that reason, here at , we want every business owner to be aware of the top 4 reasons to conduct Technical Surveillance Countermeasures (TSCM). TSCM is most commonly referred to as bug detection. But TSCM is also used to detect phone tapping devices, listening devices, electronic surveillance equipment and other sorts of spy equipment. Knowing that TSCM is for spy detection, some business owners might immediately say they don’t need these services. But if any of these situations come [...]

Computer Forensic Investigations Overwhelm Authorities

In a recent article in The Police Chief, First Sergeant Charles Cohen, of the Indiana State Police identifies the challenges facing authorities in the field of computer forensics. He says that computer forensic investigators, detectives, and prosecutors all have similar lamentations: There is an unacceptable backlog of computers and devices waiting for examination. By the time computers are examined, it is often too late to follow many of the leads that are produced. Most detectives do not understand computer forensics and what it can accomplish to further their investigations. Many computer forensic examiners do not understand the investigation, causing them to overlook relevant information and expend resources needlessly. These are some of the reasons why attorneys and their clients across the nation turn to when [...]

Bring Due Diligence Home

When Marcy and Darren decided to hire a nanny, they went about the process just like they did when they hired any other contractor, plumber, etc. Once they narrowed the choices, they asked for resumes and references. Then they set time aside to check work records and contact references. They made decisions and moved right along to the next thing in life. But then Marcy saw an interesting but disturbing news story. A couple in Florida had hired an older woman to be a nanny for their three young children. Before making the decision, they checked the woman's references, and they especially liked that the applicant was older, nearly 60, in fact. They hired her. But a few weeks after the new nanny moved in, [...]

Mom’s Missing!

Private investigators are well aware that not all families are like the Walton's '3/28 – or even the Musketeers. It’s not always all for one and one for all. In fact, here at we see many families in situations like this: Caroline and her sister Laura stopped by to visit their mother, who suffered for the last decade with dementia and had been living in an upscale memory care unit. When they arrived, they learned that Roger, their youngest brother, had signed their mother out of the facility. He explained to the nursing staff that he was driving her over to Caroline's house for a meal. But Roger left with his mother and never returned. He told nurses that his sisters would return their mom [...]

Investigators Save New Business

You might be surprised how many small business owners’ attorneys contact . It’s not just the multi-million dollar enterprises who have to be on guard against corporate espionage and theft by employees. Take this case, for example: When Mitch and his business partners moved from the West Coast to open a second decorative concrete business in the Midwest, they obviously hoped the new venture would be as successful as the first. But none of them were prepared with just how quickly the business grew. Mitch's finishing techniques were unlike any others. The “wow” factor was immediate. Suddenly the new business was the hot topic among many well-known developers and architects. But that instant popularity prompted jealously among competitors. Unidentified concrete businesses seemed to be trying [...]