Global Investigations’ FAQs
See below some of the common questions we receive from our corporate and private clients. The answer to your question might be below!
What are your office opening hours?
Our team are office based from 9am – 5:30pm Monday to Friday. The offices are staffed at the weekend too and our phone lines are manned 24 hours to ensure your call is received and noted.
Are you open evening and weekends?
Although our office is not fully open, members of the team are often in, and we are monitoring telephone calls and emails out of hours. Anything urgent will be dealt with ASAP and our agents are working 365 days of the year!
Are enquiries or conversations private?
Absolutely! Any discussion you have with a member of our team is confidential and, on most occasions, the person you speak to during your initial enquiry will be your point of contact for the duration of your case. Our team are professional and understand the importance of privacy.
Do you offer in-house appointments? Is there a fee?
Absolutely! Any discussion you have with a member of our team is confidential and, on most occasions, the person you speak to during your initial enquiry will be your point of contact for the duration of your case. Our team are professional and understand the importance of privacy.
What payment options do you offer?
We offer payments over the phone with a debit or a credit card or payment via bank transfer. PayPal can also be offered in some situations where our clients may have difficulty with the normal payment methods.
What are your payment terms?
Payment terms can differ depending on the service and also between our private and corporate clients. Generally, in our private sector, payment is taken upfront. For our repeat business client, we have other payment terms. We encourage you to call our office to discuss. Our fees are always agreed on before commencing work and there are no hidden charges!
Do you allow cancellations?
Like any ethical company, we understand that cancellations sometimes occur, and will offer cancellations where possible. But due to the nature of our business, we often need to pre-pay agents or make specific arrangements and we cannot be working at a loss, but we encourage you to view our ‘Cancellation Policy’ for further information.
Can you come out to see me?
Generally, we ask clients to come to us. However, in some situations we can organise for an agent to visit you. It is best to contact us to discuss possible options.
How long does it take to receive a report?
The length of time needed to generate a report is dependent on the service. Our surveillance reports are provided within 48 hours, very in-depth intelligence reports can generally take 10-20 working days, while global comprehensive reports may need 20 plus working days.
Do you have parking on site?
No, we do not have parking on site. However, there is nearby on-street parking and there are two car parks that are very close in proximity to our office, please see our contact page.
How quickly can you find someone?
The speed at which we can locate someone is case specific and also depends on how much information you are able to provide. Our Super Trace service can locate an individual in as little as 6 hours, but our standard traces usually take approximately 10 working days.
Do you work in any UK city and abroad?
Absolutely! As our name suggests, we work worldwide and have agents ready to tackle your case in all areas of the UK and abroad.
We can provide our services on a local, national and global scale having had a great deal of investigative experience across the UK, Europe, the Americas, Asia and the Middle East. We have worked in over 150 different areas and countries and our international expertise is unrivalled.
Are corporate clients required to sign a Service Level Agreement?
While SLAs are preferred, they are not always necessary. If corporate clients are using us for a one-off service and payment is taken upfront, they are not required to sign an SLA. Return client are always encouraged to sign an SLA as they ensure both your confidence and ours.
Do you have a client confidentiality statement?
Yes, please contact our team should you require.
Tracing FAQs
See below some of the common questions we receive for our Tracing services!
How long does a trace take?
It does depend on the chosen speed of service however individual tracing is completed within 10-15 days. Corporate tracing services are usually completed within our standard timeframe of 20 working days.
We also offer an express trace of 24-48 hours or finally a super trace of 6-8 working hours. In all cases, a report will be sent out by email once a trace has been completed. Super traces and express traces can be telephoned over as soon as a result is confirmed. Super and Express Traces are also emailed for your ease.
Can you undertake traces abroad?
Yes! We have agents in-house and we also use trusted and respected agents in countries virtually all over the world. These agents can undertake residential or employment traces abroad however the cost and payment scheme may differ from our UK traces. Please enquire for more information.
What kind of information can I expect to receive?
For a residential trace you can expect an address accompanied by background details in line with your original brief to us. Telephone numbers can usually be supplied, unless they are not listed or ex-directory.
For an employment trace, we will provide either the address where your subject works from or the address where he/she is paid from (as this is often used for an attachment of earnings) and a contact telephone number, as well any other information relevant to your subject’s work status. We may also confirm a subject is out of work, which is still a positive trace result.
Will I be charged if the subject is still living at the same address or working as stated?
Yes, as we will have verified that the details provided were correct, and as our agents will still have had to go through the same processes in order to confirm this. Re-confirming information often involves even more work for our agents, but the fee is still the same!
What details are required to trace a company?
The company’s name and the last known trading address are the key details required. Any other additional information you may have on the company (such as nature of business, director details, whether it was a public limited company or sole trader, the company number, etc.) is always worth submitting in order to speed up the trace and increase the likelihood of a positive result.
What is a status report?
As well as trace and employment information, the following search details: credit check including CCJs (County Court Judgments), marital status, any known or visible assets, date of birth and property ownership details.
Any additional information that the agent may come across during the course of the investigation will also be included. We also do a larger and much more in-depth enquiry which involves a personal visit by one of our local investigators who will try and determine more in actual tangible assets, such as vehicles or marine equipment.
The visit is conducted covertly, and we are able to provide our clients with an up-to-date assumption on value and provide pictures and evidential proof of any vehicles and then in turn undertake HPI Finance checks on. (This is an invaluable service that our clients are happy for us to undertake when the debt levels are high). Please see our example – Sample in-depth pre sue.
Please note we are NOT able to investigate bank details as part of our status reports and can only assess banking information in certain circumstances when in compliance with Data Protection Act 2018. Please see our information sheet/page on Personal Data Credit Report searches for more information. (may need to change this depending on name of page)
What happens if the trace or status report is a negative?
You will receive a negative report which will outline the lines of enquiry we undertook. . However, we do always suggest re-submitting the case at a later date – usually within 2-3 months in the event new information is located. For corporate clients with large volumes of work, we work on a no trace, no fee basis.
Can I expect any additional information?
Yes. If our agents come across any additional information which may be of use to you, this will be included within the completed report.
What if the information supplied appears to be incorrect?
You can notify us within 30 days of the trace completion date, we will be more than happy to re-check the information for you on a free of charge basis. If we are unable to re-confirm our findings or if we have been misled with our initial enquiries – your account will be credited for the cost of the original trace.
What are our success rates?
Depending on the information passed to us, our success rate can be over 70% to 80%, bearing in mind that the more information that we hold the better the likelihood that we will be able to trace the subject, Please contact us if you require more detailed information.
What is my first move?
We must be formally instructed to proceed with both private and corporate cases. This can be via submission of an instruction form, or providing us information by email or post. Corporate clients must first of all set up an account with us and we will then supply you with a Corporate Trace Instruction Form. Private clients will need to supply a completed Private Client Instruction Form. If you have any further questions or require further details, please contact us and a member of our customer service team will get back to you.
What are some of the other tracing types you offer?
In addition to the services above also offer the following tracing services. Please contact us for more information.
> Next of Kin tracing/Tracing of heirs
> Birth Record tracing
> Landlord tracing
> Freehold and Leasehold tracing
> Batch or Volume Tracing for Corporate Clients
Do you offer bulk tracing?
Absolutely! Please call one of our friendly sales advisors to discuss our bulk tracing options and prices.
Do you send and receive password encrypted cases?
Yes, to comply with our client’s individual requirements as well as GDPR, we use a variety of secure encrypted services to both receive and send reports. So whether it is password protected PDF, a secure messaging service such as Egress, or a platform already in place within your business, we can accommodate your preferences.
Can we send batch case instructions via Excel?
Global Investigations are happy to receive batch case instructions via an Excel spreadsheet or an alternative method to preclude our clients from having to fill out an instruction form for each individual. We will then process the requests on your behalf.
Bug Sweeping FAQs
See below some of the common questions we receive for our Bug Sweeping!
Do we use specialist equipment?
Yes! Our technicians are trained using some of the best equipment in the industry. Some companies from the investigations industry will use sub-par equipment which is worrying as the level of detection is poor and inadequate. This can ultimately make the situation worse, as it can lead to the perpetrators knowing you are concerned.
Our agents will arrive with a variety of high-quality devices from various manufacturers. This means we can offer you a comprehensive service that includes the use of NLJD’s and top professional RF and GSM detectors, thermal imagery and spectrum analysis and full telephone checking systems and numerous devices we would prefer to keep guarded. Rest assured if our technicians arrive, they will be armed with the highest quality equipment and training.
Is the sweep confidential?
Yes, very much so. We also operate in many ways so that the sweep stays confidential. This includes booking in the work over the weekend and in evening slots and working during the rough of night if required, or by arriving in unbranded vehicles and by working under a guise at the home or business and having a cover story agreed.
Are we able to work weekends or overnight?
Yes, and although this takes more time to allocate a slot and position, it is one we do a lot of especially for small and large businesses.
Can we do reports on what we have done or seen?
Yes, of course we can. Please ask for this if you are asking us to check your home or vehicles, as we do this normally on the business sweeps we undertake. We will look at all security and technical aspects and make recommendations in the areas we have looked at or discussed with our contact, and when we have found a device, we can – if the client wishes – enter that device into a chain of custody with us.
What sort of devices are common now?
There are many devices in the market now and a simple search under spy bugs on eBay or amazon can demonstrate just how many devices are out there. The way they are built, and their inner workings, separates them from the real innocent devices they often imitate (such as fake smoke detectors).
What’s been very popular for the last 2-4 years are sim activated devices, which are normally built into power laden chargers and three-way plugs, adaptors and sockets. Also very common these days is WIFI and Bluetooth attacks which store and forward objects or data.
Do we look into areas physically, and can we remove shuttering’s and sockets and switches and covers?
Yes, we can and yes, we do. Our sweeps are not only undertaken on the exterior of walls etc., but our exhaustive searches also include a physical search of areas which may involve removing sockets/switches, wall art, furniture etc.
We will not stop on any search just because one covert audio bug has been found. We will continue to look for others as often it can be the case that if we find one, we find several.
How often are the premises searched actually bugged?
From our experience, we find that approximately 60% of people’s intuition about bugging is correct.
Do I still have to pay if there are no bugs?
Yes. We provide a service that will either detect a bugging operation or supply much needed peace of mind that you are not being monitored. The amount of work our operatives undertake is the same despite the outcome.
Until you carry out the sweeping, what should I do in the meantime?
We recommend that you continue to conduct your business as normal, but do not discuss sensitive issues in the confines of the business premises or over the telephone. Do not attempt to tamper with any equipment unnecessarily.
Can you check the area of concern periodically?
Yes of course we can. We often do just that for various companies around the UK and further afield. By making periodic appointments, we can help alleviate any worries and ultimately brings the cost of the sweeping down in price. Please speak to a team member who can advise you further.
What is my first move?
Please get in touch – give us a call on 04350 343 945 or send us an e-mail. Please ensure you are calling from outside the property you are concerned about or calling/emailing us from a secure device.
Covert Surveillance FAQs
See below some of the common questions we receive for our Covert Surveillance!
What if the surveillance request is in a remote or far-flung area in the UK or abroad?
Distance is not an issue here at Global Investigations. We operate all over the UK and have specialist Operatives to ensure maximum coverage. We also work abroad and will travel abroad, as well as use trusted, respected and professional agents in other countries whom we have worked with many times before.
How much notice do we need when first instructing us to undertake a job?
Ideally, we require at least 24-48 hours’ notice before initiating surveillance. This allows us to ensure we have the required number of Agents available, and the Agents are able to undertake open-source reconnaissance of the area prior to the job.
What happens if the person doesn’t do what they are expected to do in the time we are paid to be there?
Please note we are undertaking the surveillance in the hope that the target does what the client presumes will occur in that time. We are not being paid for any resulting action and are merely custodians in monitoring the target and the place the client has instructed us to be at.
Are we to be provided with a surveillance report and imagery or videos?
Yes, unlike other firms, we do so without any extra cost associated!
A surveillance report is provided for your records and depending on what has initially been agreed, we will produce video footage, stills/photographs. Please be advised that if extra editing is required an additional fee is applied to the expenses invoice.
Can we cancel a job organised for a certain day?
Normally a surveillance operation cannot be cancelled or rescheduled a day before, as we have teams in place to undertake the work and their days must be organised in advance. Payment would still be required in full for any last-minute cancellations.
Background Checks FAQs
See below some of the common questions we receive for our Background Checks!
How long can a check take?
We normally require 18 – 20 working days to complete a check on a standard time frame. If, however, you require it expedited, this can be achieved but the cost is increased and a surcharge of normally 30% is added to the total payment.
Are the checks you undertake legal?
Yes, very much so. We will not undertake any illegal request and we have a very strong ethical attitude. Please contact us for a copy of our ‘Code of Conduct’.
Do you inform the subject in any way, that the checks are taking place?
No, we would never normally contact the subject and never without it being agreed beforehand. In some enquires, especially business due diligence, we may have to involve the business, but this is a choice for you, the client.
Do your reports say where someone works?
Yes, some of our reports will indicate the business affiliations which invariably will include their place of work.
Do your reports include academic details?
No, we do not look for academic results unless they are publicly available or unless through pre-employment enquires.
Do your reports include official credit history on individuals?
No, not in the UK or in places such as the USA.
Are you able to run criminal checks on people?
Not in the UK without the individual’s permission. Although, court information can be obtained on a person if it is in the public domain without their knowledge.
We can also get full criminality checks if you are asking us to check on yourself and you have signed a disclosure to that effect (see above). The laws in other countries may be different to the UK and this may permit us to run the checks on other subjects. This varies depending on the country.
Can we undertake tenant vetting?
Yes, we regularly work alongside landlords and letting agents to verify and identify the set requirements needed to hand over the keys to your home.
How effective are the checks you make?
We believe our background checks are the most effective and comprehensive on the market. It is important to note, we can only reveal what we can publicly or even privately find, and this is only an indication of how an induvial or business have performed previously. We cannot guarantee that an individual or company will perform or behave to the previous standards they have displayed in the past.
If I don’t have the subject’s permission, would you be still able to do the checks here in UK?
Yes, we will be able to run the checks. However, certain information such as credit files and criminality records will not be available due to data protection requisites.
What experience do you have with international checks?
We have completed many hundreds of overseas checks on individuals and companies. On most occasions, we have started the enquiry here in the UK and then latterly involved our overseas partners and agents to finalise and run cross checks and covert visits.