Corporate Investigation & Detective Services


Undercover Investigations


Undercover investigations are often complex and difficult. Is your business a victim of employee theft, corporate espionage, intellectual property theft, drug use, and other crimes? These are just some of the problems faced by employers. Our undercover investigations are discreet, professionally conducted, and legal.

Undercover investigations are usually conducted as part for our workplace investigations. VIS team mates are put together in-house and are deployed to answer your most difficult questions. Undercover investigators are properly briefed and trained to act as a part of your workforce. The intricacies of the investigations are thoroughly documented and you are debriefed as the assignments complete.

When undercover, our investigators will encounter the same circumstances your employees face. However, they are properly trained on both your companies and our procedures so they are working for you, toward your goals and objectives. Our teams can be deployed for days or months depending on the complexity of your case.

You will notice once an investigation begins that our planning using the VIS Method of Approach will make way for a smooth and reliable undercover investigation.

We work closely in cooperation with our corporate clients and their counsels to minimize the impact of undercover investigations and provide you the irrefutable facts you need.

Undercover Investigations may include:

  • Body Wires
  • Video Transmitters
  • Tracking Systems
  • High Powered Remote Viewing Equipment
  • Hidden Surveillance Cameras

Some Advance Undercover Techniques Include:

  • Surreptitious Witness Interviews
  • Hidden Camera Placement
  • Covert Drug Detection
  • Covert Computer Use Investigations
  • Covert Internet Use Investigations

Employee Screening Programs


Employee Screening Programs are the key to a qualified, productive workforce is professional employee screening. Fraud, embezzlement, kickbacks, industrial espionage and theft usually involve someone working from the inside. Have you done everything in your power to protect your human resources and assets?

The Employee Screening Program (ESP) from VIS can help you implement pre-screening and pre-employment screening for due diligence. This program allows any hiring manager to access background information on applicants, candidates and current employees, for a variety of reasons, including annul audits. Informed hiring decisions result in a higher quality workforce, which is the foundation of any successful organization.

Through our network of sources located throughout the world, we provide information that saves our clients millions of rupee in employee turnover costs, internal loss, and negligent hiring litigation.

We offer:

  • FAST Turnaround
  • Professionally Managed Service
  • Customized Screening Programs
  • Easy-to-Read Clear Reports
  • Cost-effective Results
  • Nationwide Coverage
  • International Coverage
  • Specialized Background Services

If you are responsible for hiring people to work for and represent your company, then you have a responsibility to avoid negligent hiring. From reducing high turnovers to limiting fraud, a pre-employment screening program will help reduce or eliminate many of the risks associated with not doing pre-employment screening.

We are specialists at serving the needs of security departments, human resource departments, and small business operators. We also work with security management organizations and private consultants inside and outside the VIS network.

By utilizing a full range of resources, VIS can compile a full profile on applicants, using any or all of these services:

  • International Records
  • Public Records
  • Past Employment Verification
  • Personal Reference Verification
  • Education Verification
  • Credentials Verification
  • Security Interviewing
  • Field Verification Interviews
  • Annual Auditing

We're ready to serve you in any way we can, with the integrity and quality that the industry has come to expect from VIS. Besides, if your case doesn't fit our predefined case types, chances are it's especially unique or interesting... which we private eyes love. Get a free consultation today!


Retail Loss and Theft Prevention (mystery shopping??)


It's your responsibility as an employer to remove temptation and to protect your assets from your employees and shoplifters alike. They're out there and we'll catch them in the act. Call VIS private investigators today!

In 2002 a combination of employee theft, shoplifting, vendor fraud, and administrative error, cost India retailers over $31 billion according to the latest National Retail Security Survey report on retail theft, which analyzed theft incidents from 118 of the largest U.S. retail chains.

Retailers lost 1.7 percent of their total annual sales to inventory shrinkage. Shoplifting accounts for about $13 billion of the loss. Employee theft is so costly (about $18 billion annually) that 30-40% of businesses fail each year due to thieving workers. Some experts say that in an average retail business, 20 - 40% of employees will always steal if given the opportunity. Another 40% of employees will consider stealing if the opportunity and temptation is too great. It's your responsibility as an employer to remove temptation and to protect your assets from your employees and shoplifters alike.

If you are a retail business owner who has experienced theft of inventory or cash, you may be wise to consider enlisting the services of an VIS private investigator. VIS expert will assist you detecting when and where your loss is occurring, and can help you recover lost goods and assets. Most importantly, we have consultants who can implement measures to protect your business from future loss due to theft. Here are some strategies a security expert might employ to help you theft-proof your business.

Retail Audits

These audits are conducted to discover what products are disappearing from shelves and stockrooms, and then follow the chain of custody for these items to find out how and when they vanish. Internal Theft Deterrent Programs—Deterrent programs involve marking or tagging all merchandise to prevent thieves from leaving undetected with stolen goods.

Undercover Operations

Store detectives are hired along with regular sales staff to monitor both employee and customer behavior covertly.

Integrity Testing

Tests are now available to administer to existing employees and potential new hires to discover their propensity for honesty, integrity, and ability to resist temptation. (also known as vMystery Shopping)

Covert Camera Installations

Even the best video camera will miss criminal activity if the thief knows where the camera is aimed. Covert camera installations conceal cameras so that neither employees nor shoppers know where they are located.

Security Alarms

An alarm system to prevent break-ins when your establishment is closed is essential to keeping your premises safe from burglars and off-duty employees.

vBackground Checks

Don't hire another employer's problems. Conduct comprehensive background checks on all potential employees during the hiring process, and on current employees that you suspect might be stealing from you.

Investigation of loss should be the first step, but loss prevent can only happen by designing a security layout for your location. A VIS security expert can help you assess which of these approaches is right for your retail establishment, and prevent you from wasting money on redundant or ineffective measures to protect your business from loss due to theft.

Contact VIS today for a free consultation, and together we can select the best means for protecting your livelihood from employee theft, vendor fraud, and shoplifters.

IF YOU ARE A RECENT VICTIM, ACTING DECISIVELY WILL REDUCE FUTURE LOSSES.


Counterintelligence Services


Counterintelligence is one of the most difficult of all businesses. For every defense against espionage, there is always a way to slip past it. That's why, for maximum security, a layered, multi-tiered approach must be adopted. At VIS, we specialize in advanced counterintelligence techniques.

At Veteran Investigation Services (VIS), the goal of our counterintelligence services is to keep YOUR sensitive information out of the hands of your enemies, competitors, or any other entity that seeks to obtain access to your information without your authorization.

We are living in an information age where the development of new technologies has enabled espionage to grow more sophisticated. Fortunately, our trained investigators possess up-to-date knowledge of the field and can successfully counteract any threats to the security of your business, intellectual property, or personal safety.

Counterintelligence Services often include:

  • Social Engineering
  • Technical Surveillance Countermeasures
  • Covert Internal Operations
  • Penetration Testing
  • Employee Counterintelligence Monitoring

The government counts on us. You should too!

For years, the government and the military have invested significantly in developing the most sophisticated counterintelligence techniques. Many VIS investigators come from military and government positions and are specially trained in the area of counterintelligence. VIS leverages this experience to safeguard you.

VIS investigators don't just come from government agencies. At times, government agencies have relied on our experts to help with security projects or asked for our assistance in testing existing security measures. In fact, government agencies have frequently called upon our founder to test their security protocol and have come to rely on his ability to identify gaps and provide valuable suggestions for improvement.

VIS counterintelligence services safeguard you from espionage and other threats.

There are many ways for unauthorized parties to obtain your information. VIS experts know just as many ways to counter such efforts. Your security is our priority. We employ many different methods to safeguard your sensitive information and determine if there has been a possible security breach. The VIS team is comprised of a robust group of investigators from varying areas of specialization. Our qualified and reliable private investigators are capable of successfully resolving even the most complex investigations.

Employing counterintelligence measures can serve many purposes. Some examples include, but are not limited to:

  • Suspected non-compete agreement violation
  • Ensuring the security of your personal or business finances
  • Preventing competitors from gaining access to your trade-secrets
  • Detecting elements of espionage such as tapped phone lines, intercepted emails and faxes, hidden cameras, and malicious computer programs.

VIS represents the best of the best in the counterintelligence industry. It's in our name. It's in our blood.


Public Records Research


Public Records Research: Ensure you get only the best results with a VIS investigation.

Who Needs a Public Records Search?

Public records searches benefit many people. Individuals can use public records searches to learn more about another person, and this usually comes in the form of a background check. Businesses and major international corporations also use public records searches to research business transactions, court proceedings, patents, and financial transactions. Hiring a private investigator to conduct a public records search can save you valuable time, and an experienced private investigator knows how to find the more public records than the average civilian.

What is a Public Record?

The term public record usually refers to government documents. These generally include court records (excluding juvenile records, which are almost always sealed), real estate records, professional licenses, business filings, bankruptcy filings, liens and judgments, and intellectual property and business records. Online public records research cannot reveal all public records; even today many public records are on paper only. Spending the time to dig up public records on paper is impractical for most people and businesses, which is why people so commonly turn to private investigators to access a full range of public records.

What can Public Records Reveal?

Public records can tell if a person or business has had major financial problems in the past, if they have been arrested or convicted of a crime, if they have been blacklisted from any government agencies, if they have been disbarred or lost their license to practice medicine, determine how much property a person or business owns, if and when patents, trademarks, and copyrights have been granted, and much more. This type of information can be crucial for businesses when they are deciding to hire an employee, do business with a vendor, or enter into a business relationship, begin work on new technology or invest in Research and Development projects, buy or sell property, to name only a few.

Public records research can be conducted on an incident driven basis, or can be a routine task carried out preemptively, especially for businesses and law firms that needs research on a regular basis. Speak to VIS today to begin your public records search.


Supplier and Vendor Screening


Criminally motivated vendors or falsely procured vendors can have an impact on the bottom line of any organization.

Imagine a public scandal or lower financial rating being given to the organization you oversee due to problems with vendors. Criminally motivated vendors or falsely procured vendors can have an impact on the bottom line of any organization. Embarrassment and financial instability can be avoided with the investigative methods developed by VIS, which efficiently and accurately verify the legitimacy of your vendors.

All these matters can be limited with the use of Vendor Screening:

  • Fraud
  • Corruption
  • Kickbacks
  • Collusion
  • Product of Funds Diversion
  • Embezzlement
  • Breaches of contract
  • Breaches of Trust

Stop wasting time being unsure. VIS will partner with you to screen your vendors and qualify them as experts in their fields.


Cargo and Transportation Investigation


If you've noticed that your trucking fleet delivering cargo is showing up late to destinations, freight has become missing or products have become stolen, you need to take action with a Cargo and Transportation Investigation. Cargo and Transportation investigations involve determining the problem and executing a solution to put an end to the theft that is happening. Investigations can reveal a single responsible individual or sometimes, many individuals who are working together to rip off the company and its clients.

Investigations can range from GPS tracking, Undercover Investigations, Background Checks or Pre-employment screening.


Competitive Business Intelligence


When investigating competitors, competitive intelligence investigations can provide an in-depth history of a companies background. Assets, financial data, and public records are just the start of most background investigations. We go much more in depth!

In the business world, information and knowledge is power. Competitive Business Intelligence Investigations can provide an in-depth history of a company's background and current business practices, including financial data, assets, and much more.

Corporate business intelligence investigations go directly to the heart of your competitor's organization. Whether you are deep in the competition or you are attempting to enter a new market, it is crucial to your success that you stay one step ahead of your competitors. The investigators at VIS can help you do that by providing you with all of the available information on your competitor. Our global network of resources will ensure that you have everything you need to compete at the highest level. Call VIS today for a free consultation to analyze your needs, and let us show you how we can give you the edge you need to dominate your market, within the limits of the law.

Such investigation generally covers below given aspects:

  • Analyze strengths and weaknesses of competitors
  • Review past performances and project future performance
  • Background check on key employees, officers, directors, and investors
  • Research and analyze market trends, competitor plans, new technologies, and market opportunities

Corporate Slander Investigation


A company's reputation is what brings in clientele, keeps long term customers on board, and sells its products and services. If your corporate entity has been compromised by Internet defamation or online slander, the time to strike back is now.

A company's reputation is what brings in new customers and keeps existing customers coming back. Corporate slander – the use of untrue information or altered data taken out of context for the purpose of damaging another's reputation – can cause a company to lose current and potential business.

The world of business can be ultra competitive, and some people will use any means available to harm their competition, including publishing or leaking half-truths and falsehoods to damage their reputation. If you are the victim of corporate slander, call VIS today for a free consultation. Our experts are highly experienced in corporate slander investigations, and we can find out who leaked the information to whom while mitigating the damage that has been done as a result. Call us immediately before any further harm is done to your reputation.

Are You in Need?

If your company's reputation is suddenly damaged by false reports that are spreading across the Internet, then chances are your damaged reputation is leading to lost business, weakened footing in your market, and a lack of high-level employees coming to your company. At VIS, not only can we work to repair your image and your reputation, but we can find out who defamed you in the first place. Call us today for a free consultation in corporate slander, and let us do all the time-consuming work of recreating your online image.


Cyber Sabotage Investigations


Cyber sabotage investigations can be conducted for a wide range of actions, from a harmful and libelous social networking post, all the way up to the hacking and leaking of corporate consumer information such as credit card numbers or industry secrets.

Cyber Sabotage Investigations come in many forms, ranging from libelous social networking posts to hacking and leaking of corporate consumer information, credit card numbers, or industry and trade secrets.

Cyber sabotage has increased dramatically as more and more companies turn to the web and social media for marketing, banking, and internal operations. The more data and information that exists on the network, the more risk there is in it being stolen or misappropriated. If you fear that cyber sabotage has compromised corporate secrets or caused financial data to be leaked, or if your reputation is being damaged by bloggers, reckless social media posts, or other internet-based reporting, then VIS can help with a Cyber Sabotage Investigation. We have expert investigators who can not only figure out where the information is leaking, but where it is going, who is taking it, and how they are using it. We can trace libelous content to its source. Our Cyber Sabotage investigators will work quickly and discreetly to trace the source of the Cyber sabotage without alerting them that anyone is looking into them.

Cyber Sabotage can exist in many forms

  • Distracting or misleading the public or authorities about someone's true identity, either to harm their reputation or to hide a criminal
  • "Hacktivists" using illegally obtained information from computers, networks, and intranets for political, social, or activist causes
  • Stopping, delaying, or shutting down machines run by computers, such as nuclear power plants, mass transit and traffic control devices, and more by cyber terrorists
  • Bombarding a website with data until it is overwhelmed and incapable of completing basic and essential functions
  • Stealing credit cards numbers and identity theft
  • Hacking cell phones and tablets, which are used more and more for secured financial and business transactions

Due Diligence Investigation (General)


Thinking about embarking on a new business venture or perhaps bringing on a new business partner? Protect your business's reputation and assets, and avoid unforeseen problems: Let VIS complete a comprehensive due diligence investigation and safeguard your future.

Before embarking on a new business venture or bringing in a new partner, acquiring a new company, or merging with a competitor, it is important to protect your business's reputation and its assets by performing a due diligence investigation. This will provide you with all the information you need about your potential new partner.

Whether you are creating a new partnership, merging with another company, or expanding your market share through acquisition of another company, it is imperative that you do a thorough due diligence investigation before the deal is completed. Failure to do a proper background and financial investigation on a prospective business endeavor could result in significant financial losses and damage to your company's reputation and goodwill. Call VIS today and let our expert investigators do an in-depth due diligence investigation on your prospective partners so that you know exactly who you are dealing with. Our investigations are efficient and confidential, and the results are accurate and reliable.

Cellphone Spyware Detection


With smartphones functioning more like computers, spyware has become an increasing threat to cell phone users. If you think someone has put spyware on your cell phone, contact VIS for a free consultation to find out how we can remove the malicious software for you.

Cell Phone Spyware is a term for software that has been installed by a third party on a cell phone so that it transmits information, data, audio and even video signals to that third party, unbeknownst to the cell phone's owner.

Cell Phone Spyware Detection falls under the general category of Technical Surveillance Countermeasures ("TSCM"), which is the practice of protecting you from any sort of electronic, digital or analog listening, monitoring, or recording devices that may have been placed on your personal property without your knowledge. Cell phone spyware is generally a software program that an eavesdropper will install on your phone, but it can also be hardware such as a microchip. Sweeping for cell phone spyware may require advanced technology and techniques, and the technicians at VIS are fully capable of finding even the most sophisticated spyware and neutralizing it. Call us today for a free consultation!

Signs that your cell phone may have had spyware installed:

  • Unusually short battery life
  • Takes an unusually long time to shut down or restart
  • Interference with audio coming from nearby speakers or video coming from monitors
  • Strange noises like scratches, beeps, or static during calls
  • Abnormal phone activity when you are not using it

Techniques employed by VIS:

  • Threat analysis to determine who could be eavesdropping on you and why, and what type of access they might have had to your cell phone to install spyware
  • Thorough hardware and software analysis to determine if any foreign source code or hardware has been planted in your cell phone without your knowledge
    • Knowledgeable with all major operating systems including Android, iOS, and Windows, as well as Blackberry OS
  • Visual and electronic sweeps of mobile devices:
    • Hidden microphones
    • Bugs and taps
    • Transmitters
    • Audio recorders
    • GPS tracking devices

Computer Spyware Detection


Computer spyware is typically malicious in nature and can compromise your personal data. If your machine is acting abnormally you should have the computer checked for Spyware.

Spyware is a software that secretly gathers information from a computer and sends it to a third party without consent, or that asserts control over a computer without its owner's knowledge. Spyware is a form of hacking, though it is often sent out en masse through email chains, or passively through websites and other links that people may be duped into clicking on.

There are several type of spyware, and all of them infect the software code of their target computers. To remove it, it may take a sophisticated technician who understands operating system source code and who knows how to identify the signs of infection. At VIS, we have Computer Spyware Detection technicians who are very knowledgeable and highly skilled at their craft, and we use the most sophisticated detection software and techniques to make sure that your computer stays safe and private. If you fear that your computer has been infected, then do not waste any more time. Call VIS today for a free consultation!

Types of Spyware:

  • System monitors
  • Trojan horses
  • Adware
  • Tracking cookies
  • Keyloggers (Keystroke loggers)

Uses for Spyware:

  • Generally used to track user's activity on the computer and mine for data, analyze usage trends, etc.
  • Can be used to steal passwords, bank account information, and other confidential data

Techniques employed by VIS:

  • Threat analysis to determine who could be hacking your system and why, and how they were able to attack you
  • Thorough hardware and software analysis to determine if any foreign source code or hardware has been planted in your computer without your knowledge
    • Knowledgeable with all major operating systems including Windows, iOS, and various open source systems such as Ubuntu Fedora and other Linux distributions
  • Visual and electronic sweeps of mobile devices:
    • Hidden microphones
    • Bugs and taps
    • Transmitters
    • Audio recorders
    • GPS tracking devices

Employee Theft Investigation


Is employee theft costing your business money? How much of your hard earned profits are sneaking out the back door? Do your employees steal money or inventory, or are they stealing by being paid for not working? Let VIS investigate, identify and stop employee theft. Being aware of what is going on can save you countless amount of money, not to mention time and peace of mind.

Employee theft is one of the biggest reasons for loss to the bottom line of any business that sells or warehouses goods, and it is a relatively simple crime to avoid if you take preventative measures. Employee Theft Investigations after the fact can be quite complex.

Workplace theft is more commonly the result of employee actions than non-employee actions. It is very important to have preventative measures in place so that you can protect your assets from within. If you do suspect that your employee is stealing from you, then call VIS immediately and let our expert team of Employee Theft investigators conduct a discreet, confidential investigation into the incident. Our process begins with pre-employment screening to ensure that you are making informed hiring decisions. We can also install security cameras and implement other preventative measures at your office or store. Once a theft occurs, we will begin a employee theft investigation to determine who took what, and where they took it.

Espionage Investigations


Industrial and corporate espionage usually involves stealing "trade secrets" from a company, including formulas, recipes, blue prints, business plans, or financial information. If you have been the victim of any type of espionage, or fear that you are currently under surveillance, call VIS now!

Industrial and corporate espionage investigations usually involves those who are stealing "trade secrets" from a company, including formulas, recipes, blue prints, business plans, or financial information.

Espionage investigations don't just involve governments and military agencies spying on one another on behalf of their State or country. It is also a major issue in the corporate and industrial world. Generally, espionage is intended to steal information or secrets for financial, military, political, or personal gain, and it usually happens at the expense of the victim, who may suffer great personal and financial harm. Our espionage investigators are experts in counter-surveillance, and we will work discreetly and efficiently to find out who is spying on you, what they are after, how they are getting it, and what they are doing with it. With VIS, you will no longer have to fear the substantial damage that may result from espionage.

The information stolen is used to hurt the company, either by releasing sensitive, private information to the public, or by claiming patents or other rights before the victimized company has been able to do so

Important Questions During your Consultation:

  • Is the espionage suspected or known?
  • Is the espionage ongoing, or has it ended?
  • Have you filed a police report?
  • Have you confronted the suspect or known spy?
  • Once the spy is identified, will you be pressing charges?

Call for a free consultation in an espionage investigation and we will show you how we can help.

Workers' Compensation Fraud


We prove legitimacy of workers compensation claims! We do not just try to impeach the claimants. As professionals who have to adjust claims, we know that many are serious and can be proven correct. We at VIS foster an environment where we look to establish hard facts. This approach is tenacious and objective, saving you the hassle of inadmissible reports and evidence.

Workers compensation claimants sometimes exaggerate their claims to collect higher benefits. This can greatly affect the bottom line of even the largest organization. Workers' compensation is usually a state-provided protection. Compensation schedules vary from state to state. Insurance is typically provided based on the type of injury and the degree of disability of the worker. This is where VIS takes the lead.

In many circumstances workers compensation claims are incorrect or have been mislead. VIS conducts investigations for the employer or the insuring agency, providing actual real life examples of how the claimant is adhering or progressing through the healing or disabled process.

Many of our clients use not only when they are suspicious but whenever they have a claim. We are available now to assist you on the inquiry process.

We also handle "HARD TO INVESTIGATE" Workers' Compensation Claims Investigations:

  • Assault
  • Back Injury
  • Cardiac
  • Horseplay
  • Occupational Diseases
  • Hernia

We are out-of-state specialists; we can help you when your claimant has moved from one state to another.

Extortion or Exaction Investigations


If you are the victim of extortion, blackmail, or exaction, please call VIS. Do not wait too long to begin your investigation with VIS because the longer you wait, the greater the risk is that you will be extorted again.

Extortion is the illegal act of unlawfully obtaining money, property, services, or information from a person, company, organization, or other entity through coercion. Exaction takes it one step further by threatening, actually inflicting pain or suffering, or forcing someone to endure something unpleasant.

Extortion and exaction may be isolated incidents, or they may be ongoing threats to you or your company. Extortion is not to be confused with blackmail, however. Blackmail generally involves the threat of legal, but unfavorable, action – such as revealing true but embarrassing information about you – to coerce you, while extortion involves the threat of illegal action – such as threats of physical harm or violence – to coerce you. If you are being extorted, or fear that someone may extort you, then call VIS immediately for a free consultation. Do not let the threat of extortion or exaction weigh on you any longer. Our expert investigators have a proven method for tracing the threats back to their source and putting a stop to them.

Common forms of extortion:

  • Threatening to file a false claim against someone unless money, goods, or services are received
  • Threatening to file a lawsuit on false grounds unless money, goods, or services are received
  • "Protection" from local gangs, mafia, or police provided at an unreasonable price, with the threat that without "protection," harm will come to the person or company being extorted

VIS Extortion Investigative Methods:

  • Interview the person or the directors of the entity being extorted
    • Be open and honest with the investigator, even on stressful and uncomfortable topics
  • Identify and locate witnesses to the extortion or informants willing to testify to the extortion or exaction
  • Surveillance of the suspected extorter
  • A variety of other techniques that will cater specifically to your situation

Financial Fraud Investigations


Protect yourself by calling VIS in to handle your financial fraud investigation. We handle bankruptcy fraud, insurance claims, and many other types of investigations. Our professional agents and affiliates have been reliable, trustworthy, and effective for over 53 years... you can count on the experts at VIS.

Financial fraud Investigations come in many forms, including bankruptcy fraud, insurance fraud, embezzlement, and others. It can cause serious financial harm as well as significant damage to a person or a company's reputation.

Financial fraud can be severely damaging to you and your company, and the risks of being victimized by it are not to be taken lightly. Fraud comes in many forms, and it is important to protect yourself against all types. At VIS, our Financial Fraud investigators are experts at financial analysis and computer forensics. We can conduct a very thorough and effective investigation into your company's finances to ensure that you are safe and protected. Call us today for a free Financial Fraud Investigation consultation.

Types of Financial Frauds:

  • Embezzlement
    • The fraudulent conversion of the property of another by a person who has lawful possession of that property.
  • Insurance Fraud
    • Insurance claims that are exaggerated, misleading, malingering, or outright false
  • Bankruptcy Fraud
    • When a debtor conceals assets to avoid forfeiting them
    • When individuals file false claims or incomplete forms
    • When an individual files numerous times, either by using real information in several states or by using false information
    • When a court-appointed trustee is bribed

Insurance Fraud Investigations


Our Insurance Fraud Investigations Unit is a virtual network of investigators, managers, couriers, report typists and researchers. The motivated team at VIS can help you determine when claims are exaggerated, misleading, malingering, or outright false.

Insurance fraud is where a person makes a fraudulent claim in order to receive benefits or money to which they are not entitled, or someone knowingly denies some benefit that is due to someone. At VIS, we have a global network of specially trained Insurance Fraud Investigators who will be at your service 24/7. Whether you have an employee or a beneficiary who is fraudulently claiming benefits, or you believe that your company is wrongfully withholding payments, we can help. Call us today for a free consultation. We will work discreetly and efficiently to get you the evidence you need to prove the fraud occurred.

Types of Fraud

  • Life Insurance
  • Health Care Insurance
  • Automobile Insurance
  • Staged Collisions
  • Exaggerated Claims
  • Property Insurance Claims

Intellectual Property and Copyright Infringement


Intellectual property theft includes alleged theft of valuable trade secrets, or registered ideas. In many circumstances the calculations of losses is intangible; however, VIS can help you identify, define, and calculate your losses and begin an in-depth investigation to resolve the crime We will work with you closely to minimize additional loss and move forward to seek resolution of the alleged theft.

Intellectual Property theft occurs when someone misappropriates or uses without permission the intellectual property of another individual or company, including patents, copyrights, trademarks, and trade secrets, for a commercial purpose.

It is very common for competitors to attempt to misappropriate and use to their benefit the hard work that you have put into growing your brand. If you have a widely recognized logo, product, name, service, device, recipe, or a number of other things that can easily be identified as yours, then your competition is likely to want to infringe on that success by creating something very similar that customers may confuse as your product. This can damage your reputation if the product is inferior, and it can decrease your sales. No matter the cause, the reason, or the effect, however, you should be protected. At VIS, our copyright and intellectual property investigators offer free consultations to determine if you have a case. We will identify the source of the theft, and we will gather the necessary evidence to stop the unpermitted use of your intellectual property.

Unregistered Trade Secrets, Confidential Proposals and Work Papers, Technical Notes

  • A trade secret is any business or technical information, including formulas, patterns, programs, devices, compilations of information, methods, recipes, or techniques that have commercial value because the information is not publicly known
  • An infringer may be liable for civil damages on top of an injunction, including reasonable royalties, damages, and attorneys' fees.

Copyrighted Materials and Registered Works

  • Registering your copyright grants the author exclusive rights over their literary works, graphs, pictures, sculptures, architectural works, computer programs, sound recordings, dramatic works, videos, films, and other creative works
  • Must be in some tangible form of expression such as a writing, recording, or picture
  • The "idea" expressed in a copyrighted work is not protected, but the presentation of that idea may be
  • Copyrights may protect against reproduction, distribution, public display, public performance, and derivative works based on the original
  • If you are hired to create something by another person, the finished product is a "Work for Hire" product and the ownership rights belong to the person who hired you
  • Duration of Protection
    • Copyrights protection lasts for the life of the author plus 70 years
    • Work for Hire and Anonymous copyrights last 95 years from first publication, or 120 years from creation, whichever comes first
  • An infringer may be liable for civil damages on top of an injunction, including reasonable royalties, damages, and attorneys' fees.

Patented Items

  • A patent prevents others from making, using, selling, or offering to sell an invention within the US for a certain period of time (generally 20 years)
  • No patent exists until the US Patent Office officially issues it (different from copyrights and trademarks, which exist automatically—but with limited protection—upon creation of the work)
  • An infringer may be liable for civil damages on top of an injunction, including reasonable royalties, damages, and attorneys' fees.

Trademark Violations, Trade Names or Partials

  • A trademark may be any word, group of words, logo, symbol, numbers, colors, sounds, scents, or shape of packaging that is used to identify and distinguish a producer's goods or services
  • A registered trademark may not be reproduced or counterfeited in connection with any sale, offer to sell, distribution, or advertising
  • Anyone who infringes on a trademark may face a court injunction, be forced to turn over any profits from the infringement, pay damages, pay attorney fees, and treble damages
  • Unregistered trademarks may be indicated with a "TM" for "trademark" or an "SM" for "service mark"
  • Trademark owner may lose his right to damages if the trademark lacks notice of a registration (such as ®)

Strategic Business Planning

Gray Market Distributions, Illegal Distributions

Counterfeiting, Unauthorized Product Diversions

Litigation & Legal Support


Put our skills to work for you and gain the needed edge with you clients and your cases. We will help you find the best legal strategy.

Litigation and legal support is designed to assist attorneys with their case preparation so that they have all of the information they need to provide the strongest advocacy for their clients.

If you are an attorney, and you are looking for additional information that you feel may break your case for your client, then our litigation and legal support services may be in your best interests. We have access to expert investigators around the world who can provide you with the information you need to build the most complete and accurate case for your client and against your opposition. Call VIS today for a free consultation to determine how we can help you.

How can this service benefit you:

  • Determine the opposing counsel's material strength
  • Evaluate witnesses
  • Explore
  • Discredit evidence
  • Provide expert testimony
  • Identify facts
  • Identify weaknesses in your case
  • Introduce advanced evidence
  • Scrutinize and rebut expert witness testimony
  • Strategize and plan case

Common Litigation and Legal Support Items

  • Investigations of Claim
  • Evidence Handling
  • Expert Witness Testimony
  • Witness Scrutiny
  • Juror Vetting
  • Forensic Analysis
  • Digital Forensic Analysis
  • Financial Fraud Examinations
  • Background Investigations
  • Surveillance
  • Undercover and Sting Operations
  • Locate Investigations
  • Counter-Surveillance
  • Polygraph or Lie Detection Services
  • Computer Forensic Services
  • Technical Surveillance Countermeasures (TSCM)
  • Employee Locate Services
  • Employment Verification
  • Asset Searches Worldwide
  • Telephone Number Identification

Mergers and Acquisitions Investigation


Mergers and Acquisitions Investigation: May the buyer beware.

In the event of a corporate merger or acquisition, each company involved is responsible for its own due diligence process, which requires a thorough investigation of the other company.

A successful merger or corporate acquisition can mean great things for the involved parties, such as increased profits, increased market shares, expanded product lines, and more. However, major transactions such as this carry a great deal of risk as well. A simple Google search may provide basic information, but true due diligence requires a far more in-depth investigation into the company's business practices, financial history, corporate structure, and more. At VIS, we have a global network of expert investigators available to find you the truth. Call us today for a free consultation, and let us provide you with all of the details you need to feel confident about your upcoming transaction.

Corporate lawyers are responsible for performing due diligence prior to corporate mergers and acquisitions, which can involve the following details:

  • Examination of a potential target for merger, acquisition, privatization, or similar corporate finance transaction normally by a buyer
    • Look at compatibility, finances, legal environment, marketing, production, management, information systems, and more
  • Forecasting future performance
  • Examining corporate structure, appraising value, determining logistVIS
  • Examining current policy and business practices

Mystery and Secret Shopper


VIS is discreet, thorough, and effective.

Mystery and secret shoppers can be planted at bars, restaurants, retail shops, and other businesses to make sure that your staff is behaving according to company policy and procedure.

If you are suspicious that your employees are cutting corners or neglecting to follow the procedure and policies of your organization, you may want to have an undercover investigation of your staff. Mystery shoppers and secret shoppers can be planted at your place of business to find out if your suspicions are justified. At VIS, we provide mystery shopper services by planting trained personnel at your business who are familiar with your guidelines and policies and who will keep record of all of their interactions with your staff. Call VIS for a free consultation and see how we can help your business.

Examples of behavior that can be caught by mystery shoppers:

  • Bartenders pouring double shots and only ringing up singles
  • Salesperson's making unsanctioned or prohibited deals, or pocketing commissions without reporting
  • Retail clerks only ringing up partial orders

Items that Mystery Shoppers can assist with:

  • Alcohol/Tobacco Legal Compliance
  • Integrity Audits
  • Bar Spotting
  • Competitive Intelligence Gathering
  • Marketing Verification
  • Compliance Audits
  • Merchandising Verification
  • Product Pricing
  • Employee Background Checks
  • Recognition and Incentive Programs Assistance
  • Sales and Service Evaluations
  • Hospitality, Quality, Speed, Cleanliness Evaluations
  • Undercover Employees

Pre-Employment Screening


Pre-Employment Screening is the key to a qualified, productive workforce is professional employee screening. Fraud, embezzlement, kickbacks, industrial espionage and theft usually involve someone working from the inside. Have you done everything in your power to protect your human resources and assets? Know who you're hiring with VIS!

Pre-Employment Screening is the key to a qualified, productive workforce is professional employee screening. Fraud, embezzlement, kickbacks, industrial espionage and theft usually involve someone working from the inside.

If you are responsible for hiring employees to work for and represent your company, then you have a responsibility to avoid negligent hiring. A Pre-Employment Screening Program will help to reduce or eliminate many of the risks associated with hiring, such as high turnover rates, fraud, embezzlement, theft, misappropriation of corporate secrets, and more. It is critical for you, as an employer, to know exactly whom you are hiring. At VIS, our global network includes specialists who can serve the needs of security departments, human resources departments, and small business operators. We also work with security management organizations and private consultants inside and outside the VIS network.

Pre-Employment Screening Information:

Due Diligence Program designed to discover and identify background information on applicants and candidates for employment

  • Fast turnaround with in-depth results
  • Professionally managed service
  • Customized screening programs
  • Easy-to-read clear reports
  • Cost-effective results
  • Nationwide and global coverage

Who May Use and Benefit From This Service

  • Human Resource Departments
  • Security Departments
  • Small Business Operators
  • Security Management Firms
  • Private Consultants

Why Perform Pre-Employment Screening

Pre-Employment Background Check takes the guesswork out of the hiring process, providing concrete objective facts about applicant:

  • Identity verification
  • Previous addresses
  • Current address
  • Licenses
  • Civil and criminal records
  • Driving records
  • Past employment verification
  • Financial information

Helps in the following areas:

  • Informed Hiring Decisions
  • Lower Internal Loss
  • Lower Employee Turnover Cost
  • Decreased Liability

Sting Operations


When you believe you need a sting operation, you must act prudently because many times people are at risk or in harm's way. Not all agencies can operate and successfully provide sting operations and only certain staff members at VIS are tasked to work on you case.

A Sting Operation is a type of covert procedure designed to catch a person engaging in criminal, illegal, or dishonest activity.

Stings generally involve the use of an undercover agent who will pose as a confidant, partner, or colleague to the target of the sting. The agent will employ the use of various types of technical and electronic equipment to aid in the operation and create objective evidence for the investigation. Stings are most commonly carried out by law enforcement agents, sometimes posing as an under-aged youth in a chat room to target sexual predators, or as a John to bring down a prostitution ring. But there are many other situations that could require a sting operation, and the network of investigators working with VIS is highly trained and experienced in carrying them out. Call us today for a free consultation to analyze your needs.

Uses for a Private Sting Operation:

  • Workplace Crimes
  • Intellectual Property Theft
  • Property Crimes
  • Drug Use
  • Domestic Investigation
  • Civil Investigation
  • Criminal Investigation

Things to watch out for when conducting a sting

  • Avoid entrapment issues, which will not hold up in court
  • Conduct the operation with safety as a priority
  • Ensure that any and all evidence is collected legally so as to be admissible in court
  • Adhere to legal guidelines for usage of specialty technical equipment such as listening and recording devices

Stock Options Fraud


A "serious" crime like murder robs a man of his life. However, something like stock options fraud can rob a man of his livelihood, making his life a living hell while the criminals, who are usually already prosperous, get fatter and wealthier by the day.

Stock Options Fraud is a greed-based crime that refers to a number of practices by stock brokers, corporations, or employees that defraud the clients, the company, or the SEC.

There are several ways to commit stock option fraud, and there are several types of people who have the access and the knowledge to commit it. Because it is usually carried out by highly educated and knowledgeable people, the crime is usually hidden very well and can be extremely difficult to detect. While the SEC has had great success in tightening regulations on issuing, sharing, and trading stocks, it simply does not have the resources to put teeth to the enforcement of the regulations. A private investigation may be necessary to aid the SEC in ferreting out fraudulent practices. VIS has the network and the resources to do just that, with a team of highly trained investigators who have years of experience in the financial sector. Call us for a free consultation, and let us explain our process for crunching the numbers, analyzing agreements and contracts, and tracing the facts to their true origins.

Stock Options Fraud Information:

Investment Fraud by Stock Brokers

  • Misappropriates client funds
  • Fails to execute a securities order
  • Omits relevant facts about an investment
  • Engages in unauthorized trading practices
    • Churning: excessive buying and selling in your account by your broker for the purpose of generating commissions

Back Dating Stock Options

  • Company executives back date stock options to a grant date when the stock was trading substantially lower, so that the execs and the company realize a greater profit on the day the stock is actually purchased

Employee Stock Options

  • Executives may terminate an employee prior to his stock options vesting so that they do not have to issue any stock to that employee
  • A company lying to its employees about the amount of stock being issued, their exercise prices, their vesting schedules, or their entitlement to employee stock options
  • Wrongful cancellation of unvested stock options by the parent corporation

Unfair Competition Investigations


Unfair competition takes place when one company benefits wrongfully off the work done by another company, or takes steps to mislead customers by using deceptively similar logos, colors, and names. If you believe you or your business has been the victim of unfair competition practices, a private investigation by VIS shall be able to provide evidence of unethical or illegal business practices.

Unfair competition takes place when one company benefits wrongfully off the work done by another company, or takes steps to mislead customers by using deceptively similar logos, colors, and names. There are many ways for your competitors to come after you, and Unfair Competition is one of the most effective. This is where your competitor benefits wrongfully off of the work you have done for yourself. It can include misappropriation of intellectual property, intentionally misleading customers by using deceptively similar marks and logos, or any number of other unscrupulous business practices. If you suspect you have been the victim of unfair competition, call VIS immediately. We have a team of investigators ready to go who will find out exactly what is causing the drop in sales, who is doing it, and then put a stop to it.

Signs of unfair competition

  • Another company selling a similar product or service is using colors, names, packaging, or logos that are extremely similar to your own
  • Customers are complaining that they bought a product that they thought was made by your company, only to find out later that it was not
  • A sudden and inexplicable drop in sales that coincides with a sudden increase in a competitor's sales and earnings

Harm resulting from unfair competition

  • Erosion of consumer confidence in your brand
  • Decrease in sales and a decreased portion of the market share
  • Loss of customer loyalty due to confusion, lack of trust
  • Damage to your reputation
  • Could be the first step in a grander scheme of corporate espionage

What is involved in an unfair competition investigation with VIS?

  • VIS will evaluate your business, name, logo, and advertising and packaging techniques
  • VIS will evaluate the same information from your competitors
  • VIS will employ the use of several different services to get the necessary facts, including:
    • Surveillance
    • Background checks
    • Records retrieval
    • Financial inquiries
  • If it turns out the unfair competition is merely symptomatic of corporate espionage, VIS can take the investigation further, including
    • Technical Surveillance Countermeasures (TSCM)

Sweeping for bugs and other unwanted listening and detection devices

White Collar Crime


When conducting a white collar crime investigation, you need investigators with the sharpest technical skills in order to outsmart and catch the crooks. That's where VIS comes in. Our investigators are handpicked and have years of experience in their fields of investigation. VIS gives you the edge you need to get the job done.

White collar crime often doesn't make the news, because it's not as dramatic as something like a murder or a bank robbery of a hostage situation. Still, white collar criminals cost companies and governments billions of dollars every year and ruin thousands of lives, whether it be with bribery, public corruption, counterfeiting, fraud, or embezzlement.

Fraud, embezzlement, identity theft, counterfeiting, and investment schemes cost India billions of dollars each year. Protect your business, assets, and personal livelihood from these and other white-collar crimes: choose the experts at VIS for your investigation needs!

White-collar crime is a broad term that refers to a wide variety of nonviolent crimes. The term "white-collar" is used to describe this particular group of crimes because these crimes are typically committed in business settings by "white-collar" employees.

Some of the most common types of white-collar crimes include:

White-collar Crimes:

  • Fraud (all types)
  • Bribery
  • Blackmail
  • Embezzlement
  • Forgery
  • Money laundering
  • Insider trading
  • Investment schemes
  • Identity Theft
  • High Tech Crimes

In general, there are two categories of white-collar crimes: occupational crimes and organizational or corporate crimes. Generally speaking, white-collar crime describes any deliberately deceptive action aimed at securing unlawful gains for oneself or one's organization. Occupational crimes are crimes committed by individuals seeking to make money themselves. Organizational or corporate crimes involve illegal actions aimed at securing some type of financial gain for an organization.

White-collar crime is serious

In the past, white-collar crimes received little attention by the public at large. This is likely due to the nonviolent nature of these crimes. However, in more recent years and in light of such scandals as the Enron affair and Martha Stewart's insider trading conviction, these types of crimes have received more attention by the media. Subsequently, the public is more aware of such criminal activity. Indeed, the public should be concerned about white-collar crimes because members of the public are usually the victims.

The FBI estimates that white-collar crimes cost the U.S. more than $300 billion in losses annually. Not only do white collar criminals cost companies, individuals, and governments billions of dollars every year, but they ruin thousands of lives, whether it be with bribery, public corruption, counterfeiting, fraud, or embezzlement.

Increased white-collar criminal activity has resulted in government and specialized nonprofit organizations taking more stringent measure to identify and prosecute criminals. Despite these efforts, individuals and business are still at high risk of falling victim to this corruption.

New Era of White-collar Crime

Not only have new advances in technology opened the door to a flood of never before thought of criminal activity, but new technologies have also made it easier for thieves to gain access to information and to cover their tracks. High-tech crimes such as phishing, computer virus attacks, and hacking are just a few new ways white-collar criminals are carrying out unlawful behavior that could hurt you.

Protect Yourself and Your Business: Choose VIS

When conducting a white-collar crime investigation, you need investigators with the sharpest technical skills in order to outsmart and catch the crooks. That's where VIS comes in.

White-collar crimes are some of the most difficult to prosecute because finding evidence to prove a crime took place is increasingly difficult. Choosing the expertise of seasoned investigative professionals at VIS is the best way to locate concrete, admissible evidence. Bear in mind, white-collar crimes are usually committed by sophisticated, highly intelligent individuals who are masters at concealing their criminal activity. Fortunately, even the most elaborate criminal mind is no match for the skilled expertise of VIS's white-collar investigative team.

Our private investigators are handpicked and have years of experience in their fields of investigation. VIS gives you the edge you need to get the job done. We employee qualified, licensed, investigative experts from varying professional backgrounds to ensure that our team is ready to handle any and every type of investigative situation.

Other Private Investigation Case


Other (Please Describe): You name it, we can investigate it!

At VIS, we attempt to maintain an extensive listing of case types and services, to make it very easy to tell you what we offer so you use our free consultation system without any additional effort. However, every individual is unique, and thus, every case is unique, too. Chances are that if you have a case, we'll have a case type listed for it... but if you don't, there's no reason to feel discouraged. We are always flexible and we always place you, the customer, at the top of our priority list.

If you have a case that doesn't quite fit any of the case types on the website, contact us anyway! We're ready to serve you in any way we can, with the integrity and quality that the industry has come to expect from VIS. Besides, if your case doesn't fit our predefined case types, chances are it's especially unique or interesting... which we private eyes love. Get a free consultation today!

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