Asset Searches

There are many reasons why you may want to conduct an Asset Search, including:

• Uncovering embezzlement and employee fraud
• Investor due diligence:
• Before filing litigation:
• When considering a settlement
• When getting a divorce or getting married
• Recovering a judgment
• Going into business with someone new
• Probate court issues
• Lending money

ASSET SEARCH - GENERAL OVERVIEW

An asset search can be an extremely specialized type of investigation that flows in any variety of directions.

Our previous successful asset search investigations began by accessing public databases and completing a comprehensive background check and locate, which includes:

Our successful asset search process will usually discover a subject’s financial interests in the following areas:

• Real or Personal Property
• Motor Vehicles, Aircraft and Watercraft
• Ownership or Interest in Corporations, LLCs, LLPs, etc.
• Trademarks or Service Marks, Patents
• UCC Interests
• Judgments, Liens, Bankruptcies
• Checking and Savings Accounts
• Brokerage Accounts
• IRAs and Retirement Accounts
• Offshore Accounts
• Stock Accounts

All searches are conducted in compliance with the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) and GLB financial privacy laws and also include:

* a complete current and past address and/or property ownership history; a current and past vehicle ownership history;

* an email address and social network history,

* a land line and cell phone history;

* a criminal arrest/probation/parole history and

* we also compile a list of known family members and associates and current/previous neighbors or and other pertinent information.

This will lead to a complete financial profile that is both accurate and actionable.

From there, it may depend on where your litigation stands. (i.e. if you’ve obtained a lien or judgment,

CREDIT HISTORY RESEARCH

A person’s or business’ credit history plays a critical role in any comprehensive asset search.

Identifying the current debts of consumers or businesses is our next effort for identifying active banking and lending relationships. It can also be a highly valuable took for evaluating your subject’s overall financial health, and adjusting strategies and expectations accordingly.

Certain criteria must be met before a consumer report can be legally obtained from one the credit bureaus, such as Transunion, Experian or Equifax, as outlined in the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA). Permissible purposes include collection of a civil judgment, risk evaluations by insurers, investor due diligence and other legitimate business needs involving transactions initiated by the consumer.

Credit reports contain an overview of consumer credit cards, charge cards, car loans, credit lines, collection accounts, and mortgages, as well as their current status and payment history. This information often contains valuable leads for identifying the subject’s active banking relationships, which is a separate but related process in the asset search.

FINDING BANK ACCOUNTS

Usually, when someone is trying to hide money, they create bank accounts that are registered under multiple different names or entities. Often, they attempt to conceal their assets at overseas or out-of-state financial institutions or even a shell or sham corporation, a non-operative LLC or use alias’ to avoid detection.

And, of course, technology allows anyone to manage online banking to establish overseas accounts without leaving their desks.  Creating multiple bank accounts is relatively easy.

Public registries of corporate and LLC information are generally maintained in each state by the respective Secretary of State, and provide searchable information on registered agents, officers, and incorporators.  In certain states, this information is free; others charge a nominal fee for searching their records.  This is often the appropriate place to begin a search for alternate entities and corporate vehicles that may be used by an individual to conceal assets.

However, successfully locating shell corporations, LLCs, and special-purpose entities is a complex and intensive process that generally requires more advanced methods of asset search investigation. Some of the most valuable methods and sources are restricted to law enforcement and licensed private investigators, such as proprietary databases, vendor records and payments, and third party information.

This is one of the reasons why hiring a private investigator can be essential when seeking information on undisclosed assets, including overseas and out-of-state accounts.

OTHER INVESTIGATIVE ROADS

And then, it gets tricky. We pursue obtaining addresses of bank branches where your subject has accounts for potential subpoena. We have partnered with specialized forensic investment analysts who can also research stock purchase histories, brokerage account histories and/or retirement account histories.

An asset search investigation can be a long and winding road of leads and investigative pursuits, including conducting field investigations and canvass, a check of proprietary databases, partnering with foreign investigators for out of country accounts, conducting surveillance, pursuing vendor records and other payment histories.

Each case is unique and we approach each asset search investigation with a comprehensive free, initial consultation prior to engaging in an agreement.

Please contact us at 314-238-1367 or email at [email protected] for a free consultation.