Does your business need a private investigator in Barrie or Central Ontario?

While you might never have considered retaining a private investigator in your private or professional life that may simply be because you weren’t aware of the broad range of services a private investigator provides.

 Private Investigators are highly trained professionals with unique skill sets that assist you in gathering information for specific reasons. They are licensed and insured. They work closely with law enforcement and the legal community.

They know how to gather and protect evidence so that it is admissible in court. They are an independent third party professional not emotionally attached to your case.

There is a reason to hire lawyers, accountants and doctors. Private Investigators are professionals in the same right and in the proper circumstance they can be a valuable asset to your legal team.

 How do you hire a Private Investigator?

 So how do you go about choosing a private investigation agency that is right for your project? The following is a hiring guide published by the Council of Private Investigators - Ontario and you can download the full report here www.therenwickgroup.ca

 1. Go to the Council of Private Investigators - Ontario website, the yellow pages or search online for Agencies or Investigators who specialize in the type of investigation you require.
 2. Call your lawyer and ask for recommendations.
 3. Consult with a friend or acquaintance that may have been in similar circumstances.
 4. Identify three agencies local to you that provide the type of investigation services you require.
 5. Prepare a written list of questions you are going to ask each company.
 6. Confirm that the Private Investigation Companies or Private Investigators are licensed and insured.
 7. Check the company name and individual license number on the Ministry of Community Safety and Correctional Services.
a. Licensed Agencies
 b. Licensed Individuals
 8. Visit the agency office. It is required by law that all Private Investigation Agencies have a physical office address with a public entrance.
 9. The business licence to provide private investigation services should be clearly displayed in their office.  Request to see a copy of their certificate of insurance.
 10. Request to see a sample report format.
 11. Make an inquiry to the Better Business Bureau.
 12. Inquire about experience, education, training and length of time in the industry. What is their level of expertise in the areas of investigation you require?
 13. Ask for client references or letters of recommendation.
 14. If you retain a Private Investigation Agency insist on having a written receipt for any retainer/deposit you have provided and ask for the companies HST number.
 15. In most cases a Private Investigation Agency will require you to sign a contract or agreement. The agreement should clearly state what the investigation will entail, provide an estimated budget, identify a breakdown of the costs associated with the investigation and include a proposed timeline for completion. If progress payments are required clearly define the deliverables prior to signing the contract.
 16. Establish specific times when you will be updated about the investigation. Define if the updates are to be written or verbal.
17. Define the deliverables you will receive after the investigation is completed. Reputable Private Investigation.  Agencies will provide a full written report with details of the investigation, the time spent on investigation tasks (such as surveillance), and a detailed invoice itemizing costs associated with all phases of the investigation.
 The Renwick Group is a private investigation firm founded in 1997 and is based in Barrie, Ontario. We excel in delivering our core Private Investigation Services in the most efficient, secure, and professional manner.​

 Source: http://www.cpi-ontario.com/default.asp

The Renwick Group has the knowledge and experience to help you or your business solve problems such as fraud, skip tracing, locating people, litigation support, labour dispute management, and more..  Please call us at 1 (888) 722-9807 to discuss your situation.

Has someone skipped town? How skip tracing finds missing people.

Skip tracing is the process of locating a person's whereabouts for any number of purposes such as;

1.) Bail Bond skips
2.) Missing adoptees and birth parents
3.) Missing family members or lost loved ones
4.) Tenant skips
5.) Rental goods skips
6.) Life insurance claimant skips
7.) Lost stockholders
8.) Credit card charge offs
9.) Debt buyer skips
10.) Judgement debtor skips
11.) Unclaimed property
12.) Missing witnesses

The person being searched for is often referred to as 'the skip' an expression derived from "to skip town" leaving minimal clues behind to "trace" the person's new location.

Skip tracing is performed by gathering as much information as possible about the missing person and then analyzing data and verifying facts. Investigators sometimes need to call or visit former neighbors or employers to ask questions and verify information. Records used in skip tracing include; phone number databases, credit reports, job applicant information, criminal background checks, utility bills, and tax information. Often the records can not be accessed by the general public but private investigators are able to get to the data and locate the skip.

Depending on the reason for the skip and the country they are in, the person hiding will be easy or harder to find.

Unintentional Skip: This type of skip might not know they are missing, and are the easiest skip to located. The situation could be an unclaimed property or missing witnesses.

Convenient Skip: This type of skip most likely knows they are missing but has conveniently failed to notify an associate or client that they have moved. The reason for this type of skip is not usually criminal and so people in this group do not go to great lengths to cover their location.

Intentional Skip: This person has probably skipped town because they are attempting to hide from an authority or because of bad debt. The degree of their success in covering their tracks and assuming a new identity will depend on the seriousness of the situation and the skips experience. International skips are often fraudsters and may have several identifies set-up in advance that they can use.

The Renwick Group has the knowledge and experience to help you or your business with skip tracing. Please call us at 1 (888) 722-9807 to discuss your situation.

Take the Spam Quiz and Learn About Fraud in Canada

Fraud is a big problem for small and big companies. It is estimated that businesses lose up to 5% of revenue because of fraud in the workplace.

Small business must be extra careful because they don't often have anti-fraud controls or policies used in larger organizations. For example, small businesses may not conduct background checks or credit reports on potential hires. All potential hires should have a criminal record check, and in addition a credit report if they are involved in the financial aspect of the business. Small business should also offer consider fraud training and run periodic audits.

Another aspect of fraud is spam and other electronic schemes.

Here is an online quiz which shows individuals and Business how to protect against spam and other electronic threats which lead to fraud. Click on the image to take the quiz.

In Canada, fraud can be reported to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre .

"The CAFC is jointly managed by the RCMP, OPP and the Competition Bureau Canada and its mandate has expanded to include many versions of Mass Marketing Fraud (MMF) – these frauds are essentially schemes that target many victims at the same time whether by telephone, facsimile, postal mail or the internet. Often, MMF involves identity crime, which includes identity theft and identity fraud. As a result, the CAFC also accepts these reports. With the Competition Bureau as a partner, the CAFC deals with deceptive marketing practices and with spam issues related to fraud.

The CAFC remains located in North Bay, the city where it was founded. The Call Centre Unit has 11 full-time Call Takers who are able to field more than 300 calls each day from citizens reporting frauds. Of those calls, the Centre logs data from more than 25,000 victims each year. The Call Takers are dedicated, trained anti-fraud specialists who provide advice on the steps that victims should take to recover lost funds and to protect themselves in the future. Each spring, the Call Centre takes on additional personnel to deal with the increased call volumes brought on by publicity for Fraud Awareness Month during the month of March.

The CAFC has established itself as Canada's central fraud data repository. It has become a trusted source for fraud data and for educational and prevention resource materials. The CAFC plays a crucial role in educating the public about specific mass marketing fraud pitches and in collecting and disseminating victim evidence, statistics and documentation, all of which are made available to law enforcement agencies. " source: CAFC

The Renwick Group has the knowledge and experience to help you or your business with fraud investigations. Please call us at 1 (888) 722-9807 to discuss your situation.

Protect Yourself at the Scene of a Crash

According to the Toronto Police Services and the Financial Services Commission of Ontario, GTA Drivers pay hundreds of dollars more on auto insurance each year due to fraud.

Here are some tips to protect yourself at the scene of a collision.

• Be cautious of anyone pressuring you to use their services or giving you a referral at the scene of a collision.
• Fraud collaborators often recommend auto body repair shops & storage facilities
• Be wary of anyone pressuring you to sign any forms at the site of a collision
• Never sign anything you don't understand - call your insurance company first and ask for help or clarification
• If pressured, call police for the name of an authorized tow truck operator and have you vehicle towed to a Collision Reporting Centre or police compound until you can talk to your insurance company

Video: Collecting Information After a Collision




The Renwick Group has the knowledge and experience to help you or your business with fraud investigations. Please call us at 1 (888) 722-9807 to discuss your situation.