FAQs: Business Investigations

What do you mean by business services?
We are referring to any investigation for a business owner, whether a sole proprietor or corporation manager or executive, that relates to protecting the assets of the business. We conduct loss prevention assignments, whether they require an undercover operative in the workplace or surveillance of a sales representative. We are seeing more assignments in intellectual property investigations, such as counterfeit products in secondary retail markets, trademark infringements and software piracy. We also provide investigative services to companies that are self-insured, on a Workers’ Compensation claim that appears suspicious, for example. In addition, a common service we provide to businesses both large and small is pre-employment screening of job applicants, not only production line workers but sales representatives and management personnel. For small business owners, we often assist in collateral recovery and judgment enforcement, such as skip tracing and asset investigations. For more information, go to our Business Investigations and Background Screening pages.

What do you mean by an asset investigation?
An asset investigation is the search for the property and other holdings of a judgment debtor or a subject in anticipation of litigation. An asset investigation can be limited to a search for unencumbered real estate and personal property, such as boats, airplanes, motor vehicles, collectibles, etc. A more extensive asset investigation involves a search for bank accounts, which are conducted in compliance with all applicable laws, such as the Graham Leach Bliley Act.

Do you conduct due diligence investigations?
Yes. As our founder Don C. Johnson, CLI, CII wrote in the reference text, Corporate Investigations, “Modern due diligence … includes many day to day management operations and decisions in national and international commercial transactions, including mergers and acquisitions.”(1) As our markets have expanded nationally and globally so have the opportunities for business frauds and other economic crimes. Before considering a business merger or acquisition, a business owner has a responsibility to conduct a due diligence investigation, not only to protect himself or herself from making a bad business decision but to ensure compliance with standards of care inherent in a business transaction where shareholders are involved.

Are your business investigations confidential?
Yes, to the extent allowed by law and circumstance. Pre-employment screening, for example, is governed by state and federal laws. At the federal level, background screening is controlled by the provisions of the Fair Credit Reporting Act, which requires, in part, that the consumer (the job applicant) sign a notice and authorization form. However, many due diligence investigations can be conducted sub-rosa, as long as legal and permissible purposes are recognized. Higher levels of a corporate investigation may require that certain individuals be contacted for interviews, which may impact confidentiality controls.

How much do you charge for a business investigation?
Fees vary. Just as there are various kinds of business investigations, there are different levels of fees and expenses. For pre-employment screening, for example, we can tailor a package that meets the business owner’s needs and provides a unit cost on screening elements. On a due diligence case, once the parameters of the investigation have been identified, we provide the client with an estimate on the fee and set the budget accordingly. If you have a business concern that needs investigating, contact us right away; we do not charge for an initial consultation.

What type of payment do you accept?
We accept Visa, MasterCard, American Express, PayPal and checks.

How do we contact you?
You can always call our office from 9am to 5pm, Monday through Friday (phone 812-334-8857). For our background screening department, you may dial direct, 812-333-8830. Our investigators have cell phone numbers and email addresses printed on their business cards, and often communicate directly with clients during cases. You can also go to our contact page on this web site and send us a message. If you have a legal matter you think an investigator can help you with, we want to hear from you.

(1) Corporate Investigations, Compiled by Reginald J. Montgomery, CLI,CFE and William J. Majeski, published by Lawyers & Judges Publishing Company, Inc., 2002; page304. Johnson authored Chapter 11, “The Due Diligence Investigation.”

To eliminate doubt that could jeopardize the outcome of a serious matter please call us at 812-334-8857 for a FREE consultation.