All about current standards, practices and more... http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/feed/feed.xml en Conflict International http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/favicon.ico http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/ All about current standards, practices and more... The European Appeal Tribunal has recently made two very interesting rulings which may have an effect on the way a European or a London private detective or investigation agency operates, as the result of a recent employment appeal tribunal held in Edinburgh. They have decided where an employee cannot do their primary job because of sickness, the default position is that the individual may not partake in paid work for another employer. In addition it was concluded that covert surveillance does not contravene the individual’s right to privacy under Article 8 of the European Convention of Hunan Rights (ECHR). However the level of covert surveillance cannot be disproportionate to achieving its aims. Essentially the case regards Mr McCann who appealed against his dismissal from a local College where he lectured part time, because whilst on sick leave it came to the attention of the college that he was working in the garage which he was the proprietor of. What most appeals to any investigation agency, is that Mr McCann appealed on the basis that the decision to place him under covert surveillance contravened his right to privacy under Article 8 of the European Convention of Hunan Rights (ECHR). What does this mean to a private investigator and ongoing cases? If you are conducting a private investigation within the European Union, it is essential the extent and depth of covert surveillance does not go beyond the fine line of appropriate to excessive. You might ask where this line stands, however every case is different and there can be no rule of thumb. It is a question of judgement which is often dictated by experience. With the right experience knowing how far your investigation can go within the letter of the law is absolutely crucial to a successful investigation. ... http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/795/covert-surveillance-wins-against-eu-right-to-privacy http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/795/covert-surveillance-wins-against-eu-right-to-privacy 18 August 2010, 3:15 pm http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/feed/feed.xml The private detective industry may find that it is set to boom under the Conservative Lib Dem government. You might be asking yourself how this is possible but in reality there is a very simple explanation. The government is determined to reduce the amount the state pays out on welfare benefits which is all part of the larger plan to reduce the country’s budget deficit. The Department for Work and Pensions is expected to be busier than as they will no doubt be doing everything possible to identify fraudulent benefit claimants, which actually provides significant opportunities to private investigators, which has been demonstrated ever so aptly in the case of 61 year old Terence Read. In Mr. Read’s case he began claiming benefits in 1995 thanks to sever arthritis which left him virtually unable to work and therefore restricted to a wheelchair.  As a result of his claim the Department of Work and Pensions awarded Mr. Read just shy of £20,000. Unfortunately for Mr. Read someone had tipped of the Department for Work and Pensions who then proceeded to hire a private detective. Although quite frankly the tip of was inevitable as it is unlikely an older man with severe arthritis would be taking part and do exceedingly well in a jive competition. Mr. Reid was even awarded the highest possible benefit rate which is typically reserved who individuals who need assistance with bathing and going to the toilet. However by 2005 it was thankfully apparent that his health had taken a dramatic turn for the better due to a successful hip operation and recovery. Unfortunately for Mr. Read, he failed to notify the Department for Work and Pensions and continued to claim benefits for three years and six months. Investigators have said that he was often seen walking without the need for assistance, taking part in dance competitions with the dance schools he attended in Manchester. For people who are genuinely in need of full support from the Department of Work and Pensions, they deserve to be on benefits and nobody can deny them that. However the government should quite rightly make sure that those who can work but choose not to have paths and opportunities system. For those that defraud the system perhaps more serious litigation will assist in reducing the number of people on benefits in the UK. Whatever the case may be private detectives and the Department for Work and Pensions are probably going to become good friends in the coming years. ... http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/781/investigators-target-benefit-cheats http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/781/investigators-target-benefit-cheats 12 July 2010, 9:56 am http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/feed/feed.xml The breaking news coming from America that ten Russian spies have been arrested will for many come as a shock. After all the cold war is over and American and Russian cooperation is better than ever. However what this demonstrates is that even in peace time the worlds superpowers try to keep a close eye on their allies. As a detective agency, hearing about this is very exciting because it briefly highlights the murky world of spying and espionage between major governments. This case is particularly interesting because of the length of the spy operation conducted, the long term surveillance by the FBI and some of the spying techniques used which would sound totally appropriate in an early James Bond movie. The spies are accused of gathering information on US nuclear weapons, US arms control, Iran, White House rumours, CIA leadership and political parties. It is alleged that the spies were trained by the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service. However this is not the first time another country has been found spying on the US. A few months ago Iran claimed to have hacked US spy sites. The US department of Justice has stated that eight of the suspects were carrying out long term deep cover assignments. This required the spies to work in civilian jobs to minimise any suspicion. From what we understand the spies had been in the US for some years but the FBI had discovered them and had been monitoring them for a number of years. US officials say that FBI agents posed as Russian handlers and collected information from two of the suspects, which was the major breakthrough that led to eight more being arrested. During the investigation and surveillance of the spies the FBI observed a combination of modern computing skill and some older spy techniques. For example the spies apparently used invisible ink, buried money next to beer bottle markers and “brush pasts” which is where agents swap identical bags as they pass each other. The spies endeavours were not in vein according to news sources as they were able to get quite close to a scientist involved in designing bunker busting bombs and a top former intelligence official. And finally to make things even more interesting there is an eleventh spy who is now at large in the US. The man has been named as Christopher R Metsos. If the allegations are true, which they most likely are given the detail provided it does beg the question, does America do the same in Russia? Well the answer is almost certainly yes. Whilst there is no proof we can call upon, these old Cold War enemies although much friendlier now clearly have some trust issues. Evidence of this mistrust can be found when you consider that US officials who routinely travel to Russia turn off their BlackBerries and leave them on the plane to ensure any data on their phones remains out of reach of tech-savvy Russian intelligence agents. ... http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/771/russian-spies-exposed-in-america http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/771/russian-spies-exposed-in-america 29 June 2010, 11:38 am http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/feed/feed.xml Chip and pin was once hailed as the miracle cure for credit card fraud. Investigators were however rightly doubtful. On one side you have the Police and the banks who work on improving security and tackling fraud. On the other side you have criminals who are always looking for weaknesses in technology which they can then exploit. It is a battle which constantly ebbs and flows. It is a bit like the cold war. The Americans make planes that can fly high over Russia on reconnaissance missions. In response the Russians invested heavily in anti-aircraft missiles, and soon develop the weapons to shoot the US planes out the sky, which they successfully do in 1962 shooting Francis Gary Powers U2 spy plane out of the sky. Thankfully the cold war stayed cold and today both the Americans and Russians use satellites. While the Cold War may have come to an end the war between the police, banks and fraudsters rages on. Thankfully the police have recently jailed a gang of chip and pin fraudsters who had apparently carried out one of the UK’s most prolific scams. The gang would modify chip and pin machines at petrol stations in Cambridgeshire, Leicestershire, Kent, Bristol and Sussex. The ringleader admitted to conspiracy to defraud and conspiracy to possess articles for use in course of fraud and has been given a four and half year sentence and deportation upon release. In addition accomplices were also found guilty and sentenced to three and half years in prison. The strategy the gang used was to install devices in chip and pin readers which would clone the card details allowing the gang to steal their money. In total the nine month fraud caused losses totalling £750,000. When arrested the ringleaders laptop 35,000 cards, of which 7,000 came from one garage in Kent. Unfortunately for the garage owner he was victim of a Facebook campaign which urged people not to use the forecourt, and was subjected to repeated verbal abuse.  The prosecution described the ringleader as one of the most prolific chip and pin fraudsters and since his arrest the amount of credit card fraud has dipped slightly. However the prosecution also warned that this is just the tip of the iceberg. Sadly credit card fraud is international and the iceberg is truly gigantic. Wherever the technology there will be someone there to exploit it. For example in Abu Dhabi, fraud investigators unearthed a 66.65 billion dollar fraud attempt. ... http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/762/prolific-chip-and-pin-gang-jailed http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/762/prolific-chip-and-pin-gang-jailed 29 June 2010, 10:54 am http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/feed/feed.xml In the aftermath of the credit crunch the full scale of scandal is slowly coming to light. Investigators and journalists have been frantically going through whatever evidence they can. However in the murky world of international corporate business, the complexity is quite amazing. The enormous international financial institutions didn’t get to where they are by luck. They’re smart. When Lehman Brothers went bankrupt the credit crunch took on a whole new persona. People become very frightened that we would be heading to a great depression. A lot of people quite rightly couldn’t understand how a company with such vast fortunes could go bankrupt so quickly. Global Investment banks operate in extremely complicated ways, with millions of dollars being exchanged around the world every second. However if there is one thing which binds these companies together it’s their accounts. What Lehman Brothers did was essentially tricked individuals and companies to invest in them. How did they do this you ask? The short answer is, Europe. Without their European arms Lehman might not have been able to fudge their accounts and swindle millions from innocent investors. How did Europe help, you might ask? Well it was all thanks to an accounting deception known as “Repo 105” which was legal in the UK but not in the US. The accounting trickery helped Lehman Brothers temporarily remove about $50 billion of assets from its balance sheet, making the company look much better than it really was. Back in 2001 Lehman Brothers used the practice for the first time thanks to British law firm Linklaters, allowing the Repo 105 accounting practice to be carried out through the firm’s European arm. Therefore, at least in Lehman Brothers case one could argue that it was not the American bankers that brought the company down, instead British lawyers allowed them to do so and once they found an easy way out it was the start of the company’s downfall. According to investigators these were the dollar amounts of United States-originated securities used in Repo 105 for the last three quarters of Lehman’s life: $8.3 billion for the fourth quarter of 2007 $14.9 billion for the first quarter of 2008 $13.6 billion for the second quarter of 2008 In conclusion, the argument over who is to blame for such malpractice is much like the chicken and the egg argument. The British lawmakers allowed Lehman Brothers to perform at the very least questionable accounting practices. But it was the Lehman bankers, strategists and accountants that decided to continue to use the Repo 105 accounting practice which in hindsight was a prolonged and desperate last throw of the dice of a business out of control. ... http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/752/was-lehman-brothers-bankruptcy-down-to-british-lawyers http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/752/was-lehman-brothers-bankruptcy-down-to-british-lawyers 18 June 2010, 11:43 am http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/feed/feed.xml Investigators representing the US congress have published a series of internal BP memos which they claim proves the company systematically neglected their duties which put safety at risk on the Deepwater Horizon rig in order to increase profits. These actions, if proven, cost lives and has done untold damage to the Gulf of Mexico natural environment and the local industries which depend on nature such as fishing. Confidential e-mails which were written in the days prior to the catastrophe, seem to show that very serious concerns were raised by BP workers and the contracted workers but were dismissed for financial reasons. Some of the e-mails describe the oil well as a “nightmare” and safety measures which should have been put in place were ignored. The man heading the investigation is Henry Waxman, the chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee and has accused BP of making several poor decisions in the lead up to the disaster. “We found a pattern,” he said last night. “Every time they had a decision to make they decided to cut corners; to do things faster than they otherwise should have been done; to do it less expensively and the consequence of this, as one independent expert told us, was horribly negligent. “They violated what their own employees were recommending they do, they violated their own industry practices and they ignored the recommendation of contractors who told them to do certain tests to avoid safety concerns.” “We found a pattern,” he said last night. “Every time they had a decision to make they decided to cut corners; to do things faster than they otherwise should have been done; to do it less expensively and the consequence of this, as one independent expert told us, was horribly negligent. “They violated what their own employees were recommending they do, they violated their own industry practices and they ignored the recommendation of contractors who told them to do certain tests to avoid safety concerns.” Henry Waxman’s investigation has also made key findings into the procedures and protocols which were ignored by BP for financial reasons. They are that: BP’s Deepwater Horizon used 6 instead of the recommended 21 “centralisers”. BP decided against performing a “cement bond log” that would have tested the integrity of the cement. BP failed to fully circulate the drilling mud, which is a procedure used to detect gas pockets which later shot up the well and exploded on the drilling rig. The evidence from the investigation into the disaster, at this stage doesn’t look to positive for BP. However it is worth pointed out that Henry Waxman himself has stated that US oil firms have identical response plans to BP and are therefore equally woefully unprepared for such a disaster. ... http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/743/investigators-close-in-on-bp http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/743/investigators-close-in-on-bp 16 June 2010, 9:39 am http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/feed/feed.xml An investigator is drawn to places such as Abu Dhabi like moths to a flame. It is a region with vast fortunes, which brings out the very best and worst in people. This is why for a private investigator it is an important place to consider making connections. Abu Dhabi is rapidly growing economy. The United Arab Emirates is a crucial location and the region boasts some remarkable economies. It is about seven hours from London and only nine from China. Businesses have been slowly investing in the region for several decades and it is now flourishing. It was in the 1970’s that the UAE struck up major oil contracts with American and European governments and businesses. The simplest of exchanges, oil for money has made the region and economic powerhouse. Unfortunately where ever you find vast wealth you will find those who wish to exploit it, which was most recently highlighted by the Abu Dhabi police who have foiled an attempt by three Iranians to defraud the United Arab Emirates central bank of 14.4 billion dollars. Suspected ringleader Farzin Ali Karoryan Mutlaq remains at large in Iran, while two men whose initials were given as E.H.K. and Iranian-American N.A.B. Both are believed to be under arrest. The accused fraudsters allegedly presented fake documents claiming Mutlaq “has property investments worth 14.4 billion dollars and that the amount was transferred to the UAE from Germany through the central bank,” according to Rashid Mohammed Burasheed, the head of Abu Dhabi’s Criminal Investigation Department. E.H.K. had power of attorney to receive the money and transfer it to Mutlaq, who is wanted by Interpol, Burasheed said. It is also understood that four failed fraud attempts in the past year would have netted 244.6 billion dirhams (66.65 billion dollars), had they been successful. ... http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/732/abu-dhabi-investigators-and-fraud http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/732/abu-dhabi-investigators-and-fraud 15 June 2010, 3:00 pm http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/feed/feed.xml Any detective will warn that fraudsters as well as footballers are geared up for this month’s World Cup extravaganza in South Africa, which also has domestic issues regarding corruption. It is easy to see why some travelling fans might be concerned with the risk of being a victim of fraud. Football’s governing body (FIFA) has already warned supporters to be wary over various forms of scams that will inevitably occur in the run-up to the start of the tournament and during it. FIFA lottery, prize draw or competition scams are likely to abound. All represent types of advanced fee fraud where fraudsters attempt to trick people into paying “administrative fees” supposedly needed to secure non-existent World Cup tickets or cash prizes. “Prize draws and competitions offering tickets to the 2010 FIFA World Cup can only be held by companies who are commercially affiliated with FIFA, such as, for example, sponsors,” it said. FIFA also used the notice to issue a warning against ticket touts and unauthorised agents, a more standard message that has preceded every recent World Cup. Spam emails touting 419-lite lottery scams themed around the World Cup are already in circulation and more can be expected to follow as excitement builds toward the start of the tournament. Security watchers report that scam emails seen thus far have not been sent through botnet networks of compromised PCs but via direct spamming from known Nigeria-based 419 scam-friendly IP addresses. If you are a victim of fraud or crime whilst in South Africa following the world cup your best bet is to contact the local authorities will will be very helpful and do whatever they can. There is little point in contacting the local private investigator because it is unlikely that you will be compensated at all quickly. However, as with most things if you are sensible and use your common sense the chances of something bad happening is greatly reduced. ... http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/729/word-cup-fraud-warning http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/729/word-cup-fraud-warning 7 June 2010, 7:00 am http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/feed/feed.xml In Italy, a private detective which specialises in gathering evidence on cheating partners, up until recently would probably not have had much business. You might be asking yourself why this is and the answer is surprisingly simple. Italy is a Catholic country and Catholicism does not think to highly of divorce. Of course not all Italians are Roman Catholic but historically it is the main religion of the country. However, recently Italy hosted its very first divorce fair, giving people in difficult marriages the opportunity to explore divorce as a possibility. Going through a divorce is not a pleasant experience and couples should always try to resolve their differences and issues before seriously discussing divorce. Unfortunately some marriages are beyond repair and divorce is the only option for both to be happy again. The divorce fair is named “Ex? Punto e a capo” and roughly translates to ‘Stop and start again’ and was Held in Milan in May. The event which is the first of its kind in Italy will offer prospective divorcees advice on everything from how to initiate legal proceedings to throwing a party to celebrate their new-found freedom. Although it was made legal in the 1970s, it is still frowned upon by the Catholic Church and can take three years, including two years of separation and a year more for the legal process. For married men and women who are harbouring suspicions about what their partner is getting up to, there will be information on how to hire a private investigator. And for those whose relationship has already turned toxic, there will be information on what to do if an ex has become a stalker, which can be a very scary experience. Experts will proffer tips for the newly single on the challenges of living alone again, how to find a new partner through match-making agencies and embarking on a makeover, including buying a new wardrobe. More than 130,000 couples split or divorced in 2007, up from 30,000 in 1971, according to the national statistics agency, ISTAT. As a result private detectives and investigators in Italy will continue to see their services increasing to meet the growing demand. Far from being a topic spoken under a whisper, divorce is now front page news. The Italian prime minister, Silvia Berlusconi has brought the topic right into the limelight with his own recent divorce and various scandals. ... http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/723/divorce-fair-comes-to-italy http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/723/divorce-fair-comes-to-italy 2 June 2010, 12:47 pm http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/feed/feed.xml The recent changes of Facebook’s privacy settings have attracted a lot of negative comments from regular users, but also from Data Protection authorities,  NGOs and even private detectives. If you actually think bout the amount of information which people freely give out in their Facebook profiles it is easy to see why such concerns have been raised. With so much information available to businesses, which can then use the information for marketing purposes, and individuals we can all be our own private investigator. In a public letter, the Article 29 Working Party, the group of European data protection authorities, has bluntly accused Facebook for its data protection practices, calling “unacceptable that the company fundamentally changed the default settings on its social-networking platform to the detriment of a user.” The 75th plenary session of the Working Party has also addressed letters to the 20 social network operators that have signed the “Safer Networking Principles for the EU ” asking them for a “a default setting in which access to the profile information and information about the connections of a user is limited to self-selected contacts. Any further access, such as by search engines, should be an explicit choice of the user.” The letters also included the issues of the third-party application providers of social network services and of third persons contained in users’ profiles. On a different level, Trans Atlantic Consumer Dialogue (TACD), a coalition of U.S. and European consumer advocacy groups has adopted a new resolution criticizing the U.S. and European governments for failing to protect social network users from privacy and marketing abuses. “Social networks are like virtual homes for millions of people, but they are being invaded by data miners and marketers seeking to capitalize on information that users never intended to provide to strangers,” said Susan Grant, co-chair of the TACD Information Society Policy Committee. The resolution calls for the U.S. and EU governments to prohibit social networks from targeting advertisements to children under 16 and to bar them from using online marketing practices that studies show can have a negative impact on individuals, particularly children – for instance, digital marketing of products that contribute to childhood obesity. Facebook is trying to redeem its respect, by publicly answering questions posted to New York Times in relation with these new privacy concerns and even leaking some information that they are working again on “its privacy options”. But the current answers are flatly contradicting its own stated Principles on privacy, as EDRi-member Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) explains: “Facebook wrote these Principles and designed them to not only reassure its users, but to give itself wiggle room for the future. It is a carefully drafted document, and Facebook has no excuse not to live up to the minimum standards it set out for itself. If Facebook wants to regain the trust of its users, following its own principles would be a good place to start.” ... http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/713/facebook-under-pressure-for-not-observing-its-privacy-principles http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/713/facebook-under-pressure-for-not-observing-its-privacy-principles 21 May 2010, 3:33 pm http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/feed/feed.xml Performing background checks on employees in small to medium businesses can be a difficult decision. If you have a tight budget it is easy to see a background check as an unnecessary expense. However the evidence for background checks really does speak for itself, and if you don’t believe us you should ask a Gwent businessman lost over 10 years of information and data after his apprentice, who was made redundant during the recession, downloaded and wiped emails, files and diary appointments, whilst his ex-employer was on holiday. It is a well-researched fact that any criminal activity which has been inflicted on your business is much more likely to have been committed by someone working from within your firm, rather than a stranger. A 2007 report carried out by CIFAS, the UK’s Fraud Protection Service, revealed that employee fraud continues to pose a real risk to UK businesses of all sizes and that the UK is second only to Iceland for being the hardest hit country in Europe, in regard to employee stealing – costing the economy billions of pounds each year. The Fraud Act, which came into force in 2007, specifically targets actions whereby an employee impersonates someone else in order to gain access to financial records, false information given on a CV and financial abuse of seniority. In 2005 a poll revealed that 34% of managers didn’t check the background for the vast majority of applicants because they felt the process was too time consuming. It is somewhat ironic, given the poor financial decisions made by major investment banks in the UK and around the world, that the financial services industry does have a more checks in place that most. Just to work in certain areas requires extensive compliance exams to be taken, and the more senior you are the more scrutiny you will be under and rightly so. How to protect the firm? In the Gwent example, initial employee screening would not have necessarily given reason to worry, particularly when you consider what he did was an act of revenge. However, it is always sensible to firstly check out any new employees thoroughly before engaging them, and secondly to protect your company’s information and data. In addition to insisting on statements from referees, one of which should be the candidate’s last employer, but we recommend getting referees from the last five years of employment and scanning their CV for any contradictions or gaps. You should also seriously consider looking for any outstanding CCJs (county court judgements), verifying their address details and questioning any other aliases or addresses they may have. All this can be done by professional credit screening agencies or a professional investigation agency and we are certainly beginning to see an increase in requests from smaller businesses. Perhaps the vulnerability and widespread coverage on the topic is having an impact. ... http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/701/are-background-checks-an-unnecessary-expense-for-small-to-medium-businesses http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/701/are-background-checks-an-unnecessary-expense-for-small-to-medium-businesses 14 May 2010, 12:47 pm http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/feed/feed.xml Social media and user generated content have become a huge part of the internet and has had a massive impact on the way people surf the internet. Some have described it as a mixed blessing because of the security and privacy risks associated with the site and others like it. Some people are happy to share considerable personal information which might one day come back to haunt them. For example many employers will use Google and Facebook to search for people that have applied for a job. So be careful what groups you join and what pictures are posted. A picture of you blind drunk will not do you any favours with your job hunt. In addition, when you think about the amount of information that you can share on Facebook, it is everything anyone will need to know about you. Your age, where you live, where you work, likes and dislikes, who you’re friends and family are, your religion, your favourite music and your favourite films, if you want can be available to anyone. What’s even more eye opening is that investigators and private detectives are using social networking sites such as Facebook to uncover false claims made to insurance companies. With insurance fraud claims on the rise, insurance companies are keen to ensure they are not paying out when they shouldn’t be. Unfortunately insurance fraud raises premiums for everyone else so for policy holders it is no bad thing to hear about your insurance company making sure claims are true. They are perusing photos and comments made on the sites of claimants and witnesses to see if they tally with statements made to insurance companies. In some cases investigators are uncovering photos showing people who claim to have injuries preventing them from working doing activities such as skiing. But sites such as Facebook also have become a tool for investigators to uncover people doing undeclared jobs, to track down those who owe debts and other activities such as document/process serving. In a perfect world insurance fraud wouldn’t exist but there will always be those who choose to try and make a quick win or think that they can dodge the system. Indeed some are lucky and do get away with it, however typically these people will do it again and somewhere along the line they will slip up and the best place to start looking, Facebook! ... http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/694/private-investigators-use-facebook-to-uncover-insurance-fraud http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/694/private-investigators-use-facebook-to-uncover-insurance-fraud 12 May 2010, 12:01 pm http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/feed/feed.xml In times of economic difficulty it is well known that thus usually coincides with a rise in crime and fraud investigations in particular. For some, desperate times require desperate measures and unfortunately innocent members of the public get caught up in things they really don’t deserve. Lancashire residents are advised that there are a number of scams in circulation at the moment. The good news is you don’t have to be a private detective to figure them out. The Autotrader scam This involves second hand cars sold at attractive prices on the Autotrader website. When enquired about, the vehicles are currently based abroad and a quick sale is desired for personal reasons. Potential buyers are informed that the vehicle will be sent over using a shipping agent, typically costing £600 or so, either to be halved between the seller and buyer, or paid by the buyer. There will then be a chance for inspection. If the buyer is not happy the shipping cost will be refunded. Be aware that this is a variation on an ongoing vehicle-purchase scam- the vehicle does not exist, and the ‘seller’ intends to take the money and run. Buyers are advised to be suspicious of email-only sales where they cannot speak to a seller. Also be careful when purchasing items to be sent from abroad- it can be dangerous to send money up front. Check that a seller in the UK actually lives at the house he claims to be resident at, and that a logbook is produced where addresses tie in. The Federal Deposit scam A second scam involves Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, which claims consumers have made large amounts on stocks and shares but that a fee has to be paid to release the money. This is easy to fall for if the consumer, although chosen at random, happens to possess such investments, but is of course another fee scam. A further reminder is issued relating to clothing collection company Supporting Arms, currently collecting in the county. Please be aware that this company is not a registered charity and any goods given are going to a business operation. As a general reminder it is important to say that there are some simple things you can do to avoid or at least reduce the risk of becoming a scam victim. The first and perhaps most important is never be rushed into a decision. Always make the decision when you are ready. Finally, before making a decision, ensure that you have all the information needed, and some more if possible! ... http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/682/lancashires-latest-cons-and-scams http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/682/lancashires-latest-cons-and-scams 5 May 2010, 11:59 am http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/feed/feed.xml Fraudulent and dishonest insurance claims total £1.9 billion a year in the UK alone, adding £44 to every premium. Unfortunately it is not realistic, practical or affordable for insurers to hire a private detective for each customer. In fact insurance fraud is very difficult and costly to combat, particularly in the wake of a recession. Fraud is becoming an increasingly critical issue in the UK, with an estimated £5.2 million worth of fraudulent claims going undetected on any given day. Why should you care? Well, because fraud is inevitably paid for by the customer, so that growing problem could translate into growing premiums for you. In fact, an average of £44 is already being added to your insurance premiums as a result of fraud. Problem is widespread According to the Association of British Insurers (ABI), one in five people would still be tempted to cheat on their insurance, despite the likelihood of being caught, facing trouble in obtaining financial products in the future, and getting a criminal record. Factor in that over 90% of adults have at least one general insurance product (according to the ABI) and it’s easy to see how widespread the problem is. The most likely offenders are males between the ages of 18 and 34 in full-time employment, have an income of more than £30,000 and have a non-mortgage debt of more that £5,000. Previous research suggests that between 7% and 11% of adults admit to making a fraudulent insurance claim. Why the increase? Since the onset of the recession there has been a dramatic rise in fraudulent insurance claims, suggesting households are feeling the squeeze. Studies show evidence of a long-term relationship between non-violent crime and the business cycle, suggesting that the recession and the consequent rise of unemployment will increase the risk of fraud for insurers. After the downturn in the early 1990s, fraudulent claims were at their peak 18 months after the UK officially emerged from recession. “Some policy holders believe that after years of paying premiums, it is time to get something out of it,” said Tony Jones, client services director at Fraud solution company TCF Corporate. This is seen in some minor claims where, to get upgrades, people say they have dropped their mobiles in the toilet or spilled things over laptops. Accidental damage and loss claims related to high-value items such as LCD TVs, high-end watches and laptops have increased by as much as 35% since 2008, according to insurers. Types of scams The most common type of insurance fraud is opportunistic retail fraud, according to TCF. This is where individuals exaggerate or inflate genuine claims to increase the value of a payout. Estimates put the range of increased opportunistic fraud at 15-25% higher in 2009 compared to that of 2008. In some cases, fraudsters will fabricate an entire claim – by deliberately breaking something in an attempt to get a free replacement for example. A growing number of car owners are torching their vehicles and then reporting them stolen to cash in on the insurance. According to TCF there was a 300% increase in arson claims in motor insurance from 2008-09 suggesting that financially strapped car owners have been driven to desperation. So-called “crash-for-cash” scams have been quite popular recently. This is a more organised type of scam where people will set up fake accidents in order to claim cash for their car. The ABI has also found a significant increase in amateur attempts at fraud indicating that honest customers are now attempting fraudulent claims. Type of coverage most affected ABI states that property claims are the most popular in terms of volume, at 54% of fraudulent claims detected, and followed by motor policies at 33%. However, in terms of value, motor policies account for nearly half of the total cost of these claims. The average value of detected fraudulent claims was £10,000 for motor policies and £2,000 for property policies. The total value of detected fraudulent claims in motor insurance increased 40% from 2007 to 2008. Property insurance fraud savings increased 43% year-on-year. ... http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/674/surging-fraud-leads-to-spike-in-insurance-premiums http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/674/surging-fraud-leads-to-spike-in-insurance-premiums 30 April 2010, 12:20 pm http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/feed/feed.xml To become a world class private detective takes years of training and experience. Often the people who know the skills best come from a military background. Two of the most iconic spy characters today are Jason Bourne and James Bond. No doubt both would make a good private investigator. The Jason Bourne trilogy was a massive box office sensation which really caught the imagination of the public. Prior to Bourne there was Bond who epitomised a life of of extreme risk whilst remaining ice cool under pressure, and managing to seduce stunning women in less than two minutes. There is no denying the entertainment value of a good Bond film. However the overwhelming feeling of Bond films is surreal. It was not to be taken too seriously; more of a demonstration that even if the world is seconds away from being destroyed you can trust a plucky Brit to save it and get the girl. Although the two latest films, Casino Royale and Quantum of Solace have brought the Bond franchise forward, ultimately the Bourne movies generated much more interest. Why is this? Well there are a few reasons really. To begin with Jason Bourne was new and we wanted to know, rather like himself in the first film, who he was, how he got there and why there was a laser implanted into his hip! The film also focused in great detail on the intelligence community and their clandestine operations, which was depicted as an scarily efficient, effective and powerful process. Part of what makes the Bourne films so special is that they are believable or plausible. Yes there were moments which may have been pushing the limits but it never seemed impossible. Who is the real Jason Bourne? People like Jason Bourne were part of top secret military programs. They were products of extreme physical training, drug experimentation, mental conditioning and mind control and although there is some information on the subject the vast majority of data was destroyed in 1973. Unfortunately we will never know the full implication, scope or reach of Project MK Ultra, or if there are ongoing mind control programs. Yes there will no doubt be top secret programmes but the details will be unavailable for a very long time, if ever. How do we know about it? Thankfully some documents have survived and some have been released however they are mostly to do with the financing and basic details of the programme. Little evidence remains about the program’s history of operations, either having been destroyed or classified as ‘Top Secret’, which in all likelihood we will never get to see. However there have been individuals who have come forward and made claims of being part of the program and as the US government has stated that these programs did exist, we can immediately discount the claims made. One such person is Robert Duncan O’Finioan, who claims that at the age of six, he and several others were put into Project MK Ultra and the training started from there. His memory is patchy but he does recall parts of his training and missions more and more ever since a car accident. There are several interviews with Robert on the net, including some Youtube videos, all of which provides some fascinating reading and research into Prject MK Ultra and others. ... http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/658/who-is-the-the-real-jason-bourne http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/658/who-is-the-the-real-jason-bourne 28 April 2010, 2:23 pm http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/feed/feed.xml It was reported by the BBC last week that credit card is now the most common type of fraud. The report revealed that while overall crime across the UK and Wales is down, or at least stable, credit card fraud is increasing significantly. In fact it grew 40% from 2008 to 2009 with 4.7% of card holders falling victim to fraud in 2009. When the ‘Chip and Pin’ technology was introduced by banks and retailers back in 2004 there was a mixed response, ranging from people claiming it was too much for them to remember four digits to people saying it will make no difference whatsoever. The data suggests that overall fraud is reducing, but it also offers a valuable insight into how fraud is changing. It is a bit like an arms race; you have the fraudsters constantly trying to find a weakness in the security systems, and on the other side are the banks. Both want to be one step ahead of the other. Quite rightly the report questions the correlation between the surge in card fraud and the uptake of online banking and shopping. The internet is giving rise to more fraudulent attacks and as a result of its phenomenal growth we are battling a new trend of crime. Financial investigators and private detectives must advice that the best thing you can do is to monitor your account closely and notify the bank immediately if there is any suspicion. With far greater numbers of people using the internet for online shopping and banking, volumes of card payments have increased exponentially. It’s therefore not surprising that fraudsters are challenging this channel with increasingly sophisticated methods. In addition, this issue in not just restricted to the UK and Internet transactions, in India The Reserve Bank of India announced last week that it will fine Banks if they don’t improve the security of their phone banking. Keeping up with the latest phishing scam or computer virus, fraudster or identity thief in no easy feat and as a result the industry is struggling. It’s quite clear that we are now in need of better way of securing people’s payments and keeping their identity safe. ... http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/646/what-is-the-most-common-type-of-fraud http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/646/what-is-the-most-common-type-of-fraud 26 April 2010, 2:52 pm http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/feed/feed.xml If you are ever quoted an investment package with of returns of 500 per cent in five years, every single alarm bell in your body should be ringing. This does not require private detective training. If anything the last 12 to 18 months should provide ample evidence that there are investments out there that are literally too good to be true. Today, everyone can be their own private investigator. If you are investing for your retirement or a holiday or a car, whatever it may be, it is your money and you need to carry out your own due diligence. Thankfully technology today, especially in regard to providing vast amounts of information, is available with the click of a mouse. We therefore suggest that whenever you intend to spend a large amount of money you put your private investigator cap on and see what you can find. The con We are pleased to report that a fraudster from Kent who stole £34m from people using a pyramid investment scheme has been jailed for 10 years. Conman - Kevin Foster Kevin Foster, 51, of Doddington, was convicted of 14 counts of theft and deception last month after persuading people to part with about £4,000 each. Harrow Crown Court heard he deliberately targeted people on low incomes, including many in small valley communities in south Wales. Sentencing, Judge Nick Madge said the fraud was sophisticated and elaborate. During his trial jurors were told Foster persuaded thousands of people to part with an average of £4,200 at high-pressure rallies in sports and social clubs across the UK. At least 8,000 people “invested” a minimum of £1,000 into the scam, with a guarantee that within two years they would get a return of five times their initial outlay. Koi carp During Foster’s “KF Concept” road shows he appeared on stage to music, cheering and handing prize winners luxury holidays and even free cars. The jury was told he used their money to fund a lavish lifestyle, spending more than £600,000 on a luxury farm in Kent, which he fitted out with a swimming pool and hot tub, and £700,000 on motor vehicles including a Ferrari. Foster also spent money on expensive Koi carp breeding pools and withdrew almost £3m in cash. He was convicted of unauthorised investment activity, deliberately concealing facts from investors and stealing investors’ funds, following a seven-week trial. Foster was found guilty of six counts of theft, relating to his use of funds, and eight charges under the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000. ... http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/636/kent-fraudster-sentenced-over-34m-pyramid-scheme http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/636/kent-fraudster-sentenced-over-34m-pyramid-scheme 22 April 2010, 1:32 pm http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/feed/feed.xml Belfast - One of many mural's We understand that two undercover police officers narrowly escaped being killed by republican dissidents in a recent botched surveillance operation in Northern Ireland. Experienced private detectives are quite used to carrying out surveillance operations but in an area of strained social and political relations the importance of intelligence can take on a whole new dimension. Workmen and their tools The officers were on a covert surveillance operation where the target was a senior ONH member involved in directing the group’s bombing campaign. The two police officers, both women, were dressed in civilian clothes and sitting in an unmarked car during the incident at the end of last February. They had a very lucky escape when a gunman from the republican terror group Oglaigh na hÉireann (ONH) approached them and attempted to fire into their car, which was parked in the west Belfast area. Thankfully the gun jammed and one of the police officers quickly put the vehicle into reverse, and then drove off at top speed with no harm coming to them. ONH The ONH is the smallest of the three dissident groups opposed to the peace process, but has within its ranks a number of former Provisional IRA bomb-makers. It is not clear whether the group had prior knowledge of the police mission. Intelligence Gap? Officially, the PSNI (Police Service Northern Ireland) will not comment on security or intelligence issues but privately a number of police officers contend that the PSNI is “intelligence blind” at present. The incident highlights a problem facing a police service that underwent large-scale reform and got rid of hundreds of informers to meet ethical standards. According to veterans of counter-terrorism in Northern Ireland, there is a serious intelligence gap within the PSNI. Jeffrey Donaldson, the Democratic Unionist MP and privy counsellor, who has close links to the police and army in Northern Ireland, agreed that there was a gap regarding the dissident republicans. One example of the intelligence gap was the attempted murder of a PSNI officer in Garrison in November, when a masked gang opened fire in the County Fermanagh village. Their target was a Catholic police recruit who had been moved out of his home hours earlier by the security forces. The intelligence had come from informers run by the Gardaí in the Republic. Lessons to be learned However what is there that can be learned from this story? One of the first things would be the importance of good quality intelligence, which can evidently be quite hard and sometimes risky to obtain. Despite this there is no better intelligence than having live eyes on target. When conducting undercover surveillance operations, it is somewhat vital that the operation remains undercover. The consequences in this case could have quite literally been life or death for two police offers and potentially many more with the turmoil that would have inevitably followed. A lasting peace There is now peace in Ireland, which has come a long way from January 30th, 1972 – Bloody Sunday. It was a day of unnecessary loss of life and a day of shame which stained the British army in Northern Ireland and escalated the tension only further. Today, Northern Ireland is a very different place but not without the lasting memories of difficulty and suffering which manifests itself from time to time like the recently attempted murder, as reported in this blog. ... http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/620/northern-ireland-undercover-surveillance-let-down-by-intelligence-gap http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/620/northern-ireland-undercover-surveillance-let-down-by-intelligence-gap 20 April 2010, 12:06 pm http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/feed/feed.xml In the line of private detective work we regularly hear about cons and scams. Some will get found out quite early on, others will stay under the radar for quite some time and are eventually brought to an end. However, perhaps the worst kind of scam is one that comes and goes. Some of you may have already had this, it has been around a while but it seems to be rearing its ugly head again. You get a call claiming to be to Microsoft Global Tech Support or similar. They tell you that they have detected that you have received malware on the computer and they will put you through to a tech who can sort it out. Another guy comes on and asks you to go to your computer and takes you through to your event viewer. This will show errors that have occurred on your system. So far so plausible. But the whole point is that everybody at some time will have these errors but they claim they have a solution but they need to take over your computer to ‘sort it out’. BIG RED FLAG – Don’t let anybody you don’t know take over your computer remotely! If you let these guys in they will load on software which will cause serious problems. They will then try and scam you for money to get the software to work. But if you’ve got this far you’ve totally had it. If you pay – and it seems the amounts are £150 – £200 for the ‘upgrade’ it still won’t work. And they have your credit card details and have had access to all the data on your computer – just use your imagination what this can mean. This scam is being operated out of Pakistan and India. If at any time you want to call a halt they’ll happily give you a name and UK number to call back on. In some cases they will even refer you to a website which looks genuine. Don’t fall for it. It is feasible that when you get an application crash and you report it to Microsoft that Microsoft could link the IP address to any software that you might have registered with them which might have included your telephone from the same PC. But if they went to all that trouble why couldn’t they tell me what operating system I was using? There is no way any call like this could be coming from anybody authorised by Microsoft to do so. There is a private investigator in all of us, some might call it intuition or instinct. As with all these scams I feel for the unwary and the elderly. If you want to find out more enter ‘fake tech scam’ into your search engine. ... http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/605/scam-warning-microsoft-global-tech-support http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/605/scam-warning-microsoft-global-tech-support 16 April 2010, 3:10 pm http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/feed/feed.xml Five men are facing jail for their part in an international plot to smuggle 25 tons of counterfeit soap powder into Britain. This reflects a growing problem with counterfeit products, which is an industry some value at over £10 billion. Counterfeited DVDs are perhaps the most common form of counterfeit product on the market today. However this is just one product and we are all very familiar with, but there are some incredibly skilled counterfeiters who will replicate some of history’s finest artists or even dinosaur fossils. This gangs strategy was to counterfeit a very widely recognised product. The gang arranged for ‘low grade’ detergent to be shipped from south-east China to Felixstowe, Suffolk, to flood the black market with almost 3,000 boxes of fake Persil. The detergent, which had no bleach content, was hidden in a warehouse with 2,900 empty replica Persil boxes, which were described as ‘almost perfect’ copies of the real thing. Thankfully their scam failed after chemicals giant Unilever hired a private detective. As to exactly how the information was gathered, one can speculate that with 25 tonnes of material needing to be redistributed the logistics would be relatively complex, involving intense communication. Peter Moss, prosecuting, said: ‘The surveillance operation was “all singing, all dancing”, probably refers to the use of bugging, GPS tracking and undercover video surveillance. ‘At 10.55am on September 23, 2008, in a joint operation by Cheshire Police, Cheshire West Council and Trading Standards, officers raided the unit at the Phoenix Centre and found an Aladdin’s cave of detergent. All those charged admitted importing the fake washing powder between September 1 and September 30, 2008. The jury heard the detergent was shipped from Jinjang in the Fujian province of south-east China to Felixstowe on the container ship CSLC Asia. It was then transported to a unit at the Phoenix Centre on Winsford Industrial Estate in Cheshire. The unit was raided after Unilever received a tip-off from a member of the public. ... http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/596/private-detective-cleans-up-soap-gang http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/596/private-detective-cleans-up-soap-gang 13 April 2010, 4:54 pm http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/feed/feed.xml Conflict International, the private detective agency, has learned about a relatively new form of data theft which may well have gone unnoticed for quite some time by individuals and businesses around the world. It turns out that the latest photocopiers found in offices contain a wealth of copied data on the hard drive which anyone can hack. In the age of everything digital, the photocopier is probably the one workplace item you never thought to worry about. It turns out that it is a piece of technology which could hold vast quantities of highly sensitive information and it is something that businesses around the world have either chosen to ignore or simply weren’t informed. Victor Beitner, a security expert who reconfigures photocopy machines destined for resale in Toronto, says businesses are completely unaware of the potential information security breach when the office photocopier is replaced. Typically people think the copier is just headed for a junkyard but, in most cases, when the machine goes, so does sensitive data that have been stored on the copier’s hard drive for years, which might be a gold mine for someone looking for specific information. “In almost all the machines I have seen, the files, phone numbers, fax numbers and email addresses are left there as if it was still in the office,” said Beitner. “There are files from insurance companies, medical facilities, pharmaceutical and regular office-type documents,” he said. Modern, large, office-type photocopiers are computers. The whole system is controlled by a computer, it has a hard disk. It scans images and they are stored on the disc”. They are also networked computers, and they have all the same security issues that a computer does, so all the same security issues arise. Any web-savvy, techno-whiz kid could easily access the hard drive, or send all scans to email or, if they have the password, retrieve copies of confidential documents by simply hooking their laptop up to the copier. To make matters worse the activity of photocopiers linked to an unsecure network can be seen and tracked online. In Toronto, most rented photocopiers are picked up when the lease is almost over, usually anywhere from two to five years. If the copiers are in good shape, they are often destined for auction, where they are bought to be resold. Some end up with dealers, who ensure confidential information is erased. Others can be found on sites such as Craigslist, and they are likely to still have crucial data on them. Some companies tell their clients to remove the hard drives and purge them before they are picked up for resale. Or they replace the hard drives. But that costs extra time and money. The cheaper thing to do, says Beitner, is to make the data inaccessible, clear the memory on the machine and change the pass codes through the machine panel. It doesn’t completely wipe the hard drive, but renders it unusable to the average person. “Ninety-nine per cent of the population can’t get to it. But it’s the one per cent, the guy who is going to come in the middle of the night, take the hard drive out and scrub all the data off it,” said Beitner. “There is still that risk.” Companies like Xerox now have enhanced security measures that enable an office to remove the hard drive and do digital shredding. However this is really part of a larger issue – the lack of awareness about technology in the everyday work environment. Conflict International provides professional private investigators and private detectives in London, the UK and around the world . We also specialize in undercover surveillance and corporate investigations. ... http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/574/photocopy-machines--a-gold-mine-for-data-thieves http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/574/photocopy-machines--a-gold-mine-for-data-thieves 8 April 2010, 4:39 pm http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/feed/feed.xml Ever wonder what professions top the list as the guiltiest of infidelity? Doctor and Teacher! AshleyMadison.com, the dating site for married people (yes, you heard right), surveyed all of their new members last year. Of the 1.9 million folks who signed up to cheat, er, date in 2009, these were the top professions: For Women: 1. Teachers 2. Housewives 3. Nurses 4. Administrative Assistants 5. Real Estate Agents For Men: 1. Doctors 2. Police Officers 3. Lawyers 4. Real Estate Agents 5. Engineers The president and founder of AshleyMadison.com Noel Biderman notes these top professions are often high stress and require many to work long hours. For his book “The Problem with Women … is Men,” author Charles Orlando interviewed 1,200-plus women and 400+ men and discovered women cheat mostly for emotional reasons, while men admitted to cheating largely for physical or sexual gratification with no emotional tie. And the men who were perceived themselves as “powerful” or “influential” (like doctors, cops and lawyers), say their cheating was “justifiable.” Conflict International provides professional private investigators and private detectives in London, the UK and around the world. We also specialize in undercover surveillance and corporate investigations. To find out more please visit our website and get in touch. ... http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/583/which-professions-top-the-list-in-terms-of-infidelity http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/583/which-professions-top-the-list-in-terms-of-infidelity 8 April 2010, 4:38 pm http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/feed/feed.xml Conflict International, the licensed private detective agency, much like the rest of the UK has today learned that there will be a general election on May 6th. Looking back many would say that the successful New Labour campaign in 1997 was in fact a hugely significant moment in British politics and society. In 2010 it would seem that we have reached another crucial point in our history, or does it? The news comes after research showed that fewer people in Britain feel an obligation to vote than at any time since 1991. Experts are forecasting that this year’s election could see turnout fall below 59 per cent modern-day record set in 2001. That was the lowest since 1918. Stuart Wilks-Heeg, executive director of campaign group Democratic Audit, said turnout would be hit by the “cumulative effect” of the expenses scandal and the more recent cash for access scandal, when former Government ministers were caught boasting of how they could influence policy. Both are a tribute to the hard work so many journalists and private investigators put into exposing a national disgrace in the hope of improving the history’s most influential democracy. If you were to compare a government to business, in the great expenses scandal the government and its opposition would be about as honest as an Enron quarterly profit and loss statement using “mark to market” accounting. The expenses scandal demonstrates that even in government, the very highest echelons of democracy, internal fraud is one of their biggest threats and weaknesses and neither politics nor businesses are immune from this risk. We believe that democracy stands for fairness and freedom of choice. We believe no population should fear its government, governments should fear the population. Politicians are elected to serve the people, by the people, for the people. We trust our politicians to run our country, and to do a good job in the process. The hard thing about trust is that once you have lost it, getting it back is twice as hard. John Curtice, from Strathclyde University, said the expenses scandal could help to boost votes for strong independent candidates. This year, 12 per cent of votes are likely to be cast for independent candidates – up from 8 per cent in 2005. The expenses scandal was “one of the pressures to push down turnout”. A report from the British Social Attitudes Survey, published earlier this year, tracked a gradual disengagement with politics over the past two decade – particularly among young people. It found that just over half of people – 56 per cent – believe that “it’s everyone’s obligation to vote”. This is down from more than two thirds of people – 68 per cent – in 1991. What can business learn from the expenses scandal? There many things business can learn from the expenses scandal and at the top of the list would probably be the fact the most likely source of business fraud is internal. Having the right procedures set in place to prevent this type of activity occurring is an ongoing cycle of improvement because unfortunately there will always be someone who is willing to take advantage of others and bend or break the rules to benefit themselves. Conflict International provides professional private investigators and private detectives in London and around the UK. We also specialize in undercover surveillance and corporate investigations. To find out more please visit our website and get in touch. ... http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/568/general-election-announced-but-how-will-the-expenses-scandal-affect-the-outcome http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/568/general-election-announced-but-how-will-the-expenses-scandal-affect-the-outcome 6 April 2010, 4:56 pm http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/feed/feed.xml Conflict International, the licensed private detective agency, understands that the Financial Services Authority today brought charges against seven people in its first ever attempt to break a suspected insider dealing ring that it alleges resulted in £2.5m of illegal gains. A warrant for the arrest of another person in connection with this investigation has been issued after the charges were laid against the seven at police stations in London. They are on police bail to appear at City of Westminster magistrate’s court on April 14. The charges against the seven were brought after a series of arrests in 2008 and follow last week’s raids at 16 addresses across London, the south-east and Oxfordshire in connection with another suspected insider dealing ring. The City regulator is determined to show that it is able to clean up the City and crack down on so-called market abuses such as insider dealing, where profits are made by individuals in possession of private information. It had warned the City to “be afraid” of its crackdown and since 2008 has secured five convictions for insider dealing. The latest charges mean that there are now four pending cases. The new case, codenamed Saturn, required a 21-month investigation involving a team of 35 investigators, lawyers and support staff. The investigators examined more than 75 electronic devices containing more than 200,000 electronic files, 130 individual trading accounts, more than 150,000 entries of publicly available information and took more than 250 witness statements. The FSA said the charges cover a two year period, beginning in mid 2006, when are alleged to have obtain inside information from two major investment banks. The FSA did not the name the banks involved. Conflict International provides professional private investigators and private detectives in London and around the UK. We also specialize in undercover surveillance and corporate investigations. To find out more please visit our website and get in touch. ... http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/561/fsa-charges-seven-with-insider-dealing http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/561/fsa-charges-seven-with-insider-dealing 1 April 2010, 4:43 pm http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/feed/feed.xml British conman jailed in US for £50m trail of fraud and theft Conflict International recently learned about a British conman who traded on charm, confidence and American weakness for an English accent Prince Harry would be proud of. So we write this as a warning to anyone who is wishing to invest their hard earned money and the message is simple – just because a man is dressed well, in a nice office and speaks the Queens English does not mean they are trustworthy. Robert Tringham gave every appearance of living the American dream ‑ a self-made man, running a string of lucrative investment businesses in the United States, he lived in a million-dollar house and always had a beautiful woman at his side, but behind this well-crafted front, the reality was that Tringham was an international conman. Financial investigators in the US believe he left a trail of misery across 10 American states and several countries dating back to the 1980s. They are embarking on an international effort to find offshore accounts, hidden properties, and secret deposits to recover some of the estimated $50m he has defrauded and stolen. Tringham, meanwhile, is behind bars after finally being convicted in a Los Angeles court of 10 charges of federal fraud and tax evasion. Now 64 years old, he faces a jail term of up to 170 years for his latest con, in which he tricked unsuspecting investors into handing over $7.3m in a so-called Ponzi scheme. It is believed the names caught in his web of deceit included Bruce Springsteen, Johnny Depp and John McEnroe, as well as young children suffering from cancer, widows and successful international businessmen from Germany, Bulgaria, Norway, Canada, the UK, US and Australia. His tactic was simple, but effective. “He is one of the most dangerous sorts of criminal,” said Lawrence Gilmore, who represented Springsteen when the rock star sued Tringham for $2m losses after he tried to pirate his music. “He wore the smartest suits, and spoke perfect public schoolboy Queen’s English. He had an extremely powerful personality, he was very persuasive. I have sued him I don’t know how many times under various different corporate guises. But eventually his company went into liquidation, he went bankrupt and skipped the country.” He conned British property developers into investing in a holiday development in the sunshine state. One victim, Doug White, lost more than $240,000, money which Tringham used to buy his then girlfriend Barbara Abrass a new house in Florida, court documents say. With the British investors struggling to find out what had happened to their money Tringham continued to target more victims in America and across the world. US investigators believe he had at least one middleman in Europe, who recruited new clients for his schemes. As he settled into the lifestyle of a successful businessman, court judgments were handed down in numerous states against him. But he stayed one step ahead, forcing some victims to hire a private detective to pursue him in New York, Florida and Los Angeles. By 2005 he was living in Los Angeles, and had set up the investment scheme which ultimately led to his downfall, persuading investors to part with some $7.3m to place in his company First National Ban Corp. Most of the funds, however, were used to enrich Tringham. Now dating a new, much younger girlfriend, Hui Wang, he used $1.5m from his latest con to buy her a luxury house in an expensive neighbourhood of LA, and a new Land Rover. By now the American authorities were catching up with him. But Tringham continued creating new companies to carry out further frauds. Jeri Tulipan was one of his last victims. She parted with $1m which was part of a $9m fraud targeting investors in Germany and the US. When she threatened to go to the authorities, she received a string of threatening emails. Like the majority of investors, she has never got her money back. “He presented himself as intelligent and knowledgeable,” said Tulipan. “I met him in an impressive building and the company signs were up outside. He was in a three-piece suit, and had a British accent, he was very convincing. Conflict International provides professional private investigators and private detectives in London and around the UK. We also specialize in undercover surveillance and corporate investigations. To find out more please visit our website and get in touch. ... http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/543/why-you-cannot-trust-a-british-accent http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/543/why-you-cannot-trust-a-british-accent 1 April 2010, 3:57 pm http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/feed/feed.xml Choosing the right private detective can really depend on the purpose of their objective. For some, the reasons are personal and in other cases it is purely in the interest of a business, for example investigating business or corporate fraud it is typically someone who works for the organisation that is guilty. Ultimately the hiring of a private investigator will be for legal purposes, which means with good information you can carry out your legal work effectively. You private detective must be meticulous, dependable and resourceful. There have been cases where people have been misled by poorly trained investigators so we want to try and prevent this from occurring as much as possible because it could jeopardise the success of a legal case and it damages the credibility of highly trained and experienced private detectives such as Conflict International. Step 1 Ask colleagues or friends if they know of a reliable private detective. A referral is the best way to get to the good ones in your area. Knowing someone who has used a private detective before will help give an insight into the experience and course of action. However if the reason for hiring a private detective may involve colleagues or friends it is probably best to not mention anything. Step 2 Search membership directories of professional associations if you can’t get a referral. Conflict International is a member of The Institute of Professional Investigators and the Association of British Investigators. Our advice is to only work with a private detective company with these memberships. Furthermore at Conflict International, investigations are conducted and managed within the guidelines of RIPA (The Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000) following on from The Human Rights Act 1998. We are also registered with the Data Protection Act and The ICO. This ensures all investigations are carried out within necessary guidelines; ensuring operations are conducted with knowledge and expertise and in accordance with appropriate protocol. Step 3 Ask about the detective’s training and education. Legal knowledge from law school can be helpful if you’re hiring for litigation. Journalism school may have taught the detective to be persistent and creative. Business education can help when doing company due diligence. Step 4 Take note of a private detective’s experience. Many come from a law enforcement background, which is great for legal work but may not help you with investigating a company. Others may have a military background and others may be extremely specialised in surveillance. At Conflict International our array of experience and training gives us the ability to offer a thorough range of services. We have worked with many lawyers specialising in many areas such as divorce, corporate fraud, and due diligence from which we have learned a great deal and used to improve our ability. Step 5 Inquire about the private detective’s area of expertise. A background screener isn’t suitable to draw up a balance sheet of your ex-husband’s assets. You’re better off with an investigator who specializes in tracking down hidden accounts and creative financial dealings. Step 6 Ask about work the private detective contracts out like surveillance and asset searches. This will give you an idea of the type of work the investigation agency carries out, but don’t expect to hear specific details because they should not be disclosed. Conflict International provides professional private investigators and private detectives in London and around the UK. We also specialize in undercover surveillance and corporate investigations. To find out more please visit our website and get in touch. ... http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/531/how-to-hire-a-private-detective http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/531/how-to-hire-a-private-detective 30 March 2010, 4:35 pm http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/feed/feed.xml Conflict International, the licensed private detective agency is glad to hear that a businessman who passed off up to 100 million battery hen eggs as free range or organic in a multimillion pound fraud was jailed for three years. Keith Owen, 44, repackaged the eggs and sold them on to unsuspecting suppliers before they ended up on supermarket shelves across the UK – including Sainsbury’s and Morrisons. Owen netted £3 million from the scam between June 2004 and May 2006 before he was caught by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) after a tip-off. Sentencing Owen, Judge Toby Hooper, QC, said he had “cheated the public” and had been “corrupted by greed”. The judge also orderd a £3m confiscation order and imposed £250,000 in costs to be paid over 12 months. Owen was banned from being a company director for seven years. Charles Bourns, of the National Farmers’ Union, said the court had sent out a strong message that such activity would not be tolerated. “Thankfully, cases like this are few and far between,” he said. “Consumers can be reassured that, with new procedures in place, the eggs they are buying are genuine. The Lion mark helps ensure the highest standards of traceability and labelling.” The court heard Owen started the scam in June 2004 when he bought caged eggs for 35p a dozen from suppliers with his business Heart of England Eggs. He destroyed documents that came with the eggs proving their origin and stamped them with false production numbers from fake companies – describing them as British Lion, although they came from abroad. The eggs were then sold on to distributers for 75p a dozen – a more than 100 per cent profit for Owen – as organic and free range. Conflict International provides professional private investigators and private detectives in London and around the UK. We also specialize in undercover surveillance and corporate investigations. To find out more please visit our website and get in touch. ... http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/536/man-jailed-over-free-range-egg-scam http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/536/man-jailed-over-free-range-egg-scam 30 March 2010, 4:35 pm http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/feed/feed.xml Conflict International, the licensed private detectives, have learned about a 19-year-old conman has walked free from court, despite a six year history of using false credit accounts to defraud over £250,000. Those of you who have seen the film ‘Catch me if you can’ will understand that to con people out of hundreds of thousands of pounds is a very skilful, risky and dishonourable game to play. To get away with it you have to be incredibly lucky or a genius of epic proportions. From left to right: Frank Abignale, Leonardo DiCaprio and Tom Hanks In ‘catch me if you can’ Leonardo Di Caprio plays the role of Frank Abignale, perhaps the greatest con artist in the 20th century. It is somewhat ironic that rather than going to prison he helped the government and created many financial security barriers which we still use today. If you haven’t seen the film it is highly recommended and we have also read some great reviews about the film ‘I love you Phillip Morris’ which depicts another infamous conman. The title of ‘greatest conman in the 21st century’ is still wide open and there is plenty of time, but early contenders are Bernie Maddoff and Allen Stanford. James Cameron, who modelled himself on the 2002 film ‘Catch Me If You Can’ starring Leonardo DiCaprio, used false credit cards to systematically scam everyone from chauffeurs to models in order to maintain his entrepreneurial fantasy. He first began deceiving at just 13-years-old when he set up a website purporting to sell plasma TVs. Since then the teenager had been posing as a businessman working under the aliases, James Blake, Blake Cameron and Chris Benson, running up enormous bills on false credit cards wherever he went. He led a flamboyant and luxurious lifestyle involving top models and strip clubs. Despite his previous 2007 conviction where, following a £250,000 scam, he was sent to a young offender institution for 6 months, Cameron received only a 50 week suspended sentence and 200 hours of community on Tuesday. He defrauded 11 victims of approximately £82,000 across London. Two other offences were also taken into account, amounting to £21,000. Prosecutor Charles John-Jules said in court: “He used the services of his victims and basically had no intention to pay for them. He was just using these people to fulfil an apparent fantasy of being a successful entrepreneur.” Judge James Wadsworth, who gave Cameron the suspended jail term five months ago, said: “If I had known when I first sentenced you that the amount you had defrauded was in the region of £100,000, I have very little doubt indeed that I would have put you straight inside, despite your plea and despite your age. “And such is your abuse of other people’s money and such is your arrogance in doing so, you deserve it. However I bear in mind your age and, above all, that in the time that has passed since your last sentence, you have stayed out of trouble.” After walking free, Cameron said: “Of course I am full of regret and remorse. It’s something I began when I was 13 and something I continued to do until I found an alternative, which was education. I have turned over a new leaf and I’m not going to do it again.” Conflict International provides professional private investigators and private detectives in London and around the UK. We also specialize in undercover surveillance and corporate investigations. To find out more please visit our website and get in touch. ... http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/522/catch-me-if-you-can-teenage-con-artist-escapes-prison http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/522/catch-me-if-you-can-teenage-con-artist-escapes-prison 25 March 2010, 5:09 pm http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/feed/feed.xml Conflict International, the licensed private investigators, understands that four people have been sentenced to over 15 years in prison for their involvement in a £6m false mortgage scam yesterday. It is particularly disheartening to hear about a scam like this because a mortgage is perhaps the biggest financial investment you will ever make in your life. Southwark Crown Court heard how Ruth Ayinde-Azeez (26), Isaac Matthews (42), David Hunter (35), and Jason Mercer (36) targeted a number of properties across the UK, provided false mortgage applications for them and using the loans to fund luxurious lifestyles. Ayinde-Azeez, was found guilty of one count of conspiracy to acquire, use or have criminal property and one count of removing criminal property. She was sentenced to four years in prison. Matthews pleaded guilty to conspiring to commit money laundering and transferring money out of the UK and was sentenced to six years in prison. Hunter pleaded guilty to conspiracy to defraud and was sentenced to three years and nine months in prison. Mercer pleaded guilty to money laundering and was sentenced to one year and nine months in prison. Ayinde-Azeez owned a 20% share in a brokerage business, M Solutions and Financial, which played a significant role in the fraud. The business passed false mortgage applications to a firm of solicitors. Once the mortgage was approved by a lender, the money would be sent to the solicitors client account and then on to two business accounts controlled solely by Akinyele and Matthews. Their businesses, ‘Isaac and Isaacs’ and ‘Zikkito’, have now been dissolved and financial enquiries revealed that over £6m went through the accounts during the six week fraud. Detective Constable Terry Lambert from the Economic and Specialist Crime Command of the Fraud Squad, said: “This was a meticulously planned fraud with involvement from a number of different criminals using seemingly legitimate businesses to launder huge amounts of money in a very short space of time. “The luxurious lifestyles they were living shows a complete disregard for the law and it also makes Ayinde-Azeez’s defence that she did not know anything about the laundered money laughable.” Conflict International provides professional private investigators and private detectives in London and around the UK. We also specialize in undercover surveillance and corporate investigations. To find out more please visit our website and get in touch. ... http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/515/four-jailed-in-6m-mortgage-scam http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/515/four-jailed-in-6m-mortgage-scam 25 March 2010, 5:01 pm http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/feed/feed.xml Conflict International, the licensed investigation agency, has recently learned about a scam operation which has already claimed a string of victims. We want to try and make as many people aware of it as possible so please encourage people to read this because it could save you hundreds of pounds. The reason this scam has been successful is because it is done in an intelligent way. You do not have to be a trained private detective to avoid obvious attempted fraud scams. Even to the untrained ear it is can be quite obvious that when someone calls and asks for all your details, it is probably someone trying to scam you. The reason why this scam has been so successful is because they provide you with all the information except the one piece that they want. By understanding how the VISA and MasterCard Telephone Credit Card Scam works, you’ll be better prepared to protect yourself. The scam works with by someone calling and saying “This is (name), and I’m calling from the Security and Fraud Department at VISA. My badge number is 12460. Your card has been flagged for an unusual purchase pattern, and I’m calling to verify. This would be on your VISA card which was issued by (name of bank) did you purchase an Anti-Telemarketing Device for £497.99 from a Marketing company based in London?” When you say “No”, the caller continues with, “Then we will be issuing a credit to your account. This is a company we have been watching and the charges range from £297 to £497, just under the £500 purchase pattern that flags most cards. Before your next statement, the credit will be sent to (gives you your address), is that correct?” You say “yes”. The caller continues – “I will be starting a fraud investigation. If you have any questions, you should call the 0800 number listed on the back of your card and ask for Security. You will need to refer to this Control Number. The caller then gives you a 6 digit number. “Do you need me to read it again?” Here’s the IMPORTANT part on how the scam works. The caller says, “I need to verify you are in possession of your card.” He’ll ask you to “turn your card over and look for some numbers.” There are 7 numbers; the first 4 are part of your card number, the next 3 are the security numbers that verify you are the possessor of the card. These are the numbers you sometimes use to make Internet purchases to prove you have the card. The caller will ask you to read the 3 numbers to him. After you tell the caller the 3 numbers, he’ll say, “That is correct, I just needed to verify that the card has not been lost or stolen, and that you still have your card. Do you have any other questions?” After you say, “No,” the caller then thanks you and states, “Don’t hesitate to call back if you do”, and hangs up. You actually say very little, and they never ask for or tell you the Card number. What the scammers want is the 3-digit PIN number on the back of the card. Don’t give it to them. Instead, tell them you’ll call VISA or MasterCard directly for verification of their conversation. The real VISA told us that they will never ask for anything on the card as they already know the information since they issued the card! If you give the scammers your 3 Digit PIN Number, you think you’re receiving a credit. However, by the time you get your statement you’ll see charges for purchases you didn’t make, and by then it’s almost too late and/or more difficult to actually file a fraud report. The police and other private investigators have said they are taking several of these reports daily! They also urged us to tell everybody we know that this scam is happening. Please pass this on to all your family and friends. By informing each other, we protect each other. Conflict International provides professional private investigators and private detectives in London and around the UK. We also specialize in undercover surveillance and corporate investigations. To find out more please visit our website and get in touch. ... http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/498/urgent-warning-another-very-dangerous-scam http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/498/urgent-warning-another-very-dangerous-scam 23 March 2010, 4:17 pm http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/feed/feed.xml Conflict International, the licensed investigation agency, has recently learned about a scam operation in Lancashire which has already claimed a string of victims. We want to try and make as many people aware of it as possible so please encourage people to read this because it could save you hundreds of pounds. Residents are advised of an incident involving cold calling traders which occurred on Monday 22 March 2010 in an established No Cold Calling Area (NCAA) in Thornton Cleveleys. Two UPVC window salesmen entered the signed No Cold Calling Area and informed householders that they had been authorised by the local police to enter the zone. When challenged by one resident, they gave him a police log number which they claimed exempted them from the usual NCCA controls. The resident rang the police in front of the salesmen, who then ran away. The log number was of course bogus. We have no details of the window business the salesmen were from. Any proffesional private investigator will offer the same advice to both NCCA residents and non NCAA residents, which is not to be taken in by this ploy and to continue refusing all business with cold calling traders. Wherever you may live, it is recommended that you don’t under any circumstances deal with Cold Calling or door to door salesman. Police are warning members of the public to be on their guard against door-to-door salespeople claiming to be from the Probation Service, which demonstrates just how far some people will go and how little you can believe from a complete stranger. We urge the elderly to be particularly vigilant because they are typically more targeted because the scammers believe they are easier targets. If you do live next to anyone elderly we urge you to keep an eye out for them and if you do see them to warn them about the scams. However legitimate it may feel at the time remember that when you were young and your parents said “never trust strangers”, well there was a good reason. Officers have received a number of calls from residents reporting that men have called at their door and tried to sell household items such as tea-towels and dusters. PC Amy Littlejohns of York Safer Neighbourhood Team, said: “The Probation Service have not authorised such a scheme and we advise residents not to be taken in by the salesmen.” Conflict International provides professional private investigators and private detectives in London and around the UK. We also specialize in undercover surveillance and corporate investigations. To find out more please visit our website and get in touch. ... http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/505/cold-callers-are-not-to-be-trusted http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/505/cold-callers-are-not-to-be-trusted 23 March 2010, 4:17 pm http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/feed/feed.xml Conflict International, the licensed private detective agency, understands that Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps had carried out cyber attacks against 29 websites affiliated with U.S. espionage networks. Iran’s state-directed Fars News Agency reported “The hacked websites acted against Iran’s national security under the cover of human rights activities.” The nation of Iran has been in the midst of controversy surrounding the 2009 election of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad over Mir-Hossein Mousavi.  The U.S. and EU alleged that Ahmadinejad may have committed voter fraud to stay in power. Before you read any more of this blog we urge you to watch this video - In the aftermath of the election and in the wake of this criticism, Ahmadinejad has used Iran’s Revolutionary Guard, which consists of army, navy, air force, and intelligence units, as well as the Basij paramilitary, to crack down on dissent, including peaceful protests.  He has arrested many, accusing them of civil and religious violations. What was particularly fascinating and far too often tragic about these events was the lengths and risks people took to try and send a message to the outside world. In the UK we often take our right to peaceful demonstration for granted but if you try to imagine running for your life across Westminster Bridge after a demonstration, not knowing what might have happened to the people around you and your friends and family. For many the first thing they wanted to do was tell the outside world, which highlights how important the internet is as a communication tool. The people who got their message out may well have been risking their lives, but thanks to organisations like the BBC, their message was heard. One of the sites taken down over the weekend belonged to a group calling itself the Human Rights Activists in Iran (HRAI).  It is unclear if the group truly had any ties to U.S. intelligence agencies, or whether the Iranian press merely made the allegations because of the group’s criticism of Ahmadinejad.  Cached versions of the site contain accounts of protests held in Iran. The Islamic Republic News Agency, Iran’s official news agency, was the first to break the news of the takedowns, reporting that the Iranian government had foiled “US backed cyber war networks” with cyber attacks.  In addition to the attacks on the 29 websites, both news agencies report that 30 individuals were arrested. Neither news agency provided any evidence backing their claims that the sites were U.S. affiliated.  However, the IRNA claimed that the sites were backed by $400M USD in funding from the U.S.’s Central Intelligence Agency spent on an effort to destabilize Iran. Over the last couple of years, a growing number of cyber attacks have originated from Iran.  Some are officially endorsed by the Iranian government, others have not been. Conflict International provides professional private investigators and private detectives in London and around the UK. We also specialize in undercover surveillance and corporate investigations. To find out more please visit our website and get in touch. ... http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/468/iran-claims-to-have-hacked-us-spy-sites http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/468/iran-claims-to-have-hacked-us-spy-sites 23 March 2010, 11:12 am http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/feed/feed.xml Conflict International, the licensed private detective agency, understands that pupils are monitored by CCTV cameras as frequently as inmates in prisons and passengers at airports, research shows. Most schools in the UK are probably breaking the law by failing to alert students to the scores of cameras capturing their conversations and movements in playgrounds and classrooms, a study has claimed. Pupils in schools are as frequently monitored by CCTV cameras as inmates in prisons and customers at airports, the report by Salford University says. Most secondary schools have at least 20 cameras. You wouldn’t be blamed for thinking it would be cheaper to hire a private investigator! Schools have installed cameras to improve teaching, as well as detect vandalism, intruders and bad behaviour. At least one school has put cameras with microphones in classrooms and corridors, and given staff earpieces to listen in on what the cameras pick up. Researcher Emmeline Taylor examined surveillance practices in 24 comprehensives in north-west England and analysed the law governing CCTV use in schools as part of her PhD thesis. The Data Protection Act states that the data being captured “should be adequate, relevant and not excessive”. This vague wording has allowed schools to become test beds for the latest surveillance technologies, Taylor says, and is “habituating young people to accept a heightened level of scrutiny for increasingly mundane activities, such as borrowing a book from the school library”. Young people are being stripped of basic liberties, Taylor said. “There is this idea that CCTV is a solution to a lot of society’s ills, but there is nothing to suggest that this is the case,” she said. “We need specific guidance for pupils on how far schools can monitor them. There has however, been several incidents when CCTV has been the difference between life and death. Any parent would say that having CCTV in a school is an added safety barrier which will aid the police if they ever need it. When for example Shannon Matthews was allegedly kidnapped, the schools CCTV was immediately looked at by police. On the other hand it would seem that CCTV did little to stop Eric Harris, and 17 year old Dylan Klebold from shooting 23 other students, killing 12 and taking their own lives at Columbine High School in America. Gun crime in the UK compared to America is much less and a sepaerate debate altogether, but what it proves is that if someone is fully motivated and committed, CCTV is no deterrent. “The dearth of concrete legislation permits ever more invasive surveillance practices to be introduced in schools. Pupils are definitely the most surveilled non-criminal population.” Shami Chakrabarti, director of the civil rights campaign group Liberty, questioned how pupils would learn to respect themselves and others if their own privacy and dignity were taken away. No student wants their teacher to be a part time private detective keeping an eye on what they do during their lunch break. “How do you teach kids about good behaviour if its only basis is the fear of being caught?” she said. “How will they learn to respect themselves and other people if their privacy and dignity are traded for administrative convenience? It’s a sad state indeed if children grow up to expect prison-type monitoring. By over-watching young people, with cameras and computers, we may be overlooking our real duties to respect and protect them.” Angus Drever, managing director of Classwatch, which installs CCTV cameras in schools so that teachers can be shown “good practice” and to improve pupils’ behaviour, said the ICO and the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) should ensure schools are up to date with the law. He said: “Schools use CCTV because they are under enormous pressure to meet their obligations to protect the children in their care, and to safeguard their assets. Classwatch has always taken the issues of data protection and respecting the privacy of children very seriously, which is why we approached the ICO for advice.” Conflict International provides professional private investigators and private detectives in London and around the UK. We also specialize in undercover surveillance and corporate investigations. To find out more please visit our website and get in touch. Eric Harris and 17-year-old Dylan Klebold from killing 23 other students at Columbine Hight School, America. ... http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/482/cctv-brings-private-detectives-and-teachers-closer-together http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/482/cctv-brings-private-detectives-and-teachers-closer-together 23 March 2010, 11:10 am http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/feed/feed.xml Conflict International recently wrote a blog on the assassination of Mahmoud al-Mabhouh titled “Dubai assassination was a master class in intelligence”. It discussed why the operation, despite being headline news around the world was still a success because they achieved their objectives and were well prepared for the media backlash. More recently Conflict International, the London private detective agency, has learned that Dubai has widened its search for the killers of Mahmoud al-Mabhouh, with officials confirming that at least six of the Hamas commander’s assassins remain unaccounted for. Police in Dubai have issued international arrest warrants for 11 suspects in the case, but now believe the team behind the murder numbered at least 17. What this demonstrates is just how complex the operation was and the level of planning and preparation needed. If the assassination was carried out by Mossad they would be under strict orders to leave no trace back to Israel to ensure deniability. The identities of the 11 named suspects have already been discredited. The identities of six British citizens living in Israel appear to have been stolen. Officials in the Gulf state say the fake passports were used for travel in Europe and Asia in the months preceding the murder. Dubai police are also understood to be questioning two Palestinians arrested last week in the Gulf state in relation to the killing. Their identities are unknown but they are believed to have provided logistical support for the murder operation. The long-time Hamas commander made a video two weeks before his death in which he admitted to the kidnap and murder of two Israeli soldiers, Ilan Saadon and Avi Sasportas. The video was broadcast on the al-Jazeera satellite television channel this month. Avigdor Lieberman, Israel’s Foreign Minister said that the evidence was circumstantial but he did not deny Israeli involvement. “There is no reason to think that it was the Israeli Mossad, and not some other intelligence service or country up to some mischief,” Mr Lieberman told Israel Army Radio. He brushed aside the suggestion that the operation might deepen Israel’s diplomatic difficulties with Britain, saying: “I think Britain recognises that Israel is a responsible country and that our security activity is conducted according to very clear, cautious and responsible rules of the game.” The high-profile use of British passport identities has caused concern in Israel. Haaretz, an Israeli newspaper, called in a commentary for Major General Meir Dagan to quit as head of the Mossad over the operation, which it said had abused the “real, living, innocent civilians” whose identities were stolen and had left Israeli open to diplomatic reprisals from abroad. Sir Menzies Campbell, the former Liberal Democrat leader who is also a member of the Commons Foreign Affairs Committee, said the Government should summon the Israeli ambassador to provide an urgent explanation. But a Foreign Office spokeswoman said that no official representation had been made to the Israeli ambassador in London. The Government would decide what to do next only once it had finished investigating the use of British passport identities, the spokeswoman said, but she added that the inquiry was still at a very early stage. Conflict International provides professional private investigators and private detectives in London and around the UK. We also specialize in undercover surveillance and corporate investigations. To find out more please visit our website and get in touch. ... http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/445/dubai-assassination--part-2--police-hunt-six-new-suspects http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/445/dubai-assassination--part-2--police-hunt-six-new-suspects 18 March 2010, 2:11 pm http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/feed/feed.xml Conflict International, a private detective agency, is reporting a quadrupling of Generation Y clients seeking background checks on people they meet on the internet. Dozens of customers are being left heartbroken when their new online mates prove not to be all that they say they are. On many occasions the clients have to be told that an online profile on FaceBook or matchmaker.com isn’t really an accurate depiction of them. The growing popularity of tourist websites that linked potential travel partners such as www.couchsurfing.org now have almost two million members worldwide, and advertise couches in private residences where backpackers and tourists can stay for free. It was recently reported that Jarris Fuller of investigations firm JFA Brisbane said he recently helped a Brisbane woman who wanted to investigate a man she met online and who had started asking for money. “They had known each other online for a few months and he said he was a soldier in Afghanistan who needed $2300 to secure leave,” Mr Fuller said. “I managed to track the IP address to a country near Nigeria and it turned out to be a scam.” Apart from Romeos lying about their attributes, even more malicious fraud has become common. The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission claims more than 550 Australian romance seekers were duped in 2009. That is an increase from the 430 individuals who lodged complaints in 2008. Queensland police said romance hoaxes skyrocketed last year from 7 per cent of all ”advanced fee” frauds to more than 60 per cent. Southern Cross University associate professor of media studies Karen Brooks said Gen Y was “the suspicious generation”. “I understand that caution when you meet someone on the internet. . . The thing is people can lie when you meet them in a bar too.” Dr Brooks said what you saw was no longer what you got with Gen Y. “What does it say about where honesty has gone in our culture?” she said.”Having said that, can we blame them? There is constant reporting of people who are hurt, let down, betrayed, deceived by people with false identities. “What they need to know is that everyone out there is not like that.” Conflict International provides professional private investigators and private detectives in London and around the UK. We also specialize in undercover surveillance and corporate investigations. To find out more please visit our website and get in touch. ... http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/452/private-detectives-save-internet-lonely-hearts http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/452/private-detectives-save-internet-lonely-hearts 18 March 2010, 2:09 pm http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/feed/feed.xml Conflict International, the licensed private detective agency, understands that the annual Intelligence and Security Committee (ISC) report, the latest of which was published on Thursday includes some scathing words but nevertheless gives an insight into the world of British intelligence. Quite recently the big controversy that came into public view was the Binyam Mohammed case, which highlighted the way, suspected terrorists were treated and the covert cooperation by the British and the Americans intelligence communities. MI5 The aftermath of the Binyam Mohammed case is rumoured to be behind Hillary Clinton’s visit to Argentina to discuss the Falkland Islands dispute, something the British government didn’t appreciate and has now resulted in increased tensions between two countries which have already been at war over tiny islands. There is no question that the Falklands are much closer to Argentina than the UK however the population of the islands are British and it is those people that should have the right to decide who they are governed by. Whatever the outcome neither country wants to fight a war, diplomacy is the only way forward. The report brought to attention a major the weakness of the intelligence community to secure their own IT equipment, which holds vital security information. In the case of GCHQ, 35 laptops were unaccounted for, including three certified to hold top-secret information. The government said these were believed to have been destroyed but that this had not been properly recorded. In an even more remarkable story, it turns out that highly classified MI6 data made its way onto the eBay auction site thanks to some shortcuts used in an overseas station. In 2004, the MI6 station was still using floppy disks to transfer files but staff decided it would be quicker to use the memory capacity of a digital camera to transfer large files. This was a breach of procedure. The memory stick was not labelled or held securely in the MI6 station nor was it destroyed. Standards slipping? On a more serious note, the committee continues to warn that the struggle against terrorism means other priorities are slipping – particularly counter-espionage, the catching of foreign spies. This has been a long-term concern for the ISC. The committee also warns of a growing danger from electronic attack and with the Olympics just around the corner and the huge security operation that will be part of it, failure is not an option. But the edge to the reports came as we learned that relations between the ISC and the government are not exactly harmonious at the moment. The chairman of the ISC, Kim Howells MP, noted in his press release that “given the seriousness of the issues that both reports cover, the government will give proper consideration to our recommendations and conclusions and accept the changes we have proposed rather than seek to provide excuses for maintaining the status quo.” Conflict International provides professional private investigators and private detectives in London and around the UK. We also specialize in undercover surveillance and corporate investigations. To find out more please visit our website and get in touch. ... http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/428/private-detective-agency-a-snapshot-of-spies-and-their-accountability http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/428/private-detective-agency-a-snapshot-of-spies-and-their-accountability 16 March 2010, 9:42 am http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/feed/feed.xml Conflict International recently came across some very interesting information regarding Finland and private detectives. According to Riitta Tanner “hundreds of Finns use a private detective to keep track of their spouse’s doings.” About half of her private investigator assignments consist of investigating suspicions of infidelity. Most of the cases are justified. Tanner has conducted about 300 infidelity investigations. In only five cases was there no evidence of infidelity. This ratio is affected by the fact that Tanner never takes cases in which she suspects morbid jealousy or mental problems to be involved. Boat cruises are one of the most typical places for revealing a cheater. A ship is an easy work environment for the detective due to the ease in following a target unnoticed. Most of the investigator’s practical work involves waiting. You must keep your eyes open at all times, even if the person under investigation stays in a foreign cabin or hotel room for hours. Spare clothes, wigs and sunglasses are part of a detective’s regular gear. With the aid of these, the detective seeks to fool his target and remain unnoticed.” “As well as private individuals, companies might also use a private detective agency, like insurance companies for example. Often the detectives’ assignments are simple surveillance, but occasionally they also solve crimes. Communities and individuals can hire an investigator to acquire evidence of a crime in order for the police to start their own preliminary investigation based on the evidence.” Conflict International provides professional private detectives in London and around the UK. ... http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/435/cheating-lovers-a-lucrative-business-for-private-detectives-in-finland http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/435/cheating-lovers-a-lucrative-business-for-private-detectives-in-finland 16 March 2010, 9:40 am http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/feed/feed.xml It is organisations such as Mossad, Mi5 and the CIA that have led the way on intelligence gathering, and as a result an investigation agency such as Conflict International have been heavily influenced by these organisations. Many of the best private investigators or private detectives around the world will have firsthand experience of such organisations. It is not exactly the kind of career that can be taught in a classroom. There have been enormous and dramatic changes in the use of passports and visas over the last 10 to 15 years. It is no longer so easy to counterfeit, and it is also much harder to alter such documents. The recent assassination of a Hamas commander in Dubai is a glaring example of how identities were stolen and used for lethal purposes. The organisation believed to have carried this out is the national intelligence agency for Israel, Mossad. The history of the organisation does fit the bill. In 1972 eleven Israeli athletes were murdered at Munich Olympics by the terror organisation Black September. Mossad’s retribution was severe, and they set up special teams dedicated to hunting and killing those responsible for the murders. Today – ironically, in order to prevent terrorists travelling – passports and visas now have RFID (radio frequency identification) chips embedded, making them much harder to forge. These were first embedded by the Malaysian government in 1998, and since then it has been widely adopted around the world, including most European countries, America, Australia and many more. But what does this mean for international espionage? Well, a lot of the lower-level kind of forgeries will diminish and in future it will only be the high-end counterfeiters who will operate. But this will also mean it will be more difficult for the high-end intelligence agencies to operate. In the future, they will have to obtain documents through bribery and malfeasance. We will see intelligence agencies such as Mossad using documents stolen from people who bear a resemblance to the operatives that they want to send out. In Pakistan, for example, this is already commonplace: jihadist groups get people to surrender their passports and then use people who look as much as possible like the original holders. This avoids the necessity to try to alter the pictures. As far as relations between Britain and Israel are concerned, this is unlikely to be a big problem. There may well be some sort of “knock it off” warning from the British to the Israelis, but any big repercussions are doubtful. Things like aggressive Israeli spying against the UK would have much greater repercussions. In relation to the Dubai operation itself, looking at the tactical breakdown of how they did it gives a glimpse into a very dark world of secrets, lies and cover ups. Some would say that the operation was a complete disaster, after all hitting the front pages cannot be a good thing if you’re a state sponsored spy. Nothing could be further from the truth. The reality of it is this operation was an absolute success. It is somewhat amusing overhearing some people describe it as sloppy or badly executed operation. The team had excellent intelligence, they were well prepared, and their behaviour was as cool as a cucumber. These were highly trained operatives who knew exactly what they were doing. They completed their mission and have since scattered around the world with new identities. The target itself was a current and very serious threat to Israeli security. Mahmoud al-Mabhouh’s death will upset the flow of arms from Iran to Hamas. He was also wanted by the Israeli government for his part in the kidnap and murder of two Israeli soldiers in 1989 which he celebrated by standing on one of the corpses. In a video, taped two weeks before his death, and broadcast on Al-Jazeera in early February, Mabhouh admitted his involvement, saying he had disguised himself as an Orthodox Jew. As for the future, the uproar will simmer down and Mossad will just get better and change its tradecraft and its counterfeiting, and probably the countries that it uses for cover. Israel will probably look in Latin America and also possibly Mediterranean countries such as Lebanon, Cyprus, or even Italy. They will have to work illegally – but they know how to do it. Conflict International provides professional private detectives in London and around the UK. ... http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/412/dubai-assassination-was-a-master-class-in-intelligence http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/412/dubai-assassination-was-a-master-class-in-intelligence 10 March 2010, 9:32 am http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/feed/feed.xml Conflict International understands the Football Association is looking into a security breach after a tape emerged claiming to carry discussions between England coaches and players. The recording, allegedly made at the England hotel as the squad prepared for last week’s friendly with Egypt, has been offered to media outlets. There is no doubt that a private detective or private investigator would be keen to obtain such information. At this stage it is unclear whether it was obtained through a wireless security surveillance, bugging device or by the intercepting of phone calls. Either way it would appear, somewhat typically of England, in the run in before a World Cup summer the squad implodes and the media is there to pick up the pieces and regurgitate them. The recording, believed to be several hours long, is alleged to contain conversations between coaching staff and players at the Grove Hotel in Hertfordshire ahead of the 3-1 victory over Egypt at Wembley last Wednesday. The FA’s solicitors have written to news outlets to state the recording was obtained illicitly and that any publication of its contents would be a breach of Press Complaints Commission rules. The incident comes in the wake of the furore over reports surrounding Chelsea and England defender John Terry’s private life. The Chelsea skipper was subsequently stripped of the England captaincy by national manager Fabio Capello, while Bridge announced he did not want to be considered for international duty, thereby ruling himself out of the World Cup plans. Bridge was seen as the natural replacement for Chelsea left-back Ashley Cole, who is facing a race against time to be fit for the finals in South Africa after breaking his ankle, while Manchester United’s Rio Ferdinand has persistent back problems. United defender Wes Brown, who filled the right-back slot against Egypt, is waiting to find out whether he suffered a broken bone in his left foot during the champions’ 1-0 victory over Wolves on Saturday. Conflict International provides professional private detectives in London and around the UK. ... http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/419/football-association-probes-england-security-breach http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/419/football-association-probes-england-security-breach 9 March 2010, 2:15 pm http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/feed/feed.xml Secret tours at the Tower exposed Conflict International understands that guards at the Tower of London, affectionately nicknamed ‘Beefeaters’ and famed for their guided tours of tourists. What is less well known is that the Beefeaters also gave private evening tours. They have been accused of charging £50 a head for unauthorised nocturnal private tours of the crown jewels at the Tower of London. The allegations were made by a security firm called in to investigate the guardians of the Tower. It found that late-night tours, which ended up in the Tower club, a private bar run by the Beefeaters, were commonplace. One Beefeater is even accused of taking female tourists back to his grace-and favour apartment in the Tower for sex. Allegations were also made that one Beefeater grew cannabis for his own use in his garage at the Tower, while another let his house out to tourists after advertising it on the internet and secured a seven-day pass for those staying there which allowed access to private facilities not open to the public. As part of the undercover surveillance strategy hidden cameras were placed around the Tower during the investigation by London private detectives, in conjunction with the Metropolitan police, chaired by the former commissioner Lord Stevens. It was called in by the governor of the Tower, Major General Keith Cima, when he took over in 2006. A Tower spokesman said: “The governor was made aware of some allegations relating to the residents’ social club, known as the Tower club, and evening tours. “He took these allegations very seriously and immediately instigated a full and thorough investigation, conducted by an independent, external company.” Private investigators spent months monitoring the Beefeaters. One whistleblower stated that: “I was called into the new governor’s office and he asked me what the hell was going on. “He could see there was a lot of money and said he’d walked around the Casemates [where the Beefeaters live] and seen expensive cars. One Beefeater had a top-of-the-range Mercedes SLK. The frequency of the private tours was getting silly — every night — and the governor said he knew certain things were going on.” The daughter of a Beefeater who was suspected of helping the inquiry was allegedly assaulted. No action was taken against any individuals because of lack of evidence, but a spokesman for the Tower said: “The investigation concluded that weaknesses in the operation of the Tower club and poor administration could have left members open to allegations of impropriety. “However, allegations of individuals making personal gain could not be substantiated by hard evidence. “Subsequently a series of recommendations were implemented to improve the operation and administration of the Tower club and evening tours, measures which continue to this day.” The damaging allegations come after revelations last year that the first female warder in the Tower’s 1,000-year history, Moira Cameron, was bullied and harassed by two yeoman warders, who were later sacked. She said the bullying caused her “unprecedented stress to the extent that my hair fell out”. Conflict International provides professional private detectives in London and around the UK. ... http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/400/secret-tours-at-the-tower-exposed http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/400/secret-tours-at-the-tower-exposed 5 March 2010, 2:40 pm http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/feed/feed.xml Conflict International understands that an undercover investigation by BBC Newsnight has exposed fraud at the heart of the student visa system. Student Visas are now regarded as a soft system that is easy to exploit and needs overhauling. This is particularly relevant as students in the UK have already been told that there will be a significant shortage of places for 2011. The programme was able to buy two bogus visa documents which would have virtually guaranteed entry to the UK. One cost £200, the other just £150. Overseas students coming to study in Britain have to obtain a formal invitation from one of nearly 2,000 colleges on an approved list run by the Home Office. UK Border Agency These official documents, called visa letters, are issued by a range of institutions, from major universities to tiny private colleges in rows of shops. Under the UK Border Agency’s points-based system, a visa applicant requires 40 points to get into the country. Thirty points come from having a valid visa letter for a UK college. Another 10 are awarded for having several thousand pounds in the bank for 28 days – which could easily be borrowed. Secret office Information from a source prompted an undercover investigator to research a small, private college in west London called Gateway2uk Education. The college, with a campus at Hayes, has been operating with an A rating from the UK Border Agency. But Newsnight was told that people linked to the college were selling bogus visa letters for cash from a secret office in Wembley Park in London. Newsnight set up a covert observation point nearby and undercover surveillance uncovered deals taking place. We watched as a succession of young men came and went. One even counted his cash outside. They left with A4 white envelopes. Using undercover investigators, they managed to buy two bogus visa documents and filmed the process. One of these was sold by a former administrator at Gateway2uk Education. The administrator later went to India. When traced there, they said they bitterly regretted getting involved in the fraud and had been a minor player, directed by the then owner of Gateway2uk Education, Indian entrepreneur Darpan Shah. Darpan Shah denies this account. Through his solicitor he said he had very little overall control of the business and he could not comment on the activities of the administrator who sold us the documents. ‘No knowledge of fraud’ Darpan Shah says he only owned Gateway2uk Education for 25 days in January. But he was a director until 5 February 2010 and Newsnight’s bogus letters were bought while he was still there. Newsnight took the bogus visa letters to the Hayes campus of Gateway2uk Education to ask the academic principal for his reaction. Principal Jeremy Coulton was visibly shocked, saying he had no idea that visa letters were being forged or that a private detective had been keeping such a close eye on the matter. The following day he found a box full of bogus visas – almost 160 – which had been left in the office. They were sent from a company in Baroda in India called Krish Immigration. The company is owned by Darpan Shah. Mr Shah says he has been unwittingly caught up in two frauds, in the UK and India. On both occasions, he argues, people working with him have acted wrongly without his consent. He says he has now sold the Gateway2uk Education College. Earlier this month, the UK Border Agency suspended Gateway2uk Education’s licence to take in new students. Its premises were inspected on Tuesday. On Monday the government introduced a new electronic system to help tackle student visa fraud. But given the huge sums of money involved – £8bn a year – the industry will continue to attract those who seek to exploit weaknesses in the system. Conflict International provides professional private invetigators in London and around the UK. ... http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/389/undercover-investigation-exposes-student-visa-fraud http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/389/undercover-investigation-exposes-student-visa-fraud 5 March 2010, 2:38 pm http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/feed/feed.xml At Conflict International we use our extensive experience and training to ensure effective and successful investigations. However any great military commander or successful sports coach will tell you, the key to victory is a well thought out and detailed plan. On the 6th of June 1945 General Dwight D. Eisenhower led the Allies into Hitler’s ‘fortress Europe’ and he was chosen for this task not because he was military tactical genius hardened in the trenches of the First World War, but because in the previous high commands he held, Eisenhower showed his great talents for organisation, leadership and diplomacy. Although he had never seen action himself, he won the respect of front-line commanders. To carry out successful covert surveillance requires a variety of disciplines, but none is more important than research and planning, but especially so if you are planning to tail a target or conduct a stakeout. You need to know the layout, activity level, and suitable travelling routes or surveillance locations. It is very important to be familiar with your surroundings and highly familiar with your targets habits. Taking different routes to get to your target location is advised. Humans are indeed creatures of habit but as a professional private detective this must be suppressed. By picking up habits such as using the same route all the time the operation is put in jeopardy. If you’re using a car or van for a stake out, ensure you look as inconspicuous as possible – take seat in the passenger or rear seat, read a book, study a map, just do something that gives the impression you are waiting for someone. Do not wear distinctive clothes or carry distinctive objects. Blending in to the environment is absolutely crucial. If using public transport, roaming tickets are ideal for any journey – you have flexibility over your route and will keep your options open. Any experienced private investigator will say there must always be a ‘plan B’, and sometimes it’s worth having a ‘plan C’. Any eventuality must be thought of in advance and prepared for. Therefore the ability to identify different levels of risk and moments of opportunity are crucial. Our in-house surveillance teams can deploy covert surveillance cars, vans, motorcycles, and licensed taxis dependant on a number of variables such as the nature of the task, the area the operation will take place, the method of travel etc. Conflict International provides professional private detectives in London and around the UK. ... http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/384/the-key-to-successful-covert-surveillance http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/384/the-key-to-successful-covert-surveillance 26 February 2010, 11:51 am http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/feed/feed.xml Mishcon de Reya’s family department launched Creativity in Conflict, a collaboration with Central Saint Martins College to award prizes to its top MA fine art students. The event took place at the Imagination Gallery in Store Street and the acrobatic fire jugglers performing outside signalled that something distinctly odd was afoot. Inside nothing was quite what it seemed. The rationale of the award was that the process of marital breakdown could be represented as a creative art. However, the reality of that Conflict reference was the presence of serious guys in suits from “Conflict International — Investigation, Security, Intelligence” that puts former gunslingers into car boots to monitor your movements and former Met officers to trawl through your garbage. Not that it wasn’t fun. Staff posing as lawyers turned out to be writers of film scores and I was pleased to meet the artists Emily Lockren and Stephen Ford who had turned their backs on the gimmickry of Damien Hirst to pursue the virtues of hard work and high skills. Meanwhile, David Lister, apparently a real Mishcon solicitor, entertained the crowd by cavorting with a bottle of champagne balanced on his head. It was that kind of crazy evening. That the Mishcon website carried nothing about the prize or the launch merely confirmed that it was all a bit of an illusion. Conflict International provides professional private detectives in London and around the UK. ... http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/379/conflict-international-featured-in-the-times http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/379/conflict-international-featured-in-the-times 24 February 2010, 4:19 pm http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/feed/feed.xml The University of North Texas is simplifying the process required to become a private investigator with the launch of the state’s first training program that will qualify participants for the Texas private investigator licensing exam. Prior to this program, becoming eligible for the state exam required a degree in criminal justice or at least three consecutive years of investigative experience. Last month, the Texas Department of Public Safety’s Private Security Board passed a regulation based on presentations by the developers of the UNT program, making individuals who earn a certificate from UNT eligible for the exam. “During my time on the Private Security Board, I became aware that approximately 50 percent of all private detective companies fail in their first year of business. These failures occur primarily because the new licensees have no idea what is required to succeed,” said John Chism, chairman of the state Private Security Board. “Programs like UNT’s will provide a sound footing for a new licensed private investigator to succeed and better serve the citizens of the state of Texas.” UNT’s program will not only train participants in the theory and practice of private investigations, but will also cover the business side. Upon completion of the program, students will be able to launch their own private investigations businesses or work in a variety of fields such as insurance, law and business. The program will be administrated by the Professional Development Institute at UNT, and will be offered in Dallas and in Houston. Dr. Scott Belshaw, UNT professor and former owner of a Houston-based private investigation firm, and Karen Hewitt, UNT alumna and co-founder of Hewitt & Cowden Investigations in Dallas, developed the program’s curriculum. They were committed to developing a program that was comparable to a four-year degree. Participants will be required to complete 12 courses, for a total of 220 hours of instruction. Upon completion, students will earn a certificate in professional private investigations. “These students will have every advantage as they work toward becoming quality private investigators,” said Belshaw. “Our instructors will include professors, private investigators from the community and even former FBI agents.” The Dallas program will begin on March 19 at the University of Dallas, and the Houston program will begin on March 26 at the University of St. Thomas. The program will be taught in an executive style with classes on Friday evenings and all day on Saturdays. The program lasts for approximately four and half months. Conflict International provides professional private detectives in London and around the UK. ... http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/371/university-of-north-texas-launches-private-investigator-program http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/371/university-of-north-texas-launches-private-investigator-program 23 February 2010, 10:17 am http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/feed/feed.xml The News of the World is seeking to prevent the disclosure of documents that it is claimed show that many of its reporters “endemically” used illegal methods to obtain personal information, a court was told today. The evidence is being sought by celebrity publicist Max Clifford, who has started legal action seeking to prove that News of the World investigators unlawfully intercepted messages left on his mobile phone. Jeremy Reed, Clifford’s barrister, told Mr Justice Norris in the high court that, according to a witness statement from an information commissioner investigator, unlawful requests from newspaper reporters to obtain information about “high-profile” individuals and their associates was “endemic”. The case follows the Guardian’s revelation that Rupert Murdoch’s newspaper empire secretly paid £1m in damages to Gordon Taylor, the chief executive of the Professional Footballers Association, and two other figures from the PFA to settle legal actions that threatened to expose evidence of Murdoch journalists using a private detective to illegally hack into their mobile phone records. Clifford, like Taylor, was one of five individuals named in the charges against Glenn Mulcaire, a private detective in London used by the tabloid who was jailed with the paper’s royal reporter, Clive Goodman, in 2007. Clifford has made an application to see documents concerning News of the World reporters from the information commissioner, the watchdog responsible for protecting the public’s privacy. The commissoner seized paperwork from Steve Whittamore, a private investigator who has been convicted of illegally accessing official and commercial databases. Whittamore had cultivated sources who extracted information from police computers, British Telecom, the DVLA, the Inland Revenue and others. The paperwork shows that there were a total of 13,343 requests from 305 journalists including 27 journalists from the News of the World who paid Whittamore to obtain personal data. One NoW reporter made 130 requests, and another 118. The information commissioner is prepared to release this paperwork to Clifford as he believes that the employment of illegal methods by the News of the World and other newspapers was widespread. Today, the News of the World said: “This legal issue is coming up for hearing shortly. We are therefore unwilling to comment in any detail, other than to say that the relevant report from the information commissioner was published in 2006 and it referred to matters arising in 2002–2003.” “For the record, the information commissioner’s report has nothing to do with voicemail accessing.” It is understood that the News of the World will argue that the records obtained by the information commissioner are irrelevant and therefore should be kept under wraps. A court ordered the release of documents from the information commissioner when Taylor sued. The Murdoch papers later paid him £700,000 in a confidential out-of-court settlement. Last year, Clifford said he had been told by the police more than two years ago that his phone had been hacked. He told the Guardian: “I believed that this was a one-off, just two lads overstepping the mark. I gave them the benefit of the doubt. Now it is increasingly worrying that there could be an awful lot more. Conflict International provides professional private detectives in London and around the UK. ... http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/368/case-of-the-private-detective-and-max-clifford http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/368/case-of-the-private-detective-and-max-clifford 18 February 2010, 4:58 pm http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/feed/feed.xml Rumour has it that Angelina Jolie has hired a private detective to track her partner Brad Pitt. In the wake of Tiger Woods affairs and Elin Nordegren hiring a private investigator to find out exactly how much he is worth, perhaps Angelina is only going with the flow. The star of Tomb Raider has alledgedley taken the services of a private detective to monitor her husband. Conflict International, headquartered in London, provides professional private detectives to work in across the UK, Europe and anywhere around the globe. Conflict International has recently setup its New York office and is now open for business to clients based in the USA. ... http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/364/conflict-international-lands-in-the-usa http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/364/conflict-international-lands-in-the-usa 15 February 2010, 6:02 pm http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/feed/feed.xml A desperate son is set to hire a team of private detectives to solve the mystery of his Dumfries mum’s death on a Greek island. Michael Porter is raising funds to employ investigators in a bid to find out what happened to mum, Jean Hanlon. Her body was found in the sea at the port of Heraklion in Crete on March 12 last year. Michael, aged 25, believes she was murdered. But he has been left frustrated by what he claims is the lack of a proper investigation by the Greek authorities. He said: “There’s a lot of things that I haven’t got the answer to and I don’t know if they have.” Jean lived in Dumfries until 2005 when she decided to embark on a new life abroad after gaining work with a travel company. She came back to Scotland regularly but spent most of her time in Crete. She was last seen alive in a café bar at Heraklion on March 9 last year. That saw a police probe launched in Greece and Michael and his two brothers, David and Robert, went over to try and find her. They returned to the UK broken-hearted following the discovery of her body. Michael, who now lives in Mansfield, got hold of a police forensic report this week which showed his mum’s body had been dumped in the water with lesions to her head and neck. In the run-up to the anniversary of her death, he said: “This confirms our worst fears and suspicions that our mother was murdered. “The report has been a long time in coming but police must now launch a full investigation to find the killer.” Michael has been using his skills as an actor to raise funds to pay for lawyers and the private investigation by holding fundraising concerts and shows in Mansfield. He has hired Kate and Gerry McCann’s spokesman Clarence Mitchell to raise the profile of their case and hopes to soon have the funds for the team of private investigators. Michael said: “From day one you’re trying to find out. Going out there, the way we were treated was disgusting. “We were so angry and gob-smacked; you didn’t even think this is about my mum. I felt like I was a private investigator, a lawyer. Nobody tells us anything.” Michael revealed that Greek police had questioned two suspects but no charges had been brought. He added: “They basically just wanted us to take the body away.” According to Michael his mum was very well known and he has gathered hundreds of supporters online via a Facebook page in the fight to find out what happened to Jean. He said: “She had two circles of friends – she had all the Greeks and then the ex-pats and a lot of friends from Scotland.” Dumfries and Galloway Police said they had been helping the Greek authorities with their inquiries last year but have had no further involvement since then. Conflict International is the premier London private detective company which uses the latest technology and the most professional and experienced investigators. ... http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/357/private-detectives-to-investigate-crete-death http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/357/private-detectives-to-investigate-crete-death 15 February 2010, 10:51 am http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/feed/feed.xml QMCY8K7ZP3PZ – A Chinese-born aerospace engineer was jailed for more than 15 years Monday after being convicted of selling technology related to the US space shuttle program to China, officials said. Dongfan “Greg” Chung, 73, was convicted last year of stealing trade secrets from Boeing and Rockwell during a three-decade career where he was also working as a Chinese agent, a justice department statement said. Federal Judge Cormac Carney jailed Chung for 188 months at a hearing in Santa Ana, outside of Los Angeles, telling the former engineer it was not possible to “put a price tag” on national security. Chung was found guilty of conspiracy to commit economic espionage, six counts of economic espionage to benefit a foreign country, one count of acting as an agent of the People’s Republic of China and one count of making false statements to the FBI. A native of China and a naturalized US citizen, Chung held a “secret” security clearance when he worked at Rockwell and Boeing on the space shuttle program, according to prosecutors. He retired from the company in 2002 and returned to Boeing as a contractor the following year until 2006. During his trial last year, prosecutors alleged Chung stole Boeing trade secrets relating to the shuttle and the Delta IV rocket. “Mr Chung betrayed his adopted country and endangered our national security,” acting US attorney George Cardona said. “This case demonstrates our resolve to protect the secrets that help protect the United States, as well as the important technological advancements developed by scientists working for companies that provide crucial support to our national security programs.” The case against Chung was uncovered during a probe into another Chinese espionage case involving the sale of sensitive military information to China. What this demonstrates is that fraud can take place in almost any business. The security checks on Dongfan Chung will no doubt have been extremely thorough but were unable to identify him as a possible threat to the US national security. This also highlights just how important governments around the world consider technological progression. Technology has been the driving force of many economies around the world post World War 2, which has resulted in the world we live in today. We exist in a world were technology has become so integrated into our lives, one must ask, would we be able to live without it? Conflict International is the premier London private detective company which uses the latest technology and the most professional and experienced investigators. ... http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/351/us-jails-chineseborn-engineer-for-spying http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/351/us-jails-chineseborn-engineer-for-spying 9 February 2010, 11:57 am http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/feed/feed.xml John Terry is the latest, in what seems to be a never ending string of very high profile sportsmen who have been caught cheating on their partners. First it was Beckham, then Ashley Cole, then Tiger and now John Terry. Could it be that they have something in common? Well, all are highly talented sportsmen who have had an impact on the game they play and they earn a lot of money. David Beckham can cross a football today just as well if not better then when he was at Manchester United. At United Beckham earned a fortune and become a legend winning just about every piece of silverware possible. He went to Spain enjoyed tremendous success under Fabio Capello at Real Madrid, and then went to America where it seems like things are going well for him. Apparently there was also some little tiff he had with Victoria about cheating on her which was quickly resolved and his public image has remained intact. As for Ashley Cole he didn’t something most Londoners would advice against. He went from Arsenal to Chelsea, something that will never be forgiven by several thousands in the capital and many more around the world. That however wasn’t his biggest mistake. One night Ashley got drunk and cheated on his wife with a hairdresser. The reason this infuriated so many people is quite simple, he is married to quite possibly the prettiest thing that has ever or will ever come out of Newcastle. Quite frankly Ashley Cole is the luckiest man in the world and the only way the country will ever forgive him is if he set up the winning goal in the World Cup final. Tiger took a slightly different route to David Beckham and Ashley Cole. He travelled around the world winning the biggest golf tournaments and in doing so becoming the first reported sportsman worth ‘$1 Billion’. He also got married to a beautiful blonde (Elin Nordegren) and had a few kids when he came home to visit. So whilst Tiger was gallivanting around the world enjoying his success he slept with……well who knows really? It could be argued that any female, with a heartbeat and a functional brain may well have been enticed, and to be honest, I don’t blame them. Tiger Woods is a good looking and athletic man who made golf what it is today, and in the process he made a fortune. He made so much money his wife, Elin Nordegren had to hire a private investigator just find out how much. Finally it was John Terry’s turn. Captain of club and country, he is the role model for a whole generation of children who would sacrifice all their pocket to see him lift the World Cup in South Africa this summer. Exactly how long the affair was going on for we can’t be sure of but it seems Terry was doing everything right as a husband and father, he was even voted ‘Dad of the year’ in 2009. The woman he had the affair with, Vanessa Perroncel, judging from recent press, was a committed footballer’s girlfriend, so much so that she worked in a nightclub frequented by footballers and in between John Terry and Wayne Bridge managed to sleep with several other premier league players. There is no question that John Terry should have known better, so should Tiger Woods, Ashley Cole and David Beckham because in today’s world if you are celebrity nothing will stay a secret for very long. With insatiable public demand for information, the power of the media and private detectives has demonstrated that no secret is safe. Conflict International is the premier London private detective company which uses the latest technology and the most professional and experienced investigators. ... http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/335/sports-stars-secrets-are-no-longer-safe http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/335/sports-stars-secrets-are-no-longer-safe 4 February 2010, 11:07 am http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/feed/feed.xml The National Fraud Authority reckons tax, insurance, online and other fraud is now costing the UK £30bn a year – a deficit that has to be made up through higher taxes and prices. But although this might sound like pretty grim news to the vast majority of us, it’s apparently a good time to be a private detective, with firms reporting a big spike in work as financial problems drive us to steal from our employer and cheat on our spouses. When we think about private detectives, our thoughts naturally turn to Sherlock Holmes, Sam Spade, Simon Templar, Magnum PI… But rather than smoking pipes or driving red Ferraris, the modern-day private investigator is more likely to be found lurking in a red Escort outside their local Travelodge, trying to catch philandering spouses red handed. Still, it seems recessions are good for business With UK companies reporting £2.1bn of fraud in 2009, according to BDO, companies should have no shortage of corporate clients. This is emphasised by January’s NFA report, which suggests that about 30% of these fraud losses came in the private sector (the rest was in the public sector, mostly via tax dodging). Financial services was unsurprisingly worst hit, losing £1bn to mortgage fraud, another £2bn to insurance fraud, and the best part of another £1bn on credit cards and online scams. Consumers are being encouraged to take preventative measures to avoid becoming the victims of mass-marketing scams. Advice line Consumer Direct suggested that taking time over any deal would help, but anything that appeared too good to be true, usually was. People should ensure that they have as much contact information as possible for any trader they are dealing with, such as a full postal address and landline telephone number. If ordering on the internet, consumers should follow basic security measures, such as taking care when offering bank details. Purchases of more than £100 receive extra protection if the buyer uses a credit card. Tackling this massive problem is something governments around the world are trying to achieve. Recently for example Icelandic authorities confirmed that they searched four premises in the UK with the help of Britain’s Serious Fraud Office (SFO) and City of London police in an inquiry linked with alleged irregular transactions made by Exista. There were also eight searches in Iceland connected to a separate SFO investigation into Exista’s alleged dealings with JJB Sports. A number of people are being questioned in Reykjavik. Olafur Thor Hauksson, Iceland’s special investigator, said: “It is a very big operation with 30 people working on the cases here and four of our people are in the UK.” Conflict International provides professional private detectives in London and around the UK. ... http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/327/fraud-costs-the-uk-30-billion-a-year http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/327/fraud-costs-the-uk-30-billion-a-year 29 January 2010, 3:38 pm http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/feed/feed.xml A rumour of yet another Brangelina breakup horror story. Rumour has it that Angelina Jolie hired a private detective to follow around her estranged lover Brad Pitt. In the wake of Tiger Woods affairs and Elin Nordegren hiring a private investigator to find out exactly how much he is worth, perhaps Angelina is simply continuing the trend! It has been reported that the couple is on the verge of implosion. The star of Tomb Raider should have more confidence in her beloved but instead took the offered the services of a private detective to monitor Brad Pitt in his every move. The actor, weary of daily arguments, Angie remains with the sole purpose of protecting children. Sure, six children at home, it makes you think! “Brad is dead inside”, a source told the tabloid American. They agree on nothing and Brad’s had enough.” The couple is not communicating more and Angelina Jolie suspects her husband to look elsewhere. In the past and still today it is hard to really know exactly what the situation with Brad Pitt and Anjelina Jolie, so in all likelyhood this will continue Conflict International provides professional private detectives in London and around the UK. ... http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/312/has-angelina-jolie-followed-in-elin-nordegren-footsteps http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/312/has-angelina-jolie-followed-in-elin-nordegren-footsteps 27 January 2010, 3:07 pm http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/feed/feed.xml The News of the World is seeking to prevent the disclosure of documents that it is claimed show that many of its reporters “endemically” used illegal methods to obtain personal information, a court was told today. The evidence is being sought by celebrity publicist Max Clifford, who has started legal action seeking to prove that News of the World investigators unlawfully intercepted messages left on his mobile phone. Jeremy Reed, Clifford’s barrister, told Mr Justice Norris in the high court that, according to a witness statement from an information commissioner investigator, unlawful requests from newspaper reporters to obtain information about “high-profile” individuals and their associates was “endemic”. The case follows the Guardian’s revelation that Rupert Murdoch’s newspaper empire secretly paid £1m in damages to Gordon Taylor, the chief executive of the Professional Footballers Association, and two other figures from the PFA to settle legal actions that threatened to expose evidence of Murdoch journalists using private investigators to illegally hack into their mobile phone records. Clifford, like Taylor, was one of five individuals named in the charges against Glenn Mulcaire, a private detective in London used by the tabloid who was jailed with the paper’s royal reporter, Clive Goodman, in 2007. Clifford has made an application to see documents concerning News of the World reporters from the information commissioner, the watchdog responsible for protecting the public’s privacy. The commissoner seized paperwork from Steve Whittamore, a private investigator who has been convicted of illegally accessing official and commercial databases. Whittamore had cultivated sources who extracted information from police computers, British Telecom, the DVLA, the Inland Revenue and others. The paperwork shows that there were a total of 13,343 requests from 305 journalists including 27 journalists from the News of the World who paid Whittamore to obtain personal data. One NoW reporter made 130 requests, and another 118. The information commissioner is prepared to release this paperwork to Clifford as he believes that the employment of illegal methods by the News of the World and other newspapers was widespread. Today, the News of the World said: “This legal issue is coming up for hearing shortly. We are therefore unwilling to comment in any detail, other than to say that the relevant report from the information commissioner was published in 2006 and it referred to matters arising in 2002–2003.” “For the record, the information commissioner’s report has nothing to do with voicemail accessing.” It is understood that the News of the World will argue that the records obtained by the information commissioner are irrelevant and therefore should be kept under wraps. A court ordered the release of documents from the information commissioner when Taylor sued. The Murdoch papers later paid him £700,000 in a confidential out-of-court settlement. Last year, Clifford said he had been told by the police more than two years ago that his phone had been hacked. He told the Guardian: “I believed that this was a one-off, just two lads overstepping the mark. I gave them the benefit of the doubt. Now it is increasingly worrying that there could be an awful lot more. Conflict International provides professional private detectives in London and around the UK. ... http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/308/max-clifford-in-court-over-phonehacking-allegations http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/308/max-clifford-in-court-over-phonehacking-allegations 27 January 2010, 10:46 am http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/feed/feed.xml If there was ever any indication that Tiger Woods and Elin will be getting a divorce, it’s this. Troubled wife Elin Nordegren has hired a private detective to probe the extent of his wealth. Nordegren has piled on the punishment by refusing to allow Woods to see his children on Christmas Day, forcing him and his mother to post their Christmas presents. It is reported that Nordegren, who plans to divorce Woods in California rather than Florida due to the state’s more generous laws, wants to know exactly what he is worth. Woods is believed to be worth almost $1 billion, but his fortune is spread across the globe, with money likely in several different tax havens, so estimating his exact worth will no doubt be a difficult task. Adding fuel to the fire, Woods’ mistress No1, New York party planner Rachel Uchitel, boasted to friends that Woods promised to buy her a nightclub. She reportedly told them: “I’m his soulmate and we have a special connection. We will get back together – he promised.” “Elin knows hiring a Private Investigator is a smart move. Her lawyers want to make sure she gets every penny she’s entitled to. Elin is devastated, but now she’s decided to end their marriage she has the future of their children to think about,” said a source. She has also hired Sorrell Trope, 82, a partner in Californian law firm Trope and Trope who has represented stars like Nicole Kidman, Nicolas Cage and Britney Spears. Finance expert David Marchant of offshoreAlert.com said: “Tiger will be hiding money legally in tax havens.” Conflict International provides professional private detectives in London and around the UK. ... http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/303/tiger-woods-wife-goes-on-the-rampage http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/303/tiger-woods-wife-goes-on-the-rampage 13 January 2010, 12:08 pm http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/feed/feed.xml Detective Chief Superintendent Philip Williams, from the Metropolitan Police, raised the possibility at the Commons Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee. When asked if he suspected journalists had hacked into the princes’ engaged in phone tapping, Mr Williams told the committee: “Yes, I think they may well have done.” Former News of the World Royal editor Clive Goodman was jailed for four months in 2007 after admitting hacking into hundreds of messages on mobile phones belonging to aides of the Royal Family. Glenn Mulcaire, an illegal investigator was also sent to prison for his involvement in the affair. The two men had made 609 calls to retrieve private messages from mobile phones belonging to the princes’ personal secretary, private secretary and The Prince of Wales’ communications secretary. Conflict International provides professional private investigator services to identify whether an individual or organisation is being followed or investigated, which include, but are not limited to resolving problems associated with phone hacking. ... http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/297/princes-phone-tapping-probe http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/297/princes-phone-tapping-probe 6 January 2010, 12:16 pm http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/feed/feed.xml Anyone looking for a step-by-step approach to conducting lawful corporate investigations can steal some ideas from the Association of Corporate Counsel. The ACC presented a panel discussion on internal investigations during its annual conference in Boston last week, and posed the following hypothetical: One of the company’s office managers has received an anonymous e-mail, where the writer claims to have compromised the salary and bonus information of several executives. The writer also claims to have stolen proprietary software from the company, whose customers are mostly manufacturers, and plans to give it to a competitor. You, the general counsel, must investigate. How do you proceed? First, said Marcia Narine, deputy general counsel and vice president of global compliance and business standards of Ryder System, is to confirm whether the information—in this case, the salary data or the software the writer mentioned—is accurate. Once you confirm that the threat appears real, the next step is to assemble a small team to help the investigation. Your first call should be to outside counsel, the second to the chair of the audit committee, Narine advised. As to bringing other internal employees into the investigation, proceed with caution. John Lewis, senior managing litigation counsel for Coca-Cola Co., said general counsels must consider “the architecture of the case” before deciding who can be trusted for help. For example, who would have had access to that salary data in the first place? It could be anybody from the IT, payroll, or human resources departments, Narine said. “You have to be relatively suspicious.” “The company owns the information inside the employee’s head and has a right to know it and to impose consequences if the employee doesn’t comply.” —John Lewis, Senior Managing Litigation Counsel, Coca-Cola Co. In addition, be prepared to answer questions employees might ask (such as how the perpetrator obtained the data) before alerting them to the existence of the investigation—because once they know about it, Narine warned, the company is taking the risk that one of them will report it to regulators. Ralph Martin, a former district attorney in Massachusetts and now managing partner at the Bingham Consulting Group, did quip that regulators aren’t “twiddling their thumbs” looking for investigations to launch; they already have much to do and generally want to take a case only when others have done the preliminary work. In this particular case, he said, the e-mail alone did not contain enough information to spark a regulatory probe. Maintaining Control Handling investigations internally, rather than notifying regulators, has other advantages. Foremost, since you already know the organization, you can identify where to start gathering evidence much more discreetly, determine the true severity of the threat, and pinpoint where the risk exposure exists, Martin said. Contrast that efficiency to the time regulators would spend simply getting acquainted with your enterprise—“and that is purely advisory on your part, because you don’t control it,” Martin said. “Once you go to the authorities, you give up control.” Also remember that some situations do call for immediate regulatory attention: if someone’s life is in danger; if valuable assets are lost; if certain laws or regulation, or even internal corporate policies, require immediate reporting. Lewis noted that the Sarbanes-Oxley Act does give companies the ability to launch investigations quietly, by using SOX audits as an excuse to check internal controls. For example, a SOX audit can review how shared financial resources work, who codes them, and who has access to that data. This act of “sleuthing” can eventually lead to those individuals, resources, and geographies that will narrow your investigative search, he said. Expense reports are another lucrative area for investigation. Compare employees’ reports to records from vendors or customers to find any disparities, Martin said. Also watch for suspicious behavior, such as two employees expensing a company lunch when there is no business reason for it—those can be the sort of events where data is transferred from one computer to another, Narine said. “You never know how these things are going to work out.” Companies can also search numerous public records, such as court judgments, debt and bankruptcy filings, and new business registrations. Personal credit reports are not on that list, Narine said, but they aren’t always helpful anyway; thieves can still have good credit. Do be wary of the rules of electronic communication. If you’re going to conduct a search of employee data, the company must have a policy that clearly states the employee has no expectation of privacy in workplace communications, experts say. Sooner or later, however, most serious internal investigations eventually are passed along to regulators; once that happens, the company has a new level of complexity to handle. Lewis’s advice: “When you notify regulators, you have to assume you’re going public.” That means the small team that did the original investigation should be prepared for media scrutiny, so the company must, in turn, prepare that team. For example, Narine said, the corporate communications department should be able to supply the team with official statements. Conflict International Limited is a detective agency specialising in Surveillance and Private and Corporate Investigations, providing private detectives in London, for firms, banks, companies and private individuals. Learn more about Conflict International’s corporate investigations services. ... http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/205/conducting-ethical-corporate-investigation http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/205/conducting-ethical-corporate-investigation 22 December 2009, 11:40 am http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/feed/feed.xml UK Local Authority (LA) pension funds have lost £31bn on their investments between 2007 and 2009, according to global class action services specialist, GOAL Group. The Group’s projections show that around £500million of these losses will be recovered by UK local authorities which choose to participate in class action lawsuits arising from that period, mainly based in the US. However, if rates of class actions do not improve, a number of pension funds will effectively be ignoring their right to recoup around £125million of recoverable funds, which will be distributed between only those who filed a claim. GOAL said this should be a wakeup call to the UK public sector, as they are currently missing out on their legal right to claim damages through the US courts, despite cases such as North Yorkshire and Merseyside County Council pension funds in their applications for lead plaintiff statuses. Between 2007 and 2008, almost £8.5bn was lost and £140million open to be recovered for UK local authority pension funds, and this increased to £22.5bn lost and £370million open to be recovered between 2008 and 2009. “We have been involved in numerous class actions over the years, varying in size, including A.T. & T. Wireless, Cable & Wireless, Federal Home Loan and Royal Ahold NV,” commented Tony Doyle, senior investment manager – equities and corporate governance, West Midlands Pension Fund. “We have recovered over $700,000 to date.” GOAL Group’s managing director, Stephen Everard, said: “It is the judgement of the legal profession that there is a clear duty of care for institutional investors to register claims on behalf of their clients. Our research shows that aside from fulfilling corporate governance responsibilities, there is also a growing need for local authorities to plug the escalating pensions gap. High-profile cases have helped flag up the benefits of class actions but an alarming proportion nevertheless continues to remain unclaimed.” Everard added that the clear message to local authorities should be to take immediate action in order to recoup escalating losses on a permanent basis to “ensure their beneficiaries’ interests are properly safeguarded in the future”. Conflict International Limited is a London detective agency specialising in Surveillance and Private and Corporate Investigations, providing a bespoke private detective service for firms, banks, companies and private individuals. Learn more about Conflict International’s corporate investigations services. ... http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/294/pension-funds-and-local-authorities-are-missing-out-on-class-action-cash http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/294/pension-funds-and-local-authorities-are-missing-out-on-class-action-cash 22 December 2009, 11:31 am http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/feed/feed.xml Lloyd’s of London’s chief executive Richard Ward today warned the deep recession would increase the number of fraudulent claims being made against the insurance market. Many cash-strapped companies and households view insurance policies as a source of easy money. Mike Lacorte of London based Private Investigator agency Investigations Direct who work with help lawyers to hep corportae companies build a legal case against companies engaging insurance fraud said “Companies can use Private Detectives – we stay within the law to build a cas that will stand up in the courts”. Conflict International provides private investigator services to lawyers and corporates. ... http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/126/lloyds-of-london-chief-warns-of-rising-tide-of-insurance-fraud http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/126/lloyds-of-london-chief-warns-of-rising-tide-of-insurance-fraud 22 December 2009, 11:20 am http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/feed/feed.xml Arsenal’s boardroom is gripped by fresh tensions, with Alisher Usmanov set to confront Ivan Gazidis over claims that advisers to the club’s directors ordered an investigation into Usmanov’s prison past in the Soviet Union. The Russian is the second-biggest shareholder at Arsenal, and his purchase of £75m-worth of the club’s shares two years ago was met with resistance from fans, shareholders and directors alike. But despite that past hostility, revelations on Channel Four’s Dispatches programme on Monday night that a private investigator was hired by a company working for the Arsenal board came as a shock to the oligarch. The investigator visited Tashkent, where Usmanov spent six years in jail, while working on a brief to uncover details about his conviction and its subsequent annulment by Russian and Uzbek courts. After working on the case for six months, she drew a blank amid “official obfuscation” in Uzbekistan. Usmanov will seek to find out from Gazidis, Arsenal’s chief executive, whether any shareholders’ funds were used to pay for the investigation. He will also want to know if it is standard practice to probe shareholders and whether a similar study has been carried out on Stan Kroenke’s background. Gazidis is likely to tell Usmanov that the report was not directly commissioned by the board but by a third-party adviser and privately the club were yesterday at a loss to explain how the investigation had come about. News of the inquiry comes at a time when Gazidis had restored serenity to the directors’ box. Even Nina Bracewell‑Smith, who was expelled from the board 12 months ago, was invited to take up a seat there during Sunday’s defeat by Chelsea. Investigations Direct is a multi-disciplined, UK-based private detective and private investigation agency serving the private and public sectors, banking, legal and insurance companies. Our private investigators and detectives are highly experienced operatives. ... http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/284/arsenal-set-for-a-new-boardroom-row-over-alisher-usmanov-investigation http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/284/arsenal-set-for-a-new-boardroom-row-over-alisher-usmanov-investigation 9 December 2009, 12:07 pm http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/feed/feed.xml AN EAST London resident who was defrauded after making an online purchase may have stumbled onto an international racket after hiring a private investigator to help him. François Eales, a natural medicine practitioner who lives and works in Gonubie, said that last Thursday he bid to buy an Apple iPhone cellphone and a Sony Vaio laptop on Internet auction website bid or buy . “I’ve made over 300 purchases in the past through the site and have never had a problem before.” Eales’ bid on the iPhone was not accepted, but his bid of R4403 for the laptop was successful. “I contacted the seller and got his details,” said Eales. “He told me he was moving to Australia and that he lived in Knysna.” Eales deposited the money that afternoon into his account and arranged with his parents, who live in nearby Sedgefield, to collect the laptop the following day. However, they could not get hold of the seller on the cellphone number provided. Eales said he went to see a Gonubie-based private investigator, Christian Botha. “I discovered the account is held in Windhoek, Namibia, in the name of someone else and that it had quite a substantial amount of money in it.” Eales said FNB were looking into the matter, while he had also opened a case of fraud at the Gonubie police station. Botha said that from preliminary investigations he suspected a larger syndicate could be at work. “It’s possible the bank account in Namibia could be a money-laundering scheme where fraudsters deposit money and give a commission to the account owner,” he said. Cuan Akal, operations manager for bid or buy, said it was unfortunate that people used the site to commit acts of fraud. He said 99 percent of the transactions on the website were legitimate An FNB spokesperson said they were looking into the matter. Conflict International is a Private Investigator firm that provides invetigative services for corporate and private clients. Its global operation covers London, Europe and the rest of the World. ... http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/122/private-investigator-helps-to-battle-internet-piracy http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/122/private-investigator-helps-to-battle-internet-piracy 8 December 2009, 10:35 am http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/feed/feed.xml Private Detectives are being increasingly used in the City Law companies, more than any other profession, call in private detectives to combat internal fraud or to trace missing assets. Mike Lacorte, is associate managing director of Conflict International, a London based, international private detective agency, has said that 25 per cent of their business comes from solicitors. Mr Lacorte, believes fraud in solicitors’ offices has increased, making companies more security conscious. There were also salutary lessons from the recession that have left senior partners keeping a tighter rein on partnership finances. “Some solicitors have substantial debts and employ us for asset-tracing and fee recovery work, especially where they need to recover funds outside the jurisdiction,” he says. Another well established Private Investigator firm in London is Investigations Direct. They recently acted directly for a City law firm. In that case, Investigations Direct was asked to investigate the commercial strength of a smaller firm to pave the way for a merger offer. Jon Fawcett, managing director of Investigations Direct, says: “They (law firms) are the first to advise the client to employ a corporate detective, but they don’t always do it themselves. Why should solicitors be any different from anyone else? They tend to work on the basis that theirs is an upright and honourable business.” Mr Fawcett says the important part of investigating a law firm is discovering the partners’ true view of the merger. “Unlike any one else, the work tends to follow the solicitor around. If the partners are unhappy about a takeover, the merger isn’t going to be so worthwhile.” Mr Fawcett says this is always the danger in corporate takeover bids. Most partners may be happy with the proposed deal, but the “key profit- making department” might intend to walk out as soon as the deal is completed. “It’s important that our client knows this,” he says. Mr Fawcett will not say how detectives canvas such opinion without giving away the fact that the firm is being investigated. “That would be giving away tricks of the trade.” The key to a successful corporate investigation is not being found out, he says. “Sometimes, the first the firm knows about the investigation is when I’m giving my evidence in the witness stand. That’s a great feeling.” About 75 per cent of Investigations Direct’s work comes from solicitors, mainly City and big provincial practices. “Law companies work closely with corporate detectives when they’re advising on due diligence and pre-acquisition searches,” Mr Fawcett says. “If figures don’t add up after an auditor’s valuation or the lawyers simply aren’t comfortable about what the directors are telling them, it usually means initiating a corporate investigation.” Investigations Direct and many of the other companies would like this to become standard practice rather than only acting after suspicions have been aroused. Mr Fawcett says that, “whenever we’re advising in a defensive capacity, we always check the boardroom for bugs.” Conflict international can assits bueinsessesn by helping to counter phone tapping and bugging within the organisation with TSCM. ... http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/56/bugs-in-the-boardroom http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/56/bugs-in-the-boardroom 8 December 2009, 10:11 am http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/feed/feed.xml The Serious Fraud Office (SFO) says it will use phone tapping and video surveillance to uncover British companies involved in corruption abroad. The SFO says companies have one last chance to come clean before the new powers are introduced. About 15 UK companies are already under fraud investigation, according to the SFO. Last month the engineering firm Mabey and Johnson admitted bribing officials in Jamaica and Ghana and breaking UN sanctions against Saddam Hussein. The 15 companies are said to include major household names. The SFO has set up a team of 100 investigators to look into British firms who use bribes to win foreign contracts. The SFO’s director, Richard Alderman, is writing to UK contractors, telling them they have one last chance to admit breaking anti-corruption laws. An SFO spokesman said: “What we’re saying is, don’t brush it under the carpet. If a firm co-operates then we’ll look at civil action to recover money rather than criminal prosecutions.” He said firms now had the chance to enter plea bargains with investigators: “If we find out a company has known about corruption, then we can now take stronger action. “Cover-ups at senior levels within companies aren’t acceptable.” Mabey and Johnson – which constructs bridges – admitted trying to influence foreign officials to win lucrative public contracts in Jamaica and Ghana. It also paid more than $200,000 (£123,000) to Saddam Hussein’s regime, breaking UN sanctions imposed on Iraq under the Oil for Food programme. Last year, the construction firm Balfour Beatty agreed to pay £2.25 million after it admitted financial irregularities by a subsidiary company in Egypt. Conflict International provides the services to identify whether an individual or organisation is being followed or investigated, which include, but are not limited to resolving problems associated with phone hacking and video surveillance. ... http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/86/corrupt-firms-face-phone-tapping http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/86/corrupt-firms-face-phone-tapping 7 December 2009, 4:05 pm http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/feed/feed.xml BlackBerry mobile devices are open to attack due to a certificate notification flaw in the smartphone’s software, according to Research In Motion. The problem lies in the BlackBerry Browser, specifically in the dialog box that alerts users if the URL they have clicked on does not match the domain they are being sent to, the company warned in an advisory on Monday. To exploit the flaw, a hacker could craft a malicious website that spoofs a trusted website, then send users a link to that site using text messaging or email. If the malicious domain name contains a null character and the user chooses to access the site, the certificate-handling software on the device will note that there is a mismatch, but the warning dialog box will not display the null character in the link. For example, the URL ‘zd[null character]net.co.uk’ will generate an alert, which will tell the user they are about to visit ‘zdnet.co.uk’. BlackBerry users may ignore this alert, as malicious websites could appear benign, RIM said. “RIM recommends that BlackBerry device users exercise caution when clicking on links that they receive in email or SMS messages,” the company said in its advisory. “If a user visits a site that causes a BlackBerry Browser dialog box to warn the user about continuing the connection, the user should select Close connection.” BlackBerry Device Software from version 4.5 onwards is affected. RIM has provided a software update, available from the BlackBerry updates site, to mitigate the issue. The Private Investigator agency Conflict international offers undercover investigaions regarding mobile counter surveillance  to determine whether an individual is being followed or investigated. Learn more about surveillance services offered by Conflict International. ... http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/135/blackberry-smartphones-open-to-sms-attack http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/135/blackberry-smartphones-open-to-sms-attack 7 December 2009, 10:00 am http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/feed/feed.xml AN EAST London resident who was defrauded after making an online purchase may have stumbled onto an international racket after hiring a private detective to help him. François Eales, a natural medicine practitioner who lives and works in Gonubie, said that last Thursday he bid to buy an Apple iPhone cellphone and a Sony Vaio laptop on a an Internet auction website. “I’ve made over 300 purchases in the past through the site and have never had a problem before.” Eales’ bid on the iPhone was not accepted, but his bid for the laptop was successful. “I contacted the seller and got his details,” said Eales. “He told me he was moving to Australia.” Eales deposited the money that afternoon into his account and arranged with his parents, who lived nearby, to collect the laptop the following day. However, they could not get hold of the seller on the cellphone number provided. Eales said he then turned to the internet again to find a reliable private investigator to help him trace the individual. “I discovered the account was held in Namibia, in the name of someone else and that it had quite a substantial amount of money in it.” Eales said police were looking into the matter. The private detective agency, said that from preliminary investigations he suspected a larger syndicate could be at work. “It’s possible the bank account in Namibia could be a money-laundering scheme where fraudsters deposit money and give a commission to the account owner,” he said. Operations manager for the website, said it was unfortunate that people used the site to commit acts of fraud. He said 99 percent of the transactions on the website were legitimate Conflict International is a Private Investigator firm that provides investigative services for corporate and private clients. It’s global operation covers London, Europe and the rest of the World. Learn more about fraud services offered by Conflict International here. ... http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/240/are-auction-sites-fraud-with-danger http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/240/are-auction-sites-fraud-with-danger 1 December 2009, 4:59 pm http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/feed/feed.xml Conflicted out Times may be hard but the love affair between the law and the arts goes on. Last week, for example, Mishcon de Reya’s family department launched Creativity in Conflict, a collaboration with Central Saint Martins College to award prizes to its top MA fine art students. The event took place at the Imagination Gallery in Store Street and the acrobatic fire jugglers performing outside signalled that something distinctly odd was afoot. Inside nothing was quite what it seemed. The rationale of the award was that the process of marital breakdown could be represented as a creative art. However, the reality of that Conflict reference was the presence of serious guys in suits from “Conflict International — Investigation, Security, Intelligence” that puts former gunslingers into car boots to monitor your movements and former Met officers to trawl through your garbage. Conflict International was recently featured in “The Times” for their work with the Mishcon de Reya’s family department’s launch of Creativity and Conflict, an award ceremony for top MA fine art students.  Check out the whole article here-http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/law/columnists/article6930296.ece Conflict International’s team have a wealth of experience in dealing with corporate, commercial and private investigations from a diverse range of clients, including multi-national corporations, legal firms and high net worth individuals. Learn more about security services offered by Conflict International. ... http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/234/conflict-international-featured-in-the-times http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/234/conflict-international-featured-in-the-times 26 November 2009, 10:40 am http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/feed/feed.xml CHICAGO (CN) – An investigation agency claims it was ruined by a firm that did a slipshod background check on “reality” TV star Ryan Jenkins, who allegedly murdered his wife, dismembered her body and then killed himself. Collective Intelligence says it was hired to screen contestants for the VH1 show “Megan Wants a Millionaire,” but could not check Jenkins’ background in Canada, so it hired defendant Straightline International to do it. Collective says Straightline told it Jenkins had no criminal record, though in fact he had a conviction for domestic assault on a girlfriend, according to the complaint in Cook County Court. In August, Jenkins killed his wife, model Jasmine Fiore, dismembered her body, then fled to Canada and killed himself in a hotel, according to the complaint. VH1 canceled the show, as well as “I Love Money 3,” on which Jenkins also appeared, to distance itself from media scrutiny, the complaint states. Collective claims that Viacom, which owns VH1, CBS and MTV, ended its relationship with Collective over the mistake. Collective says Straightline did not request a background check on Jenkins from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, as expected, but instead got its erroneous information from a court clerk in Alberta. Collective claims Straightline will not answer or return phone calls and will not provide it with more information about the background check it did on Jenkins. Collective claims it has more than 90 clients in the entertainment industry and now its reputation is tarnished. It says that Viacom, ABC and NBC have since rejected it as a screener for their shows. Collective seeks damages for breach of contract, unjust enrichment, negligence, fraud, and tortious interference. Investigatioins Direct knows the importance of background checks in todays society whether it is for looking into the criminal history of an potential mate or to screen employees.  Do not be a victim of  inaccurate background checks, at Investigations direct we will provide in depth reports regarding the desired individual. Learn more about Conflict International’s background check services. ... http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/229/shoddy-background-check-on-reality-tv-star-alleged-to-ruin-agency http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/229/shoddy-background-check-on-reality-tv-star-alleged-to-ruin-agency 4 November 2009, 12:02 pm http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/feed/feed.xml by Angus Kidman Wednesday, 21 October 2009 Increasing rates of workplace laptop use mean that it’s inevitable that cyber-criminals will turn their attention from attacking banks to profiting from corporate fraud, a security expert has warned. “The same kind of threats that are hitting the financial sector will start expanding to additional verticals,” said Uri Rivner, head of new technologies, identity protection and verification for RSA, during a press briefing at the company’s RSA Conference Europe gathering in London. “Fraudsters have an easy way in because of infected endpoint machines.” The majority of current online fraud concentrates on accessing financial information such as credit card numbers and online banking logins, Rivner said. Sophisticated trojan software — often silently installed on unpatched PCs as part of a ‘drive by download’ when visiting a legitimate web site — routinely logs all information on a machine and transmits it via the Internet for processing to access useful details. “Everything that is being transmitted to you online is being recorded and sent — and that’s the most basic trojan,” Rivner said. The business of developing and marketing trojans has proved highly profitable. “Zeus today is the biggest-selling trojan kit around the Internet,” Rivner said. “It sells for around $1,000.” While attacking individual machines has been the main modus operandi for criminals to date, the increasing prevalence of laptops that are used in both home and work environments means that those trojans are now also recording significant amounts of information from corporate networks. “If you have a trojan that’s on an enterprise computer, they can see whatever is going through,” Rivner said. Over time, criminals will likely start mining and exploiting that data, he predicted. “Already the fraudsters have a huge percentage of corporate data on their trojan motherships,” Rivner said. “They’re sitting on a pot of gold.” The blurring of work and personal equipment represents a major security headache for companies, though experts suggest that the trend is hard to counter. While online crime against banks and other financial institutions remains a significant problem, the sector has done a good job of trying to combat it, Rivner said. “The threat is very high but the financial sector has adopted a good defence strategy,” he said. “The trick is to put in multiple lines of defence, not to have a single point of technology.” Conflict International Limited is a London detective agency specialising in Surveillance and Private and Corporate Investigations, providing a bespoke private detective service for firms, banks, companies and private individuals Learn more about our corporate fraud investigation services. ... http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/224/work-laptops-to-trigger-wave-of-online-business-fraud http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/224/work-laptops-to-trigger-wave-of-online-business-fraud 2 November 2009, 3:18 pm http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/feed/feed.xml The former lawyer, who is chief executive of Nardello & Co, a corporate investigations company with offices in London, Milan, New York and Washington, says that business executives often ask investigators to tap phones, hack into computers or obtain bank details illegally. “It’s just stupid,” he bellows. “One of the challenges we have is explaining to clients that they need to be careful what they ask for, because they may get it and once they have they can’t put the genie back in the bottle. We need to educate clients that illegal and unethical means aren’t a short cut — it’s a source of tsuris [Yiddish for aggravation]. There are ethical means, you don’t need to be all cloak and dagger, and, frankly, it’s not as effective, anyway.” He says that his investigators — a mixture of lawyers, former prosecutors, former journalists and forensic accountants — prefer to rely on tactics such as talking to disgruntled ex-employees, boardroom leaks and obtaining information that is in the public domain “by creative means”. Yet, he warns, there are lots of sub-contractors and investigators who are willing to be “sloppy, unethical and illegal”. “We had this guy in London who would ring. His pitch was he could obtain bank account information illegally. You get a lot of that sort of thing, particularly in London. I don’t know why.” Corporate work, he says, can be every bit as exciting as his Southern District days, without the need for wire-tapping and hacking, and he is still exposing Wall Street scandals. “The difference between the Mafia and the bankers? The bankers are better-coiffed, but the motivation is often the same. You’re dealing with very high stakes and interesting people. It’s different but it’s a lot of fun.” He recounts a recent $100 million fraud case in which teams of investigators spent three years chasing “a bad guy” around the world. “The people we came across, the schemes we uncovered and the places that we got to go were incredible.” And business is booming. Mr Nardello is hiring staff and looking to open new offices. “When everything goes pear-shaped, typically litigation follows, but this time round it is different.” He says that during this recession civil litigation is down because companies cannot afford the costs. If there are costs, they prefer to settle quickly out of court. Criminal litigation is buoyant, especially for white-collar crime and, in particular, security fraud. Other areas of work that are holding up include “self due diligence” on people or companies going into capital markets, crisis management, internal investigations and asset tracing. The growth in work for investigators such as Mr Nardello is a combination of trends, among them the extra-territorial reach of American prosecutors and regulators, greater emphasis on transparency, more cross-border cooperation and more countries adopting anti-bribery laws. “The UK has been slower than most in adopting anti-bribery legislation,” Mr Nardello says. British legislation is going through Parliament. “This law will not be a formality. The pressure and the competitive temptation to pay bribes in jurisdictions where that is the cultural norm is great and it is bad … Corruption causes imbalances in the workplace, inefficiency, it’s a huge problem. It’s also a matter of aesthetics. How could the UK go without it? Even Italy is ahead on this one.” The law alone will not change anything, he argues, but a few high-profile cases should “inspire corporate executives … There are three compelling things in life: illness and death; the end of a love affair; and criminal prosecution.” Learn more about our corporate fraud investigation services. ... http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/213/hey-uk-plc-its-time-to-clean-up-your-act http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/213/hey-uk-plc-its-time-to-clean-up-your-act 2 November 2009, 2:35 pm http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/feed/feed.xml Reporting from Sacramento – A storm of protest has erupted over the Schwarzenegger administration’s push to require prospective home health aides for the elderly and disabled to begin undergoing criminal background checks next week. Social service chiefs in counties throughout the state have warned that they aren’t ready to begin the time-consuming new application process — and the delay could mean some elderly and frail patients would go without care. Advocates for the elderly and disabled say the administration’s rush to begin the checks, part of an anti-fraud effort Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger pushed during last summer’s budget negotiations, seems to have an ulterior motive: dissuading new patients and providers from participating in the $5.5-billion government-funded home healthcare program. “This is just a disaster in the making,” said Deborah Doctor, legislative advocate for Disability Rights California. “I don’t want to overdramatize this, but it could have the same effect as cutting people off the program.” A legislative oversight hearing is slated for today to address the concerns and potentially make a push to delay the start of the new process, which would apply starting Monday to all new applicants for home health aide jobs. The state’s more than 376,000 existing care workers would have to undergo the new background checks by June. “This has created chaos and uncertainty for frail elderly and disabled people,” said Assemblywoman Noreen Evans, who wants a three- to four-month delay. Administration officials referred queries about the program to the state’s Department of Social Services, which has been hustling to start the new application process. Lizelda Lopez, the department’s spokeswoman, said the looming deadline was set by the Legislature during budget negotiations and should come as no surprise. “Nobody denies these were very aggressive time frames,” Lopez said. But she said the department has been working with the counties for months to enact the new procedures. “We didn’t start talking to them yesterday.” The In-home Supportive Services program has been caught in a tug-of-war between the Schwarzenegger administration, which contends that it is rife with potential fraud, and Democrats in the Legislature who see it as a humane and cost-effective alternative to nursing homes and other institutionalized care. Coloring the debate is the fact that the in-home program is a big growth sector for labor unions, which traditionally have supported Democratic candidates and causes while reliably opposing those backed by Schwarzenegger and other Republicans. Schwarzenegger tried during the summer budget fight to cut aid to 90% of the program’s participants, but Democrats kept the program largely funded while going along with the anti-fraud effort. “My question is whether this is an attempt by the administration to do what the Legislature would not allow it to do,” Evans said. County officials said the new rules have caused confusion and concern for patients and their healthcare providers. “Our lobbies are flooded, telephones ring continuously, and staff have insufficient information to provide answers,” Linda Haugan, assistant administrator for San Bernardino County Human Services, said in a letter to the state. “This has created a major disruption.” County officials say there are several key logistical problems. The new rules require prospective healthcare workers to undergo an orientation session that will require counties to hire new staff and office space. Meanwhile, some counties say the new enrollment forms haven’t been provided yet. Officials in Los Angeles County, where more than 185,000 people receive in-home care, said they received the latest instructions just a day ago, giving them a week to prepare. With more than 4,000 new applications each month for in-home care workers, the inability to approve new providers “will create an extreme hardship on aged and disabled individuals,” Philip L. Browning, director of the county Department of Public Social Services, said in a letter to the state. Conflict International can compile detailed background check into an individual’s employment history, lifestyle and financial background. A search will uncover employment status and check for adverse credit history. Learn more about Conflict International’s background check services.   ... http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/199/planned-background-checks-for-inhome-healthcare-workers-are-criticized http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/199/planned-background-checks-for-inhome-healthcare-workers-are-criticized 2 November 2009, 1:52 pm http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/feed/feed.xml One of the reasons that auto insurance coverage can increase for everyone is fraud. Recently, the California Department of Insurance announced that an alleged fraud ring was broken up in the state. In all, eight men have been arrested in the auto insurance fraud case, which involved staged automobile collisions. The alleged ring leader of the scheme, 31-year-old Chula Vista resident Jay Stoney Anderson, faces 28 counts related to the scheme. In all, the eight men face 83 counts of insurance fraud. California Insurance Commissioner Steve Poizner noted that insurance fraud involving staged collisions endangers the lives of innocent people. “Through the diligent work of our fraud detectives and a tireless effort by this department and our partners, we have broken up a crime ring that has caused more than $200,000 in damages,” Poizner said. “This department will not rest when lives are placed at risk by these types of criminal enterprises.” According to the Insurance Information Institute, insurance fraud costs the industry about $30 billion a year. Those costs can lead to higher auto insurance rates for all drivers in the form of bigger premiums. Conflict International Limited specialise in uncovering fraudulent insurance claims. Evidence is produced as a comprehensive report, detailing times/ dates etc and disclosing the subject’s movement. High quality photographic, video and audio evidence will be presented in the desired format. Learn more about fraud investigation services offered by Conflict International. ... http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/201/stagedcollision-ring-busted-by-california-investigators http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/201/stagedcollision-ring-busted-by-california-investigators 2 November 2009, 11:46 am http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/feed/feed.xml Oct. 28 (Bloomberg) Hector Ruiz, former chief executive officer of Advanced Micro Devices Inc., is the AMD executive who prosecutors allege provided information to a defendant in the Galleon Group LLC insider-trading case, a person familiar with the investigation said. An unnamed “AMD executive” was cited in a complaint filed against Danielle Chiesi, who is accused of using material nonpublic information to trade stocks. The person identifying Ruiz as the executive asked to remain anonymous because those details of the case aren’t public. Ruiz stepped down as CEO last year and then became chairman of Globalfoundries Inc. as part of its spinoff by AMD, the world’s second-largest maker of personal-computer processors. Chiesi, a former Bear Stearns Cos. hedge-fund employee, was charged by federal prosecutors as part of an insider-trading ring tied to Billionaire Raj Rajaratnam, Galleon’s co-founder. Court documents include transcripts of recorded conversations between Chiesi and the AMD executive, in which they allegedly discussed the timing of the spinoff of AMD’s manufacturing operations into a joint venture with the government of Abu Dhabi. That business became Globalfoundries. The unnamed executive told Chiesi about the transaction in September 2008, ahead of the announcement of the deal, according to court documents. The executive said there was a 99 percent chance that the agreement would be disclosed before earnings were announced — a prediction that came true, prosecutors said. On Oct. 7, 2008, AMD said it would spin off its manufacturing arm as part of an $8.4 billion investment from the Abu Dhabi government. It reported earnings on Oct. 16. ‘Gonna Shock’ “You know, we’re gonna shock the hell out of everybody,’” the AMD executive told Chiesi, according to a transcript of a Sept. 16, 2008, conversation included in court documents. Ruiz declined to comment, said Jon Carvill, a spokesman for Sunnyvale, California-based Globalfoundries. The company also declined to comment on the matter, which occurred before Globalfoundries was formed, Carvill said. Separate requests for comment left on Ruiz’s office phone and with his assistant weren’t returned. He also didn’t respond to e-mail. Ruiz, 63, hasn’t been charged with wrongdoing in the case, and prosecutors don’t say he profited from insider trading. He is the highest-ranking executive tied to the Galleon case, which is the largest fraud investigation dealing with inside trading that targets hedge funds. Rajaratnam and Chiesi, both based in New York, were arrested Oct. 16 along with four others, including International Business Machines Corp. executive Robert Moffat and Rajiv Goel, who helped direct investments at Intel Corp., AMD’s chief rival. Galleon and New Castle Funds LLC are accused of making $20 million on illegal trades of stocks including Armonk, New York- based IBM, Intel of Santa Clara, California, and Google Inc. in Mountain View, California. In these financial times employee fraud has increased compared to previous years due to the struggling economy.  Do not let your company be a victim of such fraud, Conflict International’s corporate team will proviude in depth reports in support of fraud, asset tracing and other various investigations. Learn more about fraud investigation services offered by Conflict International. ... http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/194/examd-ceo-ruiz-said-to-be-tied-to-galleon-insidertrading-case http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/194/examd-ceo-ruiz-said-to-be-tied-to-galleon-insidertrading-case 2 November 2009, 10:57 am http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/feed/feed.xml Firms have been reminded of the importance of safeguarding against fraud after investment bank Seymour Pierce was hit with a £154,000 fine by the Financial Services Authority (FSA). The FSA found that the bank had failed to implement effective controls and because of this an employee was able to steal around £150,000 from the firm’s internal and private client accounts over a period of three years. Corporate Investigations It was not until after the unnamed worker was dismissed that the activities were discovered. Margaret Cole, the FSA’s director of enforcement and financial crime, said: “Fraud seriously undermines the integrity of our markets, so this fine is a timely reminder of the consequences for firms that fail to have in place robust systems and controls to prevent unlawful transactions of this sort.” If Seymour Pierce had ensure the right controls were in place, then the fraud would have been picked up much sooner, she added. Recently, KPMG predicted that the economic downturn would help propel UK fraud levels to a record high this year. Protect your company from being a victim of fraud, Investigations Direct’s fraud investigators will provide in depth fraud reports for clients who suspect illegal activity within the workplace. ... http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/137/fsa-fines-seymour-pierce-over-fraud-failings http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/137/fsa-fines-seymour-pierce-over-fraud-failings 26 October 2009, 4:55 pm http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/feed/feed.xml HANDS up who thinks substitute teachers in our primary schools are being properly vetted? Go to the top of the class if you ever suspected that no checks are done before stand-in teachers are put in charge of children. Last week an Irish national newspaper was contacted by a primary school teacher who had identified an alarming flaw in the system for vetting short-term, stand-in teachers. Using an anonymous texting service she had successfully worked as a substitute across Dublin city for several weeks without being asked for identification, proof of qualification or any personal information. She was in fact a genuine teacher. But, as she pointed out, she could have been anyone. The texting service is accessed through a website, Educationposts.ie, run by the Irish Primary Principals’ Network (IPPN). The site bills itself as a “one-stop shop” for vacancies in Irish education, offering registered users access to job-sharing information, notification of vacancies and the “Text-a-Sub” service. To test the claims of the teacher, The national newspaper decided to sign up using two bogus email addresses and aliases. They then registered for the “Text-a-Sub” system. Choosing Dublin as a location — the service is available nationwide — we entered our mobile phone numbers and confirmed we were fully qualified primary teachers. Another box reminded users to bring qualification certificates and photo identification to any subbing jobs. They clicked “Accept”. Two hours later, the first text arrived. The sheer volume of notifications was overwhelming; one reporter received 10 texts in the first 24 hours. In the last month “Text-a-Sub” has sent out more than 21,000 messages. This is hardly surprising: in the last school year, substitute cover was required for 362,923 days at primary level. On Tuesday morning, one of the aliases was asked to come in for a subbing position in Sacred Heart National School in Clondalkin. No checks were made, no identification was required. She was left in charge of a class of 8-year-olds. The first position offered to the other alias was in a “special class” in a school in Dublin’s inner city, but he was asked to bring in identification and proof of his qualifications. The alias declined the offer. This, we reasoned, was what someone who wanted to find a “soft target” would do. On Thursday morning, this alias had better luck, securing a subbing position at Inchicore National School with no questions asked. Having satisfied ourselves that the situation was exactly as described by the teacher who originally contacted us we concluded the experiment. There is no doubt that anyone posing as a teacher can get access to Irish classrooms with ease. It is clear that in many, if not the majority, of Irish primary schools, there are no safeguards of any type in place to protect children from someone who might have sinister motives. So who is answerable for child protection in schools? A Department of Education spokesman said it is management. “Irrespective of the position on vetting . . . it is a matter for the school board to satisfy itself that the person is suitable to work,” he said. Sean Cottrell, director of the IPPN, believes that if the Department of Education had fulfilled its obligations, the principals would never have been forced to set up the website. “Every other country in the OECD has a substitute-teacher supply panel, that can be accessed by schools at any time,” he said. “The department has had a pilot project in place for the last 12 years, but has refused to roll it out nationwide. This scenario just highlights the need for that.” Investigations Direct services have the ability to provide potential clients with background information into the integrity of directors and Vet potential employees. ... http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/88/cover-teacher-standins-can-get-jobs-without-being-properly-vetted http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/88/cover-teacher-standins-can-get-jobs-without-being-properly-vetted 26 October 2009, 4:00 pm http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/feed/feed.xml As they build a case of alleged insider-trading by Galleon Management LLP co-founder Raj Rajaratnam and others, prosecutors will have to prove whether the information they traded on was gleaned from legal research or from someone who had an obligation not to provide it. Trading on nonpublic information that could move the markets is not enough to prosecute someone for insider trading, though trading on information provided by an individual who had an obligation to their employer or its shareholders not to provide it is. As a result, prosecutors in the case of Raj Rajaratnam–who has been charged along with five others of using inside information to garner roughly $20 million in trading profits–will have an easier time winning a conviction if they can prove that the corporate secrets he traded on were provided by people he knew had an obligation not to provide the information. Early background checks can help mitigate longterm pain The investigation into allegations of insider trading by Rajaratnam and the others comes as the Securities and Exchange Commission has begun increasingly focusing on hedge funds and has increased surveillance to look for patterns and trends in trading. Yet despite this increased focus on hedge funds, hedge funds are still tougher to prosecute for insider trading because they typically trade in and out of a security several times. As a result, authorities often find it difficult to prove that a hedge fund used inside information in its decision to make a particular trade. Conflict International’s team will conduct a full corporate investigation into potentially harmful employees, which includes surveying your premises assessing the threat and providing professional strategies to give complete peace of mind. A comprehensive report detailing the technical search and our recommendations will be presented on completion. ... http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/150/being-inside-can-have-a-downside http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/150/being-inside-can-have-a-downside 22 October 2009, 6:25 pm http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/feed/feed.xml From their first day at Moody’s Investors Service, junior analysts are warned against sharing confidential information with outsiders. They are even told not to mention company names in the elevators at the credit-rating firm’s Lower Manhattan headquarters. Federal prosecutors now allege that a former junior analyst, identified by a person familiar with the matter as Deep Shah, breached that trust in July 2007 when he passed on inside information about Blackstone Group’s pending $26 billion takeover of Hilton Hotels. corporate-investigations Mr. Shah and other employees of the ratings firm, owned by publicly traded Moody’s Corp., had advance notice about the takeover as part of a standing practice to prebrief credit analysts about planned deals. Prosecutors allege that the junior analyst shared the Hilton information with an unidentified third party, who in turn passed the tip to Galleon Group’s Raj Rajaratnam. The tip enabled Mr. Rajaratnam to reap $4 million in profits from trading Hilton shares, a federal complaint alleges. While Mr. Shah’s role in the alleged insider-trading affair is small, his link to the third party — now a key cooperating witness in the probe — could shed light on how investigators uncovered the trading ring. Unusual trading in Hilton’s shares was one of the first events that attracted scrutiny from regulators in 2007. The same cooperating witness was friends with an executive at Polycom Inc. and also passed on information about Google Inc. The complaint said the cooperating witness arranged to pay $10,000 to the Moody’s associate analyst, a title that describes staffers who aren’t considered full analysts but assist them in analyzing data. Mr. Shah hasn’t been charged with a crime. It isn’t known if he is under investigation or if he will face charges. Mr. Shah couldn’t be reached for comment. A Moody’s spokesman declined to comment on the alleged role of Mr. Shah. He reiterated the company’s statement last week, saying that the alleged wrongdoing by one of its employees “would be an egregious violation” of the rating firm’s policies. Moody’s has drawn flak in the past year for inaccurate credit ratings on mortgage securities and has had to battle recent accusations from a former employee that it still issues inflated ratings on complex securities. Throughout the financial crisis, however, Moody’s credit ratings on corporate bonds have largely conformed to expectations. Still, critics say the Hilton incident may raise questions about whether ratings firms should be privy to inside information. Companies often inform rating analysts about mergers, acquisitions or other transactions ahead of time, to let analysts digest and analyze the information and announce rating actions soon after the deals become public. Like law firms and investment banks, credit-rating agencies have policies and controls to limit the number of people privy to inside information. “But you can’t watch everyone all the time, and if someone is determined to violate the law they will do so,” said Scott McCleskey, a former Moody’s compliance officer who is now U.S. managing editor of Complinet Inc. Mr. Shah, who is in his mid-20s, left Moody’s more than a year ago and is believed to have returned to his home country of India, according to former colleagues. One ex-colleague described him as “mellow.” He joined the ratings firm in an entry-level position, and worked with analysts who rated companies in the technology, lodging and gaming sectors, according to Moody’s reports that listed Mr. Shah’s name from 2005 to early 2008. According to the U.S. attorney’s complaint, Hilton executives contacted a Moody’s lead analyst by phone on the afternoon of July 2, the day before Blackstone Group announced it would acquire Hilton. The complaint said that, shortly afterward, an associate analyst “involved” in the rating called the unidentified third party three times from a cellphone with information that Hilton was to be taken private. The information was passed to Mr. Rajaratnam who traded Hilton’s stock, according to the complaint. As an associate analyst, Mr. Shah would have been paid roughly $90,000 in annual salary, plus a bonus that could reach $30,000, according to former Moody’s employees. Conflict International offer an industry-leading corporate investigation company that can provide services such as a Technical Surveillance Counter Measures sweep, utilising the latest radio and telecommunications line analysing equipment.  Conflict International will conduct full corporate investigations to help protect companies against foul play by employees or partners. ... http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/146/moodys-analysts-are-warned-to-keep-secrets http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/146/moodys-analysts-are-warned-to-keep-secrets 22 October 2009, 6:05 pm http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/feed/feed.xml The gut feeling of many women regarding their partner is very often correct. So if you suspect that your boyfriend is being unfaithful, then he may very well be. But before you hire an investigator or call a lawyer, check our list for some of the initial signs of a cheating boyfriend. A boyfriend that’s being unfaithful to you will often bring unnecessary tension to a relationship. They will however always show signs of their indiscretion and with a little patience on your part, and time and space to cheat on theirs, you can catch your dishonest boyfriend without hiring a pricey private investigator. You are a woman, so follow your intuition and be aware if your partner is showing any of these signs of a cheating boyfriend: 1. Reduced Intimacy and Emotional Distance - He will not hold your hands or will not touch, cuddle and kiss you as often as before - He seems distant, as if he is always preoccupied - When you start being romantic, he will have some excuses to not accept your affection (e.g. he has a headache) - After a healthy love life, your relationship’s intensity suddenly decreases - He no longer says “I love you” - He became less affectionate both in words and in deed 2. Unreasonable Time Commitments - One big sign that your boyfriend is cheating is when he has lots of reasons why he can’t spend time with you. - He’s working late, staying after school, or going out with his friends more than he used to. - He comes home late and tells you that he’s hanging around with friends after work. 3. Suspicious Computer and Telephone Activity - There’s a suspicious name in your boyfriend’s IM window and an unfamiliar chat site in his browser history - He uses the computer often especially late at night but he’s not chatting with you - He gets angry when you answer or look at his phone or computer - You received phone calls from unknown woman who says that she’s your boyfriend’s officemate - He does not answer his cell phone when you’re around or when he answers the phone, he whispers so you won’t hear their conversation - Someone’s calling him at odd hours and he talks on his cell phone in an unusual manner - There are mysterious phone calls on his cell phone - You can hardly contact him by email or by phone 4. Sudden and Unexpected Changes in his Schedule - His usual routine suddenly changes without valid reason or cause - He has a new schedule at the gym 5. Change in Grooming Habits - Out of the blue, he starts going to the gym or exercising - He is now more conscious on his physical appearance and his hairstyle - He starts buying new clothes and underwear - His clothes have a scent of an unfamiliar perfume or cologne If you observe some of these signs, then it may indicate that your partner is being unfaithful on you. However, you shouldn’t let these signs of a cheating boyfriend turn your once good relationship into heartache. Don’t plan for revenge, instead, ask support from your family and friends in order for you to decide whether to leave him or to stay. If you suspect your boyfriend of cheating on you then give us a call on 020 7917 2939 or email us at info@conflictinternational.co.uk to discuss your case. We will always respect your privacy and ensure confidentiality. ... http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/71/the-top-5-signs-your-boyfriend-is-cheating-on-you http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/71/the-top-5-signs-your-boyfriend-is-cheating-on-you 13 August 2009, 4:54 pm http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/feed/feed.xml Companies may not admit using them, but private detective agencies have gained acceptance Liz Chong, The Times THEIR customers include governments, leading investment banks, hedge funds, private equity houses and FTSE 100 companies, but few would admit that they have ever hired corporate detectives, let alone met any. It would be too embarrassing to reveal that a firm had enlisted the help of a private detective to dig up the dirt on an opponent or client, or disclose that they had been duped by an employee or partner. Business investigation and intelligence, globally, is on the rise, driven by an array of legislation introduced by the US Congress in an attempt to clean up corporate America. The laws impose heavy duties on directors, accountants and lawyers. Directors, perhaps not surprisingly now that they are personally liable for any financial scandals, want to avoid falling foul of prosecutors, who have zealously pursued white-collar crime in recent years. Mike Lacorte, chief executive of the Conflict International, a “corporate investigations and detective agency”, identified the regulatory burden as “the biggest substantive driver for growth in business intelligence”. The decision by the US Justice Department to prosecute the lawyer James Giffen under the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act has also made companies increasingly nervous about the background of prospective partners. Giffen was accused of funnelling $60 million in bribes to the President of Kazakhstan on behalf of several oil majors, including Mobil Oil, Shell and Chevron. Although the legislation dates from 1977, American authorities were previously slow to pursue any companies or individual Americans who had broken anti-bribery laws. The plethora of bribery and corruption legislation has made it common practice for investors to hire detectives to look at the hedge funds they may invest in, or for private banks to hire companies that examine the background of a new client from Eastern Europe. The end of the Cold War has also proved a catalyst for the growth of corporate investigations, as companies expand into new markets, including Russia. Western companies that are unfamiliar with the business culture in Eastern Europe and Russia have nowhere to turn for help but to companies such as Conflict International and Investigations Direct. Jon Fawcett, who heads the Russian section at Investigations Direct, says: “We are in an environment where investors are being pulled further and further beyond their comfort zones of traditional markets.” He cited Russia and its lack of transparency. A firm looking to enter a joint venture in Russia would be well advised to investigate the political links and background of its partner. Increasingly aggressive business tactics make it standard practice for private equity houses to use detectives to examine the curriculum vitae of the chief executive of a potential target. Similarly, investment banks advising well-known businessmen on mergers and acquisitions have been known to conduct due diligence on their past by hiring corporate sleuths. ... http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/54/private-detectives-are-all-the-rage-in-well-managed-city-firms http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/54/private-detectives-are-all-the-rage-in-well-managed-city-firms 5 August 2009, 1:20 pm http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/feed/feed.xml Street work Detectives have a wide variety of techniques available in conducting investigations. However, the majority of cases are solved by interrogation of suspects and witnesses, which takes time. In a policeman’s career as a uniformed officer and as a detective, a detective develops an intuitive sense of the plausibility of suspect and witness accounts. This intuition may fail at times, but usually is reliable. Besides interrogations, detectives may rely on a network of informants they have cultivated over the years. Informants often have connections with persons a detective would not be able to approach formally. In criminal investigations, once a detective has a suspect or suspects in mind, the next step is to produce evidence that will stand up in a court of law. The best way is to obtain a confession from the suspect, usually in exchange for a plea bargain for a lesser sentence. A detective may lie or otherwise mislead and may psychologically pressure a suspect into confessing, though in the United States suspects may invoke their Miranda rights. Forensic evidence Physical forensic evidence in an investigation may provide leads to closing a case. Examples of physical evidence can be, but are not limited to: Fingerprinting of objects persons have touched DNA analysis Luminol to detect blood stains that have been washed Bloodstain pattern analysis Footprints or tire tracks Chemical testing for the presence of narcotics or expended gun propellant The exact position of objects at the scene of an investigation Many major police departments in a city, county, or state, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, maintain their own forensic laboratories. Records investigation Detectives may use public and private records to provide background information on a subject. These include: Fingerprint records. In the United States, the FBI maintains records of people who have committed felonies and some misdemeanors, all persons who have applied for a Federal security clearance, and all persons who have served in the U.S. armed forces Records of criminal arrests and convictions Photographs or mug shots, of persons arrested Motor vehicle records Credit card records and bank statements Hotel registration cards Credit reports Answer machine messages Court testimony Unless a plea bargain forestalls the need for a trial, detectives must testify in court about their investigation. They must seem reliable and credible to a jury, and must not give the impression of personal vindictiveness or cruelty. A detective’s background often comes into question in courtroom testimony. A famous example came in the murder trial of O. J. Simpson, when Detective Mark Fuhrman of the Los Angeles Police Department testified for the prosecution. Attorney F. Lee Bailey first asked Fuhrman if he had ever used the “n-word” . Fuhrman denied this. In court, Bailey produced taped interviews with Fuhrman using this offensive word. (Article courtesy of asginvestigations) ... http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/51/techniques-of-detectives http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/51/techniques-of-detectives 24 July 2009, 5:17 pm http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/feed/feed.xml Hiring a private investigator The following are some tips to aid you in evaluating which private investigator to work with. Make sure they have a license! The vast majority of states require that anyone engaging the practice of investigations be licensed. A Private investigator should be able to produce a copy of such a license immediately for you. Note: there are many companies offering services on the internet which do not qualify as “investigations” but really should be. These companies are completely unregulated and what they give you is whatever they want. Most of these companies are “information brokers” who have access to databases of public records, like telephone numbers, address directories, voters registration filings, etc. These companies offer “background checks” that are nothing more than database searches of old public records. That may be enough to get you what you need, but if you need to be sure that the information is accurate, contact a licensed private investigator. Please be sure that you understand who and what you are dealing with and what they are going to give you, before you hire anyone working in this sector. Do you need to meet with the P.I.? No, not unless you want to. Much of what we do can be done quickly and with a minimal amount of inconvenience and the formality of a meeting is usually not necessary. Always get a contract. Like any other service, you should get a contract that indicates what you are hiring the P.I. for and what you will get in return. If they cannot or will not present you with a contract, hang up the phone. Experience. Some private investigators have little or no investigative background. There are those who have retired from a law enforcement or military career and decide that being a “private investigator” would be action packed and exciting. They enroll in some Private Detective school and after two months, they become a P.I. Does that mean that they are qualified to investigate your case? Not necessarily! It is important that you know the qualifications and experience of the investigator that will be working on your case. In our opinion, the more experienced the investigator, the greater the likelihood that your desired results will be achieved. You don’t want a 19 year old kid with a video camera conducting surveillance for you. It is also our opinion that you need someone who does this type of surveillance regularly. They do not need to be former FBI agents, secret service or ninjas. They should be experienced surveillance experts. Licensed and Bonded. Being bonded is almost always a requirement to get a PI license. If you see a PI advertising that they are “bonded” that does not mean that they are a better investigator or that they offer you some special protection or status. Are they insured? Keep in mind that the private investigator who you hire is working for you, as your agent. If he or she is working on your case and they damage someone’s property, get in a car accident, presents false information, etc., etc., etc., they should have ample insurance to cover any loses that arise. If they don’t, you, the one who hired them, are exposed. It is just good common sense to check for insurance coverage before you hire a PI. At ASG, we carry two million dollars in liability coverage to protect our clients. It should be no problem for a reputable investigator to present a certificate of insurance coverage for you to review and verify. You get what you pay for. Nothing further needed. (Article courtesy of asginvestigations) ... http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/47/hiring-a-private-investigator http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/47/hiring-a-private-investigator 24 July 2009, 5:08 pm http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/feed/feed.xml Working as a title=”hire a private investigator” >private investigator is a fascinating but endlessly challenging occupation. In this article I have set out ten top tips that may make life a little easier for those new to the profession. 1. On surveillance operations, take something to fill the long hours when nothing is happening but you don’t want to fall asleep. Books and newspapers provide cover, but have the drawback you might find them so interesting you forget to concentrate on the job in hand. Cassette tapes, either music or spoken word, can be the best solution. 2. Always have plenty of spare cash with you so that you don’t risk waiting for change when you need to get somewhere quickly. Take plenty of banknotes, too, in case you want to buy information or bribe your way out of an awkward situation. 3. An investigator’s best ally is a good lawyer. In good times he (or she) can be a steady source of work and practical day-to-day help, and in bad times — e.g. when you are accused of breaking the law — he may be able to offer support and legal representation. It can make sense to initiate a straightforward barter arrangement where parties exchange advice and skills in line with a simple debit/credit running total. Obviously, before trying to set up such an arrangement, ensure you like and feel comfortable with the solicitor concerned. 4. Similarly, it pays to get on the right side of the local police. PIs who are former officers will have an advantage here, of course. Although officially to the police you are simply just another member of the public, as they get to know and (hopefully) respect you, they may sometimes be willing to pass on the benefit of their knowledge and experience. Despite the prickly relationship between the police and private investigators often depicted in TV dramas, much of the time your interests will coincide, and it’s therefore in everyone’s interests to co-operate. In addition, the police themselves sometimes engage private investigators — another reason to establish a good working relationship with them. 5. Perhaps more controversially, it can also help to have contacts on the other side of the law. One PI who specializes in security work says his best friend is a convicted housebreaker who points out weak spots in properties which burglars could benefit from, reveals the latest ‘word on the street’, and much more. Obviously it is wrong to fraternize with known criminals for dubious purposes, but sometimes their ‘professional’ expertise can be undeniably helpful. 6. While they will never entirely replace cameras, a camcorder can be a useful tool for a PI to possess. They can be used for a wide range of purposes, from gathering evidence in a divorce case to taking pictures of a child, believed to have been abducted, for the mother to identify. Modern camcorders are little larger than ordinary cameras. They can be concealed beneath a coat or in a handbag and brought out to be used without attracting undue attention. You might also consider having one fitted in your car. As well as gathering evidence, a camcorder here can provide useful information that isn’t always obvious to the naked eye. It is also invaluable if you are driving but still want to keep a permanent eye on your subject. 7. Another tool well worth the modest investment required is a pocket torch or flashlight. This is obviously essential when working at night or in darkened rooms. A compact model will do, but always have plenty of back-up batteries on hand. As well as providing illumination, a flashlight can be used to dazzle an assailant or even in the last resort as a weapon. Some have built-in defence mechanisms such as sirens and sprays designed to immobilise an attacker. 8. Like private individuals, the investigator can use reasonable force in some instances, such as when threatened or to safeguard other people whose lives and property are endangered. The force must be appropriate to the degree of danger and its imminence, however. So if you are hired to watch for trespassers over a piece of land it might be acceptable to approach and warn such individuals, but it will almost certainly be wrong to threaten violence against them. 9. Libel and slander laws cover the investigator as much as any other private individual and must be considered at all times, both in verbal and written communications. Be sure of the accuracy of everything you say, do and write. 10. Remember that, while a degree of subterfuge may be necessary from time to time, you should always aim to remain on the right side of the law. One thing you should never do is impersonate a police officer, as this is always illegal and regarded as a serious offence. (Mark Gustaffson is the author of the Professional Private Investigator Course from Maple Academy (UK), a leading correspondence course in this field. For more information, see the Maple Academy website at http://www.mapleacademy.com.) source: www.Isnare.com ... http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/36/ten-top-tips-for-private-investigators http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/36/ten-top-tips-for-private-investigators 24 July 2009, 4:32 pm http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/feed/feed.xml That depends on the state private investigator licensing laws for your state. In many states, the words ‘private investigator’ and ‘private detective’ are interchangeable, but in some states there actually is a difference in their accepted meaning. For example, in New Jersey those who want to become a private investigator must adhere to the licensing laws as detailed in the Private Detective Act of 1939. The person who has the prerequisite investigative experience is called the ‘qualifier’ and when the New Jersey State Police Private Detective Unit issues the license, the qualifier is actually classified as a Licensed Private Detective. The owner of a licensed detective agency may hire employees, who when properly registered with the state licensing authority, the investigative employees are classified as a Private Investigator. Historically, the profession of non-law enforcement investigations started back with Pinkerton in the late 1800’s. At that time the term “private detective” was the formal name and the outfit they worked for was called a “detective agency.” There were many movies and books that began using the “private-eye” moniker more and more. It was television starting in the 1974 with James Garner in the Rockford Files that really brought the investigative profession into the limelight. The show also had a major influence on most people using the private investigator title. The P.I. title became famous with the Magnum, P.I. television show featuring Tom Selleck. Starting around 1960, many states did not want the public to confuse a private detective with that of a police detective. There has been a trend amongst many state licensing authorities and state investigative associations to use the title ‘private investigator’ as compared to ‘private detective’. In fact, many have actually taken legal steps to stop using the “detective” title. Conflict International Limited is a London detective agency specialising in Surveillance, Private & Corporate Investigations. Click here to know more about us (Article courtesy of PI MAgazine) ... http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/17/is-there-a-difference-between-a-private-investigator-and-a-private-detective http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/17/is-there-a-difference-between-a-private-investigator-and-a-private-detective 29 June 2009, 11:13 am http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/feed/feed.xml What type of equipment do Private Investigators use? A successful private investigator will own several investigative tools. These tools are based on the type of work or cases you will be working on. Probably the most important investigative tool is a surveillance friendly vehicle. The most common is a mini-van, however, the best vehicle is one that blends best for the area you are working in. You also need to own a digital video camcorder, a covert body worn video camera, a miniature digital video recorder, and a covert digital audio recorder. Here is a list of the most commonly used tools and equipment used by private investigators: Binoculars Digital Audio Recording Devices Digital Camcorders Extension Lens Digital Still Cameras Hidden video cameras Body worn Cameras Digital Video Recorders Covert Vehicle tracking equipment Personal Protection devices Diversion Safes Night vision cameras GPS tracking devices Pocket DVR’s Detection Devices TSCM Equipment (Debugging) Spy Glasses Phone Security Security Video Systems Button Camera Conflict International Limited is a London detective agency specialising in Surveillance, Private & Corporate Investigations. Click here to know more about us (Article courtesy of PI MAgazine) ... http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/13/investigator-tools-amp-equipment-used-by-private-investigators http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/13/investigator-tools-amp-equipment-used-by-private-investigators 29 June 2009, 11:05 am http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/feed/feed.xml The gut feeling of many women regarding their partner is very often correct. So if you suspect that your boyfriend is being unfaithful then he may very well be. But before you hire an Private Investigator or call a lawyer, check through our list for some of the initial signs of a cheating boyfriend. A boyfriend that’s being unfaithful to you will often bring unnecessary tension to a relationship. They will however, always show signs of their indiscretion and with a little patience on your part, and time and space to cheat on theirs, you can catch your dishonest boyfriend. You are a woman, so follow your intuition and be aware if your partner is showing any of these signs of a cheating boyfriend: 1. Reduced Intimacy and Emotional Distance - He will not hold your hands or will not touch, cuddle and kiss you as often as before - He seems distant, as if he is always preoccupied - When you start being romantic, there will be some excuse to not accept your affection (e.g. he has a headache) - After a healthy love life, your relationship’s intensity suddenly decreases - He no longer says “I love you” - He became less affectionate both in words and in actions 2. Unreasonable Time Commitments - One big sign that your boyfriend is cheating is when he has lots of reasons why he can’t spend time with you - He’s working late, staying after school, or going out with his friends more than he used to - He comes home late and tells you that he’s hanging out with friends or colleagues after work 3. Suspicious Computer and Telephone Activity - There’s a suspicious name in your boyfriend’s IM window and an unfamiliar chat site in his browser history - He uses the computer often especially late at night but he’s not chatting with you - He gets angry when you answer or look at his phone or computer - You received phone calls from unknown woman who says that she’s your boyfriend’s officemate - He does not answer his cell phone when you’re around or when he answers the phone, he whispers so you won’t hear their conversation - Someone’s calling him at odd hours and he talks on his mobile phone in an unusual manner - There are mysterious phone calls on his mobile phone - You can hardly contact him by email or by phone 4. Sudden and Unexpected Changes in his Schedule - His usual routine suddenly changes without valid reason or cause - He has a new schedule at the gym 5. Change in Grooming Habits - Out of the blue, he starts going to the gym or exercising - He is now more conscious on his physical appearance and his hairstyle - He starts buying new clothes and underwear - His clothes have a scent of an unfamiliar perfume or cologne If you observe some of these signs, then it may indicate that your boyfriend is being unfaithful on you. However, you shouldn’t let these signs of turn your once good relationship into heartache. Don’t plan for revenge, instead, ask support from your family and friends in order for you to decide whether to leave him or to stay. If you suspect your boyfriend of cheating on you and you think we can help, then give us a call on 020 7917 2939 or email us atinfo@conflictinternational.co.uk to discuss your case. We will always respect your privacy and ensure confidentiality. ... http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/237/top-5-signs-that-your-boyfriend-is-cheating-on-you http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/237/top-5-signs-that-your-boyfriend-is-cheating-on-you 27 January 2009, 11:56 am http://www.conflictinternational.co.uk/blog/feed/feed.xml