The art of the Profile

One of the tasks that we’re assigned on a daily basis within the field of Open Source Intelligence is to profile subjects/ targets.

Over the years I’ve seen many “profiles” generated for clients by investigators that amount to little more than a credit search. There remains a world of difference between a profile and a quick search at the push of a button.

Within our practice it’s quite normal to generate between 50 and 100 profiles a month. Most of these are relatively detailed documents.

A profile is supposed to paint a picture – who is this person, where do they come from, where have they been, what are their capacities and abilities and of course – are they whom they claim to be. Sometimes the profile is a matter of tracing a party in litigation, others it’s a suspect that’s gone to ground or even a due diligence before entering into a business partnership. Credit Databases are often the starting point for profiles.

The level of detail required in a profile will always guide the cost and depth. That being said, there is no single credit system in South Africa that will provide all the required information. While often asked “which is the best credit database” there truly isn’t one. It’s a combination of searches against a variety of bases with differing levels of access.

Many investigators and attorneys don’t even realise that credit databases have for the most part got tiered levels of access. An investigator can see more than a business who do credit granting enquiries. A Certified Fraud Examiner can see more than an investigator (and leaves no footprint) while attorneys can often access data that others cannot depending on their speciality.

Credit data is a fantastic starting point but requires cross referencing between at least two databases for accuracy and comprehensive data. In addition, it is a best-practice to acquire a full face photo of the subject to make visual confirmation possible. In an age where identity theft is rife, this is paramount to keeping investigations on track and focused on the right suspects.

When reading the credit data, what is NOT there is as important as what is. This is where the narrative and observations of a skilled digital investigator/ analyst are critical. While most bureau and low-fee tracing agents will just provide a copy and paste of credit data, an analyst will identify and note patterns of behavior in spending/ lending, movement of addresses, predictability of their next move and of course spot any potential fraud indicators.

Beyond this data, a harvest of all available social media accounts is required. Where does the subject maintain an active online presence, what is their platform preference etc. This information is important in terms of understanding their habits and potentially location.

Company directorships should always be highlighted including where appropriate resigned directorships. Commonality in the way the entity is registered should be observed to note patterns and obfuscation of intent. Particular attention should be paid to entities that may hold properties within them. Data should be scrutinized for signs of a trust or other financial vehicle that could be used to disguise assets. Links to other directors and parties should be highlighted within the scope of the request.

As a guide, a detailed profile should cost around R 2000-6000 depending on the level of required detail. As always in a complicated market, you get what you pay for and should shop around from time to time to ensure that you’re getting the full available data and proper analysis to go with it - all within the framework of privacy and prevailing regulations.