Businesses hire private investigators to uncover internal crime / misconduct, protect assets, and manage commercial risks.
Here are 7 key reasons why companies hire private investigators:
1. Suspected Internal Theft, Fraud and Embezzlement
- Employees or partners may skim cash, manipulate financial records, or run false expense accounts.
- Investigators use forensic accounting checks and covert observation to catch financial theft.
2. Fake Sickness Claims and Absenteeism
- Chronic absenteeism and unverified medical leave hurt workplace productivity.
- Discreet surveillance used to check if an employee on long-term sick leave is actually working another job or engaging in physical activities.
3. Corporate Due Diligence and Background Checks
- Before signing mergers, major contracts, or hiring senior executives, companies need deep background checks / due diligence
- Investigators look for hidden lawsuits, offshore shell companies, or past fraud allegations that basic internet searches miss.
4. Intellectual Property and Data Theft
- Competitors or rogue employees may steal proprietary software, trade secrets, or client lists.
- Digital forensics experts trace stolen data, analyze digital footprints, and uncover unauthorized system access.
5. Asset Tracing and Recovery
- When a business falls victim to commercial fraud, locating hidden or misappropriated funds is critical.
- Investigators trace diverted assets and gather legally sound evidence to support civil litigation or asset recovery.
6. Breaches of Restrictive Covenants
- Former employees or business partners often sign non-compete agreements but secretly solicit existing clients or poach staff.
- Monitor suspicious communications and connections to prove a breach of contract.
- Employ surveillance operatives.
7. Workers' Compensation Insurance Fraud
- Employees may exaggerate workplace injuries to claim long-term payouts.
- Insurers and corporate HR departments hire investigators to document the claimant's true physical capabilities through surveillance.
- Personal injury surveillance
Here at Surelock, we are experts when it comes to providing private investigation and security consultancy services, including surveillance, security surveys and bug sweeps, to our clients in London, all over the UK and further afield if required. The company has been established since the 1990’s, we strive to maintain a professional approach with every investigation we undertake and guarantee to conduct a thorough and unshakeable surveillance each time. As we are professionals in the industry with years of experience providing our services, we’re here to share with you everything a private investigator can offer you, and why it’s undoubtedly ok to hire one.
Our testimonials from our clients speak for themselves.
What Can a Private Investigator Do?
Private investigators can help you with a variety of issues, whether this is to assist in criminal investigations, catch a cheating partner, or gather evidence of fraud. Our team at Surelock have come together to create a list of some of the main reasons why our clients come to us for our private investigation services.
Crime / Fraud Investigations
Both individuals and businesses can benefit from private investigation services where fraud may have occurred, being able to conduct surveillance and review documents to see whether fraud has indeed been committed. This can include credit card fraud, insurance fraud, financial fraud, romance fraud, that could be taking place personally or within your business.
For businesses, private investigators can conduct background checks on potential employees to minimise the risk of issues occurring later should they have a history of fraud and can be used to investigate embezzlement claims or theft. Some of our team served on the Fraud Squad at Scotland Yard, sadly now defunct.
People Tracing
Tracing a person could be for locating a missing person, such as a runaway child, or for finding lost relatives. This process can be difficult, even impossible without the right level of training. Most people are limited to social media or the internet whereas private investigators have the tools necessary to conduct an in-depth investigation to trace a person, all in accordance with the rules of GDPR.
There may be times when the person who is being traced does not want to get in touch with the person looking for them, but private investigation services can track them down and provide you with peace of mind that they are safe or even visit them on your behalf.
Sweeping for Bugs
Whether you own a business and you’re worried about competitors and rivals using recording devices to listen in on your conduct, or you’re worried about a person accessing your home and planting devices, a private investigator can provide you with a thorough sweep of an area to make sure that your conversations are secure.
While listening devices and bugs may seem like something that’s only found in films or fiction, we have found them in various hotel rooms, conference halls, board rooms and even homes across London and the surrounding areas. Private information can be used as blackmail or can provide business competitors with information on how you are succeeding with your business. By hiring a private investigator to conduct a bug sweep, you can guarantee that your information will remain private and can’t be used in negative ways.
Surveillance
Surveillance is a major part of our business and integral to many investigations, to prove or disprove the fears of our clients or just to gather intelligence / evidence.
Whether it be corporate, accident injury or domestic / cheating partner surveillance we can help. As a private company we are not governed by the laws of Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 (RIPA), but as good practice we adhere to them.
Brand Protection
Our brand protection team are one of the most successful in UK, being proactive, using our undercover and surveillance operatives, we have been responsible for some of the largest seizures of counterfeit goods, working together with our trusted partners, the police and trading standards.
Brand protection is essential for businesses to safeguard their reputation and prevent unauthorised use of their intellectual property.
We don’t just seize our clients’ counterfeits from the markets and retail outlets; we work hard to identify the main suppliers and where their stock is kept.
We monitor online platforms to detect and address unauthorised use of your brand.
It helps maintain trust among customers and ensures that competitors do not take advantage of their brand equity.
Unfortunately, in today’s society someone is always looking for a quick way to make money or run a scam, and this is usually at the expense of a genuine brand who have worked hard to build up their business over a number of years.
Counterfeiting is very much organised crime, the quality and quantity of the merchandise is now very good, and there is so much money to be made, so it is important for businesses to deal with this professionally. Surelock are engaged by some of the biggest brands in the world.
Security Consultancy.
A security survey conducted by experienced security consultants is an independent review with a fresh pair of eyes that can identify quickly if any aspect of Home or Business Security is lacking or could be enhanced, most times at very little cost and can give great peace of mind to the occupants of any building.
Martyn’s Law - Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Act 2025.
Surelock are well versed in this important legislation and available for consultations or training, don’t leave it till the last minute; you only have until April 2027 to ensure you are compliant.
The team
We have spent years identifying experts to provide the very best possible service to our clients. Our team, comprising professionals from the police, fire service, military and both the private and public sectors, offers a wealth of diverse skills.
This includes retired senior detectives from Scotland Yard, bringing years of experience in high-level investigations, placing us in a unique position within the industry.
Our costs
We are not the type of company that quotes a fee and spends it regardless of the outcome, we work strictly to an hourly rate, we want to achieve the best results for you, so for investigations it is £80 per hour and surveillance it is £70 per hour per operative, plus travel expenses, full details on request.
Looking for more information? Contact Surelock today!
If you would like to know more about what a private investigator or security consultant can or cannot do, or if you’re still on the fence about the legality and morality of hiring an investigator, our team can help! Get in touch today for more information or to arrange your investigation services! We’re only a phone call away and can’t wait to hear from you, we are happy to discuss your needs and offer the best possible solutions.
C: www.surelock.org/contact-us
T: 0333 6000 300
