Identity Theft · No. 09
Identity Theft Investigation in New York City
Identity theft investigation, source tracing, and recovery work when standard remediation isn't enough.
Identity theft investigation, source tracing, and recovery work when standard remediation isn't enough.
Most identity theft cases get handled by the credit reporting agencies, the banks, and the FTC's free remediation tools. The cases that reach us are the ones where those tools have failed. Where the theft is ongoing despite freezes and disputes, where there's reason to believe the perpetrator is someone known to the victim, or where the financial scale makes a real investigation worth running.
If your identity has been stolen and the perpetrator is just an anonymous data breach criminal, the standard remediation process is what you need, and you don't need to spend money on a PI. The cases where we add value are: ongoing fraud despite credit freezes. Theft by a family member, ex partner, caregiver, or employee where you need to know who's responsible before deciding what to do. And high dollar fraud where civil recovery is realistic if the perpetrator can be identified.
When fraud appears to be ongoing or originates from someone who knows you, we run the investigation backward from the fraudulent activity to identify the actual person responsible. This is investigative work. Interviewing, surveillance where appropriate, document trails. Not credit monitoring.
Once we identify a perpetrator, we work with counsel on the path you want to take: civil recovery (suing for the stolen funds and associated damages), criminal referral to the appropriate jurisdiction, or both. We coordinate with NYPD's Identity Theft Unit and federal authorities when the case is severe enough for criminal interest.
After we identify and stop active fraud, we can audit your exposure. What data is out there, what accounts need to be locked down, and what monitoring should continue. For executives and high net worth people we offer ongoing identity protection retainers.
These usually start with a flat fee assessment of how far the theft has spread, then move to hourly investigative work if you decide to trace the source and support your recovery.
The main things that move the fee:
The initial assessment is a flat fee; tracing the source and supporting your recovery is billed hourly from there. Every case is quoted individually. The initial consultation with David is free and confidential, and you’ll get a written estimate before any work begins, with no obligation.
Straight answers to what clients ask most. If yours isn't here, call David directly for a free, confidential consultation.
We investigate how the theft happened and who is behind it. Tracing fraudulent accounts, documenting unauthorized use, identifying the point of compromise, and building an evidence file you can give to police, banks, and credit bureaus to support disputes and a criminal complaint.
Place a fraud alert or freeze with the credit bureaus, file reports with your bank and the FTC, and document every unauthorized transaction. Then bring that file to us. We pick up the investigative side. Establishing the scope, the timeline, and where possible, the source.
Sometimes, yes. Where there is a digital or financial trail, lawful investigation can point to a source. A compromised vendor, a known associate, or a pattern tied to other victims. We are honest about what the evidence will and will not support in your specific case.
Banks and bureaus resolve disputes faster when you can show a documented, investigated account of the fraud rather than just asserting it. Our report and evidence strengthen your claims and support a police report if charges are pursued.
Yes. Corporate identity theft. Fraudulent filings, hijacked business credit, or impersonation of your company. Is investigated the same way: set up the scope, trace the activity, and document it for your counsel and the authorities.
An identity theft investigation usually begins with a flat fee assessment of the exposure, then moves to hourly work if you choose to trace the source and support recovery. We scope it with you at a free consultation so you know the cost before committing.
New to working with an investigator? See how we work, our confidentiality standards, or why a licensed PI matters.
From the field: How to tell if your identity has been stolen.
New York Intelligence Agency works across all five boroughs and the surrounding metro. Understanding the population we serve. Its scale, density, and makeup. Informs how we plan surveillance, locate people, and build cases in the city.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (New York City).