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CAN WE HELP WITH YOUR ENQUIRY?
You don't need to know what type of investigation you need.
You may have information but not know where to begin. You may be concerned that somebody is not who they claim to be. You may be trying to locate someone, understand the background of a person or business, or make sense of a large amount of digital information.
Explore some of the situations below to understand how James Rae Investigations may be able to assist.
Every enquiry is different. If you cannot find your exact circumstances here, you can still contact us and explain what has happened, what information you already have and what you would like to establish.
YOU DON'T NEED TO KNOW WHERE TO START.
If you have reached this page because something does not add up, you have information you cannot make sense of, or you simply do not know what kind of investigation you need, that is okay.
You do not need to tell us which investigative technique to use.
Start by telling us three things:
WHAT HAS HAPPENED?
WHAT INFORMATION DO YOU ALREADY HAVE?
WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO ESTABLISH?
We can then consider whether James Rae Investigations may be able to assist and explain the appropriate next step.
Potentially, yes. You may already have messages, emails, screenshots, documents, records or other information but be unsure what is important or where to begin.James Rae Investigations can review appropriate material that you lawfully hold against an agreed objective. This may involve organising information, identifying significant material, developing timelines, examining relationships, highlighting inconsistencies and identifying areas that may warrant further enquiry.The starting point is not simply “What information do you have?” but “What are you trying to establish?”
Potentially. Large volumes of information can take considerable time to review properly, particularly where relevant details are spread across different documents, messages or records.We can agree what questions you need the material examined against and undertake a structured review on your behalf. This keeps the work focused on information that may actually assist your enquiry rather than simply producing a summary of everything provided.For larger volumes of material, we may initially assess the quantity and format before recommending an appropriate scope of work.
Yes. You do not need to organise everything yourself before contacting us.Tell us what has happened, what information you currently have and what you ultimately want to understand or establish. We can then consider how the material might best be approached and whether further investigative research may also be appropriate.Sometimes defining the right investigative questions is the most important first step.
Potentially, yes. If you have concerns that someone you are communicating with online may not be who they claim to be, we can consider an online identity investigation.Depending on the information available, this may involve researching profiles, usernames, photographs, digital footprints and other publicly available information. The aim is to establish what elements of the identity presented to you can be independently corroborated, identify relevant inconsistencies and explain what cannot reliably be established.
Potentially. Information such as a person's claimed name, occupation, location, business interests, photographs or other background details may be researched using appropriate publicly available sources.We can identify information that appears to be independently corroborated, information that appears inconsistent and matters that cannot reliably be established. We will not assume that an inconsistency automatically means someone is being dishonest.
Potentially. Where there are concerns about an online identity, we may be able to research relevant publicly available information and assess whether elements of the identity or background presented to you can be corroborated.If you believe you are currently the victim of fraud or are at immediate risk of financial loss, you should also contact your bank and the appropriate authorities as soon as possible.
Potentially, yes. People tracing can use appropriate lawful research and publicly available information to develop potential leads relating to an individual.We will first need to understand who you are trying to locate, what information you already have and the reason you are seeking them. Every tracing enquiry is assessed before it is accepted.
Possibly. Even relatively limited information can sometimes provide useful starting points.The feasibility of a trace will depend on factors such as the accuracy of the information you have, how common the person's name is and whether there are sufficient details to distinguish them from other individuals. We can assess the available information before agreeing investigative work.
No. No responsible tracing service can guarantee that every individual will be located.The amount and accuracy of the starting information, the individual's circumstances and the availability of appropriate sources can all affect what can be established. We will report the outcome of the agreed enquiries, including where a reliable location cannot be identified.
Potentially, where there is a legitimate reason for the enquiry.Depending upon what you need to establish, research may examine relevant publicly available information concerning an individual's online presence, business interests, professional claims, media coverage and other appropriate sources.The investigation will be focused on the agreed questions rather than simply collecting as much personal information about somebody as possible.
Potentially. Digital footprint research can examine appropriate publicly available information across websites, social media, online profiles, archived web content and other relevant open sources.The purpose is not simply to collect everything that can be found. Research should remain relevant and proportionate to the legitimate questions you have asked us to investigate.
Potentially. Where appropriate independent sources exist, information provided by an individual may be researched and cross-referenced.We can explain what appears to be independently corroborated, identify relevant inconsistencies and distinguish matters that cannot reliably be established from the available information.
Potentially. Due diligence research can help provide a clearer understanding of an individual, company or proposed business relationship before you make an important decision.The scope can be tailored to the questions or concerns you have and may include appropriate research into individuals, companies, business relationships, corporate history and other relevant publicly available information.
Potentially. Research may examine relevant company information, directors, associated businesses, corporate history, adverse media and other appropriate publicly available sources.Rather than simply reproducing company records, the aim is to bring relevant information together, identify meaningful connections or concerns and provide a clearer overall picture.
Potentially. Relationship and association research may identify relevant publicly available connections involving individuals, directorships, companies and other entities.Any apparent relationship would be assessed in context. We distinguish between a connection that can be supported by available information and something that merely appears potentially associated.
No. We do not hack accounts, obtain passwords, bypass privacy controls or circumvent security measures to obtain unauthorised access to private information.Our digital investigations use lawful investigative methods, publicly available information and relevant information legitimately provided by the client.
No. Before accepting an investigation, we need to understand what you are trying to establish and the legitimate purpose behind the enquiry.We reserve the right to decline instructions where the purpose cannot be satisfactorily established or where the information sought could facilitate harassment, stalking, intimidation or other inappropriate or unlawful activity.
Potentially. Many open-source investigations involve researching publicly available information and may not require any contact with the person concerned.Whether this is appropriate will depend upon the circumstances, purpose and proposed enquiries. The investigative approach will be considered when agreeing the scope of work.
The cost will depend upon the nature, complexity and scope of your enquiry.Some clearly defined investigations may be suitable for a fixed fee, while more complex or bespoke work may involve an agreed amount of investigative time.Before investigative work begins, we will explain what we propose to do, the charging arrangement and what you can expect to receive. Where additional work outside the agreed scope may be beneficial, this will normally be discussed with you before substantial additional costs are incurred.
There is no standard timescale because every investigation is different.A focused online identity enquiry may require considerably less work than a complex tracing, analytical or corporate investigation.Where possible, an anticipated timescale will be discussed when the investigation scope is agreed. If something arises that is likely to materially affect that timescale, we will explain this to you.
The agreed deliverable will be explained before investigative work begins.Depending upon the service, this may include a written investigation report, intelligence assessment, chronology, analytical summary, supporting information or another agreed format.Our findings will explain what the available evidence supports and, importantly, identify relevant limitations or matters that could not reliably be established.
No. You do not need to understand investigative terminology or know whether you require OSINT, digital intelligence, evidence analysis or another particular service.Simply tell us what has happened, what information you already have and what you would like to establish. We can then consider whether James Rae Investigations may be able to assist and what type of investigation may be appropriate.
You can still make an enquiry.It would be impossible to list every circumstance in which investigative or analytical assistance might be useful. Tell us about your situation and the questions you need help answering.If the work falls within the services we can appropriately provide, we can explain how we may be able to assist. If it does not, we will tell you.
You don't need to prepare a perfect account or organise all of your evidence before getting in touch.Start by telling us three things:What has happened?What information do you already have?What would you like to establish?That gives us a starting point from which to understand your enquiry, identify the questions that matter and assess whether James Rae Investigations may be able to assist.
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