Open-source and public-record research
Search relevant public sources within the agreed purpose and record the jurisdictions covered.
Private Investigation Service
Background and Identity Checks
Verify relevant public identity and background information, distinguishing confirmed records, possible matches and unresolved discrepancies.
Overview
What this enquiry can establish
Private background enquiries should be specific to a legitimate decision, not an indiscriminate search for personal information. We agree the questions, relevance threshold and lawful sources before collection begins.
What the enquiry may examine
- Identity consistency and alias indicators
- Employment, business and directorship history where public
- Litigation, insolvency and adverse media indicators
- Material inconsistencies requiring clarification
Method
How the work is approached.
Methods are selected only after purpose, legality, proportionality and evidentiary requirements have been assessed.
Cross-source identity resolution
Compare names with other identifiers and separate confirmed from possible matches.
Chronology and discrepancy analysis
Arrange dated records into a timeline and identify inconsistent or missing periods.
Source reliability and recency assessment
Assess who published the record, when it was updated and whether it has been independently corroborated.
Deliverables
What you may receive.
Final deliverables depend on the agreed scope and what can lawfully and reliably be established.
Structured background report
A report structured around the agreed verification questions.
Identity and chronology table
A table explaining the identity matches and dates relied on.
Referenced findings with confidence levels
Referenced conclusions with the confidence of each material match stated.
Gaps, limitations and matters requiring consent-based verification
Checks that could not be completed and those requiring consent or specialist authority.
Preparing a useful enquiry
Explain the decision you need to make and which claim matters: identity, a business interest, a stated role or a specific history. Use exact identifiers where lawfully available. Searches should be proportionate to that decision, with consent-based checks considered where appropriate.
Practical questions before work begins
Public records have different coverage and update cycles. A same-name result may concern another person, and an absent result is not proof of a clean history. Ask what was searched, the period covered and how the person was matched. Protected records require the relevant lawful authority.