In the corporate world, information is key to getting the upper hand on competitors. In fact, the value of information can translate to tens of thousands of dollars, giving credence to the murky world of corporate and industrial espionage. To counter this threat and protect your business’ interests, you can hire corporate private investigators, but not any investigator will do.
But how can you differentiate between efficient, effective investigators who work to find answers to your questions and identity information leaks, and unreliable, ineffective investigators?
At NSI, we have built a reputation for top-quality investigative services. With the corporate world a key part of our client base, we provide unequalled corporate private investigators in performance excellence terms. To consistently meet this high standard, we look at our clients’ needs to understand what makes the difference.
Below are 6 tips to identify an investigator with the skills and abilities you need, leaving you confident before ever receiving their final report.
What Are Corporate Private Investigators?
Essentially, a corporate private investigator is hired to provide investigative services for a business, institution or government body. Specific investigations can vary, but principally relates to uncovering information on illegal activities, such as:
- Fraud or conspiracy to commit fraud;
- Incidents of industrial espionage, such as leaks on sensitive or valuable information;
- Workers compensation fraud;
- Workplace theft
An investigator may also carry out in-depth background checks on individuals – either employed or considered for employment – to ascertain the individual’s character and whether he/she might be a security risk, or on entities, so as to give you the upper hand in knowing about the company you are dealing with. Some of the reasons include:
- Personal injury claims
- Workers’ compensation claims
- Workplace fraud
- Incidents of theft
- Blackmail attempts
- Extortion attempts
- Personnel issues
- Bankruptcy, banned and disqualified registry checks
- Financial regulatory checks
6 Tips for Hiring Corporate Private Investigators
- Experienced Personnel – the most vital consideration when selecting an investigator. A reliable investigative service cannot be provided if personnel are inexperienced in the industry. At NSI, our team have backgrounds in:
- International Security;
- Intelligence;
- Law Enforcement;
- Military; and
- Insurance.
- Properly Licenced – no corporate private investigator is allowed to operate without a licence issued by the relevant state or territory (except in Canberra in the ACT). Here at NSI, all of our agents hold up-to-date Private Inquiry Agents Licences, issued by the NSW Police Commercial and Private Inquiry Unit. Remember also that any company offering services must have a current master licence. Verifying licences is pretty straightforward. Below links to relevant issuing bodies are provided so you can check for yourself.
- Victoria, issued by the Victorian Police Licensing Services Division. Verify licence here.
- NSW, issued by NSW Police Commercial and Private Inquiry Unit. Verify licence here.
- Northern Territory, issued by the Northern Territory Department of Justice. Verify licence at Consumer and Business Affairs directly on (08) 8935 7777.
- Queensland, issued by the Queensland Office of Fair Trading. Verify licence here.
- South Australia, issued by Office of Consumer & Business Affairs. Verify licence here.
- Tasmania, issued by the Tasmanian Consumer Affairs Office. Verify licence here.
- Western Australia, issued by the Western Australian Police Service. Verify licence here.
- Properly Trained – all private investigators are trained in educational institutions so that they can attain certificates for licensing purposes. Some investigators go the extra mile and get trained in the field by experts, or come from law enforcement or government investigation backgrounds. The quality of training is particularly relevant. So, ask your prospective investigator about:
- Training courses he/she has taken;
- Techniques he/she has learned from a previous profession.
Private investigators that use GPS trackers to aid in their investigation are breaching the Surveillance Devices Act and a multitude of other Acts. The person hiring an investigator that uses these illegal devices may also be breaching laws. At NSI, we do not use or condone the use of these devices.
- Appropriate Knowledge – your chosen corporate private investigator should have appropriate knowledge for the job. Compare:
- From an insurance industry, they are better placed to identify insurance fraud;
- While one with electrical engineering knowledge would be perfect for deciphering emails or relevant communiqués.
Check out your prospective investigator’s educational background and whether he/she is up-to-date on aspects like:
- Workplace Surveillance Laws
- Legal Process
- Investigative Techniques
- Studies either on general or specific security areas
- Technologically Adept – a proper investigation should be aided by modern technology. A wide variety is necessary, from video and photographic equipment to mobile, online and surveillance technologies. Ask prospective investigators what equipment they have. With fast-paced technology changes, their equipment must be state-of-the-art.
- Guaranteed Confidentiality – tied to the confidentiality principle whether in private or corporate sectors, every investigator is expected to work with the utmost discretion. Make sure any contract agreement includes clauses that clearly highlight these conditions. At NSI, we have strict confidentiality agreements and non-disclosure agreements. We abide by a code of confidentiality.
Why NSI Investigators?
At NSI, we understand just how difficult it can be for a corporate or even government body to secure accurate and detailed information. For that reason, we offer a wide range of corporate private investigator services designed for every client information needing search or confirmation.
Our investigators are highly educated, properly qualified and thoroughly trained. Our agents also conduct regular refresher training courses to practice new methods and techniques of investigations. They also have varied sector experiences, from international security to law enforcement, to the latest cybercrime trends and related technologies.
Our range of services is extensive, incorporating such areas:
- Workplace fraud and theft
- Workers’ compensation insurance claims
- Personal injury claims
- Trademark and copyright infringement
- Legal investigations
- Digital forensic investigations
- Handwriting analysis
- Computer forensic investigations
We also provide expert corporate or individual background checks and due diligence investigations that include:
- Credit Risk and Ratings
- Hidden Exposures
- Financial History
- Previous Dealings
- Conflicts of Interest
- Intellectual Property Issues
- Reputation
- Insolvency and Bankruptcy Checks
- National and International Due Diligence Checks
- Full Media Checks (including Internet, Newspaper, Television and Radio)
For more on the services we provide, visit our NSI website, or contact us by filling in our online contact form or call us directly at 1300 000 674 (NSI) or at one of our branches.