What is it?

This profession brings together two related activities. Fraud investigation establishes the facts when fraud is suspected: embezzlement, false invoicing, corruption, conflicts of interest, insurance fraud. Compliance prevents the risk: checking who your clients, suppliers and their beneficial owners are (KYC, “know your customer”), and meeting anti-money laundering and counter-terrorist financing (AML/CTF) obligations and international sanctions regimes.

Both rely on the same skills: collecting reliable information, cross-checking it, spotting inconsistencies and documenting conclusions that can be defended before management, a regulator or a court.

Who is it for? Banks, insurers, accounting and law firms, notaries, real estate agents, exporters, public bodies, and any organization that suspects fraud within its walls.

Use cases

Suspected internal fraud

False expense claims, fictitious supplier, inventory theft: reconstruction of flows, interviews, factual report for management or the board.

Vetting a client or partner (KYC)

Identity, shareholding, beneficial owners, politically exposed persons, adverse media.

Sanctions screening

Checking that a client, supplier or intermediary is not on sanctions lists (UN, EU, Canada, United States…).

Anti-corruption due diligence

Assessing a sales agent or intermediary abroad before entrusting them with business.

Insurance fraud

Suspicious claim, inconsistent statements: document review, open-source research and, if needed, field investigation.

Compliance programme audit

Reviewing an organization's KYC and AML procedures and identifying gaps before an inspection.

How an assignment unfolds

Practices vary from one professional to another, but a serious assignment generally follows these steps:

1

Scoping

Which facts or which risks? Which regulatory obligations apply (sector, country)? Who has access to the findings?

2

Collection

Internal documents, company registers, sanctions lists, court decisions, press, open sources; interviews if needed.

3

Analysis

Cross-checking flows and links between people and companies, spotting inconsistencies and red flags.

4

Report

Sourced findings, a clear line between established facts and hypotheses, recommendations (protective measures, reporting, complaint, stronger controls).

5

Follow-up

Support with lawyers, the insurer or the regulator; periodic updates for compliance.

Qualifications and framework

What we require: a registered business and professional liability insurance. Recognized qualifications are professional certifications, for example CFE (Certified Fraud Examiner) or CAMS (anti-money laundering). When a professional displays this kind of qualification on their profile, ask for proof. Field investigations of individuals fall under private investigation and then require a licence.

Our checks are described in detail on the page How we verify.

Limits to be aware of

It is not a police investigation: the professional has no coercive powers; they work with lawfully accessible information and what the client organization can provide.
Employment law and privacy: monitoring an employee or reading their email is subject to strict rules that vary from country to country; legal scoping beforehand is essential.
Compliance cannot be fully outsourced: a provider can check and advise, but the obligation remains with the regulated organization.
No guaranteed result: well-organized fraud may leave few usable traces.

Good reflex: at the first suspicion, preserve documents and IT access, limit the number of people informed, and call in a professional before any confrontation.

Rates

Each professional sets their rates according to the scope, urgency, country and technical complexity of the assignment. Seek & Find does not set these prices: always ask for a written quote detailing the method, the deliverable and the timeline.

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Seek & Find lists vetted professionals: browse their profiles and contact them directly.

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Fraud and compliance