Question

Explain how social media can impact the process of gathering evidence in a fraud investigation.

Answer 1

Social media investigations are an increasingly common feature of any investigative effort. The police routinely use social media to gather evidence and build cases. A private investigator used a photo posted on social media to catch a Russian murder suspect in Brooklyn, NY. Thanks to the wealth of personal information online, social media investigations can be used to ascertain someone’s character, check for illegal or inappropriate behavior, to find someone, or to prove (or disprove) an alibi.

Social media investigations are incredibly powerful for two reasons. Firstly, over 81% of the adult US population is on some form of social media, and 79% of all American adults are on Facebook. Secondly, the complicated privacy settings and rules of sites like Facebook mean that most people don’t realize how easily accessible and public the information they post online actually is.

When a private investigator conducts a social media investigation, they’ll check popular social media sites like:

• Facebook
• Twitter
• Youtube
• Instagram
• LinkedIn
• Tumblr
• Reddit

Typical Use Cases:

Social media is a rich source of information for just about any investigation. If your goals include gathering information about someone’s movements, associates, or character, social media investigations are a great fit. Out of the hundreds of social media cases that we’ve handled, these are the most common use cases: