Confirming what you know and finding what you don't
The following was originally posted in May 2019. Every one of these still holds true. When I talk with clients about conducting an asset search, whether it’s for due diligence purposes, litigation, or identifying fraud, I frequently come across several misconceptions about how these types of investigations work. Over time, I’ve noticed that these myths […]
As a private investigator, I search social media and online news for our clients on a daily basis, and I find it especially useful for asset investigations. Not everything will show up in public records, and news and social media research helps fill in the gaps. Here are just a few examples of what we’ve […]
In situations where you’re investigating fraud, heading to court, enforcing a judgment, or preparing for a divorce case, it’s likely that you’ll need to conduct an asset investigation. You’ll want to look at the evidence and determine net worth, observe spending habits, and identify assets and sources of income that can go towards debt repayment. […]
When researching assets, don’t forget to check intellectual property. Unlike, for example, a car, home, or commercial property, intellectual property–including patents, copyrights, and trademarks–is considered an intangible asset, something that’s “created with the mind.” Most people don’t have a list of inventions or trademarks that add up to much value, but, occasionally, you can uncover […]
When I talk with clients about conducting an asset search on an individual or a company, whether it’s for due diligence purposes, litigation, or identifying fraud, I frequently come across several misconceptions about how these types of investigations work. Over time, I’ve noticed that these myths tend to fall into six general categories: 1. I […]
I’m heading to the OSMOSIS conference for open source intelligence (OSINT) professionals where I’ll present a short “Bits and Bytes” roundtable session on asset investigations. When preparing for a lawsuit, conducting due diligence, or enforcing a judgment, you may need to evaluate a person’s or firm’s open, tangible, and hidden assets. But, without their permission […]