When considering the services of a private investigator, what are the qualities one should expect? Experience, ethics and professionalism certainly top the required responses.
Standards should include pride in achieving excellence in the provision of investigative services, supporting clients through the process and getting results. A private investigator in Toronto should bring a range of personal and professional successes and ethics to the table.
Professional private investigators are trained and licensed individuals who are required to know current legislation, which includes a code of conduct. According to the Private Security and Investigative Services Act, they must:
Act with honesty and integrity.
Comply with all federal, provincial and municipal laws.
Treat all persons equally (without discrimination).
Avoid using profanity or abusive language.
Avoid using excessive force.
Not be under the influence of alcohol or drugs while working.
Specialist private investigators fill the global, corporate business environment, working to protect the interests of shareholders, companies, and employees. While a very real need exists, it’s difficult for businesses to employ full-time investigators to manage risks such as those requiring the services of a private investigator.
At Investigative Solutions Network (ISN), our areas of expertise range from corporate investigations to workplace investigations, and also criminal, civil, insurance, surveillance, financial crimes, electronic security sweeps, and open-source intelligence. Fraud of this type isn’t new, and can add up to significant damage to a company’s reputation and bottom line.
Writing for Business Insider, Matthew Michaels explores some of the biggest fraud cases ever, and their impact on the companies involved. They include this year’s story of Wells Fargo under fire for its handling of fraud cases, to Charles Ponzi, whose name is forever attached to investment fraud or pyramid schemes.
“The extent of the crime can vary significantly. In some cases, billions of dollars are lost and companies end up bankrupt. Most cases have at least one person, but often a group of fraudsters, going to prison,” he writes.
Insurance fraud is another crime costing insurers billions of dollars a year, and their customer’s higher rates. In Ontario alone, estimates suggest it costs the insurance industry about $1.3 billion a year.
“Auto insurance fraud is a multi-billion dollar problem where criminals may indiscriminately target unsuspecting victims on the road,” according to the Insurance Bureau of Canada.
A Team of Investigative Professionals
These and others are the scenarios calling for the services of a professional private investigator. But bring an image of a private investigator to mind and it might be the Phillip Marlowe-type character created by Hollywood in films like the Big Sleep.
The Hollywood presentation of private investigators would most certainly fall short of many of these standards, but not the elite team of premiere investigators at ISN. Combined, the team has hundreds of years of service involving policing, senior executive security executives, and business leaders.
The ISN team of private investigators demonstrates investigative abilities, consistent professionalism and a track record of professional success in delivering results to clients, including Fortune 500 companies, major financial institutions and large global corporations. A number of clients in the energy sector also use ISN’s investigative services.
To learn more about how we can protect your business from external and internal risks, call us at 905-421-0046 or click here.