by admin_lauth | Dec 4, 2013 | Tips & Facts
Currently, the corporations that have the most information about their rival companies and organizations are the ones that have a financial and competitive edge over their competition. When this data is collected legally, it is known as competitive intelligence. However, many big businesses are opting for more unethical and unlawful ways of gathering information, which is when competitive intelligence turns into corporate espionage. According to a recent report written by Gary Ruskin of Essential Information, the amount of corporate spying that occurs today has escalated in the past decade. This can be attributed several factors, including the growing numbers of nonprofit organizations that threaten corporations. Ruskin’s report includes narratives of big businesses such as Walmart, Kraft, Dow Chemical, Bank of America, McDonald’s, and several more adopting illegal techniques to gather intelligence about nonprofit organizations.
How is Corporate Espionage Executed?
In the past, companies would hire private detectives to collect competitive intelligence. Many of these investigators would adhere to a strict moral and ethical code that was quickly tossed out as corporations continued to grow. Now, businesses are creating their own personal team of investigators. The past employers of these staff members include government intelligence agencies such as the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), the National Security Agency (NSA), the FBI, and many other law enforcement agencies. In order to gather information, the techniques employed by these ex-agents include:
- Physical Surveillance
- Creating False Identities
- Theft of Confidential Information
- Exposing False Documents
- Wiretaps and Hacking
- D-lines (digging through trash)
- Breaking and Entering
Ruskin’s report contained witness accounts of these unethical practices taking place, as well as several emails sent between the agents themselves. One witness reported having to dress in all black as her boyfriend, an investigator, stole documents during a D-line against Greenpeace. Corporations also hired ex-police officers and had them use their badges as a way to infiltrate these institutions. Some investigators even created a false identity and became a member of a nonprofit organization, giving them access to company records. Financial statements, social security numbers, and physical items like laptops were all stolen from organizations by these corporate spies.
Why Target Nonprofits?
According to Ruskin, “many different types of nonprofits have been targeted with espionage, including environmental, anti-war, public interest, consumer, food safety, pesticide reform, nursing-home reform, gun control, social justice, animal rights and arms control groups.” As these organizations gain more power, big businesses begin to feel threatened. Nonprofit organizations seek to protect consumers from corporations. A company that is conducting unethical practices can risk losing billions of dollars as well as their reputation if consumers find out. When a nonprofit attempts to expose such practices, hiring a team of investigators can cost less than a potential leak. Ruskin’s report included several examples of these corporations acting out against threats. During the 1990s, Greenpeace rain a campaign concerning the addition of chlorine in plastic and paper production. Greenpeace criticized Dow Chemical for their use of chlorine, who in turn hired investigators to infiltrate Greenpeace’s headquarters by any means necessary. According to Ruskin, companies not only searched for information, but made it up as well. WikiLeaks editor-in-chief Julian Assange sought to expose a scandal within Bank of America. In order to combat this attack, Bank of America hired investigators who attempted to end WikiLeaks. Their proposed tactics included creating fake documents that would be submitted to WikiLeaks, then exposing these documents for being false one they were published. By doing so, WikiLeaks would lose its credibility with the public.
What is Being Done to Stop Corporate Espionage?
Because corporate espionage has only recently become an issue, most corporations aren’t prosecuted. Most businesses are very careful to cover their tracks, making instances of undercover operations hard to pinpoint. Companies will hire outside investigators, who in turn will hire separate contractors. When an organization attempts to prosecute a corporation for espionage, the case will often get dropped because they cannot take the full blame. The report also mentioned that corporations hired ex-employees from intelligence agencies because other law enforcement officials would be less likely to prosecute them. Sometimes, these agencies are the ones that are ones conducting unethical investigations. According to Ruskin, Congress must enact policies that will protect these organizations. He believes that until official measures are taken, corporate espionage will continue to occur without repercussions.
by admin_lauth | Nov 29, 2013 | Private Investigations News, Tips & Facts
In 2009, Adriano Sotomayor was on the hunt for money and an unsuspecting individual. Sotomayor was a con artist, and found his mark in the nuns of the Sisters of the Rosary of Fatima convent in New Jersey. He called one of the nuns and told her that he was a New Jersey priest and that a member of his parish had just named her the beneficiary of $2.1 million. All she had to do was wire a payment of cash over to a New Jersey business called Flex Account to cover the charges of legal proceedings and taxes.
The nun didn’t have the money up-front, so Sotomayor told her to bring in her friends and family to lend her the money she needed before she received her lucrative payment from the will. Unsuspecting, she convinced many who were close to her to give her the money she needed. As you could imagine, none of these people got their money back, and Sotomayor never gave the nun the money he promised.
This is just one of many possible con artist scams that are pulled on a regular basis in America, and just one of many scams that could have been avoided with the help of a professional background search from a private investigator. Background searches can help in situations like these as well as to find out personal and business histories of subjects.
Strangers getting involved with your relatives
As in the case of Sotomayor and the unnamed nun, strangers who enter the lives of the vulnerable often do not have their best interest at heart. If you know someone new has entered the life of a relative of yours such as your mother or father, investigating their history can ensure the truth of their claims and interests.
Many con artists will attempt to get close to elderly individuals with malicious interests such as defrauding them or getting them to place them in their wills. Investigators such as Lauth Investigations Inc. can conduct background searches that can find out if the subject is using an alias, has a criminal record or has defrauded others in recent history.
Pre-business transactions
Background investigations can also be extremely useful when searching into the history of potential business partners. Before engaging in a merger or business transaction, a thorough and professional background search can look into the financial history of potential partners to ensure that they are worth trusting.
Professional investigations can dig up if other companies have had trouble with civil or criminal lawsuits in the past or are concealing damning information such as bankruptcies.
Pre-Marital background searches
Sometimes even those who we trust the most are worth investigating as well. Before entering an agreement as major as a marriage, a background search can be extremely useful. Professional investigators can find out if the bride or groom to be is concealing any serious information that a spouse would want to know.
This involves criminal records, past relationships that have been concealed and financial information. Using a background search from a professional investigation firm may be the only way to make sure a potential spouse is completely truthful and can ensure that key information is revealed before the wedding and not after the fact.
by admin_lauth | Nov 23, 2013 | Private Investigations News, Tips & Facts
As companies continue to compete in a highly competitive global market, many choose to expand their businesses overseas in order to increase production and cut costs. These opportunities are major commitments and can end poorly if the right type of information isn’t collected. Before any contract is signed, companies need to know everything they can about a potential business opportunity. Factors such as a corporation’s past performance, suppliers, finances, and clients can all have a hand in the outcome of a business transaction. Lauth Investigations specializes in conducting corporate due diligence investigations that will detect these liabilities and ensure a beneficial investment for your company.
When Should a Company Conduct a Due Diligence Investigation?
A company should begin collecting data after a possible transaction with another institution has been established. However, an investigation should occur prior to the signing of binding contracts. The types of deals that require a due diligence investigation may include:
- Mergers and Acquisitions
- Oversea Expansions
- Business Partnerships
- Large Investment Opportunities
Corporate investigations are especially valuable to industrial and manufacturing corporations who are looking to expand their operations internationally. A 2013 CFO Research Survey found that 83% of companies consider overseas expansion a top priority. By conducting an inspection of potential clients and partners, these companies can prevent future lawsuits and unexpected costs. During negotiations, a thorough business investigation can also lower the price by disproving unfounded claims made by a corporation.
What Does a Due Diligence Investigation Look For?
Corporate intelligence plays a heavy role in due diligence investigations. It not only involves the gathering of information about a corporation, but the analysis of that data as well. Lauth Investigations will uncover intelligence about:
- Business Reputations
- Financial History
- Litigation and Disputes
- Past Investments
- Bank Accounts
- Public Records
- Hidden Assets
- Past and Current Employees
A variety of techniques are employed when detecting the liabilities that may exist within a corporation. These techniques may involve surveillance, financial investigations, interviews, and background checks. Lauth Investigations is dedicated to acquiring every piece of information necessary for conducting a thorough background check on a business.
Why Choose Lauth Investigations?
Lauth Investigations has private investigators established in three prime locations: Indianapolis, IN, Denver, CO, and Tampa, FL. According to a report done by the National Association of Manufacturers, these states have a total of 32,361 manufacturing establishments. Out of these three states, Indiana came in first, with its manufacturing accounting for 98.5% of its exports. Many of the companies with establishments in these states, like Bausch & Lomb or Adidas Group, rely on international ties. Others are considering the possibility of mergers and acquisitions with corporations worldwide.
Recognizing the need for a due diligence investigation is the first step in carrying out a successful business transaction. The second step is choosing an investigator that can detect and analyze the risks that others may overlook. With 20 years of experience, Lauth Investigations can work with your company to determine what services and investigations will best suit your needs.
by admin_lauth | Nov 20, 2013 | Private Investigations News
Denver, Colorado is home to over 80 respected and well-known companies. All of these companies, from small business to Fortune 500 corporations, can benefit from hiring a private investigator. Private investigation firms like Lauth Investigations International, Inc. are dedicated to assisting companies nationwide. Our private investigators based in Denver, Colorado specialize in offering the following services for corporations.
Mergers and Acquisitions
As companies continue to expand, the possibility of mergers and acquisitions increases. One of Colorado’s most popular breweries, the Coors Brewing Company, was able to successfully merge with Molson Canadian in 2005. Undergoing such a transaction requires extensive knowledge of every aspect about both companies. When building these corporate relationships, it is important to analyze the company in question. Lauth Investigations International can assist a company looking to merge by conducting a due diligence investigation. Doing so can protect a company from entering into a risky transaction and ensure that the merger or acquisition will be mutually beneficial.
Fraud and Other Unethical Practices
As reported by the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners (ACFE), companies lost 5% of their total annual revenue to fraud in 2012. Most cases of fraud go unnoticed for an extended period of time, with the average detection time being two years for office fraud. All companiesare at risk for fraud and other internal problems such as confidentiality violations, slander, and more. These unethical practices can ruin a company’s reputation, resulting in the loss of customers. Lauth Investigations work with corporate legal teams to prevent and stop these problems from happening.
Product Loss and Employee Theft
The ACFE has determined that U.S. businesses lose $50,000,000 annually due to employee theft. In the year 2012, 75% of people employed in the United States had reported stealing from their employer at least once, with a quarter of the individual thefts totaling over a million. Internal theft can be devastating, causing 33% of bankruptcies in the United States. By hiring a private investigator, companies can pinpoint the cause of these thefts before too much damage is done. In the past, Lauth Investigations International has assisted PepsiCo, a Fortune 500 Company, in uncovering nearly two tons of stolen products. PepsiCo was able to prosecute the employees involved thanks to the video surveillance obtained by Lauth’s private investigators.
Worker’s Compensation Investigations
According to the Coalition Against Insurance Fraud, tens of billions of dollars are stolen from companies due to false worker’s compensation claims each year. Employees will fake injuries, exaggerate the severity of injuries, and report outside injuries as occurring on site. Some employees will even work with false clinics to illegally bill a company for supposed injuries. The Coalition mentions that generally, individual claims can cost a company around $5,000. However, some scams can last for several years, resulting in the loss of millions of dollars for the company. By conducting an in-depth investigation of medical records and diligent video surveillance, Lauth Investigations can uncover these scams.
Executive Background Checks
When a person is being considered for an executive position, it is important to do a thorough background check. The 2010 Hire Right Employment Screening Benchmarking Report states that “69 percent of respondents have caught a candidate in a lie.”Factors such as false credentials, legal disputes, and criminal records may go unnoticed. Hiring an executive with an undesirable background can cost a company millions and severely damage their reputation. Recently, Yahoo!’s executive Scott Thompson had to step down after it was discovered that his resume had false information about his education. If a thorough investigation of his history had taken place, Yahoo! may have been able to avoid such an outcome. Our private investigators can provide companies with an intensive background check for potential executives.
Employee Investigations
Scott Thompson was about as successful as a businessman comes. Thompson was the President of Paypal, CEO of Yahoo, and an Ernst and Young Entrepreneur of the Year. Then in 2012, it all came crashing down.
Yahoo discovered that Thompson had lied about one of his degrees, leading to his immediate resignation. Companies across the nation have experienced similar stories, which are completely avoidable with the help of investigation firms such as Lauth Investigations Incorporated.
In situations such as Thompson’s, an investigation firm can look into employee’s pasts and ensure the veracity of each claim the employee has made and each statement made on their resume. While some research can be done with a simple Google search, some facts and history can only be found through rigorous investigations that a professional cannot accomplish. A thorough background investigation can also look into potential employee’s financial backgrounds and press history. More so than just that, investigation firms can find past colleagues, friends and others to put together recommendations based on their competency. For Denver companies to be absolutely sure about the potential employees they hire for high level positions, the best way to have research done is by hiring a professional investigation firm such as Lauth.
Client History
Investigation firms can also find valuable information on Denver corporations’ clients. A complete background history investigation can give companies details about potential clients that could assist in making a sale and keeping existing clients happy. This includes hobbies, interests and preferences that can allow Denver companies to cater to each client specifically to their individual tastes. Denver corporations can use private investigators such as Lauth to up their levels of customer service and satisfaction above their competition.
Competitor Analysis
Private investigators can also look into the histories and backgrounds of competing companies. By looking at companies past histories and tactics, investigation firms can find information that could hint at future strategies competitors may employ. This could give Denver companies who use investigators like Lauth an edge up on their competition, making them one step ahead of the rest of the field.
Litigation Evidence Collection
For legal companies and attorneys, Lauth Investigations can provide a uniquely beneficial set of skills. Oftentimes to win a case, attorneys will need extremely hard to attain evidence to back up their claims. To get the evidence necessary, the best option is to hire a professional investigation firm. Investigation firms such as Lauth can use computer forensics and other methods beyond the means of a regular citizen to dig up the evidence the legal corporations of Denver need. Beyond that, investigation firms can check the credibility of potential expert witnesses before they take the stand. This way attorneys can be absolutely sure that the witnesses they are relying on to prove their points will live up to their expectations in the courtroom.
Lauth Investigations Can Give Denver Companies the Information They Need
In all of these situations, Lauth Investigations can provide the corporations of Denver with valuable information. Whether it’s investigating clients, competitors, or potential employees, Lauth can find whatever evidence or intelligence that can help the companies of Denver.
by admin_lauth | Nov 12, 2013 | Tips & Facts
For many years, stories about personal identity theft have permeated the daily news. We are warned our personal computers and smart phones can easily become the target of phishing and encouraged to maintain the most up-to-date security software on our devices.
According to a 2011 report released by the United States Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS), an estimated 8.6 million households had at least one person age 12 or older, who became a victim of identity theft during 2010. The BJS reports approximately $13.3 billion in direct financial losses. Understandably, this number increases annually. Experts estimate the current number of U.S. victims to be 15 million individuals annually, and upwards to $50 billion in financial losses.
On December 4, 2012, the Identity Theft Assistance Center (ITAC), issued the Child Identity Fraud Survey Report reporting theft of children’s social security numbers are the most commonly used piece of information of identity thieves targeting children. The report also identifies some victimization occurring within the children’s own home by their own family members. ITAC have been reporting increasing incidents of minor identity theft where identity thieves combine a child’s social security number with a fictitious date of birth, creating a new “synthetic” identification that authorities claim is very difficult to detect.
While some criminals steal wallets, mail, and rummage through garbage bins, the 21st Century criminal has advanced using technology to infiltrate our homes, corporations, and government offices for personal information. We are now hearing more and more instances of government and corporate databases that have been lost, stolen, breached, and even sold.
From AOL, Taco Bell, Aetna, Google, Twitter, Walgreens, FEMA, and even New York City Police Department, personal information continues to wind up in the hands of criminals. Stories abound about government or corporate entity’s database systems hacked, customer files found in trash bins, employee theft, and even stolen or lost laptops containing personal information of customers and employees. Considering the damage that can quickly follows any incident of identity theft, experts recommend being proactive to protect personal identification.
According to Thomas Lauth, owner of Lauth Investigations International and a respected private investigator with twenty-year’s experience, “one can never be too careful when protecting their personal information”. Lauth warns personal information is used to not only create new identities, but corporations are targeted by thieves to steal trade secrets, sell client data to competitors, to personal stalking, and even murder. He states, “In this day and age, we must not take our privacy for granted and as citizens we need corporate and government agencies to take precautions to handle our personal information responsibly by implementing additional security precautions.”
Some tips to help keep your information safe
- Keep all personal documents, social security cards, and birth certificates locked in a safe place.
- Shred anything with your name and address on it instead of tossing the items into the trash. A crosscut shredder is recommended.
- Never provide a social security number online or over the phone.
- Password-protect or encrypt all personal information on your computer. Maintain up-to-date protection on your computer.
- Do not click on any link sent in an email unless you know the sender. Merely clicking on a link can install phishing and spyware on the computer. Instead, call or personally visit the financial institution or provider to provide information if required.
- Make sure there has not been a Change of Address request placed with USPS. Thieves will commonly attempt to divert mail so they can obtain billing statements and credit card offers.
- When asked to provide personal information by a medical provider, educational institution, utility company, or governmental agency, ask how they will protect your personal information.
- Corporations, educational, medical, and governmental entities are encouraged to contact Lauth Investigations International to find out how they can better protect their client’s information.
Currently, the corporations that have the most information about their rival companies and organizations are the ones that have a financial and competitive edge over their competition. When this data is collected legally, it is known as competitive intelligence. However, many big businesses are opting for more unethical and unlawful ways of gathering information, which is when competitive intelligence turns into corporate espionage. According to a recent report written by Gary Ruskin of Essential Information, the amount of corporate spying that occurs today has escalated in the past decade. This can be attributed several factors, including the growing numbers of nonprofit organizations that threaten corporations. Ruskin’s report includes narratives of big businesses such as Walmart, Kraft, Dow Chemical, Bank of America, McDonald’s, and several more adopting illegal techniques to gather intelligence about nonprofit organizations.
