..how to tell if your business partner is committing fraud
Strong, successful business partnerships are built on trust. Your connection to a client, supplier or another organization is dependent on shared goals and always being on the same page.
What if that secure feeling changes? Even if you’ve already carried out due diligence checks, sudden behavioral changes in a business partner might make you feel like the ground is shifting beneath your feet. These odd behaviors could include secrecy or a lack of transparency about their professional actions. Perhaps it shows up as an unwillingness to share financial records, inconsistent records regarding business operations, or unexplained transactions.
Here at The Owl, we are often called in by clients who sense something isn’t quite right in their business relationship and who are seeking an explanation, whether it’s a red flag or a feeling of change.
Maybe it’s following a takeover at a partner company, or there have been new hires in the executive team. Maybe there are irregularities in transactions, or new and unusual supplier relationships. It could be that clients join the business who set off alarm bells.
The minute you start second-guessing your company’s safety, you need to call in the experts. Our team of Owls are multicultural and multilingual, enabling us to embark on cross-border investigations to lift the lid on shady business, which gives you the reassurance you deserve.
We will go beyond initial due diligence on new hires within executive teams, searching deeper to see if they have any dubious connections, as well as examining new partnerships that your business has forged to make sure they’re legitimate.
We can even work on the ground, carrying out drive-by checks to surveil businesses at their registered addresses, helping you get to the bottom of any questions you have.
If things start to feel shady, and you suspect something is wrong, trust your instinct. Call in specialized investigators and legal eagles. Your only responsibility is to cover yourself and protect the reputation of your business.
If you obtain proof of any suspicious activity, you’ll need to build a full paper trail and work with your attorneys to extricate yourself from a potentially complex business partnership.
At The Owl, we’re proud to be the first port of call for our clients when they have suspicions. We shine a light into those dark shadows where criminals lurk, so there’s nowhere to hide shady behavior.
