Know Your Investment

 Don’t Let Investment Fraud Steal Your Profits. Secure Your Future with Checks & Traces.

$4.57 billion

Lost by Global Businesses to investment scams in 2023

38%

Increase in occurrence of investment scams.

$726 million

Lost by businesses in 2023 alone, due to fake partnerships.
“Investment Fraud is a bigger risk than ever.”

Generic, automated investment due diligence is not enough. Fraudsters use sophisticated methods to bypass them.

Two men in an office with graphs on the table; one is smiling while the other explains the data, representing the value of Know Your Investment checks for informed decision-making.

Trusted by leading Organisations

What Our Investment Screening Provides

Our Comprehensive KYI Due Diligence Framework
To combat sophisticated investment fraud, we employ a multi-layered due diligence framework. Our analysis moves beyond automated searches to provide a holistic view of the risks and opportunities associated with any investment target.
Corporate & Legal Verification
We establish the foundational legitimacy of the investment entity. Our analysts verify corporate registration details, review official filings, and conduct thorough searches for past and pending litigation. This critical first step ensures you are dealing with a legally sound and reputable organisation.
Financial & Reputational Vetting
Our investigation scrutinises the individuals and entities behind the investment. We perform deep adverse media analysis, screen against global sanctions and watchlists, and identify any connections to politically exposed persons (PEPs). This uncovers hidden reputational risks that could impact your investment
Digital & Offshore Analysis
We conduct a forensic analysis of the target’s digital footprint, including websites and online assets, to identify sophisticated scam indicators. Our expertise in tracing complex corporate structures allows us to identify and investigate any undisclosed links to offshore holdings or shell companies.

Investment Verification

Investment Verification

Is the investment opportunity linked to a legitimate and verifiable business?

Management & Reputation Analysis

Management & Reputation Analysis

Does the company or its leadership have concerns about online activity or reputational risks?

Corporate Registration Review

Corporate Registration Review

Is the company properly registered and operating within the correct jurisdiction?

Corporate Structure Analysis

Corporate Structure Analysis

What corporate structures, subsidiaries, or offshore entities are linked to the investment?

Adverse Media Review

Adverse Media Review

Is there negative media coverage connected to the company or its leadership?

Ownership & Control Review

Ownership & Control Review

Who are the directors, shareholders, and ultimate beneficial owners behind the investment?

Political Exposure Check

Political Exposure Check

Are any individuals involved politically exposed or connected to government officials?

Litigation History

Litigation History

Has the company or its leadership been involved in significant legal disputes?

Sanctions Screening

Sanctions Screening

Do the company or associated individuals appear on international sanctions lists?

Know Your Investment

Verify investment opportunities before committing capital. Our investment due diligence investigates companies, leadership, ownership structures, and reputational risks to identify potential fraud indicators and hidden risks behind investment offers.

Get Started in 5 Simple Steps

1. Initial Consultation & Scope Definition

Our process begins with a confidential consultation to understand your investment thesis, risk appetite, and specific areas of concern. This allows us to define the precise scope of the due diligence required.

2. Intelligence Gathering & Analysis

Our expert analysts deploy a multi-jurisdictional approach, using advanced systems to discreetly investigate the investment. We conduct a thorough evaluation of its corporate structure, principals, and financial reputation.

3. Delivery of Strategic Intelligence Report

Within 7 business days, you’ll receive a detailed report containing all verified data, our risk assessment, and actionable intelligence, highlighting key findings and potential red flags with a clear recommendation.

4. Decision Support & Strategic Context

We don’t just deliver a report; we provide clarity. Our team is available to discuss the findings and provide the strategic context needed to empower your final, confident investment decision.

At Checks & Traces, Data Ethics is a core principle. Our checks are purposefully developed to provide crucial insights for our clients to make informed decisions while protecting the integrity of all involved parties, including people and companies being screened.

Our General Manager, James Smith, specialised in Data Ethics and Privacy Protection as a member of the School for Data Science and Computational Thinking and the Unit for the Ethics of Technology at Stellenbosch University. James is certified in Research Ethics Evaluation with TRREE and ensures all screenings are compliant with international data protection and ethical standards.

Checks & Traces has a zero tolerance for the misuse of our services. Any attempts to use our services for illegitimate purposes, such as doxxing, harassment, or extortion are quickly identified and reported to the relevant authorities.

Ethical Screening, Always.

Click Click vs. Checks and Traces

“Click-click” is used in the intelligence industry to describe automated intelligence investigations that produce reports without human analysis.

At Checks & Traces, we believe in the power of human expertise. While we leverage advanced technology and vast global databases, our employee screenings are always conducted, verified, and interpreted by skilled analysts.

Our team of experts, trained in open-source intelligence and cyber investigations, meticulously assesses candidates to uncover key risk indicators. We go beyond data to deliver comprehensive and contextual insights.

Features Click-Click Checks and Traces
Human Analysis No Yes
Design Expertise Coders Corporate Security Experts
Check Focus Generic Database Queries Targeted Risk Indicators
Compliance Minimum Requirements Enhanced & Meaningful Insights
Outcome Ticks a Box Mitigates Risks & Protects Your Business

Questions? We have all the answers.

Investing in a financial advisor or a new opportunity can be exciting, but it’s important to do your due diligence. KYI checks provide peace of mind for investors at all levels, including individual investors, venture capitalists, fund managers, and consultants. These checks help ensure the legitimacy of your advisor or investment, minimising the risk of fraud and avoidable problems.

Yes. Our investigations can examine companies and individuals operating across multiple jurisdictions. We use global data sources and investigative techniques to assess investment opportunities beyond a single country.

We combine human expertise with advanced AI to ensure a thorough investigation. Our analysts use cutting-edge technology to uncover critical insights that automated systems or analysts alone might miss, providing a comprehensive and accurate risk assessment.

To start the process, we typically require the name of the company or individual involved in the investment opportunity. Additional details such as website links, investment materials, company registration numbers, or known associates can help guide the investigation.

The report outlines verified corporate information, ownership structures, key individuals associated with the investment, and any identified risk indicators. It may also highlight reputational concerns, litigation history, or other findings relevant to assessing the legitimacy of the opportunity.

Absolutely. We adhere to all legal standards and conduct our checks with the utmost respect for client confidentiality. Our General Manager, James Smith, with a Master’s in Data Ethics, oversees all processes to ensure they meet the highest ethical standards.

Our investigation focuses on red flags specific to investment fraud, including verifying company registration and litigation history, identifying offshore holdings, checking for sanctions or adverse media, and analysing the investment’s digital assets for forensic scam indicators.

Most investigations are completed within 7-10 business days, depending on the complexity of the company structure, the jurisdictions involved, and the amount of publicly available information.

The dedicated Checks & Traces support team is here to assist you. If you have any questions or concerns about your report, please contact us at info@checksandtraces.com. We will address your inquiries promptly and work to resolve any issues.

No. Our investigations rely on discreet open-source intelligence methods and database analysis. The individuals or organisations being investigated are not contacted or alerted during the process.

Absolutely! We take pride in the quality of our work. You can download a sample report here to see the level of detail and insights we provide.

Checks & Traces is powered by the expertise of Futurum Risk, a team of corporate security and cyber investigation specialists. Connect with our leadership team, James Ellender and James Smith, on LinkedIn to learn more about their extensive experience in the field.

Download Sample Report

Enter your details below to download a sample report. We won’t share your information with any third parties.

Checks and Traces has access to over 3000+ data sources

Billion individual profiles
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Million new data points collected daily
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Customer Reviews

“The team was remarkably swift in providing us with detailed screening reports, despite the tight timeframe we were working with. Their efficient and timely support was instrumental in our recruitment process, allowing us to review risk levels effectively”.
Swire Company Logo with a white background
Manager
John Swire & Sons
“We requested a risk profile analysis on a potential candidate applying for a position with our organisation. Information was provided to them to verify the candidate’s details. We further required verification of the subjects' online presence and engagements which is important for our organisation to ensure that staff do not have negative or other affiliations. All of this information was provided within the timeframe allowing us to make an informed decision regarding the position being offered”.
DAN company logo with a white background
Ann Schwaeble
Financial Director, DAN Southern Africa
“I connected with someone online during the pandemic and we started a long-distance relationship. Several months in, she asked me to invest in her beauty salon in Indonesia. Initially, I made a modest investment, but shortly thereafter, she requested a significantly larger amount. I conducted a background check and Checks & Traces discovered that all the photos were linked to someone else, along with various scam profiles”.
Anonymous
Private Client

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FAQs

Checks & Traces is a team of highly trained intelligence professionals trained at a government standard to utilise powerful machine learning, web scraping, and AI tools to gather targeted information globally.

Checks & Traces is a branch of Futurum Global, a risk and intelligence company serving governments and multinationals for over a decade. Developed to offer direct-to-customer intelligence services, Checks & Traces makes it easier for individuals and companies to access targeted information on demand. 

Absolutely. Our checks are entirely legal. We are intelligence experts collecting open-source information and analysing it to highlight legitimate concerns.

No. We use various proprietary tools, databases, covert profiles, hidden devices, and operating systems, along with government-level trained investigators to identify information and concerns. You could probably service your own car, but it’s often best to leave it to the professionals.

Typically, we deliver a comprehensive report within 7 working days, depending on complexity. If something concerning arises, additional time may be needed to verify findings.

We invest in powerful data collection and analysis tools and provide extensive training to our team. If you believe we’ve missed something, we’ll conduct further investigation into your concerns.

Follow our Work

Follow our Blog and Instagram @checks.and.traces for regular tips to secure your privacy.