Small Business Fraud

Working with a Private Investigator Can Help You to Avoid Small Business Fraud

More and more people are finding themselves in a situation where they are facing small business fraud, and these situations can cause serious financial problems for the victim. Fraud can have a devastating effect on businesses, and in some cases might be the single factor that causes the business to crumble. If you want to avoid these problems with your own small business, then one of the best things that you can do is to talk with a private investigator in Glasgow to determine if the company is reputable and safe to work with.

When Does Small Business Fraud Occur?

As a business owner, or a private individual, it is inevitable that you will be in various situations where you are relying on the services of a small business. Most of the time, the business follows through with the promises that were made, but there are some situations where you might pay for the services, and never receive what you paid for. If you are planning to spend a significant amount of money with the company, then it is worth your time to hire a private investigator in Edinburgh or Glasgow to help you investigate the company that you would like to do business with.

Small business fraud can happen in many ways. It might occur if you are the owner of a small business, looking to do business with another small business. Or, there are situations where a customer might be attempting fraud on your small business. Or, you might be a customer, purchasing product or services from a small business. With any large transaction, it is always a good idea to check the person’s references in order to decide if you should be doing business with them.

Avoiding Small Business Fraud: What to Watch For

There are several things that you can watch for, and your Edinburgh private investigator can do thorough research on all of these topics:

·       Be suspicious of new companies, especially if the company has been recently started and they are in a shady part of town. For example, if the company claims that they have a lot of funding from investors, but they have setup shop in a rundown location, then there is a possibility that the company might be fraudulent. 

·       The private investigator should visit the office or warehouse during regular business hours. If they are a thriving company and claim to have a lot of inventory, then you should be able to stop by their warehouse during regular business hours to see the warehouse workers busily going about their jobs.

·       Look for signs of suspicion, such as a change of address or a disconnected phone number. Also, consider the reputation that the company has developed.

·       Have your private investigator in Glasgow do thorough background checks on the company owners. If they have a criminal history, then it is more likely that they will break the law again.

·       Use the services of a recognized credit agency or a credit circle. Both of these resources can help you to gain insight in the financial stability of the person or company that you are investigating, and your private investigator in Edinburgh can offer insights about the credit company that you should choose.

·       Request partial or full payment in advance. If you are going to be shipping a large amount of equipment, or you will be dedicating a lot of hours to providing the service for the company, then ask them to front some of the money before they receive what they pay for. Also, you can consider making partial deliveries, which allows you to withhold deliveries until the bill is paid in full.

You might consider doing some of these things on your own, but it is a better idea to hire a Glasgow private investigator to help you with the process. The private investigator will assist you in determining the proper way to move forward, because they will help you to understand if you can trust the people that you will be working with.

If you require a Private Investigator in Glasgow or anywhere in the Central Scotland then our Investigators are on call 24/7.  Sika SIA initial consultancy is free and our team will give you peace of mind.  Contact us by phone or by email and we will ensure that strict confidentiality is maintained throughout.