How to Verify a Company and Avoid Fraud

Business fraud has been increasing for the past five years since the big crisis of 2008 left a lot of people unemployed and broke. Small and large business and even individuals have had to look beyond their hometown and even their home countries to find jobs, business opportunities and attractive investments.  As individuals and companies look beyond borders for profits and ways to grow their business and increase their income, many are making deals with individuals and companies they’ve never met and never even heard of before.  Whether it’s a supplier in India, a manufacturer in Ghana, or a call center in the Philippines or Malaysia, or an investment in China, verification services are becoming extremely important to avoid fraud.

American investors and companies find it hard to determine if the companies in foreign countries are really who they claim to be, if they have been in business for as long as they claim, and if they are reliable and reputable.  Verifying companies and individuals in your own country can be difficult.  When it comes to subjects in other countries and other continents, where there is a different language and different culture, verifying a company and screening for fraud is not easy.

Making matters even more risky is the fact that many international business deals and investments start via the internet.  These relationships and communications are highly susceptible to fraud and manipulation.  Due to the increasing risk, it’s essential to verify and minimize your risk. Many clients are now relying on a professional international private investigator to verify all known data, check for filings and registration, investigate reputation and operations, and screen for fraud.

International investigators and law enforcement officials say business fraud and investment scams take hundreds of millions of dollars from victims every year in countries like the U.S., Canada, the U.K. and Australia.  In most cases, the victims failed to do their due diligence and decided to go it alone, hoping the deal would go through and choosing not to hire a professional.

Company verification services and investigation overseas is really hard to do if you are not a professional investigator or a experienced verification company. If you do not have access to government records and local information, with a team on the ground in the country where you need them, speaking the local language and verifying local facilities, offices, etc, it is nearly impossible.  International investigators not only have the personnel and the resources where you need them, but they also have the highly trained professional investigators who can properly verify a foreign company or individual, to protect you from fraud and financial loss.

All the best,

S. Birch

© 2013 S. Birch