Author Archives: Michael Hathaway

Background Checks – Hook Connect and Certified Fraud & Forensic Investigations Reach Deal

Indianapolis based Private Investigative Company, has reached an agreement with Hook Connect, to be the sole background screener for service vendors that are approved and endorsed by this Indiana based consumer referral company.  According to founder and owner Barbara Hook, “Hook Connect is officially teaming up with a State of Indiana licensed Private Investigations firm, Certified Fraud & Forensic Investigations, to conduct background checks on all Professional Level for proper Approval and Endorsement opportunities to all types of Service Providers.  Hook Connect does not know of any Referral Resource that goes to this level!  We are here to protect the consumer from those dishonest companies. We are a FREE SERVICE TO THE CONSUMER/BUSINESS OWNER needing a referral for that Honest Company.” Hook Connect was founded to protect the consumer and business owner from unscrupulous service providers. FREE to the consumer referral resource of trustworthy service providers, Hook Connect is the Intersection … Continued

Cell Phone Forensics

Our cell phone forensics client, Darryl, was suspicious that his girlfriend, Sara, was cheating.  He was examining cell phone statements when he noticed a certain number regularly appearing in Sara’s call and text history.  A quick look at her contacts showed the number belonged to “Ben,” her former boyfriend.  Darryl immediately assumed the worse and questioned her about the activity.  When she responded “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” and “it must have been a mistake on the phone bill,” Darryl knew there was a problem.  He put his planned proposal on hold, and gave us a call to check out her phone.  Sara had deleted all of the questionable text history and call log history, and was happy to consent to the search, presuming that we’d locate nothing.

Forensic Accountant Notebook: Essentials of Locating Hidden Assets

One afternoon, Becky, a middle-aged Indianapolis, Indiana woman heard the doorbell ring.  Not expecting anyone, she went to the door to see her postman on the porch.  He asked her to sign for a certified letter and then returned to his mail truck.  Anxious to see what this unknown letter was about, Becky immediately ripped it open.  She was shocked by the letter she was reading: her husband of 29 years had filed for divorce.  After getting by in a daze the next few days, she stopped by an ATM to get some cash for necessities.  After three attempts with an error message on the screen, she went inside to speak to the teller.  Her jaw dropped to the floor when the teller informed her that the account had been closed 6 days ago.  As a forensic accountant who specializes in locating hidden assets, the story of Becky is all … Continued

Computer Forensics 101

As a Certified Forensic Computer Examiner (CFCE), I am always being asked by my clients what they need to be mindful of in cases involving computer forensic evidence. Here are my thoughts of some “Do’s and Don’ts” of cases involving digital evidence (or computer forensics).  Computer Forensics is a process of obtaining electronic evidence from a computer hard drive or digital media device utilizing the court accepted process of preserving electronic evidence. Computer Forensics is a highly technical field and one must be careful not to spoil the evidence before it has been collected. Do secure the evidence Once you have identified a specific hardware involved in the investigation, it should be immediately secured from all accesses. Do avoid making changes to the device Do not make any changes to the device’s current state. If the device is powered on, leave it powered on and if the device is powered … Continued

Fraud Prevention and Identity Theft Training

We hear from many people who have been hit by scammers, fraudsters or cybercriminals that stole their identity, pilfered their credit card numbers, social security and bank account numbers.  You most likely have seen commercials about Identity Theft Protection, but through our identity theft training, we would like to provide you with some easy-to-use security techniques so you can take action and save money by not paying companies such as LifeLock to monitor your credit standing. We have seen hundreds of victims from identity theft and helped them in various ways.  As a sergeant for the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department (IMPD), I frequently am able to make the arrest of the suspects after the working citizens lost much of their hard-earned money, high-ranking credit score, personal time and faith in their fellow man.  But in order to cut the criminal off at the knees, we suggest to you there is … Continued

Business or Investment Background Checks

We regularly receive phone calls from clients interested in gathering due diligence on investment companies and/or the people who work for these establishments.  These clients understand that a business or investment background check is an invaluable precautions to identify risks to their potential investments. 

Digital Cell Phone Forensics

We receive weekly requests from parents about acquiring and recovering data from their child’s cell phone.  We are an Indianapolis, Indiana Private Investigations firm that performs cell phone forensics and computer forensics.  We use cutting edge technology and techniques to help uncover what their child or loved one is doing during the countless hours spent on their iPhone and Android smartphones.

Pre-Employment Background Checks

Employee theft is on the rise.  In its study on 2012 retail theft, Jack L Hayes International found over 71,000 employees of 23 large retail chains were caught committing fraud by stealing from their employers, a 5.5% upswing from 2011.  An additional 1.1 million shoplifters from those same chains were detained, an increase of 7.4% from 2011.  The magnitude of loss from internal fraud and theft is staggering, and these are only the ones who were caught!  

Company Due Diligence and Background Checks

We recently took on an Indianapolis, Indiana client, “Susan,” that had an unforgettable experience with a repair contractor after a hailstorm damaged her home.  This blog will tell her story, and explain how Company Due Diligence and Background Checks can save you cash and spare you angst.

CFFI Private Investigators to Offer Indianapolis Anti-Fraud Training

Indianapolis based Certified Fraud & Forensic Investigations recently announced that it is adding anti-fraud training to its list of services. CFFI is dedicated to protecting individuals and companies against fraud, white-collar crime, and other forms of financial exploitation.