The Business

Secret Santa: A Guide to Holiday Social Media Investigations

During the holidays, social media can offer a trove of open-source intelligence for investigators. If you’re researching a social media feed in July, you may find little more than memes, political posts, and maybe a few pool or beach photos. What you might not find is useful information to include in a report. But the

Shanea Brodhacker

28409

The Platform Everyone Forgets: Pinterest as an OSINT Resource

A juror who went quiet everywhere else left a small but potentially meaningful trail in an unexpected place. During a high-stress trial, our team was monitoring the public online activity of seated jurors within the scope authorized by counsel and the court. One juror appeared to be following the judge’s instructions carefully and staying off

Heather Hernadi

28355

Follow the Money Emoji: What Venmo Is Quietly Telling You About Your Subject

This is the first installment of a new monthly column from the folks at IntelliSeek Investigations. Each month they’ll spotlight a social platform — and the investigative gold most people scroll right past. Everyone knows to check Facebook. Everyone knows to check Instagram. Almost nobody thinks to check Venmo, and that is exactly why it’s one of the most underrated items in

Vicki Maran

28259

How to Advocate for Identity Theft Victims: Q&A with Carrie Kerskie

On the Sound of Pursuit Podcast: We talk to private investigator and identity theft expert Carrie Kerskie about how private investigators can help victims restore their identities and credit and move on with their lives. Identity theft. It’s a nightmare, and it can happen to anyone. Imagine this: your wallet goes missing at a bar one night.

Kim Green

28122

Extortion (or “Sextortion”) Investigations

A blueprint for handling extortion cases, from finding the perpetrator to (potentially) convincing police to prosecute Extortion cases are on the rise, with recent FBI estimates of $33.5 million in documented losses. Actual losses are likely far higher. Some of its most effective practitioners operate online — no need to undertake a risky bank robbery

John Nardizzi

28098

Interrogatory Investigation Questions and Responses

If you do workplace investigations, here are some things you need to know about Weingarten rights. When a union employee is subject to an investigatory interview, the employee has special rights. Some experts suggest that in a sense of fairness and employee cohesion, non-union employees should receive the same considerations as a union employee. A

William F. Blake, MS, CPP, CFE

28032

LAUSD, the FBI, and What Every Investigator Should Know About an Incomplete File

When the facts are sealed, it’s the investigator’s job to read between the lines of search warrants, emergency board meetings, and carefully-worded statements to help clients assess risk. You have five minutes. Your client is on the line. They’ve already read the headlines. They know a superintendent is under federal investigation. They’ve seen the press

Charles Cohen

28014

Digital Stakeouts: OSINT for Investigators Who Like Receipts

OSINT isn’t magic. It’s method. The glow from my laptop hits the windshield like a second dashboard light. No porch to watch tonight. No tail to run. Just me, a half-downed coffee, and a browser with enough open tabs to qualify as a cry for help. This is the part of the job people don’t

Rebecca Maguire

27997

Fairy Tales vs. Facts: The Unfanciful Truth about Unclaimed Assets

For executors, private investigators, and anyone who might have money out there that they’ve completely forgotten about — or never knew existed — this is a tale for you. Once upon a time, I was asked to present at an industry conference. It was a worthy quest, but one fraught with peril — because the

Eileen Moynahan