sethson.com » Private Investigations

Different Types of Private Detectives and Investigators

Brian — Tue, 04 Mar 2008 01:22:12 +0000

The work of private detectives is not easy. They have such erratic working hours. You could find private detectives crouching behind bushes at ungodly hours if the work requires for them to do so. The job involves long hours of waiting and surveillance which requires a lot of patience from these detectives. Most of them are self-employed, so they have to rely on their own resources and skills in order to earn money. It’s difficult to find employment and get paid on a regular basis. The difficulty in looking for employment is not due to stunted employment growth in the industry but rather to the numerous competitions seeking the same position. Usually, these competitions are equipped with knowledge or experience in law enforcement or government intelligence.

States do not require formal training or education for private investigators or detectives. Most of these detectives have prior work experience in insurance companies, law enforcement, legal offices and federal intelligence. Usually, you’d find former law enforcement officers working as private detectives.

Services Rendered by Private Detectives

Private detectives offer various types of investigative services. These services include corporate investigations, employment investigations, background check, celebrity protection, and identity theft. They also play a role in various cases including insurance claims, child custody and missing person cases. Most private detectives are embroiled in infidelity cases.

The duties and means of private detectives of obtaining information depend on what their client requires from them. The specializations of these investigators vary with some specializing in corporate fraud, or background investigation, or property theft.

Five Types of Private Detectives

Private detectives, however, are classified into five types – legal investigators, corporate detectives, financial investigators, store investigators, and hotel detectives.

Legal investigators are private detectives who specialize in investigating court cases. They assist in finding or interviewing witnesses and preparing for defenses. They collect evidence and testify in courts.

Corporate detectives or investigators specialize in conducting investigations for companies. They may investigate fraud and embezzlement within the company.

Financial investigators are usually certified public accountants who work with other professionals in order to investigate and prepare financial profiles. Their investigation typically determines the decision of a company or person to enter into business transactions usually involving large sums of money.

Store detectives are primarily hired in order to devise ways to prevent theft by customers and fraud by employees.

Hotel detectives are hired by restaurants, hotels and bars in order to devise measures to prevent illegal activities in such establishments. Their duties also include regular inspection of the premises in order to avoid the risks of theft or other illegal activities.

How to Find and Hire a Private Investigation Company

Brian — Tue, 04 Mar 2008 01:21:43 +0000

Private investigation is the investigative process undertaken by private detectives or investigators for the benefit of private citizens or entities for the latter’s benefit. There is a noticeable rapid growth of private investigation businesses. In fact, a lot of people are turning to private investigation as a source of revenue, especially those with previous experiences related to the job. It is growing so fast that it is forecasted that it would be the largest industry in the next years or so. Not surprisingly, the growth rate corresponds to the need for private investigators.

Reasons and Purposes

Private investigations are conducted for various reasons and purposes. Detectives would conduct investigations in behalf of attorneys embroiled in civil or even criminal cases. There are investigators conducting investigations for insurance companies. They verify the validity of insurance claims. In civil cases involving child custody, spousal support or division of properties, people would usually hire private detectives to collect evidence against their spouse to give them an edge over settlements or court proceedings.

The Increasing Demand for Private Investigations

Some people could go through their lives without having to hire a private detective. Still, there is an increasing need for the service of private investigators these days, especially in corporate industries. Usually, before any transaction, merger, consolidation, or any other activity involving large sums of money be effected, people would resort to hiring someone who would do some investigations first. Companies are always in need for private investigators in order to prevent fraud within the company or to unearth fraudulent activities. However, choosing which company or person to hire should take a lot of careful consideration.

Choosing Your Private Investigator

Should you hire a large company or a small company? Should you hire an independent investigator? When choosing a person or a company to do the job, the first thing that you have to consider is your need. Know your purpose. Ask yourself if what kind of investigator would suit you and would do the job well. Also, it is important to note how much you can afford. It would not make sense if you would hire a huge firm to take up your case if you couldn’t afford it.

You might also consider hiring a firm or a person who specializes in your case. Usually, it is the big companies that cover a lot of different fields of investigation. However, there are self-employed private investigators who take particular interest in cases like yours or small firms that have diversified into different fields. You might just find a good investigator to handle your case without having to pay an amount much bigger than you can afford.

Fraud Investigations for Small Businesses and Big Companies

Brian — Tue, 04 Mar 2008 01:21:14 +0000

One of the unfortunate things that could happen to a company is to be subjected to fraudulent schemes and embezzlement by their own employees for the latter’s personal benefits and financial gains. Every year, there is an estimated $600 billion company revenues lost in fraud and embezzlement. There is an increasing occurrence of asset misappropriation in almost every company. Sadly, the likely victims of fraud and embezzlement are small businesses with an approximate yearly loss of $120,000 in comparison to the approximate $90,000 loss of big companies.

Businesses should not be lax in their security against fraud and dishonest employees. Approximately 30% of company losses can be attributed to dishonest or corrupt employees. An average loss of $60,000 is caused by fraudulent rank-and-file employee; while a loss of $250,000 is caused by the fraudulent actions of managers or supervisors. Losses caused with these two kinds of employees conspiring are astounding. Sadly, this could all be happening right under the nose of the employers, but it takes more than a year before they could even be uncovered. This is probably why there is a need to conduct fraud investigation.

The Aspects of Fraud Investigation

Fraud investigation focuses on three aspects – asset misappropriation, corporate corruption and fraudulent reports. Fraud investigators would usually comprise of three persons; domain, technology and fraud specialist. The domain specialist is a person who knows the workings of the industry to be investigated – how the business operates and the process involved in the operation. The technology specialist is a person who possesses knowledge of the technology used by the business; while the fraud specialist is an expert on determining fraudulent activities and identifying these activities.

How They Work

In conducting an investigation, the methods that will be adopted should be customized to the type of company and industry to be investigated. The company should be carefully studied in order to determine what areas of the operation are weak and could be a potential area for fraudulent activities. The study should include evaluation of the conditions that could give rise to fraudulent schemes. By understanding these conditions, the investigators would then be able to determine the signs of probable illegal activities within the company. Nowadays, fraud investigators use computer analysis in order to identify conditions, determine symptoms and investigate operations.

Benefits of Conducting Fraud Investigations

Companies can avoid being embezzled. They can avoid losing thousands of dollars arising from the fraudulent activities of their own employees. Companies should make it a practice to conduct regular investigation as a precautionary measure against fraud and other illegal activities.

Overview of Security Investigations to Protect Information and Avoid Threats

Brian — Tue, 04 Mar 2008 01:20:36 +0000

Nowadays, the issue of security concerns almost everyone. Nowadays, there is a great need for security everywhere – in people’s homes, businesses, and yes, even schools. You would hear news about how violence erupted in a school and how it could have been prevented with the right security system. It is not just huge companies that need protection but also small businesses. The security is not just limited to eliminating external risks to security. Nowadays, it includes ensuring safety against internal risks.

Importance of Security Investigations

A lot could be lost if the security within an establishment is weak, and if indeed weak, there arises a need for investigative services to pinpoint the weak areas and develop a program in order to eliminate the risks associated with a poor security system. This concern for a good security system is not just shared by one or two persons. This is shared by everyone although the need of one could be greater than the others. Celebrities, for instance, are in constant need of protection. Huge corporations are in need of a strong built-in security system that would eradicate threats of possible leakages of confidential information. This is primarily the focus of security investigations – elimination of security risks and asset protection. The programs address the specific need of a company or an individual.

What are Security Investigations?

Security investigations comprise every means that would ensure the safety of an entity or an individual. These are not limited to exposing fraud, risks and danger that already exist but are also intended to prevent the possibility of these risks arising. These investigate the weak areas and devise means to strengthen the same. Security investigation is also intended to protect dignitaries, executives, celebrities, or people whose lives are in constant jeopardy. It also includes protection of huge assets of a company or an individual.

These kinds of investigations are also intended to manage and prevent potentially volatile situations arising from disputes, especially from strikes, lockouts, closures, terminations, and lay offs. The investigators respond immediately to provide security over the premises and corporate officers. Security investigators are equipped with undercover investigative skills designed to recognize threats within the company, violations of policies or laws and fraudulent activities. This is to ensure security in all aspects of operation. Security investigations in corporate setting includes IT security, electronic surveillance detections and threat evaluation.

Security investigations can help you minimize danger and risks directed at you, your home and your company. The need for security investigation has never been more pronounced. Everyone should ensure that they have the best security they can afford.

Employment Investigations of Backgrounds and Previous Jobs

Brian — Tue, 04 Mar 2008 01:20:09 +0000

The privacy and integrity of a person is sacred. You don’t violate nor interfere with the same. So, it is not surprising that people would frown at the thought of having their backgrounds checked. There are exceptions, however, to the rule, recognizing the sanctity of people’s privacy. There are special circumstances which require background investigation of people to the extent that their privacy may be invaded. These exceptions allow for these invasions in order to check if a particular person is indeed trustworthy, credible and honest. There are many reasons which justify background checks. These include employment investigations.

Significance of Doing a Background Check

Today, there are many laws that protect employees’ rights and employers cannot just remove their employees from their employment without going through a lot of legal complications and hassles. This is one of the reasons why it is so important to do a background check on prospective employees before actually hiring them especially if the job is particularly sensitive or confidential. If you are an employer, you must make sure that the credentials of your applicants match the information they gave on their resume.

Employment investigations verify the accuracy and truthfulness of the statements made in an employee’s application or resume. Background check on employees includes verification of previous employment, education, references, social security number, criminal records, and other vital information.

The level and extent of an employment investigation depend on the requirements of a particular job. Some companies would require extensive checking while other companies may require only a perfunctory investigation. The focus of the investigation would also depend on what kind of job is involved. Positions involving financial access would naturally require a careful background check on the applicant’s educational background and certification.

The Need for Employment Investigation

Employers greatly depend on their employees. Most of the time, an employee could either be an asset or a liability of a company. You and your business could be at risk if you carelessly disregard background checks on your employees. You cannot expect applicants to be completely honest about their personal information and qualifications. You need to check for yourself if they’re reliable and honest. A background check would also help you choose between two highly qualified applicants.

There are a lot of ways that you can resort to when doing an investigative search. If you don’t have time to do the research yourself, you could do well with the service of online investigators. Have them check the criminal, driving and education records of a particular applicant.

Corporate Investigation to Uncover Internal Crime and Fraud

Brian — Tue, 04 Mar 2008 01:19:37 +0000

Today, businesses are swamped with corporate issues and concerns that they have not experienced before. With the increasing number of laws protecting and favoring employees, corporations are faced with the challenge of knowing which employee is an asset to the company and which is not. Nowadays, you cannot just fire an employee without violating any law, especially since employee unions have become more aggressive in protecting their rights. There will always be some illegality imputed to your action.

Everyday, corporations are wasting money on employees who are unproductive and inefficient. Sadly, there are employers who are unwittingly employing people who are cheating or using them for their own interest or personal gain. Employers are paying for time wasted on personal Internet use. It is difficult to be assured that a company’s integrity is not being placed in jeopardy by their employees or that no trade secrets or proprietary information are being sold or shared outside the company. This is why it is very important for companies to conduct corporate investigation.

Corporate Investigation

Corporate investigation is the process of inquiring into the corporate system of a company in order to uncover fraudulent or criminal activities, which would jeopardize the company.

There are several methods employed in a thorough corporate investigation. These include background investigations of personnel; installations of electronic devices such as hidden cameras and listening devices; computer forensics; interviews; product, security and stock audit; and other methods which would efficiently uncover malicious and fraudulent activities within the company if there are any. Some of these methods, like computer forensics and security audit, are particularly effective in exposing employee theft and sale of confidential information.

Technology and Corporate Investigation

Corporate investigation gives particular attention to corporate security especially the use of computers in workplaces. This is probably because too much of a company’s security is at risk if the access and use of the computers within the company is not properly limited. It is very easy for a corporate investigator to check the actions of a particular employee through his computer. Deleted file could be recovered. Reformatted hard drive can be retrieved. The investigation could check the websites visited, downloaded files, accessed files, deleted files, concealed files, destroyed files, and even fabricated files. All these could make a huge difference in the security of a company if not checked.

In choosing a corporate investigator, companies should make sure that the investigator could assure them of positive results, responsiveness, and confidentiality of records.

Doing a Criminal and Financial Background Check of Your Employees and Partners

Brian — Tue, 04 Mar 2008 01:19:08 +0000

Every facet of people’s lives involves other people. From your personal life to your business relationships, there is always some other person involved. You trust your kids to their nannies. You get a business partner. You employ a new clerk. You hire a broker. You go to a new surgeon. Think about it. Everyday, you deal with people, and you entrust a certain precious aspect of your life to them. The only time you don’t have to deal with anyone is when you’re asleep. With all those people, how do you know whom to associate with and whom to trust?

Background Checks

At some point in your life, you would need information about people. Nowadays, the need to do a background check is easier. For some people, this need is more pronounced as they deal with different people everyday. Doing a background check is extremely necessary for people with businesses. You cannot just trust anyone these days. You cannot hire a person, assume he is trustworthy, and leave him the keys to your store.

Types of Background Checks

There are various types of background checks, some of which are criminal history check, employment background check, driving record background check, and the general or personal background check. A general background check is a method of verifying the accuracy of information of people with regard to their commercial and official records. It is now popularly used by companies and employers when the job to be filled requires a thorough check of an applicant’s background before employment.

Background Checks and Private Investigators

Today, almost all activities require some background checking before you commit yourself to anything. Checking a person’s background is also important. It will give you information on the character of the person you are dealing with.

A complete background check includes information on criminal records, warrant search, debts, birth, death, divorce, marriage records, identity theft, address verification, past employment, business records, bankruptcy records, social security number search, education verification, character references, and other personal information.

Conducting a background check is not easy if you want to be thorough. However, you can always hire a private investigator to do the job for you if you don’t have the time to do the same. Some companies have on their employ people whose job consists of just checking on people’s background. You could also do the background checking on your own through the Internet or you could purchase the information from an online company specializing on background investigation.

Hire Financial Investigators to Uncover Fraud and Other Crimes

Brian — Tue, 04 Mar 2008 01:18:33 +0000

It is not easy to conduct financial investigations. Typically, the records needed to expose irregularities are well kept. These records are carefully manipulated to prevent disclosure of fraudulent activities behind them. What makes it even more difficult to recover these documents is that they are well protected by laws. They cannot be easily obtained without violating laws on privacy and confidentiality of private records. This is even more so if the documents to be obtained are bank statements and such. When the activity is a massive embezzlement, the investigation would usually take time. Financial investigators would have to go through numerous disjointed documents that would need organization and analysis in order to unearth the truth.

Extensive and Exhaustive Work

Financial investigation is quite intensive. All documents shall have to be examined in order to reveal movement of assets, especially cash. The paper trail starts from the determination of the occurrence of fraud or embezzlement. The financial investigator would then trace the activities to who reaps the benefits. He would have to go through all the papers in order to produce the evidence of the fraudulent scheme or activities. This extensive and exhausting work falls on the shoulders of financial investigators who should possess the expertise and experience on this type of investigation.

These investigators provide variety of services which include corporate fraud investigations, forensic accounting, damage prevention and calculation, and recovery of proofs and evidences. They work with other investigative experts in order to expose illegal activities. Usually, they also investigate bankruptcies, especially if there is the probability that the person who petitioned for declaration of bankruptcy is merely avoiding paying his creditors. This investigation includes financial record analysis, illegal transfers, and solvency analysis.

Benefits of Conducting Financial Investigations Regularly

Financial investigation is also intended to expose fraudulent activities in large scale. The investigation would involve analysis of financial records and traces of movements of assets and cash, as well as recovery of hidden assets.

Financial investigation is also an effective way of uncovering theft, asset misappropriation and embezzlement within the company. You can’t just be too careful. Also, this could prove a very good deterrent against such activities if the employees know that the company regularly conducts financial investigations. The financial investigators would also recommend ways to improve the security within the company to diminish or eliminate the likelihood of fraud.

Whatever your situation is, securing the service of financial investigators would greatly benefit you or your company. However, make sure that your investigator has all the necessary skills and expertise to go along with his job.

How to Use an Online Detective to Check on Your Employees, Children or Spouse

Brian — Tue, 04 Mar 2008 01:17:56 +0000

You don’t have to exhaust yourself, waste your time and energy to find someone, check the background of an applicant, or check the reliability of a business contact. Background investigation is exhausting especially if you want to thoroughly check on somebody. You wouldn’t even know where to start. At this point, you probably would want to take the trouble off your hands. Well, securing the service of an online detective would certainly solve the problem for you.

Advantages of Getting Online

With the rapid evolution of the information age, the Internet has brought to your home everything that you can find downtown. You now have an access to all sorts of services. You can now secure a loan online, look for a broker online, buy your grocery online, and purchase a wedding dress online. And if you have a need for a private investigator, you don’t even have to waste your time scouring for detectives in the yellow pages. The Internet has made it so easy for you to reach an online detective with just a click of a button.

You have an access to thousands of online private investigation services worldwide through the Internet. These online private investigation agencies have their own websites that you can check and through which you could contact them. They offer tools that you could purchase for a small price, download and use for quick search results. You could hire these online detectives to keep tabs on Internet use of specific individuals. If there arise a need for you to check on the Internet use of your employees, or if you’re suspicious of your spouse’s fidelity, or worried about your children, you could secure the service of these online investigation agencies or detectives to do some checking for you.

Things to Consider

These agencies or investigators would generally charge a reasonable fee for the use of their materials and service for a length of time. They would also provide technical assistance and instruction on how to use the online tools that you could purchase. With an effective tool, you can locate people, get details on their lives, check on people’s credits, verify identity, look for a child, validate education records, and many more. Be careful though about choosing which tools to use. All of these online detective agencies promise good and quick results, but most of these tools are ineffective. You would be better off searching through your phone directory.

sethson.com » Private Investigations

Different Types of Private Detectives and Investigators

Services Rendered by Private Detectives

Five Types of Private Detectives

Related Posts

How to Find and Hire a Private Investigation Company

Reasons and Purposes

The Increasing Demand for Private Investigations

Choosing Your Private Investigator

Related Posts

Fraud Investigations for Small Businesses and Big Companies

The Aspects of Fraud Investigation

How They Work

Benefits of Conducting Fraud Investigations

Related Posts

Overview of Security Investigations to Protect Information and Avoid Threats

Importance of Security Investigations

What are Security Investigations?

Related Posts

Employment Investigations of Backgrounds and Previous Jobs

Significance of Doing a Background Check

The Need for Employment Investigation

Related Posts

Corporate Investigation to Uncover Internal Crime and Fraud

Corporate Investigation

Technology and Corporate Investigation

Related Posts

Doing a Criminal and Financial Background Check of Your Employees and Partners

Background Checks

Types of Background Checks

Background Checks and Private Investigators

Related Posts

Hire Financial Investigators to Uncover Fraud and Other Crimes

Extensive and Exhaustive Work

Benefits of Conducting Financial Investigations Regularly

Related Posts

How to Use an Online Detective to Check on Your Employees, Children or Spouse

Advantages of Getting Online

Things to Consider

Related Posts