by admin_lauth | Jul 13, 2017 | Private Investigations News
We’ve all tried to sell, buy or rent items online through sites such as Craigslist, Ebay, and now, Letgo. Because these sites are so common and used by friends and family, we often get comfortable using them and forget that we are interacting with anonymous strangers. Just this week, I signed up for Letgo and attempted to sell my husband’s motorcycle. We’ve been procrastinating on selling his bike for a few months, so when within 5 minutes of me listing the bike I got a response to purchase it, I was really excited! This excitement; however, almost got me in some trouble.
The Set-Up: Lies Comprise a Buyer Too Good to Be True
The motorcycle was placed on Letgo for $4,500. The buyer, an alleged Sergeant in the Army, started the conversation requesting my personal phone number as he wanted to see more pictures of the vehicle.
In my excitement and not knowing Letgo, I gave my personal number to him, thinking It was . Apparently one of the main rules of Letgo is never take the chat out of their application. I didn’t know this at the time! After I sent him the pictures, he confirmed the price was $4500 and agreed to pay this amount. I questioned when he would like to come and pick up the vehicle. (I was doing the happy dance to have this money coming in and the bike gone!) This is where things got a little weird.
The Red Flags: Multiple Phone Numbers and Asking For Personal Information
The buyer told me he is stationed in North Carolina. (He even sent me a picture of a soldier in Army fatigues standing on base.) He stated he would like to pay via PayPal if I had an account. I got a little nervous (working for a private investigator I’m a little more skeptical of people these days), so I questioned how he planned on picking up the bike. He then texted me from a different number. (Hello, Red Flag!) When I questioned why he changed numbers, he advised the second number was his “secured military line.”
Again, I questioned how he planned on picking up the motorcycle, to which he advised he would send a transport agent to come pick it up once r I get the cash out of PayPal, and then he asked for my PayPal account information again. I told him I didn’t have PayPal and I need cash upon purchase. He stopped responding and I never heard him again. Go figure.
In my sheer excitement of making some extra money and my blinded trust for anyone who wears a United States military uniform, I was a vulnerable target for these kinds of scams. Luckily, my experience working for Lauth Investigations has given me a certain skepticism towards online interactions, a wariness that pushed me to ask more questions and thankfully helped me refrain from giving my Paypal information to this man. It is essential that everyone approaches online interactions with the premise that the person on the other side of the screen has no motivation to be honest with you.
The Paypal Scam: How it Works
I’d like to take a minute and conjecture what this man was attempting to accomplish by contacting me. At Lauth Investigations we have seen cases where fraudsters create a fake e-mail from PayPal they send to “customers” stating the money has been deposited and transferred. The e-mail looks identical to what PayPal sends their customers. This man probably would have sent me a fake confirmation email and then came to pick up the bike before I realized that he never actually paid me. Does anyone check to make sure the e-mail is legitimate? No, which is why I feel the need to write this post. When we get a confirmation that such a large amount of money has been transferred we should always call PayPal directly, from a number on their site not the invoice we receive, to ensure the funds are received and legitimate.
Why, you ask, should we call PayPal directly? Because oftentimes the scammer sets up a fake call center, so when you call the number on the fake e-mail you receive from “PayPal” there are fake Paypal employees waiting to answer your call and confirm the money has been transferred.
Just like anything we do today in this online world, we must enter with extreme caution. Hold your excitement until actual cash is in hand. As much as we trust our military and veterans, do not let the fact that somebody claims to be a member of the military make you let your guard down. . If someone cannot meet you in person, with cash, question their motives and move on to the next buyer.
In my next article, I will focus on another online scam to look for and ways to protect yourself.
by admin_lauth | Jul 7, 2017 | Private Investigations News
Private Investigators are commonly requested when a person or company does not know where else to turn. Whether its an individual working with the police to solve a crime or a company working with an attorney in a case, private investigators are there when other professionals have run into a dead end or cannot help the situation. Private investigators are useful because they provide people in difficult situations with the knowledge they need to make the right decisions. This is why an essential step in having a successful outcome with a private investigator is not waiting too late to call. No matter what the industry or situation, knowledge is power; and the sooner you have the information you need, the better chance you have at a good outcome. If you are currently in a situation where you are considering using a private investigator, here are a few signs that it is time to take action and make the call.
- You are looking for someone (private) – As soon as you need to find someone, whether it is an heir in a probate case, a missing person, or a spouse that is acting suspiciously, call a private investigator. Trying to investigate someone’s whereabouts yourself can be everything from frustrating to dangerous. While relying on the police is a good option, hiring a private investigator to work alongside the police tends to result in faster information and better outcomes. Private investigators have the tools and technology to track down people who do not want to be found, and to uncover the necessary information to find them.
- You suspect a future crime (private or corporate)- Police can only investigate crimes that haven’t taken place to a very limited extent. If you suspect that an employee, a neighbor, or a business partner may be planning to commit a crime, call a private investigator. He or she will be able to investigate the suspected crime before it is committed and save you the heartache of dealing with it after the fact. Not only that, but since situations related to crime are inherently dangerous, we always recommend consulting a professional and not investigating alone.
- You are in a legal dispute (private or corporate)- With very few exceptions, all legal disputes can seriously benefit from hiring a private investigator. Everything from tracking down witnesses to finding leverage on opposing counsel falls under the umbrella of private investigation, and with such sensitive material and often the wellbeing of both parties at stake, it is not the time to leave surprises for the courtroom. The rule of thumb is this: if you are in a legal dispute, assume that the opposing side is learning absolutely everything they can about you and the case, and make sure you do the same. Often times the outcome of a case depends less on who is right or wrong, and more on who is the best prepared.
- You are losing money or valuable items (private or corporate)- Even if you don’t know whether an item was lost or stolen, even if you think that the loss of money could be nothing more than bookkeeping mistakes, consider hiring a private investigator. In the case that a loss of valuables really was a mistake/accident, the P.I. will quickly uncover this and there will be no harm done. If there is more to the story, a private investigator can help you piece it together before you lose anything else.
- You suspect abuse (private)- Whether it is a mother who suspects mistreatment of a child under the care of a nanny, or a friend who suspects abuse of a colleague, private investigators can help uncover cases of abuse when an individual is unable to find concrete proof on their own. Instead of jumping to accusations and potentially wrongfully accusing someone, it is always better to do the research first and get more information before acting.
- You’re taking a big step (private or corporate)- From merging companies, to hiring a new employee, to adopting a new baby, it is wise to hire a private investigator before making a big commitment to another person or entity. Even if you think that you have done your research, there is always a chance that you are missing out on pertinent information that will affect your decision. While it doesn’t always mean that the step is the wrong one to take, it will leave you more informed while taking it, and a private investigator is a discreet way to check your interests before you do something you regret.
- You think someone is/might investigate you (private or corporate)- In rare instances, people have hired private investigators to investigate themselves in order to find out what information about themselves is “out there.” If you suspect someone is looking into you, look into yourself first.
- You have a feeling (everyone!)- At the end of the day, most private investigations arise from a client’s gut feeling that “There is more to the story.” Whether it is a spouse who is cheating, and employee who is stealing, or a colleague who is hiding something, the job of a private investigator is to clear away the doubt and reveal the truth so that all parties are on equal footing and can make sound, informed decisions about the future. If you think something in your life feels off, a private investigator may be able to use their experience and insight to help you sort it out.
Private investigators are available for any difficult situation that arises, both professionally and personally. If you are struggling to uncover the truth or looking for help in tracking someone or something down, consider a private investigator to help speed along the process.
by admin_lauth | Jul 1, 2017 | Private Investigations News
Private investigators help with a myriad of corporate issues: from helping employers discover employee theft, to helping attorneys gather information for a case, there is very rarely a time where conflict arises in a professional situation when a private investigator would not be helpful, if not necessary. Once someone decides to hire a private investigator for their corporate needs, the next question becomes who to hire. A quick internet search will show that there are a lot of options when it comes to hiring an investigator, from different specialities to different geographic locations.
In this blog post we discuss why it’s important to consider geographic location specifically as one of the most important factors when choosing a private investigator, and why it is advised to find a local private investigator instead of going with a national firm.
Sensitive Information:
The vast majority of the time, private investigators deal with sensitive, confidential information that is relatively urgent in nature. Because of this, clients of a P.I. tend to take comfort in having an investigator that they can meet with in person and speak to concerning the sensitive details of a case. They also demand someone who delivers fast results after conducting an investigation. A lot of clients appreciate simply being able to call a local number or even stop by the investigator’s office if something is bothering them. A local P.I. is the obvious choice for anyone feeling insecure or vulnerable in a case requiring a P.I. because of the added comfort it brings.
Intricate Knowledge of Local Laws:
Oftentimes investigation cases deal with matters of the law, which is another reason why it is recommended to go with a local investigator. If you are dealing with a case that includes issues of local or state law, it will be far easier to work with someone who has experience strictly in the region you are dealing with and knows the laws inherently without having to charge you for research time. Especially in legal cases, a local P.I. is an asset that can also act as a resource for understanding local laws and practices for fraud and evasion situations.
Avoiding Middle Men:
Oftentimes, national or online private investigators will receive your case and then farm it out to a local P.I. anyway. By hiring locally, you are essentially just cutting out the middle-man and going directly to the local P.I., and this way you get to choose which P.I. will handle your situation instead of leaving it to the firm to assign it to someone, and you will save money by cutting out the larger firm that will take a percentage of the profits.
Knowledge of Local Logistics and Local Sources:
If you hire a local private investigator for a local case, you’re going to find someone who deals exclusively with the area you are in. This means that the P.I.’s network will be refined to this area and that he or she will have access to local logistics and sources that a national P.I. won’t have. P.I.’s often need to use numbers with local area codes to make phone calls, they need to set up meeting places in local areas, and they need to be on site for almost the entirety of the investigation. This all requires access to people, places, and information that local P.I.’s will have.
Familiarity With the Area:
Not only will a local investigator have better access to resources, but an investigator looking into a case in his or her own area will have the benefit of knowing the context in which the case is unfolding and being familiar with any important locations or cultural specificities relevant to the case. The simple fact that your P.I. will be familiar in working in your area will make the case easier to solve, make the process easier and faster, and help you to get things resolved sooner.
Supporting Local Businesses:
We are living in a time where going local is a good idea simply for the sake of going local. Supporting your local businesses is good for your city, good for the overall economy, and good for your peace of mind. Globalization opens doors for many people, but it closes doors to local businesses in the process, and this is leading to a lot of vulnerability for industries like private investigation. If you have a local private investigator who will get the job done effectively, don’t hesitate to give them business.
Large private investigative firms can give you the feeling of security, but in reality your case will simply be treated more slowly and in a less personal manner. Not only that, but you will end up paying for the extra travel and research expenses that will go into solving your case. For all of these reasons, going local for your investigation needs makes sense from a practical, emotional, and financial standpoint.
by admin_lauth | Jun 30, 2017 | Private Investigations News
CNC (Covenant Not to Compete) agreements are being breached left, right, and center as the rise of entrepreneurship continues to grow and human resource departments are feeling it. More and more people are quitting their jobs in order to become freelancers while human resource departments continue to struggle with the increasing number of unexpected losses.
COVENANT NOT TO COMPETE (CNC) AGREEMENTS
When an employee leaves a company unexpectedly it causes a lot of challenges. Traditionally, CNC agreements are signed by newly employed persons once their job position has been approved. In this agreement, there is a clause stating the employee consents to not enter or start an identical trade or profession in competition with its employer. This contract acts as a provision to prevent an unfair advantage that a former employee may have when beginning a new profession or trade.
The CNC agreement is put in pursuance of protecting the firm from confidential information being leaked about their operations, upcoming products, business practices, client/customer lists and marketing plans, just to name a few. Under this clause, the employee agrees not to create schemes with the company’s trade secrets. Depending on the exact terms of a CNC agreement, a company is also protected from the soliciting of their clients by former employees as well as the recruiting of other employees to the former employee’s competing job.
HUMAN RESOURCES DEPARTMENT
According to Entrepreneur.com, “a human resources department is a critical component of employee well-being in any business, no matter how small.” Their main responsibilities include recruitment, training and development, safety, benefits and compensation, employee relations, compliance with labor laws and employee agreements, as well as termination. Once an employee decides to depart from a firm, the human resources (HR) department’s responsibility is to update the records. If a former employee breaches a CNC agreement, it is the responsibility of the HR department to find a resolution.
What’s worse is when the person that recently quit is entitled to employee benefits as he or she is probably using that money to help in their scheme against the company. You can see why the HR department would have issues. The expected action from an employee who wishes to quit a job is to provide a standard resignation letter containing a two week’s notice. Normally, when this is the case, an employer will continue to pay the employee for two weeks while they go through their employee ending checklist.
If the employee is a threat, however, it is in the best interest of the firm to terminate their contract immediately. After which, the HR department is going to have to scramble to make a replacement while the executives delegate the extra work to the remaining employees in order to maintain a smooth workflow. Next, the former employee’s building/property access needs to be revoked, and anything within their possession belonging to the company should be handed in such as IDs, company books, cell-phones, computers, etc.
THE PROBLEM
Just as more employees are leaving their companies, employers are making sure their trade names, logos, and operations are protected, their clients are secure and slanderous comments towards their company’s credibility are dealt with properly. With the help of a private investigator, companies can rest assure all proprietary information for staff lawyers and HR departments are recovered, the exposure of their trade secrets are prevented, and the purging of vendors and clientele cease.
Former employees normally capitalize on the opportunity to steal their employer’s former clients by using communication methods such as the client’s phone number or email address resulting in the company having negative credibility in the market. The most common form of CNC violation is the manipulation of clients. When there are such violations, it’s up to the HR department and the executives of the company to take action. Usually, this comes in the form of a lawsuit.
Once such case can be found on Forbes.com, Ariana Gardella speaks about Instant Technology of Chicago suing five of their former employees who left to form a competing firm called Connect Search. The reason Instant Technology wanted to sue was because they believe the former employees breached their agreement to not recruit Instant’s employees to other jobs, disclose Instant’s “proprietary” information, or solicit business from Instant’s clients.
However, when the case went to trial in 2014, the employees agreed they breached all but the non-disclosure provision agreement arguing the provisions were unfair. Unfortunately for Instant Technology, the judge ruled in the favor of the 5 former employees. After losing the case, Instant Technology appealed ending with the same ruling.
THE SOLUTION
Save your HR department some time and your executives the trouble by hiring a private investigator today. Lauth Investigations International (LII) can not only help you win the lawsuit against former employees but will also work rapidly to prevent the exposure of trade secrets, the purging of vendors and clientele, and work steadfastly to recover lost credibility. LII work towards an evidentiary solution focused on a presentation of discovered facts to resolve each conflict with corporate risk solutions.
Our private investigators assist HR departments using varying investigative methods, such as surveillance, to see if former employees are setting up similar operations and using trade secrets or marketing materials and much more. Putting a stop to the scheming before it affects your company.
Even though there are limitations to some agreements, depending on the firm, such as the geographical location and time period of the departure of an employee, HR departments are still having issues with former employees breaching their contract. Fortunately, however, due to the hard work of private investigators, there has been a rise over the past decade in the number of departing employees being sued by their former employers for breaching their agreement. In fact, this number has risen by 60% over the past 10 years.
CONCLUSION
Employee departures are already bad for companies and small businesses, but what’s even worse is that as these former employees turn to websites such as peopleperhour.com and upwork.com to advertise their expertise often times violating their CNC agreements with the firm.
In order to prevent potential market downturns, it’s important to hire a private investigator who can minimize the impact of the scheming of trade secrets by surveilling former employees, conducting research on their newly formed business, and collecting evidence in order to prove a breach in the CNC agreement. Ultimately, saving you and your company time and money and allowing you to maintain great client relationships.
by admin_lauth | Jun 22, 2017 | Private Investigations News
Neighborhood car dealerships are often a victim of theft in many formats. For Lauth Investigations investigators there appears to be an uptick in handling these cases. Employee theft is common in general, with 50 billion dollars lost annually to employee theft in the U.S., but it is especially common with auto dealers due to the access employees have to vehicles and the high value of the product.
Employee theft is something dealers need to be constantly vigilant about. With merchandise going on and off site on a regular basis and with keys switching hands frequently, actual physical theft of a vehicle is common. If it’s not an issue of physically stealing the car, it’s a question of an employee tampering with invoices and checks. Whatever the strategy, car dealerships are losing big time to employee theft, which is a compounding problem since outside theft is already such a big issue for dealerships in the first place.
This week’s blog offers tips for dealers looking to prevent inside theft from their dealerships, with tips on how to handle it if you suspect something.
You need to have a good security system- This is a non-negotiable. Video surveillance at your dealership should be one of your top investments. There are a lot of good options out there including high quality video that focuses on internal processes and is meant to be used in the case of an investigation. Basically, you want a security system that is going to not just scare your employees into behaving, but that is also advanced and clear enough video to act as official evidence if you need it. Security goes beyond video as well. Whether you decide to invest in physical guards, or rely on keeping your facilities locked and changing codes frequently, make sure your security is as personalized as it gets. If you have guards, make sure they know all of your employees by name. If you have smart technology locks, make sure they have voice recognition or thumbprint recognition so that your employees are always identified. Of course money is an issue when investing in security and these options are not always possible, so we suggest at the very least making security a part of the company culture and conversation so that your employees know that they are being watched.
Nobody should have too much control- One of the most common ways that employee theft occurs is that somebody you trust is given too much freedom and control. We see this over and over again, and it feels like the same situation every time. Just because someone has been working for you for years does not mean that they are incapable of betraying your trust, on the contrary, these are the most common cases of employee theft because the employee feels comfortable enough in the environment to begin stealing. Everyone should have some form of check and everyone who handles money should have their books randomly reviewed at different points in the year. Many cases of insider theft are discovered once an employee goes on vacation and a new employee discovers a discrepancy that leads to an investigation.
Take discrepancies seriously- When anything in your bookkeeping doesn’t match up, it needs to be investigated immediately. If you have the least bit of suspicion that something might be going on, invest the time and energy into getting to the bottom of it. We see too many cases where proof of theft appeared early on but it was written off as mistakes in bookkeeping. Hiring a private investigator to research such discrepancies will set you back a couple of thousand. Being victim to employee fraud for a few months can cost you tens or hundreds of thousands. Don’t feel paranoid or ridiculous by choosing to play it safe.
Change patterns frequently- The key to avoiding theft, whether it’s inside or outside, is never letting anyone get to comfortable with the way things work. Make sure that the procedure for locking up, exchanging keys, and moving cars stays air tight, but also changes every few months. This will keep both employees, and outside observers, unable to take months strategizing how to steal from you.
Conduct thorough background checks- This seems like a no-brainer, but a surprising amount of dealerships do not conduct thorough background checks of potential employees. Just because someone makes a good impression or is a friend of a friend does not mean you don’t need to check into their past before you hire them. Many cases of employee fraud could be prevented by simply being thorough ahead of time.
Now if you are reading this and thinking, “All of this checking and suspicion is horrible for office morale,” you’re not alone. Many business managers need to learn to weigh protecting themselves from theft with creating an environment of culture and trust at the workplace. If you think that it is bad for company morale to have your employee’s feel like they are always being checked on, then frame the checks as a way to protect against accounting mistakes, instead of making references to theft. Also, be as transparent as possible with all other aspects of employee life such as salary, promotions, and rewarding hard work.
No employee can fault you for wanting to protect against theft as long as they are being treated with respect. Implementing these habits into your management will lead to a healthier and more efficient environment for both yourself and your employees.
by admin_lauth | May 31, 2017 | Private Investigations News
What is Business Intelligence?
In 1989 Howard Dresner, the founder and chief research officer at Dresner Advisory services is noted as the first to use the term business intelligence as an umbrella category for supporting and accelerating business decision making processes using data analytics techniques.
According to CIO business intelligence refers to a variety of software applications used to analyze an organization’s raw data. CIO also states that BI as a discipline is made up of several related activities including, data mining, online analytic processing, querying, and reporting.
In layman’s term, BI is simply using methods and programs to collect and structure data into relevant and reliable information that can be presented to directors within a company. This information is very meaningful to directors and helps them to take actions towards achieving goals as well as making important decisions, such as understanding what drives revenue for your private investigation business.
Hitachi Solutions describes BI as a grocery store of business data because all of the data is organized in such a way that you can find information on your own and not rely on anyone else. However, you would first need to speak to the relevant experts to gather raw data and then pass it onto someone who would then compile everything for you in a business intelligence system.
No longer do employees have to sift through complex spreadsheets and analyze data manually in order to put together reports. Now, organizations can simply use a business intelligence system to request the required information.
Data Mining
Data mining is the incorporation of mathematical methods such as equations and algorithms to extract trends and patterns.
According to the criteria, a business may need data mining in BI systems can provide predictive analysis of several growth potentials that can be used to determine the best market to enter, resulting in saving countless man hours.
In order to maximize the benefits of data mining, it’s important that managers and directors apply the knowledge obtained from BI systems. BI makes it easy with neat reports instead of scattered notes and files.
Online Analytic Processing (OLAP)
According to their website, OLAP performs multidimensional analysis of business data and provides the capability for complex calculations, trend analysis, and sophisticated data modeling. It is the foundation for many kinds of business applications for Business Performance Management, Planning, Budgeting, Forecasting, Financial Reporting, Analysis, Simulation Models, Knowledge Discovery, and Data Warehouse Reporting. OLAP enables end-users to perform ad hoc analysis of data in multiple dimensions, thereby providing the insight and understanding they need for better decision making.
A great real world example of how OLAP may be useful to a business comes from Network World, where they speak of requesting information about company sales in Europe over the year, then drilling down to the sales of computers in September to calculate year-to-date sales or compare revenue figures with those for the same products sold in January, and then seeing a comparison of TV sets sales in Europe in the same time period.
Querying and Reporting
Querying and reporting consists of three steps:
1. Querying – retrieving data from a database (OLAP for example)
2. Formatting – making the results readable for analyses
3. Distribution – administering reports to users
In strict terms, the formatting and distribution are both considered reporting. From the business intelligence, BI systems may form business reports. Business reports are created by the business users and may be created without any knowledge of programming eliminating the need for involvement with the IT department.
Why Use Business Intelligence
BI can be a great advantage when making strategic decisions such as a merger with another company. A decision like this has many potential risks and would require detailed information on the company’s history, ethics, affiliations and undisclosed liabilities to name a few.
Since BI is organized data that can be accessed freely whenever one desires, it could also be used to access the internal state of a business or organization by providing data on areas of strength and weakness, hidden patterns, ineffective business operations, and can even point out new opportunities for the firm. It can also be used to determine the return on investment of your marketing strategy for a private investigation business for instance.
A great example from Hitachi Solutions is using a loyalty card to track everything a customer buys within a store or online, which will then go into your database. This data can then be used to run analytical reports on the customer’s information enabling you to comprehend specific details about your target audience, such as the products the purchase and how often the purchase them, and which preference the have when it comes to shopping online, versus shopping at a brick and mortar.
All of this information would be very valuable to a retail manager as he would be able to predict the customers’ habits, needs, and preferences and create new opportunities to sell. But it’s clear to see how having a BI could benefit other business owners allowing them to deliver better services and create marketing campaigns specifically tailored to their clientele.
Firms can also use BI systems to gain information on your competitor by gathering the demographics of their client base, the number of products they offer, and the age range of their customers. With that data a company can then gear towards differentiating their brand and offer higher quality products and/or services.
Of course, there are many more benefits to having a Business Intelligence system, such as collection information in the Human Resource Department for combatting income loss and retaining employees, creating easy to understand graphs and charts for important meetings, and identifying areas of the business that need re-engineering.
Business Intelligence Software
“Lack of trust is one of the greatest barriers to success in business intelligence programs.” – Howard Dresner
Finding a trustworthy BI software is essential to the success of your business and with the many choices there are out there it’s important that you purchase the right one.
Top BI software and tools include IBM Cognos Analytics, Microsoft SharePoint, and YellowFin. Some of these softwares offer a free trial before you have to commit to paying. And so you can get a good gauge of which tools would work best for your business.
Conclusion
In short business intelligence refers to a group of tools and techniques that collect and organizes data then presents it in a way that is useful when making important business decisions.
Business intelligence makes turns data into understandable accurate information that you can take action on.
