It’s a thrilling thing to imagine: Out of the blue, one day you receive a phone call to say that you’re entitled to a substantial inheritance that you knew nothing about. It may seem like a far-fetched idea but, surprisingly, data suggests that as many as one out of every ten individuals has unrecovered assets somewhere out there in the ether. These may be in the form of an estranged estate, life insurance proceeds, uncashed dividends, or dormant accounts—and many more examples.
When it comes to tracking those who are rightfully entitled to unclaimed assets of some form or another, heir search and genealogy firms are the ones who take up the task of connecting the dots. In the case of estates, trusts, or guardianships, an attorney or administrator may be diligently endeavoring to locate and identify the heirs in question—but they often have their work cut out for them.
Looking back across the last fifteen years, of the billions of dollars worth of unrecovered assets that wait patiently in America to be united with their rightful owners, only around 5% have been released. When the scope of the task exceeds the capacity of those on the front lines, an heir search investigator may be called upon to step in.
What It Means to Conduct and Heir Search
When discussing heir search assistance, the term investigator is certainly on the nose. This is because conducting a successful heir search usually means sleuthing through all manner of documentation, and chasing leads wherever they may carry the case at hand. Valuable capacities such as intricate training in investigative research and the licensure required to delve into databases—those usually reserved for authority agencies—mean that qualified heir search investigators can quickly pull together jigsaw puzzle pieces that their clients cannot access.
Of course, an heir search usually has two facets. The first is to identify any and all heirs or beneficiaries to which an unclaimed asset rightfully belongs. The second is to successfully locate and initiate communication with that person or those persons. In the name of the former an heir search firm will likely conduct a genealogy investigation. In the case of the latter, making a connection may be simple, but at times, conducting geographical—and sometimes even international—searches for heirs can become complex.
What is a Genealogy Investigation?
The type of genealogical research conducted by an heir search firm is also sometimes known as forensic genealogy. It involves accessing an array of verified genealogy and record databases in order to build a complete and comprehensive family tree. In the case of heirships, this allows all who are entitled to inheritance to be successfully identified.
When families have become estranged, assets have sat in trust or under guardianship, or they have been held as lost assets for some time, the path that leads to rightful heirs or claimants can be anything but clear. In inheritance cases, a genealogy investigation can shine a light on who might reap the benefits of the release of those assets—this can be particularly pertinent in adoption cases. When a rightful claim is due outside of the family, an heir investigator will instead strive to fully document the thread that ties that individual to the estate in question.
With Puzzle Pieces in Place, What Happens Next?
Once an heir search investigator has uncovered all of the information required, more still remains to be done. A prosperous claim requires absolute due-diligence, and an air-tight case that presents the facts in a clear and legally versed manner. This is the juncture at which heir search assistance transitions into forging a well-rounded presentation of intelligence that will meet the requirements of probate, of the entity holding assets deemed lost, or of the court overseeing an heirship or beneficiary claim.
In this phase of the heir search process, fluency in the legal ins and outs of succession are essential. An heir search investigator should be able to provide any attorney with absolute confidence in the integrity of their casework, and may be called upon to provide expert witness testimony before a judge. When acting on behalf of a client hoping to inherit, they may also serve as a liaison with law firms and officials, or provide high-caliber referrals to ensure that the final stages of the asset return journey are met with just reward.
Discover the Return Assets Division of Lauth Investigations
Lauth Investigations is proud to provide an umbrella-like scope of investigative services, including heir search assistance, captained by seasoned private investigator Thomas Lauth and his wife Rain. With a phenomenal track record spanning more than three decades, the Lauth empire encompasses Missing Person Investigations, Private Investigations, and all manner of Corporate Investigations. In 2012, the couple launched their Return Assets Division with the intent that they would be able to make that very thrilling idea—getting that unexpected phone call—a reality for individuals and families across America.
Since the inception of the Return Assets Division, the Lauths and their highly skilled team have aided rightful owners and heirs in the retrieval of more than $15 million of assets, with a 98% rate of success. In testament to these credentials, the Return Assets Division often work on a contingency fee basis, so the client only pays for their services after receiving the assets they are due.
Drawing upon their exceptionally broad skill set and the broader Lauth pool of resources, the Return Assets team are able to scale every heir search investigation as needed, both in terms of man-power and locational scope. Simultaneously, their extensive investigative experience ensures an ever-swift, communicative, and adept service—as reflected in their glowing A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau. If you’d like to know more, explore their Heir Search Services further, or contact the heir search team today.
We’ve all worked with one at some point or another: the person who derails productivity, trashes team morale, and knocks out the self-esteem of their co-workers. There’s no question that toxic employees can leave a minefield in their wake. But, this doesn’t always leave the leader positioned above them truly empowered to set things right. Luckily, that’s where corporate internal investigations come in.
At times, even when seeing the red flag indicators of a toxic employee, it can be challenging to demonstrate that company policy has been breached. When toxicity is allowed to run rampant within a corporate environment, what results can become a hotbed for corporate theft and white collar crime as employees lose faith in their role and mission.
In order to avoid that path, collaborating with a corporate investigations specialist can help you build the body of evidence you need to quickly nip the problem in the bud. If there’s a danger that the problem is endemic, a Corporate Culture Audit can allow you to set a course towards company-wide resolution.
What Makes an Employee Behave in a Toxic Way?
When we talk about a toxic employee, we’re describing someone who is more than difficult or inclined to underperform. The hallmarks of toxicity are those of the saboteur; their presence will have a knock-on effect that will eventually harm company culture and ultimately your bottom line—far beyond the scope of their role alone. In aiming to address the impact of a toxic employee, insight into why people behave this way can be helpful.
Toxic behavior in the workplace can be a sign that the employee in question is going through personal issues, and taking out their emotions in a destructive way. Bereavement, trouble at home, or mental illness can all result in acting out if the employee in question doesn’t know how to navigate the challenges they face. Not dis-similarly, employees who are feeling insecure in their role may begin to behave in a toxic manner—exploiting the vulnerabilities of others as an unhealthy coping mechanism. In these moments, a supportive and open-door policy may allow you to turn the situation around.
In some cases, a toxic employee may simply feel the need to exert control and power over others. Research reveals that around 4% of people engage in this type of toxic behavior because they enjoy it. They may resort to manipulation and bullying because they feel they can get away with it. With this in mind, it is important to approach corporate investigations focusing on toxic employee behavior with the understanding that termination may become the only possible path to resolution. Finally, it is also vital to be aware that the toxic employee you see may only be the tip of the iceberg. At times, damaging employee behavior can serve as a clue to a larger pattern of workplace dysfunction.
Taking Action With a Swift and Effective Corporate Investigation
Many larger organizations may choose to tackle toxic employee culture with corporate internal investigations. However, for smaller businesses—and at times larger ones too—it can be hugely challenging to launch an impartial investigation of this nature.
Complex dynamics between employees and even entire teams can make the ethics of internal scrutiny difficult to assure, leaving the organization in question vulnerable to legal challenge or even litigation. Corporate internal investigations can provide clarity. When the issue at hand is of a sensitive nature, corporate investigations are typically easier when an impartial outsider with the expertise required to act quickly and diligently steps in as a specialist collaborator.
A skilled corporate investigations expert will be able to aid in the establishment of patterns of behavior, documenting both actions and impacts in order to build an air-tight case for discipline or dismissal. Through the application of a corporate culture audit, they will also be able to provide eye-opening advice, allowing you to avoid future run-ins with toxic employees, forging a stronger, more collaborative working environment in which your team can truly thrive. Finally, their presence will allow you to keep your own energy focused where it should be—on what counts. Managing a toxic employee can be a drain on leadership resources, but seasoned corporate investigators will lift the burden of handling toxic employees in your midst. Specializing in corporate security and investigations, corporate theft, white collar crime, risk consulting, and much more, Lauth Investigations make it their mission to help businesses create a firm foundation upon which success can stand proudly. In addition to tackling corporate investigations on their client’s behalf, Lauth investigators also provide corporate culture audits, illuminating workplace vulnerabilities so that harm can be mitigated. If you would like support in navigating toxic employee culture, discover more about what the team can do for your organization, or contact Lauth Investigations today.
The many companies that make up the crest of the American economic wave invest every single day in developing cutting-edge technology, conducting groundbreaking research, and developing innovative intellectual property. With all that’s at stake for businesses and their many hard-working employees, the threat of trade secret theft should always be taken seriously. But what do you do if you suspect a theft of this nature, and how can you guard against them?
While there may not be fingerprints to find or stolen goods to track, intellectual property or corporate data theft still always leaves a trail of leads to follow. Corporate security and investigations specialists from Lauth Investigations provide expert assistance to organizations across a spectrum of scales and industries, helping them uncover the perpetrators behind trade secret thefts while building a solid case so that swift action can be taken. Here, we will explore what steps to follow when non-compete violations or IP thefts occur, and how to armor-plate your trade secrets in the future.
What to do When Suspicion Arises
Few things can induce panic on a similar scale within the corporate world. For businesses that suspect an employee or outsider may have stolen trade secrets, it can truly feel as if the clock has started ticking. Corporate data theft may throw sensitive information into the public sphere—damaging a company’s reputation in a split-second—or it may allow competitors how to gain a crippling advantage. When trade secrets are stolen or intentionally leaked by an employer, potential return on years spent investing can start to feel like a fading mirage. The key when suspicion arises is to move quickly, knowing that the right tactic may interrupt a crisis before it fully unfolds.
Turning to professional corporate investigation services when this kind of countdown begins will make the most of precious time. Seasoned investigators will immediately begin gathering information on any suspects, while working with you to identify vulnerabilities that may have exposed trade secrets to risk, and painting a picture of the circumstances driving any breach.
In the case of a non-compete violation, a disgruntled employee may have sought an opportunity for illegal gain, but equally, a competitor may have approached them with ill intentions. Alongside launching an in-depth investigation of internal events, a fully licensed corporate investigator will also be able to gather corporate intelligence, revealing the scope of the crime at hand.
Mitigating Damage When Trade Secrets are Stolen
When an employee gives notice and moves on to a direct competitor with your company’s data in tow, it can be easy to imagine that the competitor in question is in on the scam. Through the corporate competitor intelligence gathering process, investigators may be able to uncover disproportionate compensation or benefits on the table that warrant suspicion. In other cases, reaching out to the competitor to inform them that their prospective employee is held by a non-compete contractual obligation may stop a potential snowball in its tracks.
Trained in both conflict resolution and interrogation, corporate investigators will be able to provide impartial support as you conduct an exit interview with a red-flag employee. This crucial meeting will facilitate the re-establishment of the legal ramifications of trade secret theft, and provide an ill-intentioned departing employee with the opportunity to think twice. At this juncture, asking the right questions will also force a thief in the act to either lie or confess. If an employee gives false answers in a documented interview, this may later serve as vital evidence.
Regardless of whether interventions are effective, the role of a corporate investigator will also include collecting and preserving evidence. This could include performing background checks, reviewing employment records, combing through digital activity records, and carrying out surveillance. When trade secret theft occurs, a high-caliber corporate investigator will be ready to advise on the most prudent course of action.
Reducing the Risk of Non-Compete Violations and Intellectual Property Theft
Contemporary corporate investigation services increasingly strike a balance between prevention and resolution. A trusted corporate investigations firm can help your business reduce risks by performing in-depth background checks before new recruits are brought on board, compiling corporate competitive intelligence, and performing security audits of both physical premises and digital practices. All too often, corporate theft is only a contributing piece of evidence pointing to eroded culture within the workplace. A Corporate Culture Audit from Lauth Investigations can provide not only a vivid insight into the health of your business’s inner workings, but also a multi-faceted strategy to iron-clad the road ahead. Discover more about our corporate services, or contact our team today for access to expert guidance and swift tailored solutions.
Any entrepreneur or high-level executive knows that there’s a lot at stake when running a business. You might well wish you had an all-seeing eye, but the reality is that it’s impossible to steer the ship while keeping tabs on every last detail of operations.
Every leader hopes that their employees are team players, but even a lone bad actor can cause immeasurable damage that erodes from within. The tough reality is that what you don’t know might well hurt you. But, the good news is that corporate investigations firms are ready to help you achieve that all-knowing oversight—while you keep going about doing what you do best.
Why Undercover Corporate Investigations Are Sometimes the Best Option
Sometimes, our spider-senses tingle and we get the feeling that something is just not right. At others, we have a pretty clear idea of the nefarious activity that’s afoot, but we don’t have the airtight proof required to back it up. In these moments, a corporate investigation is the logical next step, but what would warrant taking that investigation undercover?
Discretion can be one of the primary appeals of keeping corporate investigations on the down-low. Until your suspicions are concrete, you might not want workplace problems to be revealed to employees, clients, or customers. At times, a strategic investigation may reveal there’s no need to rock the boat at all—or on the flip-side, the need for urgent action may be revealed. Either way, a deft and discreet investigation can demonstrate that you practice due diligence with the wellbeing and interests of all parties involved in mind.
Another aspect of keeping things covert, particularly relevant to corporate theft or corporate fraud investigations, is to stay ahead of ill intent. An employee who is oblivious to the fact that they are under investigation is less motivated to cover their tracks, watch their words, or even direct blame towards others. Corporate investigations that warrant uncovering evidence before it’s hidden are typically easier when conducted undercover—and in the meantime, dedicated employees and successful day-to-day operations can be safeguarded against disruption.
Using Undercover Corporate Investigation Services to Uncover the Truth
The range of underhand behavior that an undercover corporate investigation might serve is a broad one. Specialized and experienced undercover investigators are adept at gently teasing out the evidence required to act on white collar and corporate crime such as business fraud, employee misconduct, asset misuse, FMLA abuse, time theft, non-compete violations, and much more.
A high-caliber undercover corporate investigations service will be scaled to meet your needs—whether what is called for is simply intelligence gathering or the coordination of sting operations and the use of advanced surveillance equipment. A trusted investigator can advise you on the best course of action whether you hope to avoid litigation, or want to be optimally prepared for it. If there is a suspicion that problems are endemic, a corporate culture audit may help you address the problem at its source. Fundamentally, the role of investigators is to help you be the best corporate steward that you can be.
At times, covert operations are an efficient element of a larger investigation, aiming to illuminate why profits have fallen or team morale is down. Fully licensed corporate investigations firms offer the unique skill set of being able to marry going undercover with performing corporate background checks on employees, vendors, and contractors; investigating data security threats and carrying out audits; discreetly investigating your competitive market for signs of a non-compete violation; and more.
Choosing the Right Ally for a Successful Undercover Operation
Within a sea of corporate investigations firms, the right ally should stand out for its excellent track record and corporate-specific expertise. A firm with strong standing will be able to walk you quickly towards the perfect plan of attack—ensuring that investigative actions are mindful, effective, ethical, impartial, low risk, and legally advantageous. Their goal will be to build a solid body of documented evidence on your behalf so that you can take the necessary steps to right the ship, safeguard valued employees, and continue unimpeded towards your business objectives. The corporate investigations team at Lauth Investigations are seasoned veterans when it comes to launching agile and effective undercover investigations. We combine this resource with a full-spectrum corporate investigations toolkit, spanning from targeted investigations through to preventative Corporate Culture Audits. Learn more about what we do, or contact our team today.
When times get tough, corporate investigations become indispensable. In the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, businesses large and small have had to keep their wits about them in order to survive. Sailing close to the wind, cutting costs, and stretching resources have become the hallmarks of true-grit leadership—something worthy of celebration, no doubt, but also a reality that comes with a price tag of increased vulnerability to the perils of corporate theft.
Unfortunately for all, the present financial landscape means that theft is a temptation to which more people than usual will inevitably succumb. While it might be easy to imagine why people could feel motivated to take without entitlement under such circumstances, it is more vital than ever that corporations can act quickly to tackle all forms of theft—so that they can keep their businesses afloat, and their dedicated employees safe and secure.
Why It’s So Important to Turn the Lens Inwards
Whether you’re missing inventory, the numbers won’t crunch, or you’ve discovered that sensitive company data has fallen into the wrong hands, there’s a good chance that you’re bearing the brunt of corporate theft. How so? Because research indicates that as much as 90% of all significant theft-related corporate losses come at the hands of employees. Staggeringly, the U.S. Department of Commerce estimates that American businesses lose roughly $50 billion as a result of employee theft each year.
Whatever their motives and whatever their target, a thief in your midst will likely cover their tracks the moment they think their crimes have been detected. This can make undercover theft operations the most powerful type of corporate investigation at your disposal. When you’ve got no idea who’s to blame—or perhaps. more frustratingly, you’ve got a strong hunch but lack the evidence to prove it—a skilled undercover investigator is ideally equipped to efficiently and discreetly gather and document the information required to act.
What Types of Corporate Investigations Can Be Conducted Undercover?
Not all corporate assets are something that a person can physically lay their hands on. So, while some undercover investigations may aim to root out those responsible for stock disappearances, others may target time theft, corporate data theft, intellectual property theft, and corporate fraud. Adding yet more traction, an undercover investigation within the workplace can be combined with surveillance operations, the gathering of corporate competitive intelligence, data breach investigations, and many more forms of scrutiny, until a complete and clear picture comes to light.
When equipped with all the facts, your organization will be able to act quickly with the peace of mind that the chosen path of resolution is air-tight against legal scrutiny. An external corporate investigations collaborator will add an iron-clad layer of impartiality to the conclusions that lead what happens next. Any business operating with integrity should be able to boldly ride the wave of an economically challenging period without the need to look over their shoulders—it’s the job of a gold-standard corporate investigator to facilitate this.
Corporate Investigations Offer So Much More Than a Single Solution
When your gut is telling you that your organization is a victim of theft, it’s a tough truth that the scale of the problem may be worse than you imagine. Losses appearing on the radar can be a sign that the social dynamics within a workplace have soured, and corporate culture is reaching boiling point. While some corporate thieves operate alone, it’s important to be wary that entire theft rings can develop when toxicity is allowed to fester unchecked.
Trust is a vital ingredient for any thriving workplace, which makes removing those with bad intentions and re-building corporate culture the only route to prosperity when such situations arise. Whether your organization is experiencing the first signs of trouble, or is already in deep, expert corporate investigators can help you course-correct by conducting a corporate culture audit, delivering corporate security and investigations support, and providing in-depth corporate background checks as a protective stage of recruitment. If you would like to talk through your suspicions with a specialist corporate investigator, the dedicated corporate team at Lauth Investigations is ready to assist. Learn more about the various ways in which we can support you, or contact us today for expert guidance and tailored solutions.
