Instructing a private investigator – where should you begin?

Mike LaCorte at Conflict International outlines how organisations should approach the process of selecting, instructing and managing a private investigation service

There can be considerable unease by firms in the corporate sector when it comes to instructing Private Investigation (PI) firms. Those in the corporate world sometimes believe PI firms operate in a ‘sleuthy’ industry, fuelled by intrusive long lensed cameras, month-long stakeouts and the hiding of trackers on the underside of vehicles.

In reality, this depiction is now largely confined to Hollywood. Private investigation has moved on, and it has long been of mutual benefit for PI firms and corporates to work hand in hand to tackle the growing epidemic of fraud.

Adapt, improvise, overcome

Whilst the PI industry has evolved rapidly since its inception, it’s vital to remember that it remains officially unregulated in the UK. Before instructing an investigator, corporates must also do their due diligence.

There are several official certifications available to PI firms with industry bodies such as the International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO) and British Standards Institution (BSI); and such qualifications are the mark of a responsible PI outfit.

If corporates confirm the possession of these accreditations, they can rest easily knowing that their chosen PI firm has proven to a governing body that they have sufficient practices in place to meet the requirements for standardisation and quality assurance.

Investigative firms do conduct due diligence checks on their clients, all of which will have to pass stringent Know Your Customer (KYC) checks before progressing a case. These measures should be taken as standard and should be mirrored by corporates before taking on new suppliers.

Where do I start with instructing an investigator?

Corporates should take measures to ensure you know exactly who will be accessing your data and for what reason. Ensure you ask the firm if any of the work will be subcontracted, or if it will all be kept in house. A respected investigator will recognise that cases are often in relation to highly confidential matters, so there should be measures in place to protect the confidentiality of your information.

NDAs are also always an option. Firms may often subcontract work to other accredited investigators in other countries. Whilst this is not an issue in itself, you should enquire as to their provisions to secure the chain of data.

Don’t be scared to enquire about the actual investigator who will be dealing with your case. It is important to get off on the right foot with your investigations firm. Ultimately developing a trusting relationship with a firm can give you the cutting edge when it comes to fraud cases.

A very particular set of skills…

Private investigators are privy to particular sets of specialised skills when it comes to fraud that can be invaluable to corporates.  Conducting investigations of this manner day in, day out, means investigators are well trained in picking up on small clues that may not be immediately visible to the untrained eye.

Aside from this, simply having an impartial set of eyes looking over your case, detached from any outside noise and influence, can offer a sense of impartiality when it comes to the feasibility of your matter.

Ethics has often been a sticking point for corporates when seeking to instruct a PI firm, but despite remaining an ‘unregulated’ industry in the UK, PIs are well aware of laws and regulations in the UK, and any other jurisdictions.

Dealing with international cases will be second nature to an experienced investigator and they will have contacts and healthy relationships with other top investigators around the world to lean on for guidance as to the legal constraints in other countries.

Barriers to investigation

Large corporates often don’t have the time to sift through pages of case law and regulation for each jurisdiction in which they require help. This is why an investigator should go above and beyond to ensure any information and data obtained is fully admissible and has been uncovered through legitimate means.

It is a widespread belief that corporates not leaning on the PI sector are missing a trick. Many individuals now working in the private sector are ex-police and intelligence services, who have spent their lives conducting investigations of this nature and know what they’re doing when it comes to fraud.

There is no end in sight to the rapid rise in fraud occurring daily, but more can certainly be done to ensure better and more frequent recovery of assets. One way to do this is for the corporate sector to leverage the experience of a first-rate private investigations service.

Mike LaCorte is CEO at Conflict International and former President of the World Association of Detectives

Main image courtesy of iStockPhoto.com