IPIA

The Art of Surveillance: Part III

January 3, 2014 by IPIA Leave a Comment

Private Investigation Techniques III

Stakeout Hell

Surveillance occupies a critical role of a typical investigator’s day, and it is among their most essential tasks. It is indeed one of the most critical components of any private investigation assignments.

There are of course different activities that a private investigator will undertake. For example record retrieval, interviews and serving court papers. At Indonesia Private Investigation Agency we have agents that specialise in surveillance. Surveillance does take special skills and a certain type of person.

Though surveillance may seem quite exciting at times, it also has certain challenges and disadvantages.

Challenges of Surveillance

It is not exactly thrilling to sit all night inside your car and check on someone. It is definitely tiring, both for your mental and physical state. Imagine sitting in your car for literally long hours and you will find that it is one of the most tiring and boring jobs.
A lot of people think that surveillance is very exciting. Yes, at some point it is, but there’s much time spent doing absolutely nothing;
Watching for a bedroom light to go on or off is fine once or twice. But try doing that over ten days or even longer;
Stationary surveillance – sometimes a private investigator needs continuous access to the subject, perhaps watching the person or even a building for several months. This can at times be depressing, consuming much time focusing on one subject or object alone for a very long time.

Problems During Surveillance

Extreme heat: Depending on the weather conditions, often in Indonesia Private Investigators can get extremely hot, spending long hours in the sun;
Very demanding work schedules: Hours of work can be demanding and varied. Private Investigators may work for long hours, and mostly at odd times, like late nights or early mornings for a very long period of time. Their clients, the requirements of the current investigation, and their subject’s schedule are what dictates their hours. All this switching can sometimes also impact on sleeping rhythms;
Dangerous situations: physical confrontation is not (at least through the experience of IPIA), the most worrying danger. The possibility of an accident on Indonesian roads with pot holes, drivers continually breaking the rules, bad lighting and speeding is an ever-present concern. Violence is a possibility, but the truth of the matter is to date none of IPIA’s agents have been victims of violence. IPIA keeps a good distance and one of the top priorities is complete discretion;
Unhealthy conditions: Private investigators actually face certain conditions and situations that are definitely detrimental to health. They lack exercises, breath in fumes, sit for hours, and suffer physically and emotionally from stressful situations and isolation. This can cause back pain, weight gain, anxiety, depression, obesity, cardiovascular disease, and asthma. Also private investigators on a stakeout have to control their bladder and bowel movements to an unhealthy degree.

There are actually lots of challenges of running a stakeout. Thus, being a private investigator is indeed one of the most mentally challenging jobs one can ever have. One must be equipped with the skills and qualifications in order to cope with the overwhelming challenges and obstacles associated with this field of work.

Indonesia Private Investigation Agency (IPIA) and our sister agency Bali Eye Private Investigation Agency (BEPIA) are fully registered Private Investigation Agencies offering private detective and private investigator services to the Private and Business sectors throughout Indonesia and South East Asia.

Technical Terms

January 1, 2014 by IPIA Leave a Comment

Letters from a Private Investigator VII

Technical terms often leave us baffled; business due diligence is one of them. If you’re purchasing a new business or investing capital in a startup, many experts suggest you conduct a due diligence investigation as a precautionary measure. To put it in simple terms, due diligence simply means investigating the background or status of a business or operation. It includes a range of legal obligations, assignments, investigations and reports.

In Indonesia it can be difficult to navigate the maze of bureaucracy. Also often documents and records that should be accessible can be dificult to obtain. Indonesia Private Investigation Agency (IPIA), and Bali Eye Private Investigation Agency (BEPIA) have over four years of experience running business due diligence checks, and have a proven track record of helping our clients with their risk management.

Below is a brief look at some of the most important factors involved in a business due diligence check.

History:

Like you would investigate the personal history of an individual, it is necessary to probe into the history of a business. This category involves asking questions about the date of establishment, the change in the owners, reasons for changes in ownership if it has been frequent, the trading history in terms of cash flow and sales and the upswings and downswings witnessed by a business.

Employee Information:

Employee information is generally requested as part of the business due diligence practice during an acquisition or merger. Employee information you can ask to be furnished includes the list of employees, their credentials, their job roles, pay, benefits, incentives and bonuses. It also includes agreements and contracts signed between authorities and employees. The employee benefits handbook provides information about sick time, vacation and overtime policy. You should also request the authorities to brief you on the organization’s retirement policy. A private investigator conducting the due diligence process on your behalf determines the trustworthiness of employees based on their personal history and character.

Legal Issues:

There are certain legal concerns you should be informed about too. Legal issues are inclusive of civil and criminal cases at the personal and company level. At the company level it involves asking questions such as the company’s involvement in legal proceedings in the past, pending legal issues, the company’s stand (convict or victim) and causes and outcome of the legal issue. Also included in this section are listings of employee disputes. At the personal level, it involves investigating accusations against owners or authorities in cases such as drunken driving, use of banned substances or soliciting a prostitute.

Assets:

Ask the company to provide a list of its current assets. Real estate is the most common asset. Other assets are vehicles, equipment, bonds, shares and foreign currency investments. Assets serve as an indication of wise spending and over spending.

Financial Details:

As an investor or prospective buyer of a business, it is your right to demand financial details of that operation. You should request the company to provide financial statements or credit reports for 3 to 5 years. This includes information on accounting methods, accounts payable, accounts receivable, budgets, analyst reports, liabilities, and inventory and tax documentation. You can also request reports from company auditors.

As a larger company taking over a smaller company, you can hire one or several private investigators to research the business and personal history of the persons involved in administration and management of the latter. The internet has made collecting information about a business or person much easier. However, due diligence uncovers those secrets that prevent unnecessary trouble in future. Due diligence does not guarantee security against investment failures but allows you to make a wise investment decision.

The Art of Surveillance: Part II

December 26, 2013 by IPIA Leave a Comment

Private Investigation Techniques II

Carrying Out a Surveillance

Surveillance Vehicles

Of the 100s of surveillance cases IPIA has done there is not one that has not needed a vehicle at least for part of the time. Special consideration must be given to the vehicle you will use.

Choose a vehicle that will attract very little attention no matter where it is used;
The vehicle’s appearance should be nondescript;
It should be a commonly used production line vehicle;
It should be adequately powered for the situation;
More recent models are preferred;
Avoid loud and bright colours;
Avoid loud exhausts, squeaky brakes, rattles etc;
Do not alter the appearance (e.g. Spoilers, racks, lights etc);
Do not add distinguishing features (eg. transfers, parcels on rear shelf, hangings from mirrors, flags, articles on dashboard, wide wheels, noticeable mag wheels, bull bars, etc);
Dents, scratches, repair work etc make a vehicle more noticeable;
There should be no advertising signs;
Ensure all lighting is working correctly
Ensure it is mechanically sound (for performance, economy, reliability, smoke emission etc)
Do not place books or objects on the front dashboard;
Alternate the sun visor positions
Ensure the vehicle is always full of petrol

In Indonesia a motorbike is often used for mobile surveillance. IPIA agents on motorbikes always take two different coloured helmets with them (not bright with stickers though) so they can change at different points during a surveillance.

Surveillance Preparation

Before a mobile surveillance starts IPIA carries out a preparatory due diligence.

This involves visiting the known locations – such as a house or workplace. Agents must become familiar with the locations and surroundings. They will be looking at various factors such as the best positions for standing by and also the main exit points.

Our agents produce a preparatory due diligence report for their own use and for the use of other agents if a case is handed over.

As part of the preparatory work agents will prepare a cover story. A cover story can be used for any approach made by either the target or any close neighbours or anyone else who may observe a continued presence in the area.

Whilst cover stories are prepared it is almost impossible to cover all possible scenarios. Agents must be skilled improvisers. Our sister agency Bali Eye Private Investigation Agency has produced an article on improvisation skills.

Mobile Vehicle Surveillance

These can be difficult guidelines to follow during surveillance of a vehicle that is moving. However general guidelines include.

Ensure a minimum of one car cover (i.e one car between you and the target vehicle)
In heavy traffic, ensure a two car cover maximum;
On a multi-lane road or a highway, the best position is in the lane to the left or right of the subject.

It is also preferred to have two teams on a mobile surveillance. These teams will switch at regular intervals. So for example agent A follows the target, and agent B follows agent A. Then after several minutes agents A and B switch. This is also useful for foot surveillance.

Surveillance Kit

Indonesia Private Investigation Agents prepare a surveillance kit before a case starts. Surveillance kits include items such as:

Personal Belongings

Changes of clothing;
Money;
Mobile phone;
Food and water;
Toiletries;
Licences;
Valuables.

Equipment:

Binoculars;
Tape recorder;
Writing paper / pens etc;
Travel / carry bags;
Cameras;
Radio;
Torch;
Batteries;
Waterproof gear and an extra helmet for agents on a motorbike.

Surveillance in a Building

If the target you are following on foot enters a building there are various issues that need to be considered:

If possible try and take a different entry point than the target. Without losing the target if you can enter through another door take it;
Enter 30 seconds after if possible and walk in with a purpose;
Identify location of all exits;
Use people for cover;
The use of elevators. Let the target get in the elevator first and see which floor number they press. Press the number above or below it. If there are several persons in the lift stand at the front. When people leave, move with them so you can observe the target’s movements and then follow them;
Always keep distance and cover in your favour;
In shops high racks and shelving provide reasonable cover;
Speak with staff (this is where improvising skills are useful);
Use mezzanine floors and balconies as advantage points;
Focus on what the target can see when you cannot see the target;
Be aware of reflections in windows;
Restaurants – at night you can see them through the window but they can’t see you. In the day you cant see them through windows generally but they can see you.
If you are inside – and the subject orders a meal, order an entrée. It is quick to eat and cheap and allows you to leave quickly. It is also better to pay once the food is delivered (you can easily make an excuse if needed as to why you want to pay immediately);
Order light quick meals and no alcohol;
Order coke in a short glass – this appears to be an alcoholic drink;

For all types of surveillance it is very important to keep accurate notes: times, dates, locations, descriptions etc. Many people think they will remember but people always forget some details. Agents should also write investigative reports as soon as possible after finishing a surveillance session whilst fresh in the memory.

Indonesia Private Investigation Agency (IPIA) along with our sister agency Bali Eye Private Investigation Agency (BEPIA) are fully registered Private Investigation Agencies offering private detective and private investigator services to the Private and Business sectors throughout Indonesia and South East Asia.

The Art of Surveillance: Part I

December 24, 2013 by IPIA Leave a Comment

Private Investigation Techniques I

Surveillance is perhaps the most commonly used technique of any Private Investigator. This is certainly true of Indonesia Private Investigation Agency. Of the 400 or so cases IPIA has worked on about 85% have involved surveillance.

In many respects all the technology around today makes the life of a private investigator quicker and easier. However, IPIA has found that for many of our cases the old fashioned method of surveillance just can not be replaced. Sometimes the only way to find the truth is to pursue it at it’s source.

When is surveillance used?

In basic terms surveillance is used when the client needs to know more about certain activities than can be obtained by more direct means.

The most obvious application is with a suspected cheating partner. This is usually termed as “covert” surveillance as it is done in secret.

IPIA has used surveillance for a range of cases. Another instance where surveillance has been used is in uncovering corrupt practices. We once had a case where we had agents employed in large corporation where there were suspicions that some people were carry out shady deals with suppliers. Our agent’s task was to get close to the inner circle of those suspected and observe what was happening.

Also we have had a few abducted children cases where we have to watch guardian and children activities. In one custody battle IPIA had to verify a claim that the cuildren (aged between 10 and 16) had not been to school for a year. As you will appreciate we got different forms of evidence to support (or deny) this claim, but one of the main activities was active surveillance for a period of a month during school term time.

Surveillance can also be used when all other means of gaining information, intelligence, or evidence has been exhausted or has been to difficult to achieve.

Types of Surveillance

Private investigators usually subdivide surveillance into static and mobile, and overt and covert.

Static

Static surveillance is done from a fixed base, where the agent does not move away. Examples include a parked vehicle, or in a building such as a restaurant.

In the example above where IPIA had underover agents in a company this would be classed as static surveillance.

Mobile

Mobile surveillance is done by an agent when the target is on the move such as in a car or on foor.

Covert

Covert surveillance is the most commonly used form for private investigators. Basically the target should not know that they are under surveillance.

Overt

Overt surveillance can simply be in the form of a supervisor walking around checking each person’s work, either in the form of surveillance cameras, as set up in banks and places of high risk. The point in this example is to ensure procedures are being conducted correctly and as a deterrent to a prospective offender.

Indonesia Private Investigation Agency has been asked to conduct overt surveillance by placing hidden cameras in a hotel room. This is something we have not done. It is illegal to do this unless it is done by the authorities with the correct documentation,

Surveillance Difficulties

Carrying out a covert surveillance operation can be very difficult. The main difficulties include:

Surveillance Location

Every location has its own unique challenges.

Airports for example are pretty easy in some respects. It is relatively easy to go around and be inconspicuous. IPIA often uses a man and a woman in airports with one of them having hand luggage with a flight tag on it.

On the other hand following someone out of an airport requires careful planning and setting up. IPIA usually will have 4 to 6 agents in an airport. There is the man and woman on the ground at the arrival gate for example.

You will then need other agents ready to mobilise near all the exit points.

It is usually impossible to predict how targets will leave an airport. They could go by public transport, taxi or be picked up.

If they leave the airport by public transport then the agents at the gate will follow. If they get into a taxi or car then the agents at the gate must radio the agents at the exit points with the vehicle details. These agents will then pick up the target on the road.

Target Awareness

In a few cases a target may be such that they are naturally cautious that they could be a subject of surveillance.

In our case history ‘to catch a thief’ the target had allegedly stolen over 1 million dollars. A professional private investigation agency will bring this knowledge into the planning process. So for example it makes sense to have agents continually switching pole positions. This means more resources are needed, maybe a team of three or four agents.

Surveillance Agent

The agent must be skilled and experienced. IPIA will never send out a new agent on their own. Senior investigators will lead a surveillance with junior agents supporting.

Surveillance investigators should possess a number of skills.

Patient;
Self-discipline;
The ability to maintain concentration for long periods of time;
Adaptable;
Honest;
Trustworthy;
The ability to work without supervision;
Discreet;
The ability to appear as “Mr. or Mrs. Average”, so they do not arouse suspicion by their activity;
The ability to improvise.

Affairs of the Heart

December 22, 2013 by IPIA Leave a Comment

Letters from a Private Investigator VI

Emotional Infidelity

“Do you love her?”

“No, it was just sex.”

We have all heard this kind of dialogue between a man and woman lots of times on the TV and in movies. It is an exchange when one of them has been caught cheating (usually the man).

I would not claim that TV and the movies are real life, but for sure there is a reflection of a culture, sensibilities and human feelings in any form of art (Hollywood and HBO included).

“Do you love her?” reflects an appeal on the person cheated that all could not be lost so long as there is not an emotional connection between her man and the “mistress”. “It was just sex” is an escape of sorts – OK I have done something terribly wrong but I did not break trust in the most important aspect of the relationship, the emotional bond.

Both phrases (“Do you love her? and “It was just sex”) revolve around an assurance that there was no emotional investment in the affair. Both state in their own way that betrayal through the physical is somehow less important than betraying an emotional bond.

Indonesia Private Investigation Agency has dealt with 100s of infidelity and cheating partner cases. This is a very sensitive area and as anyone will appreciate our clients are very emotionally charged and vulnerable. Indeed often we spend much time with our clients in a role similar to that of a counselor. From these hours and hours of talking I could not over emphasise just how heavy an infidelity that has an emotional aspect weighs. Many clients seem to find it far easier to deal with an affair that is only physically based. Of course they are angry and hurt, but if there seems a chance that an affair has an emotional foundation the hurt seems more complex and runs deeper.

What is Emotional Infidelity?

Recently cheating has been reclassified to include not only the physical aspects but also the emotional.

Emotional infidelity can be described as an extramarital affair or extra partnership affair that does not include sexual behaviour. Some experts believe that emotional infidelity can be more damaging than physical infidelity. In emotional infidelity, one member of a couple becomes deeply emotionally invested in a person other than the spouse. The spouse having this type of affair may spend time thinking of that person, anticipating meetings with him/her, and gradually becoming more intimate (platonically) with the person. At the same time, intimacy within the primary relationship suffers, and the nonsexual and even sexual attention paid to a spouse lessens dramatically.

David Moultrup in his book “Husbands, Wives & Lovers: The Emotional System of the Extramarital Affair” defines emotional infidelity as “a relationship between a person and someone other than (their) spouse (or lover) that has an impact on the level of intimacy, emotional distance and overall dynamic balance in the marriage. The role of an affair is to create emotional distance in the marriage.”

We only have a limited amount of emotional energy. The more emotional energy devoted outside the primary relationship, results of course in less being invested within the primary relationship.

Emotional infidelity may take on different forms. Maybe intimate conversations with the someone of the opposite sex or someone that one is attracted to. Emotional infidelity may also take place online via social media, chat rooms, on hand phones through texting, and by time spent with someone in secret and building a “friendship” and eventual emotional connection.

There are at least 12 warning signs to alert you to take action to protect yourself and your relationship from ‘emotional infidelity.’

1. “We’re just friends”

If you think “we’re just friends,” about someone of the opposite sex you may be on dangerous ground.

This reasoning allows someone to make excuses, (or in some cases to tell lies – to yourself and others) about something you know deep down is wrong. In most cases an intimate friendship with a member of the opposite-sex poses risks.

2. Sharing intimate thoughts and feelings.

Sharing your thoughts and deepest concerns, hopes and fears, passions and problems is what deepens intimacy and an emotional bond between two people. If things go this far, this could be a betrayal of trust.

3. Discussing your relationship and partner.

Telling someone of the opposite sex about your marriage or partner sends a very clear message that you’re available for someone else to ‘love and care’ for. This can also be a breach of trust. It is similar to gossip in that it creates a false sense of a shared connection, and an illusion that you as a person, along with your happiness and comfort and needs are totally valued by this new person (when, in truth, this has not yet been put to the test!).

4. Comparing the ‘friend’ to your partner.

Another sign to be aware of is a thinking pattern that finds what is ‘good’ about the friend and ‘bad’ and ‘unfulfilling’ about the partner. This can lead to building a kind of ‘for’ (the friend) and ‘against’ (your partner) case. This is another mental breach of trust.

5. Always thinking or daydreaming about the person.

If you find yourself unable to wait to see this person and share news, and think in advance about what you’re going to tell them when you meet, and imagine how they may react, you’re in trouble. Feelings of expectation, excitement and anticipation release dopamine in your brain, which in turn can reinforce patterns of negative thoughts against your primary partner.

6. Believing this person understands you like no other.

This kind of feeling usually appears in affairs and romantic encounters during the early months. With time these feelings tend to fade. In the context of an emotional affair believing someone understand you like no other can be dangerous to a marriage. A sense of mutual ‘understanding’ forms a bond that strengthens and deepens emotional intimacy. This in turn releases pleasurable neurochemicals, such as the love and safety hormone oxytocin. This focus also puts you in a ‘getting’ state of mind, approaching your marriage in terms of what you’re getting or not getting, rather than what you’re contributing.

7. Pulling out of regular activities with your partner, family, and work.

When you want to spend more and more time talking, sharing, and being with the person, it’s only natural to begin to resent time you spend at home and work. Consequently you start distancing yourself from your usual connections or make excuses for not joining regular activities with your primary partner. You can become withdrawn, irritable and unhappy.

8. Keeping what you do secret.

Secrecy is a huge warning sign. Secrecy creates a distinct and exciting closeness and unique bond between two people. But the bond can be unhealthy – there may be a false sense of emotional trust with the person, and an unwarranted mistrust and suspicion of the partner, or those who try to interfere with the ‘friendship.’

9. Keeping a growing list of reasons that justify your behaviours.

This is an addictive pattern of thinking that focuses your attention on how unhappy you are, and blames your primary partner for any unhappiness. This pattern of thinking can create a sense of entitlement and forms a pool of resentment from which you feel justified to mistreat your partner or do what you need to do to increase your happiness.

10. Fantasizing about a love or sexual relationship with the person.

At some point, one or both persons begin to fantasize about the relationship becoming physical. They even may begin to have discussions about this, adding to the excitement, intensity and intrigue.

11. Giving or receiving personal gifts from the person.

Another warning sign is when you begin to think about this person when you are shopping, wondering what they like or would show your appreciation. Gift choices are often something intimate that you would not normally give ‘just’ a friend. Gifts send clear messages that the two of you are a ‘close we’ set apart from others, and that the relationship is ‘special.’

12. Planning to spend time alone together or letting it happen.

This behaviour often pushes people to cross the line from a platonic to a sexual relationship.

To Catch a Thief

November 25, 2013 by IPIA Leave a Comment

Letters from a Private Investigator V

A few weeks ago we had a call one Sunday afternoon. The client was in Japan and asked if we could get to the airport in Jakarta to observe an arrival and follow him to his next destination.

The client had flight details and could send pictures. The flight was due in just a few hours.

At this point we had only limited details as to why the client wanted this particular target followed. The client just said he needed help in recovering some stolen property.

Airport Surveillance

Surveillance and hooking arriving targets at airports can be a challenge and needs more resources than usual surveillance. Indonesia Private Investigation Agency will generally use two agents on regular surveillance, but at an airport it needs some detailed planning and preparation with at least three private investigators (depending on the airport).

People leave airports by three methods generally:

Taxi
Public transport
Pick up

Basically at airports the private investigation team will need to consists of:

Two agents around the arrival gate to identify the target upon arrival;
An agent at each possible exit;
Backup support agents along the exit roads.

When a target is identified at an airport the aim of the agents at the arrival gate is to get a positive identification and follow the target until they either get into the public transport system, or the target gets into another vehicle (such as a taxi).

If the target does get into public transport then the agents that hooked them at the arrival gate should keep with them in the transport system. Normally Indonesia Private Investigation Agency prefers to use a man and a woman as the two agents carrying out surveillance at the arrival gate (one has a little luggage). We do this in case surveillance is needed into a public transport system – a man and woman blend inconspicuously on an airport train or bus especially if one has luggage with a flight tag on it.

If the target gets into a taxi or other vehicle (as in the case if they are picked up by someone) the first set of agents need to identify the vehicle details and try to establish which exit they appear to be moving towards.

As soon as they have these details the agent needs to radio the agent at the identified exit points with the details and the support agents.

Target Tracked

Jakarta airport is not overly complicated as far as airports go and our two agents at arrivals were able to identify the target. As the target joined the taxi queue we were also able to get a picture over to the client to confirm we had the right person.

The taxi details were then radioed to IPIA’s third and fourth agents at the exit point and on the road.

These two agents were able to follow the target onto his destination – a hotel. IPIA has standard procedures for following on a road (we do this for foot surveillance also). The aim (where possible) is for the two agents to switch positions every five or ten minutes. So agent A follows the target and agent B follows agent A. Then they keep switching.

Spooking the Thief

Now we knew the hotel the target was in and had pictures, we has a conference call with client.

The client explained that the target had stolen over $1 million from his company.

For the next step the client wanted one of IPIA’s private investigators to get a letter to the target and then for us to watch. The letter was from the client’s lawyer. He wanted this done immediately before the target slept (within two hours of the target arriving – and keep in mind the target had already flown about 16 hours).

So our agent would not be seen we had someone put the letter under the target’s door when we knew they were inside. IPIA’s private investigators waited in the hotel lobby and outside with a motorbike at the ready.

Within thirty minutes of delivering the letter the target arrived in the lobby with his bags and checked out. He then went back to the airport.

Nothing much happened at the airport. The target was on his phone a lot and went to a few sales counters. Then after a couple of hours he got a taxi.

The Thief Disappears in the Night

It does not matter how well you do your job or how many agents you have, there is always the chance that you will lose a target. There are many reasons, but the trick is to have a back up plan.

The target was lost in the horrendous Jakarta evening traffic.

Good connections with different people is essential for a private investigator. Having worked on over 400 cases Indonesia Private Investigation Agency has developed a range of relationships with organizations such as police, immigration, child protection services, hotels and ………taxi companies.

For a small fee we can give the taxi company the taxi number of the taxi the target was in. They were able to contact the driver for us and find where he dropped our target.

The Second Catch

The thief (or alleged thief) had checked into a very expensive hotel on the outskirts of Jakarta. Our job now was only to observe and follow and, if he left, which we guessed he would, find his next destination.

People tend to think surveillance is exciting. There are times when it gives you a real buzz but often it is boring and very hard work.

Surveillance work is not all about the target being active.For a Private Investigator surveillance is generally 90% inactivity and 10% activity. So, for every ten hours of surveillance, you will spend 9 hours doing nothing but watching and waiting. Watching what? Nothing much – a door, a car, a hotel lobby.

At least for this case we were indoors in a comfortable and very nice hotel. We could sit in the lobby cafe and see all exit points and the hotel desk.

The Thief Makes a Move

The next day, after staying in his room all night, the target appeared at the check out counter. As we predicted he made his way to the airport.

The client wanted to us to find out where he was going next, and asked us to follow him through to the check in point to see which flight he was taking.

There are two problems with this.

The first problem is the fact that in Indonesia to get access into the check in area you need a valid flight ticket. It is not an open complex. With our contacts this is quite an easy obstacle to overcome.

The second problem however is more difficult to solve whatever airport you are in . Even seeing the counter a target checks in at will not necessarily tell you where someone is going. If for example I fly from the UK to Indonesia my first flight could be from London to Amsterdam or to Dubai, so I check in at these counters and then from Amsterdam or Dubai I go through transit.

Again knowing the right people can make all the difference for a Private Investigation Agency – we were able to get the target’s complete flight itinerary. The target was flying to Singapore (so in Jakarta he would have checked in at the Singapore check in counter) and then onto a Japan airline flight to Japan.

Conclusion

The target left and the client had time to make any arrangements needed in Japan. We reckon the client played a clever move with the letter. The letter, delivered when the target was probably exhausted and frightened but thinking he had escaped, showed him that the client knew where he was and had him tracked. The letter gave the target an escape route – come back now and the consequences will be minimal compared to what they will be if you try and run (and if you do run we will catch you).

The target did meet with our client in Japan. We are not sure what happened to him but we do know the client got the $1 million back (probably minus a few flight costs and the luxurious hotel costs in Jakarta).

Disclaimer: this case history is true. However, we have changed a few details such as flight destinations for reasons of confidentiality. IPIA would also stress that whilst the target in this article is often described as “the thief” this is done purely for as a convenience for retelling this case. The target had not been convicted of the alleged crime when IPIA carried out this case.

Dating Cons in Indonesia

October 27, 2013 by IPIA Leave a Comment

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Letters from a Private Investigator I

Dating Cons in Indonesia

Indonesia Private Investigation Agency (IPIA) and Bali Eye Private Investigation Agency are seeing more cases of dating cons in Indonesia. Foreigners (especially men) and weak law enforcement are creating an environment in which scammers can operate with very little risk.

Nowadays with the internet and all that brings such as Yahoo Messenger, Skype, WhatsApp and many more social media sites make it possible for anyone to find and develop a relationship and start dating with a person on the other side of the world.

It is sad that whilst most of the people dating online act sincerely, and intense and real feeling do develop, these conditions of sincerity drag the unscrupulous con artists from the gutters. These scam artists have seemed to make it their intention to take money from online victims.

In this article, we will give a brief overview of some of the kinds of dating scams IPIA has come across, how to recognize them, and what to do if you think you are a victim of a dating scam.

So what is a dating con and who are the scammers?

Dating scammers usually fall into one of three categories:

An individual/couple

This is usually a female on the face of it who dates several people at the same time, collecting money and gifts from each. These individuals sometimes live with husbands or boyfriends, who help the girl with the scam.

A translation service

This is set up to as a kind of control centre, looking at every interaction with the person they are translating for. Services like these seem to offer great assistance, but in reality they often act as more of a matchmaker, and paid a large amount of money when their client receives a proposal for marriage and another large sum of money upon emigration to the US or other destination country.

A group of con artists

This is really a long sting operation and very dangerous (or rather costly) for the victim. The team try and slowly and systematically draw the victim in.

Their intention is to make the victim (him or her) through the dating process fall in love and then impose ever-increasing demands.

They may ask to pay a dowry to “parents”, buy them a house, help with hospital bills (for a mother for example), invest in a house for the girlfriend.

and victim to share or otherwise part with small and large amount of money.

Examples of dating scams:

As a private investigation firm, IPIA has handled many cases involving dating scams.

We always keep all details of our investigations completely confidential.

As illustration we obtained permission from two of our former clients to summarize the facts of their cases below. We have changed (or not revealed) locations or other identifiable details, but these are actual cases to serve as examples.

Foreign Girlfriend Held Hostage in Indonesia

In this case, the client contacted us to help him assist his girlfriend in Indonesia. He told IPIA he had been chatting online with his girlfriend for a few years, but that she had traveled to a certain city in Indonesia (she did not speak Indonesian) and was now being held hostage by unknown people in this city. She was able to get to the phone occasionally to quickly our client and ask for help, but was otherwise unreachable.

We gathered additional information from the client and learned that with the exception of a few phone calls, his contact with his girlfriend had been entirely through text messages and email. He had been sending her hundreds of dollars every two weeks for the previous year or more. His girlfriend had told him that her parents lived in Africa and the client had therefore sent the money to a man in Africa all that time. When the client provided photos sent to him by his girlfriend, they turned out to be professionally taken modeling photos of a beautiful blonde girl in her early 20s.

We did a quick check of some of the emails and found that they came from Africa, not from the Indonesian city, from which the girlfriend supposedly sent them.

At that point, we advised the client that he did not need to hire us, that the girlfriend probably did not exist. We asked that he give his girlfriend our phone number and ask her to call us aE” that he had given us the money he normally sent to her (of course he had not really) and that we would help her, get her the money and help her leave Indonesia.

She never called IPIA and the client was finally convinced. He had been paying a Nigerian con-man hundreds of dollars for two years. We warned our client that the con-man could try and start using his financial information to steal whatever money he could, now that he knew the he had been found out.

Girlfriend and Man Buy a House Together

This situation is a very common story in Indonesia. There are a few variables but the essence is more or less the same.

The man meets a girl online, travels to her city to meet her and meets her parents. He stays in a hotel for a while before returning to his home country.

The girl now convinces the client to invest in a house in her city and some months later, he returns to visit her, along with cash. On the outside it all looks legitimate as they go with a translator to the real estate sales office and fill out the sales contract in both of their names.

Both sign and all documents are officially stamped. The man pays cash to the property sales person and is given a receipt. The girl keeps the documents, as they need to stay in that country. He returns home, but finds that she is less and less communicative. When she breaks off contact, he hires IPIA.

He has videotape of his visit to purchase the property, along with all parties on tape. We find out that the sales person on the tape were not an employee of their company and that the purchase documents were filed in her name only, with no mention of the client. The girlfriend had since sold the property.

IPIA tracked down the girlfriend and gave her a chance to make things right with the client, or be arrested. She re-opened communication with him, crying and telling him that she was forced to trick him by mysterious unknown parties (a common theme) and begged his forgiveness. Against our recommendation, the client decided to let it go and trust her again (another strange phenomenon, which is not uncommon). She kept up the communication for just long enough to disappear again (with the money of course).

Our client had some legal claims against the real estate development company, where the contract was signed, but the client decides not to pursue that possible remedy. He has not heard from his former fiancee since.

Here are some warning signs.

emergencies and sudden illness that pop up early and often;
claims of love that seem just too quick;
requests for financial assistance;
photographs that look like they were taken by a professional or copied from the internet. You can check the names of the files to see if they have the same file name structure. Real photos will also usually be larger in size (mb);
problems with visa or passport that require your assistance;
problems with people threatening them – translator, bill collector, some other thug;
inability to reach the person (phone doesn’t work or too expensive, phone always turned off);
communication only through email and messaging;
rigid time schedule for contact;
use of a translation service;
unwarranted interest in financial information – social security (identity) number, mother’s maiden name, etc.

What should you do if you are a victim of a dating con?

Some scammers are interested in more than just gifts and money from the victim. These scammers will gather information during the “relationship” and use that information to hack credit card and bank accounts and even steal the victim’s identity.

Before confronting the scammer, you should first make a list of what information they have about you. Do they have your social security number and date of birth from an immigration form? Do they have your mother’s maiden name from a conversation? Do they have your banking information from a wire transfer?

First, secure your personal information. Change your passwords. Call your bank and tell them about your fears and as them to put an extra level of security on your account. Get an instant online credit report from all credit bureaus. Confirm that no new accounts have been opened and then have the bureaus flag your credit file, so that you receive a call when new account requests are made.

Now you are ready to confront the dating scammer. You may want to pursue legal action against them and/or recover valuables if any have been stolen. BEPIA can help with that. Talk to us about what information you have about them and we will fill in the blanks and bring them to justice.

Bali Eye Private Investigation Agency (BEPIA) along with our sister agency Indonesia Private Investigation Agency (IPIA) are fully registered Private Investigation Agencies offering private detective and private investigator services to the Private and Business sectors throughout Indonesia and South East Asia.

Investigators Catch an Embezzler

October 15, 2013 by IPIA Leave a Comment

Letters from a Private Investigator II

Private Investigators Catch an Embezzler

This is a true private investigation case IPIA and BEPIA solved recently tracking and catching an embezzler. We have changed the names, places and dates to protect confidentiality.

Modern technologies are incredibly useful for a private investigator in Indonesia but at the end of the day it is the old fashioned leg work, patience and perseverance and the thrilling chase that closes a case.

Modern Technologies and Old Fashioned Leg Work in Private Investigation Work in Indonesia

Background

In early February our private investigator agency had a call from someone in Jakarta. We will call him Fred. Fred was extremely worried for his wife, Jane, as she was likely to go to prison although she seemed innocent and a victim of a set up.

Jane worked in the finance department in a large company in Jakarta.

In the same company there was another senior financial officer, Steve, working as a freelance auditor.

From 2010 Steve started to ask money from Jane. The reasons he gave were all related to the company’s tax payments. Jane, being young and naive, believed her senior partner after assurances that it would be fine to skip the usual financial controlling systems.

In late 2012 the company’s Director checked their tax status and found taxes had not been paid since 2010. The amount had accumulated to around 5 billion IDR ($500,000).

Jane was asked for her explanation and showed all the transfer scripts she had from Steve.

The Target

Fred had called Indonesia Private Investigation Agency (IPIA) to have our private investigators track and find Steve, the embezzler, who had disappeared.

We asked Fred to give us three weeks to complete the case.

Our Private Investigators Track the Embezzler

Our private investigator’s first task was to find out the target’s location. All we really had to go on was a telephone number, and a date of birth (because Steve was freelance, or perhaps there were other reasons the company did not want to co-operate).

Officially SIM cards in Indonesia must be registered with a valid ID, or for foreigners a passport. This system was introduced as a security measure especially in light of terrorist threats.

In reality though in Indonesia, as any private investigator can tell you, you can buy a SIM card from any small shop and they will activate the card for you using their own details. So a track on a registered user will not always get you a target’s details.

Our luck was in. It turned out Steve had registered “correctly” (not a very smart embezzler mind) and he was registered as having an address in Bandung (about three hours from Jakarta).

Our private investigator team made their way to the house. However it was his ex-wife’s house and they don’t have any contact with Steve anymore (or so they said).

We did though learn that Steve had a mother who was sick and his ex-wife gave us the address (so we guess she was not lying when she said she had had no contact with Steve).

We got to Steve’s address and for four days we waited. He just did not show.

The Trace and Chase

If a telephone number is active and switched on our private investigators can track the location within a 200 meter radius.

We had been trying for a few days but the phone was always off.

Then Steve appeared on our radar system, blinking away in Bali.

The chase was on, but like any good hunter knows a great deal of patience is needed.

Within three hours we had the Director of Investigations travel from Jakarta to Bali to meet up with our sister agency Bali Eye Private Investigation Agency (BEPIA).

You can imagine how many houses there are in a built up area of a 200-meter radius. So with both IPIA and BEPIA working together we canvassed the area for three days. He was still blinking away on our radar but we could not find him.

Then out of the blue a trace shows him back in Jakarta.

Any fisherman knows the feeling when you are close to a catch but the fish gets away. That feeling is the same for a private investigator. But still almost two weeks had passed by and despite the loss we were still confident of catching the embezzler.

Perseverance and perseverance. And as every private investigator knows that brings its own luck. So off we went back to Jakarta and started the canvassing there.

Not again? Yes two days later Steve appeared back in Bali.

But our private investigators had not just been running around like a headless chicken following telephone tracks. We had other private investigators doing more background research and with help from some financial consultants we finally got a solid lead: Steve has a wife in Bali and we now knew his address there.

The Hook Is In

I called in to the BEPIA and got them at the address immediately. Our private investigators had a picture and description and they were on standby surveillance whilst I came back to Bali.

After two days we saw him and got a nice crisp photo that we sent to our client Fred for confirmation. We also confirmed his means of transportation (cars and motorbikes etc.) and stayed still waiting.

Our client Fred took the next flight to Bali. I met him (of course one team was with the embezzler the whole time) and we sat for a while in an airport cafe to discuss the next steps.

As we sat there a BEPIA private investigator called me and said Steve and his wife were on the move. Fred and I went straight to their house and saw their car on the road.

I followed them with two car covers between my car and theirs. This close finally after all this time the heart beats. This is when the chase really makes me love my job. The thrill is in the chasing and not the apprehension, the pursuit you see and never the arrest. Not that the capture does not give me a great buzz and sense of satisfaction, but the nervousness comes with the chase.

Steve and his wife were moving towards the airport. This suspicion was strengthened by my BEPIA colleague telling me they had two small bags with them (not shopping bags).

The Net Closes

I never let Fred know but at this stage I was a little bit panicked.

I was weighing up what I needed to do when they arrived at the airport. I knew I had to ask police to help at this stage.

IPIA/BEPIA private investigators have a close relationship with the police and I had already had dinner with one contact a few days before to brief them just in case help was needed. I called my contact and asked if he could meet us at the airport.

As Steve pulled near the departure parking I pulled my car next to his.

My police contacts were there to meet us and we landed the target.

I actually thought I might get a round of applause from the whole airport, but no-one of course knew what was happening or what me and my private investigator team had been through. It was all done very quietly and the big embezzler was like a shuttling little timid mouse in a corner, and off he was taken to the airport’s police station.

A few hours later the police had the proof they needed as Steve confessed looking tired and scared (if he had lawyered up he probably would have been able to walk free).

Fred did not want to take him to court (and what the company finally did with Steve he was not that concerned with). All he wanted was protection for his wife and a written statement from Steve admitting what he had taken and was using the company’s money for his own sake.

Private Investigations Tools

September 30, 2013 by IPIA Leave a Comment

Letters from a Private Investigator IV

In our last post (Facebook: The PI Friend) we already covered how useful Facebook and other social media sites can be as private investigator tools, and indeed anyone wanting to carry out their own “research”.

Most people probably think of state of the art spy tools when they think of private investigator tools. This is true to some extent – IPIA and our sister agency BEPIA uses advanced cameras and recording equipment, bionic ear dishes and portable voice changers. We also have access to forensic laboratories

The foundation of a private investigator’s work though is really built on tools that are common and available from many places (if not free) and not just specialised shops. Without these tools it would be difficult to operate.

Five Private Investigator Tools Anyone Can Use

Advanced Google Searches

You can find almost anything on the web, and therefore Google may seem like an obvious choice as a private investigator tool considering it is by far the most popular search engine out there.

Similar though to IPIA’s post on Facebook as a private investigation tool (Facebook: The PI Friend) not too many people know how to take full advantage of the advanced capabilities of Google.

For example the “Around” feature will search for two terms within a specific number of words near each other, the “site” operator will search a specific website for terms and the “-” (minus sign) operator will exclude a term. These are just a few of many advanced search operators that you can use with Google.

Skype for Private Investigators

Skype of course is good for free skype to skype calling, very cheap international calls and video conferencing where you can have a video chat with many people.

Additionally, Skype as a tool for private investigators has various third party add-on’s. One of the best is the ability to record phone calls. IPIA uses different free add-on applications that can turn any conversation into a MP3 recording. Be careful here though – you could be breaking the law if you try this yourself. Laws vary in different countries with regards to recording phone calls.

Digital Scanner

This may be an off the shelf private investigator tool but it is not that cheap. Still it is openly accessible to anyone. Having the ability to scan hundreds of pages of documents in a matter of minutes used to be the kind of stuff you would see in James Bond movies, but not anymore. Scanning hundreds, if not thousands of pages of documents into searchable digital files, can save hours of looking over paper documents. Our private investigators use the Fujitsu ScanSnap S1500; it’s portable, scans both sides of the page in one pass and it’s fast and reliable.

PDF Converter and OCR Software

Converting documents into PDF compatible files can be very useful. In Indonesia in particular most cases produce lots and lots of paper. Therefore having the ability to store digital files into a searchable format can be a huge timesaver and can help you find documents quickly and easily. IPIA uses the Adobe Acrobat Standard, which is reliable and very functional, despite a hefty price tag.

Google Desktop

Having hundreds (if not thousands) of digital files can be a problem for a private investigator if you don’t know where they are. Google Desktop constantly scans your hard drive, Internet history and your emails so you will never “lose” anything ever again.