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aw investagators ltd
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we are based in the uk we are looking for new clients for any investigation work we have over 10 years experiance. we do servailance,personal,tracing,companys,legal investigations we accept callls 24 hours aday
Email: austen1@gmx.com
http://www.pinvestigator.co.uk
The Joint Select Committee on Cyber-Safety tabled its report on the Review of the Cybercrime Legislation Amendment Bill 2011.
Your privacy? Out the window? Your legal protection? Out the window. Only the Greens are seeking some sensible amendments. This bill is even more invasive and worrying that the controversial European Convention on Cybercrime.
Credit Card Fraud Prevention - a work by Karen Baldwin, student at Diverse Training Concepts. This is an excellent resource kindly provided by DTC, with permission from Ms Baldwin:
PLUS a case study of fraud, a work by Alison Baldwin, student at DTC, a thorough and intelligent look at dealing with fraud:
PLUS see the new 2011 Australian Fraud Conrol Guidelines
Chasing up a handful of well known dishonest private investigators or making representations to government or police commissioners about issues that concern private investigators, or improving the environment for PIs and police, Warren Mallard stands out in the crowd by making constructive efforts.
This latest article in The Association of British Investigators journal is enlightening reading.
CLICK TO READ THE ARTICLE PDF (2.35 meg - opens in new window)
Every year in Australia hundreds of Private Investigators and wannabe PIs are ripped off in online searches for their 'tools of trade'. How embarrassing to have to admit it.
One of the biggest Business to Business websites in the world, the giant Alibaba.com is riddled with fraudulent purveyors of just the kind of products PIs drool over. Don't think you are protected by the Gold Supplier status of some of these businesses (we use the word 'businesses' loosely).
Part of the problem of course is that some 'cowboys' who have read too many Tara Moss novels want to buy lock picks, disguised stun guns and devices that deliver voltages designed to totally disable another human being. Others want to pay the lowest possible price and either get tied into a minimum order quantity of hundreds or thousands of units, or (more likely) get offered a ridiculously low price and part with their money, never to see the product or their money again.
Quite often a Private Investigator may only want a cheap 'throwdown'; a cheap device that does the job and you can walk away from without any sense of financial loss. There is sound logic in that.
China is a great source for excellent product, but like India the chances of you getting ripped off one way or another are higher than 50%.
Espy.cc is an Australian supplier of electronics, gadgets and security and surveillance equipment. Espy is owned and operated by a retired electronics innovator and media writer.
The Espy.cc website lists only a small example of products available to Private Investigators. After all, why put pictures of covert devices on a website for all to see? Espy is all about discretion.
Espy has technicians and representation in Xiamen, Shenzhen, Shanghai and Hong Kong. Since 2000 Espy has been innovating and sending custom-made surveillance and security devices to clients around the world. From specialist high end infra-red illuminated monocular cameras, to inexpensive tracking, scanning, and sweeping devices, Espy can supply, ex-stock in Australia, on a RENT or BUY basis. If it is legal to own in Australia, Espy can and will source it for you quickly if they do not have it on stock immediately.
There is NO dropshipping, NO third party involvement, and PERSONAL service and advice. CCTV consultation, supply and installation is an Espy specialty.
Investigateway and Graham Whittaker of Espy support only lawful use of special electronic devices. We do not condone unlawful use of tracking devices or listening devices.
Graeme Bell and Richard Boddington of the School of IT, Murdoch University, Perth have shown that well established forensic evidence collection methods are useless where solid state hard drives are concerned and effectively a user of a SSD can get away with it, as it were. Indeed, when using practiced collection methods in forensics, the investigator is likely to destroy the data on the drive.
Read the fascinating and important research (PDF)
The new Trade Practices Amendment (Australian Consumer Law) Act (No. 2) 2010 impacts on everyone - consumers, businesses, credit providers and anyone offering, selling, demanding, promising, etc anything in Australia. It's an uniform law and from 1 January 2011 it will eliminate all the differing state laws, mostly as implemented by Fair Trading offices.
This new law may affect private investigators throughout Australia and it will hopefully rattle the crooks and cowboys in this business, as it should.
Several important downloads:
How to identify the signs of being under surveillance - advice from QCC in the UK.
If you spot any of the following signs and are suspicious that you may be under unauthorised surveillance, then you need to think about calling in counter surveillance experts to minimise the risk of losing further confidential business information.
A work by Trevor Pillinger - http://sfa.edu.au
Between the fire setter and the fireworks fan, it is a difference in degree, not a difference in kind (Clifford, W. 1983, First National Conference on Arson, p.1).
Motive
A motive is the cause, the reason or incentive that induces or promotes a specific behaviour. It will cause the individual to act in a particular way. Fire lighting motives may be summarised into five main groups. Fire setting is often a symptom of a highly complex behavioural problem, in which the actual motive may not be readily apparent and often the "why" can be difficult to determine. In fact, some fire setters who have no readily apparent motive merely ask "why not"? There are wide ranges of people who deliberately set fire. These can usually be categorised into the following types, although different researchers have different classifications and often break these up into sub-groups:
Another great resource from Wayne Carney of SPECIAL OPERATIONS GROUP AUSTRALIA. We thank him for assisting private investigators and investigation students. This is simply invaluable material you won't find anywhere else.
DOWNLOAD PDF (inside ZIP file 743 KB)
We support the principle of whistleblowing. Many an injustice and corrupt activity in high places has been exposed by people who had the courage and the means to blow the whistle at a handful of websites. We are regular visitors to
Long list of whistleblowing sites and tools http://leakdirectory.org/index.php/Leak_Site_Directory
Beware that some well known sites and forums are honeypots. Likewise some anonymizer services are in cahoots with authorities.
Useful advice from Stay Smart Online and Cyber Security event
The features that make your phone 'smart' also make it susceptible to viruses and malicious software. If your phone isn't secure and it is lost or stolen, your personal information including passwords, banking details, emails and photos could be used to access your money or to steal your identity.
Mobile phones are becoming more like mobile computers. They allow you to access the internet and email, download applications and games and store personal contacts, photos and information. You need to secure your phone in order to protect this information.
Top tips
Source: Tim Lohman, Computerworld
Identity theft rings have set their sights on the people who are unemployed and looking for work. Here's how to ensure you don't end up a victim.
As unemployment has increased, so too has the number of job search scams identity theft rings are perpetrating against desperate job seekers.
"We have seen a large proliferation of these scams over the past six to nine months because of the employment situation," says Lyn Chitow Oaks, chief marketing officer of TrustedID, which provides identity-theft protection services to individuals, families and businesses.
She notes that identity thieves are targeting job seekers because they're vulnerable and willing to share personal information as part of the job search process.
Two types of job search scams are most common, according to Oaks. One is a phishing scam, where identity theft perpetrators e-mail would-be victims to tell them about potential jobs and opportunities to make extra money. The e-mails direct recipients to websites that identity thieves have created specifically for gathering personal information, just as if it were a job application, says Oaks.
These fake applications request all the information job seekers would expect to provide, such as their name, address and phone number, as well as for information they may not expect to offer so early in the process, she adds, such as their Social Security number, permission to conduct a background check and bank account information.
"They tell you they need your bank account information so they can make sure your check can be direct deposited," she says, adding that they'll sometimes go so far as to say that they'll place money in your account and then remove it just to make sure it works.
"By allowing them to place money in your account and remove it, you let your bank know that this 'employer' can take money out of your account, and that's how they wipe out people's bank accounts," says Oaks. Never mind the fact that you'll never receive any information about any job from one of these e-mails.
Oaks adds that the identity thieves buy e-mail addresses from legitimate businesses who don't realize they're selling people's information to the Internet black market.
In the second scam, identity thieves pose as employers on legitimate job search sites. They post a generic job that would appeal to a large number of people, Oaks says, and in the course of talking to applicants, they ask for personal information.
"There are identity thieves all over valid and existing job search websites who are posing as employers," she says.
How to Protect Yourself
Copyright Computerworld
Our thanks again go to Warren Mallard of Lyonswood Group for his efforts to stop the illegal use of listening devices and tracking devices. We fully support his efforts and we encourage anyone with any information about the cowboys who sell, promote and use these electronic gadgets to contact us with any information.
It is against the law, so don't be fooled by the cheaters' language. These are cunning operators and they will lead you into deep water.
Michael, I write to you regarding the attached letter received from the Minister For Police in response to my representations. What precipitated my approach to the Minister was the obvious and brazen advertising by some Australian investigators and international companies regarding tracking and listening devices despite legislation being in place to prevent the advertising and use of these devices (For example, Surveillance Devices Act NSW and the Federal Telecommunications Interceptions Act).
I am aware of the person referred to in the letter and her predicament that was brought about through her involvement with an industry member. Today I received yet further advice of another tracking device being found on a vehicle and further police involvement. I am unable to comment further on the matter referred to in the ministers letter as this matter is before the court, suffice to say she sought my counsel regarding her predicament.
These are criminal offences. Anyone daring to continue this practice should prepare themselves for serious consequences.
If any industry members know of investigators advertising, selling, promoting or using these devices I would be interested to hear from them. If an investigators contractual employer insists upon the contract investigator using these devices to undertake investigations on behalf of the principal contractor or to purchase these devices from the principal contractor to use or obtain contractual work then they should consider the inherent risks they are taking in breaking existing laws.
I've come across an article in The New Yorker the other day that had quite a shattering impact on me and which is compelling because it deals with investigators, investigating and an innocent man killed by the American justice system.
The article portrays the fallacies and fallibility of the death penalty, but more significantly it drives home the serious possibility that you and I might at times have been too convinced of our investigative expertise and in the process have caused great harm to one who was innocent.
This is important reading for any investigator, especially arson investigators. Take the time to read it, you'll be the wiser for it.
[ CLICK THIS TO SEE THE ARTICLE ]
Michael Hessenthaler
Comprehensive resources kindly provided by a friend of this website, Wayne Carney of SPECIAL OPERATIONS GROUP AUSTRALIA. Wayne is an old hand at private investigations, security and training and we thank him for assisting established and new private investigators and also investigation students.
Covered in this resource:
EACH OF THESE LINKS OPEN IN A NEW WINDOW
OK, so you figure this is just the right stuff for you, huh? You simply have to know what your partner's up to, so what's a little risk!
There are several PI agents in Australia trading under well known business names selling special software that enables a mobile phone to become a listening device and a tracking device. They know fully well for what purpose people will use it. That's why they have mile long disclaimers, albeit they don't hold much water. They give you a hand every step of the way on how to use it and provide you the facility to "read" the transmissions.
I say don't let criminal cowboy PI agents lead you into dumb actions.
You won't get caught? You wish!
First of all, some of the handful of PI agents flogging this illegal software and encouraging people to use it by implication, or are directly involved in using it on behalf of clients, are currently under investigation by federal and state police. If you get caught in the same net, you won't feel too comfy. And don't kid yourself that the agent will protect your privacy. These guys are crims without scruples.
Don't believe me? Did you know that what they are selling you for big dollars can be purchased elsewhere on the internet for one tenth of the price? Illegal, nevertheless.
Yes, these cowboy PI crims like to make 1000% + profits.
And as soon as police will lean on them, they will squeal like stuck pigs. Cowards squealing like stuck pigs. They talk tough, but don't be fooled, they are miserly little scum with deep personality problems and complicated personal life issues.
The person who owns the mobile phone which you "infected" might not be quite as dumb as you think. He/she gets their monthly bill which includes internet access. And they will notice that suddenly their bills have excess data charges. This is because the special tracking and listening software uses an internet connection to keep a central server notified continuosly. Mountains of data transfer.
What do you think they will do with a phone bill that's suddenly double the usual amount? Complain to their network provider. And the network provider will show them logs where the excess data has been going. Great way to track you this time!!
If you are ignorant and stupid enough to buy and use this software from the known PI crims, then I will do my utmost to expose you and have the law come right down on you.
Michael Hessenthaler.
QUICK CHECK IF YOUR PHONE IS INFECTED
Three simple steps + one additional step:
Surveillance Self-Defense
Given the proliferation of powers by government agencies (police amongst them) to access your computer, your information, your phone and mobile phone calls and movements, the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) has created the Surveillance Self-Defense site to educate the public about the law and technology of government surveillance in the United States, providing the information and tools necessary to evaluate the threat of surveillance and take appropriate steps to defend against it.
Much if not all of the seriously important information the EFF has provided on their new site applies to people in Australia as, arguably, Australian laws give government agencies even greater capability to access your life and invade your privacy.
Surveillance Self-Defense exists to answer two main questions:
You might be surprised to learn just how quick and easy it is to break into your computer even if you use passwords and whole disc encryption. And short of detonating a 100kg bomb under it at the crucial moment, there's almost nothing you can do to protect your system.
Do you want these kinds of special services?
Have you been offered these kinds of services?
We want to hear from you!
Because we are keen to dob in the private investigators who either say they can do it, or do it.
Make no mistake about it, it's a crime.
We get regular emails here at investigateway.com.au from people who were 'clients' of sneaky thieving PIs, who were charged high fees (AKA bribes) to commit these criminal offences.
There are two kinds of PIs offering these services:
1. the crims who do it
2. the cheats that say they can do it, but can't. Yet they will take your money and come back to you with excuses or false information. Who is to know it's the truth? How do you test it? It's easy for them to say "no, no criminal record" and pocket your money.
We want to know about your experiences. We want the names and details of these crooks, fortunately a small minority, who give the honest professional investigators a bad name. Some of these crooks are quite well known, most are smart-assed small time crooks who are not capable of doing any better.
Tell us what you can and we will dob them to the authorities. If the service was offered or dealt with in emails, then we need not only the copy of the email, but also the email header data. If it's hard copy, then send it to us. Or just tell us what you can.
Don't allow yourself to be ripped off. A thief is a thief, no matter how supposedly 'helpful' he is.
MH. ed.
Quiz for Organisations:
This quiz will test your knowledge of the National Privacy Principles (NPPs). The NPPs form the law that applies to many private sector organisations. For more information about the NPPs, please go to: http://www.privacy.gov.au/publications/npps01.html
Question 1:
Generally, if an organisation holds personal information about an individual, it must provide the individual with access to the information on request. Which of the following is an exception to that rule?
(a) where providing access would have an unreasonable impact on the privacy of other individuals
(b) where providing access would excessively irritate the administration staff
(c) where providing access would be detrimental to the reputation of the organisation
(d) where the individual has not paid in full for goods or services already rendered, the organisation can deny the requesting individual access to any personal information held by the organisation
Question 2:
Generally, an organisation must not use or disclose personal information about an individual for a purpose other than the primary purpose of collection. Which one of the following is not an exception to that rule:
(a) the individual has consented to the use or disclosure
(b) the use or disclosure is required or authorised by or under law
(c) another organisation asks for the information for a marketing campaign (and this was not the purpose for which the information was collected)
(d) the organisation reasonably believes that the use or disclosure is necessary to lessen or prevent a serious and imminent threat to an individual´s life, health or safety
Question 3:
Generally, an organisation must set out in a document clearly expressed policies on its handling of personal information. Which of the following is not a responsibility regarding the privacy policy of an organisation?
(a) the organisation must make the document available to anyone who asks for it
(b) when someone asks, the organisation should take reasonable steps to let the person know what sort of personal information it holds and for what purpose
(c) when someone asks, the organisation must take reasonable steps to let the person know how it uses and discloses personal information
(d) the organisation must have a designated contact who is responsible for the proper management of privacy within the organisation
Question 4:
Private organisations that have an annual turnover of $3 million or less are generally exempt from the Privacy Act. Which of the following is not an exception to that rule?
(a) organisations that trade in personal information (e.g buying or selling a mailing list)
(b) organisations that are related to a larger business (a related body corporate)
(c) a contractor that provides services under a Commonwealth contract
(d) your local fish and chip shop
Question 5:
The Privacy Commissioner may decline to investigate a complaint if the complainant has not given the respondent an adequate opportunity to deal with the complaint. How long is generally considered ‘an adequate opportunity´ for an organisation to deal with the complaint?
(a) 7 days
(b) 30 days
(c) 60 days
(d) 90 days
Question 6:
Generally, when an organisation collects personal information about an individual, it must make the individual aware of a number of things. Which of the following must an organisation make individuals aware of?
(a) the identity of the organisation and how to contact it
(b) the fact that the individual is able to gain access to the information
(c) the purposes for which the information is collected
(d) all of the above
Question 7:
An organisation in Australia may transfer personal information about an individual to someone who is in a foreign country only under certain conditions. Which of the following is a condition?
(a) the organisation reasonably believes that the recipient of the information is subject to a regime that is substantially similar to the National Privacy Principles
(b) the organisation requires the transfer of the information to enhance business efficacy
(c) the individual to which the information relates to would reasonably expect the information to be passed onto a foreign country
(d) the organisation is required by the law of a foreign jurisdiction to disclose the information
Question 8: In total, how many Privacy Commissioner´s have there been in Australia?
(a) 1
(b) 4
(c) 6
(d) 9
Question 9:
True or False, if an employee of an organisation breaches the Privacy Act, it is the employee that must bear personal responsibility for the breach not the organisation as a whole?
Question 10:
Does your organisation have a privacy policy?
(a) yes
(b) no
ANSWERS
1: (a) where providing access would have an unreasonable impact on the privacy of other individuals
All the others are not valid reasons for denying access to personal information.
2: (c) another organisation asks for the information for a marketing campaign (and this was not the purpose for which the information was collected).
All the others are valid reasons for using or disclosing personal information about an individual for a purpose other than the primary purpose of collection.
3: (d) the organisation must have a designated contact who is responsible for the proper management of privacy within the organisation. However, the Office encourages organisations to have an appropriate contact (sometimes called a Privacy Contact Officer or Chief Privacy Officer) who is willing and able to handle privacy enquiries and complaints and who can ensure that the NPPs are properly implemented within the organisation.
4: (d) your local fish and chip shop
As long as the fish and chip ship is a small business earning $3 million or less, is not related to a larger business and does not trade in personal information.
5: (b) 30 days.
If a privacy complaint is lodged against your organisation, we consider 30 days to deal with or start dealing with the matter to be reasonable. In some circumstances, 30 days may be considered too long and it might be more appropriate to deal with the complaint more promptly.
6: (d) all of the above.
Apart from the those listed above, organisations must also take reasonable steps to ensure the individual it has collected information about is aware of: the organisations to which the organisation usually discloses information of that kind, any law that requires the particular information to be collected and the main consequences (if any) for the individual if all or part of the information is not provided.
7: (a) the organisation reasonably believes that the recipient of the information is subject to a regime that is substantially similar to the National Privacy Principles. The others are not valid reasons under the Privacy Act.
8: (b) 4.
The four Commissioners have been:
Judge Kevin O´Connor AM (1989 – 1996)
Moira Scollay (1996 – 1999)
Malcolm Crompton (1999 – 2004)
Karen Curtis (2004 – )
9: False. Under the Privacy Act, individuals cannot be found to interfere with the privacy of another individual because the Privacy Act only provides obligations on organisations and Australian and ACT Government agencies. However, organisations may be able to take action against employees who are responsible for the organisation breaching the Privacy Act.
10: If you answered no, then it would be a good idea to draft one. Many organisations are under an obligation to set out in a document clearly expressed policies on its management of personal information. If you would like to know more about what to include in a privacy policy, see our website www.privacy.gov.au or contact our Enquiries Line on 1300 363 992.
Rating scale
Score:
9-10 Privacy guru
7-8 Very privacy aware
6-7 Moderately privacy aware
4-5 Not so privacy aware
0-3 You may like to contact our Privacy Enquiries line on 1300 363 992 or write to privacy@privacy.gov.au for information about privacy.
Copyright - Privacy Commissioner
