Service
Online Scam Investigation Services
Research into suspicious sellers, fake businesses, fraudulent websites, impersonation and cross-border online fraud — documented as findings you can act on.
Source verification — illustrative
- Public corporate registryCorroborated
- Archived web contentCorroborated
- Public social profilePartially consistent
- Claimed employer websiteNot corroborated
The problem this service solves
Online fraud is rarely one person and one message. It is usually a small system: a website, a company name that sounds plausible, a payment route, a persona and a script. Individually each element looks thin; examined together the pattern becomes visible.
This investigation documents that system. Domains, companies, contact details, images, profiles and payment claims are researched against public sources and correlated, so the resulting report describes a structure rather than a single suspicion.
This applies whether you are trying to decide about a transaction that has not happened yet, or trying to understand one that already has.
When clients use this service
- An unfamiliar seller or supplier requesting unusual payment terms
- A company that only exists as a website and a messaging account
- An investment or trading platform you cannot verify
- Someone impersonating a real business, professional or brand
- A website that closely mimics a legitimate one
- A cross-border transaction where nothing can be confirmed locally
- Suspicious contacts approaching you after a previous loss
Step one
What information you can provide
Better starting information usually means a broader and faster investigation, but a case can often begin with very little.
- Website addresses and any related domains
- Company names and registration details you were given
- Names, profiles and messenger accounts involved
- Screenshots of conversations, listings, invoices or contracts
- Payment instructions: recipient names, banks, wallets, platforms
- Amounts, dates and payment methods where relevant
- Any documents provided to you, including certificates or licences
Research scope
What may be researched
Research is limited to lawful, publicly available information and is confirmed with you before work begins.
- Whether the named company appears to exist on public record
- Domain registration and website history, including archived versions
- Related domains, mirrors and reused site templates
- Publicly available information about the identities involved
- Impersonation of real companies, brands or professionals
- Publicly discoverable information about payment recipients where available
- Digital identity inconsistencies across the operation
- Cross-border patterns linking several jurisdictions
Deliverable
What you receive
Every case ends in a written report you can read, keep and act on.
- An executive summary of the structure identified
- Findings on the entities, domains and identities involved
- Documented inconsistencies and contradictions
- A timeline of the operation's visible activity
- Risk indicators relevant to your decision or loss
- Sources reviewed, confidence assessment and conclusion
Pricing and turnaround
This service starts from $499. Price depends on how many entities, domains, identities and jurisdictions are involved, whether corporate records form part of the scope, and how much verifiable starting material exists. Complex multi-party fraud is quoted individually.
- What affects price
- Price depends on how many entities, domains, identities and jurisdictions are involved, whether corporate records form part of the scope, and how much verifiable starting material exists. Complex multi-party fraud is quoted individually.
- What affects turnaround
- Single-website or single-seller cases are fastest. Multi-entity operations across several countries take longer. Archived and non-English sources add time to the research.
- Honest limitations
- No promise of money recovery, arrest or prosecution. Identification of the individuals behind an operation cannot be guaranteed. Research is limited to lawful public sources and material you supply.
Frequently asked questions
The website has already been taken down. Is there anything left to research?
Often yes. Archived copies, domain registration history, reused templates, related domains, payment details and the identities used to promote the site can remain researchable after the site itself disappears.
Can you tell my bank this was fraud?
The report is written so it can be shared with your bank, adviser or the authorities. It presents findings and sources; it does not make legal determinations on your behalf.
Do you investigate crypto payments?
Research covers publicly available information about the platforms, websites, companies and identities involved, including publicly visible wallet or platform details you supply. No claim is made about recovering transferred assets.
Someone is impersonating me or my company. Can you help?
Yes. Impersonation cases are investigated by documenting the fake accounts, domains and content, correlating them, and producing a report you can use for platform reports or legal advice.
Continue reading
- Romance Scam InvestigationFraud arising from an online relationship.
- Company VerificationCheck a company before you send money.
- Verify Before You PayPerson, relationship and company checks pre-payment.
- Digital Footprint InvestigationMapping the public presence behind an operation.
- Example reportHow findings are structured.
- PricingStarting points and what affects them.
Submit your case for an initial assessment
Tell us what you already know and what you need to establish. You will receive an assessment of what can realistically be researched, along with scope and pricing, before any work begins.