IFW Global | Investigations – Intelligence

Investigations | Intelligence | Recovery

We provide the expertise & global reach to investigate serious fraud, combat cybercrime and recover assets

60 Minutes Australia has received a major award after airing a story that reported on how IFW’s joint effort with Homeland Security Investigations exposed a major crime gang and saw 32 people arrested. Congratulations 60 Minutes!

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Asset Recovery

IFW Global offers a range of Asset Recovery services both local and cross border. If you have been a victim of a scam or organised fraud, we have an international team that has recovered millions of dollars in assets for clients. For further information or to discuss assistance, fill in the attached form and our team will be in touch.

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PAYMENT DIVERSION FRAUD

Businesses of all sizes around the world are under attack by cyber criminals with payment diversion on their minds. Widely respected Professor of Cyber Security Dr Alana Maurushat, also IFW Global Director, gives invaluable insights and instructions on how to protect yourself and fight back if criminals come hunting.
Our interactive eMagazine is free to download!
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LAW FIRMS AND INVESTIGATIONS

IFW Global’s private investigators work closely with law firms in Australia and worldwide. We can help you find the evidence you need in complex legal matters.
Download our free ebook to learn more about how IFW Global can assist you in your legal matters.
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ONLINE INVESTMENT FRAUD

IFW Global work in close alliance with international law enforcement agencies around the world to combat cybercrime and recover your stolen money.
Download our free ebook to know more about online investment fraud and how to recover your stolen assets.
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CORPORATE RISK DUE DILIGENCE

Our extensive network of international investigators and contacts regularly brings results to clients and companies who have been targeted by serious criminal networks or fraudulent parties.
Download our free ebook to discover how IFW Global helped recover assets for our clients in three typical cases.
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Successful companies have IFW Global behind them.

The effective and fast collation of safe, reliable and quality information gives them the edge when the truth matters.

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Due Diligence Intelligence Surveillance Background Checks Asset Recovery

Trusted for what is brought to light

Whilst traditional crime continues to grow, the threat of cybercrime is one of the most defining issues of modern times. As the Internet continuously expands, online criminals are finding sanctuary in unregulated environments around the world. However, as cybercrime trends evolve, so do we.

IFW Global has teams in Cybercrime, Fraud, Investigation and Asset Recovery - offering both high net worth individuals and corporations, peace of mind, discretion and effective options when crime threatens their assets and the value held by their stakeholders.

For many years, IFW Global has been investigating, exposing and disrupting financially motivated criminals and syndicates in all parts of the world. We deliver valuable protection through targeted online investigations, covert surveillance operations and by regularly referring intelligence and evidence to state, federal and international law enforcement agencies.

FEATURE ARTICLES

IFW Global Helps To Shine A Light On Missing Person Mystery

12/11/2019

Mystery surrounds the disappearance of Byron Bay backpacker Theo Hayez. After vanishing nearly six months ago, the only clues as to what happened have come from his cyber footprint. IFW Global Chairman Ken Gamble was interviewed for a new podcast, by The Australian newspaper, which is exploring the ...

Gambling on fraud and scam-busting success

04/11/2019

GEORGE TOWN: From snatching back a kidnapped child in Egypt and reuniting her with her mother in Australia, busting a vacation scam targeting holidaymakers, to busting an Olympic ticketing scam to arresting a boiler room gang in the Philippines that cheated thousands of people worldwide, investigato...

The Importance of Covert Surveillance to Law Firms and Corporations

24/10/2019

Often the key to winning legal or civil cases comes down to good intelligence gathering. Covert surveillance is a critical resource for gathering intelligence in the field. The ability of trained professionals to gather crucial evidence while staying in the shadows to monitor human behaviour has so...

IFW Global Chairman Helps Malaysia's Fight Against Cybercrime

10/10/2019

IFW Global strongly believes that the best way to tackle the growing issues surrounding cybercrime is through government and private sector collaboration. IFW Executive Chairman, Ken Gamble, recently shared his insights on organised cybercrime with high ranking officials from the Malaysian governmen...

IFW Global Exposes A Massive Crypto Con

25/09/2019

Organised criminal gangs across the world, who trawl the digital space for opportunities to make a fast buck have sunk their teeth into a crypto currency trading scam.And it’s raking in hundreds of millions of dollars across various fake foreign exchange trading platforms. The criminals behind the...

BUSTED! THE IFW GLOBAL INVESTIGATION THAT HELPED 60 MINUTES WIN A MAJOR AWARD

12/08/2019

Late in 2018 IFW Global allowed Australia’s 60 Minutes program to embed a film crew, as a major investigation into a crime gang was drawing to a dramatic conclusion. Seasoned reporter Liam Bartlett joined IFW Chairman Ken Gamble and his team as police in Manila raided two locations that were home ...

DIVERSITY IS THE KEY FOR CYBERSECURITY INDUSTRY’S BATTLE AGAINST CRIME GANGS

19/07/2019

Cyber security is arguably the fastest growing industry on the planet. Fighting back against scammers and fraudsters with an online presence is requiring a sustained and concerted effort from experts within the government and private sector. Universities like the University of Western Sydney are emb...

IFW GLOBAL - A TRUSTED RESOURCE FOR THE MEDIA AND YOU WHEN IT COMES TO CYBERCRIME

15/07/2019

Sky News Australia special program Whether it’s law firms, major global corporations or high-net-worth individuals, IFW Global is growing rapidly as a trusted resource for commentary and information on cybercrime. We not only pride ourselves on successful asset recovery and investigations but also...

LATEST BOILER ROOM BUST PROVES IFW GLOBAL’S WARNING ABOUT SCAMMERS

15/05/2019

When IFW Global Executive Chairman Ken Gamble led two major media outlets to the frontline in the fight against boiler room scams he warned that the scale of these illegal operations should not be ignored. IFW’s investigations have stopped major boiler room operations in the Philippines, put crimi...

IFW Global Podcast - Our Expansion into the USA

01/05/2019

Fighting fraud and cybercrime requires a sustained approach by IFW Global. That's why we are proud of a major announcement surrounding our expansion into the USA. This podcast features our Executive Chairman Ken Gamble talking from Miami, Florida about this momentous move.

American Headquarters set-up in Miami

30/04/2019

Media Release April 30, 2019 FORMER HOMELAND SECURITY SPECIAL AGENT STRENGTHENS IFW GLOBAL’S TEAM AMERICAN HEADQUARTERS SET-UP IN MIAMI Mike Nasca is a highly accomplished former Homeland Security Investigations Special Agent who is now spearheading IFW Global’s operations in America. And...

Former Homeland Security Special Agent strengthens IFW Global's team

30/04/2019

Mike Nasca is a highly accomplished former Homeland Security Investigations Special Agent who is now spearheading IFW Global’s operations in America. And he will be based on the frontline in the battle against fraud in the US - Miami, Florida. It’s a strategic move by IFW Global, which is now re...

Fraud Summit helps to build trust among agencies

16/04/2019

The Akolade APAC Fraud Summit in Sydney continues to grow as one of the most important events on the calendar when it comes to fighting cybercrime. IFW Global Chairman Ken Gamble chaired the event again this year and here he outlines why the summit is so important. “Put simply, building trust betw...

IFW Global called to help solve mystery behind massive fraud money location

03/04/2019

IFW Global's depth of experience was called upon by The Australian newspaper for insights into one of the hottest fraud cases in Australia right now. Our proven results mean we are trusted to offer informed opinions to global mainstream media. See the full article from The Australian below or c...

Finding Foster: Investigator Ken Gamble outwits a serial conman

12/03/2019

Who is Peter Foster For the best part of 30 years serial and notorious conman Peter Foster had outsmarted authorities in several countries. His criminal career has seen him rip-off people all over the world to the tune of around $100 million. His scams have involved bogus teas, slimming creams and ...

Cybercrime: how to make sure digital evidence is admissible

08/03/2019

Cybercrime is one of the biggest threats facing Australian businesses in 2019. Internet crimes, data theft and other offences can originate inside or outside an organisation, and both intelligence and digital evidence are needed to connect the perpetrator with the crime. Much information gleaned in ...

IFW Global a key player in the fight against cybercrime

05/03/2019

The global impact of cybercrime will no doubt eventually become a daily household discussion. It seems like only a matter of time before someone has a story to tell about feeling the virtual cold hand of an anonymous criminal impacting their lives. Every week, I am seeing major news events surroundi...

Due diligence: dos and don'ts

28/02/2019

Effective due diligence for your law firm Mergers and acquisitions can make organisations greater than the sum of their parts. However, they can also put companies at risk if they are exposed to undetected vulnerabilities. Corporate due diligence checks involve the thorough scrutiny of a business to...

60 Minutes presenter recounts his experience working alongside IFW Global

11/02/2019

IFW Global was recently involved in the take down of a boiler room operation that was captured by 60 Minutes Australia. The raid resulted in the arrests of 32 people. "60 Minutes has a proud history of chasing conmen and fraudsters and exposing systemic rip-offs and generally, they all look fa...

Philippines police raid catches scammers targeting Australians

11/02/2019

In the first three weeks of 2019, Australians have lost more than $15 million dollars to cold-calling scammers.These professional conmen are well spoken, smart, and specifically target older Australian men.They gain their victim’s confidence by offering them a deal on shares in legitimate companie...

60 Minutes: IFW Global take down Boiler Room operation

07/02/2019

Boiler Room investment scams use a combination of high pressure cold calling and dishonest sales techniques that cost Australians millions of dollars every year. Posing as a financial advisory firm selling too-good-to-be-true investment opportunities, these criminals target unsuspecting Austra...

5 steps to protect your business against cybercrime

11/01/2019

Cybercrime is now one of the greatest threats facing businesses of all sizes, and it's getting more serious every year.The latest report from PwC reveals that 45% of Australian companies fell victim to internet crimes over the last two years. This doesn't only include small start-ups either, with 40...

Meet the IFW team: Investigations manager Darren Kelly

09/01/2019

Meet the IFW team: Investigations Manager Darren Kelly Recently on the IFW Global blog, we have shared some of our team’s successes with you. We’ve been involved in boiler room raids, investigated multimillion dollar embezzlement cases and undertaken corporate investigations into overs...

Asset Recovery - How surveillance is used in the investigation

26/12/2018

If you're a victim of financial fraud, recovering your assets can be a challenge. Law enforcement agencies can be slow to pinpoint the location of suspects and assets, by which time it may be too late to secure a conviction.IFW Global deals with financial fraud cases as urgently as possible, giving ...

How can surveillance help in fraud investigations and asset recovery?

21/12/2018

How can surveillance help me in a fraud case? Investment fraud cost Australians around $40 million in 2018, according to figures from ACCC Scamwatch. With securities fraud, boiler room scams and other types of complex financial fraud on the rise, and professional criminal gangs getting smarter, high...

Common types of investment fraud in Australia

17/12/2018

International investment fraud is a growing problem. The number of investment scams reported to the Australian Consumer and Competition Commission increased by 33 per cent in 2017 and is set to rise further this year.Most of these scams originate overseas and target high net worth Australians. They ...

IFW Global a relationship you can trust...

06/12/2018

IFW build unique relationships with Law Firms. We work closely with them to achieve results and find answers in complex legal matters. Our relationship allows us to provide Law Firms with evidence that will inherently lead to better outcomes for clients and their cases. What this means for you is ...

32 Arrested in Boiler Room Raids to Bring Down International Crime Syndicate Targeting Australians.

30/11/2018

MANILA – Thursday 29 November 2018 - Authorities in the Philippines arrested 32 persons, including eight foreigners, over an investment scam targeting Australians at their office in Pasig City overnight. NCRPO head Police Director together with IFW Global operatives and US Homeland Security, serv...

Everything you need to know about cryptocurrency scams

18/10/2018

For many, cryptocurrencies – digital and virtual currencies secured by cryptography – are a scary unknown. But for a decade now, people from all walks of life have been legitimately using and trading this new type of currency for great rewards. Unfortunately, with any new investment opportunity ...

Why the Police can't help to get your money back

11/10/2018

The police are an important ally in any criminal investigation, but they face a number of limitations when it comes to fraud cases, and they rarely recover money in these situations. There are four main reasons why you need more than the police on your side when you are a victim of fraud. Jurisdicti...

Everything you need to know about Boiler Room Scams

27/09/2018

Boiler room scams get their name from the high-pressure sales tactics these organisations use to get people to invest their money, often in shady or non-existent investments. Most commonly, business owners will receive a cold call with details of a great investment opportunity. Often the scammers wi...

Cyber Scams: A Million Dollar Business

24/09/2018

Understanding how to spot a scam and knowing tactics that criminals use are paramount when staying safe against cybercrime. In a recent interview with Al Jazeera, IFW Global's Executive Chairman Ken Gamble revealed fraudsters cybercrime techniques and shared tips and tricks on how to detect a...

First steps for potential scam victims

20/09/2018

Timing is crucial when you're making financial investments. There's a feeling among some businesspeople that if you put your money in too soon or too late, this can affect how much money you make. When time is against you and you feel under pressure, it can be easy to make mistakes. It's this simple...

Swindle Kings of Manilla

14/09/2018

Al Jazeera has released a documentary made around the recent dismantling of a transnational criminal syndicate based in Manilla facilitated by IFW Global's Ken Gamble.

How to Know When to Bring in a Private Investigator

04/09/2018

A lawyer's life is always busy. Each case requires hours of research and often involves specialist work. The old saying goes that two heads are better than one, and a lawyer and a private investigator working together can be a lot more effective than trying to go it alone. Private investigation serv...

IFW Global brings down Philippines Boiler Room Gang

21/08/2018

IFW Global played a key role in the arrest of three suspects in a Boiler Room Fraud case in Muntinlupa City, Philippines last week. Operatives of the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) worked alongside IFW Global with a Special Operations Unit in an exclusive raid of suspects homes. One...

Case Study: Tracking the Defendant in an IPR Theft Case

06/08/2018

Intellectual property theft occurs when a company unlawfully uses or steals the trademarks, patents or inventions of another company. The FBI states that this practice costs billions of dollars a year to US businesses alone. IP theft often happens outside the country, as each nation has different la...

Case Study: Corporate Investigation for Mining Interests

31/07/2018

Corporate due diligence – an investigation of a company or companies typically done before entering into a business agreement – is a sensible undertaking before any contracts are signed. Due diligence is the best way to get a full overview of an organisation you're planning to work with or partn...

Case Study: Investigation of a Multimillion Dollar Embezzlement Case

20/07/2018

Embezzlement – the theft or misappropriation of funds trusted to someone's care – is a risk for any type of business. According to the latest report by ACFE, more than half of organisations (53 per cent) that fall victim to occupational fraud never recover any of their stolen assets, which can ...

How to Choose a Professional Private Investigator

03/07/2018

Cybercrime is now the greatest threat facing businesses in Australia. The average cost of a data breach was $2.51 million last year, according to the Ponemon Institute, and this can be especially damaging for legal firms if their clients' confidential information is compromised. Other illegal activi...

Melbourne Investors Stung in Global Foreign Exchange Ecam

20/06/2018

HUNDREDS of people have been arrested over a huge international foreign exchange scam which has cost Australian investors millions. Eight Israeli nationals were among up to 500 detained over the colossal online investment fraud, which zeroed in on Australians and South Africans. The Israelis are al...

Cops arrest nearly 500 in alleged online fraud in Pampanga

19/06/2018

MANILA, Philippines — Philippine police arrested nearly 500 people, including eight Israeli nationals, who they say were involved in an online investment fraud that victimised people overseas, including in Australia and South Africa, police said Thursday. In one of the Philippines' biggest anti-c...

IFW Global awarded at 4th National Summit on Cybercrime 2017, Manila

22/03/2017

4th National Summit on Cybercrime. I am honoured to accept today’s award, on behalf of IFW Global, at the PNP 4th National Summit on Cybercrime 2017. Today’s award was presented by The Philippine National Police, Anti-Cybercrime Group, at PNP Headquarters in Camp Crame, Quezon City. We are p...

Wikileaks releases CIA's 'entire hacking capacity'

09/03/2017

The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) knew about several flaws in software made by Apple, Google and Samsung and others, but did not tell the companies about them because it wanted to use them for spying, WikiLeaks says. The anti-secrecy group claims to have released a trove of top-secret CIA hacki...

Pharmacist who sold fake pills looking to get back into business

28/02/2017

Australian Broadcasting CorporationBroadcast: 22/02/2017Reporter: Nick Dole LEIGH SALES, PRESENTER: If you have ever spent time in hospital, you would know you sometimes are given needless or asked to swallow pills without necessarily understanding why. But you have probably never stopped to think ...

Conman Peter Foster a flight risk facing new charges after false Irish passport found in Byron Bay backyard

27/02/2017

CONMAN Peter Foster is facing new charges after police dug up a false Irish passport in his backyard. Foster’s home at Ewingsdale near Byron Bay was raided on Saturday after a tip-off he’d buried the passport while plotting to flee the country. The passport shows Foster’s face but uses the nam...

6th Australian Fraud Summit

21/02/2017

Date: 6th – 8th June – 2017, Swissotel SydneyDeveloped together with leading experts in the field, the Australian Fraud Summit 2017 will bring together global and local thought leaders across the public and private sectors to share practical and detailed case studies, as well as strategies in ta...

Alleged fraud victim discovered Peter Foster’s identity online

14/02/2017

Peter Foster at Gold Coast Airport yesterday as he is extradited to NSW. Picture: Steve Holland Police allege the investor transferred $1 million to Hong Kong company Bella Developments before Hughes disputed the amount owed and demanded further payments.After being tipped off to his real iden...

Ponzi Scheme Case Study - Peter Foster and The Sports Trading Club

19/11/2016

Fraud still rates as one of the highest threats to the public sector as does other forms of cyber crime. Technology has presented new challenges to Australian law enforcement and regulatory authorities and many of these challenges are yet to be overcome.IFW’s Executive Chairm...

How to Combat Counterfeiters on Chinese Marketplaces

28/10/2016

Securing your brand in order to safeguard against counterfeiters on the world's’ largest e-commerce marketplace, Alibaba, can seem like an overwhelming project. Alibaba ship nearly four times as many packages as Amazon per day. This year, Alibaba processed 300 million orders with a total...

Police nab film pirate in Pampanga

04/10/2016

Members of the Philippine National Police Anti-Cybercrime Group on Monday arrested a computer science graduate for allegedly uploading pirated films and TV shows online. Police identified the suspect as Rainier Tamayo, who was earlier complained by an international film group for leaking films on th...

Conman Peter Foster linked to four racehorses suspended by Racing Victoria

17/09/2016

RACEHORSE Azkadellia has been stood down amid an investigation into whether its real owner is notorious Gold Coast conman Peter Foster. Racing Victoria yesterday confirmed it would reject any race nominations for the mare, who started favourite in this year’s Stradbroke Handicap and won the $1 mil...

5th Annual Australian Fraud Summit 2016

11/03/2016

5th Annual Australian Fraud Summit 2016 with Ken Gamble 5th Annual Australian Fraud Summit 201624 – 26 May 2016 | Menzies Hotel, Sydney All levels of government and the private sector now engage in various forms of online transactions. As much as security systems are in place to prevent and de...

Payment Diversion Fraud - A disturbing new hacking trend hitting corporate Australia

11/03/2016

When Sydney business owner, Mr Tony Davies (not his real name), hit the send button on the $175,000 payment to Malaysia in October 2017, he had a bad feeling about the payment. His gut instinct told him something was wrong but he needed the shipment of products urgently to satisfy his customers in A...

Online scams bankroll terror cells

27/02/2016

A cyber fraud expert who helped bust sophisticated “boiler room” syndicates has warned authorities about terrorists setting up online scams to raise money for criminal cells. IFW Global Investigations executive chairman Ken Gamble helped hunt down Peter Foster after he allegedly defrauded victim...

International Conference on Cyber Law, Cyber Crime & Cyber Security 2015

13/08/2015

Welcome to the Website of International Conference on Cyber Law, Cyber Crime & Cyber Security The International Conference on #Cyber Law #Cyber Crime & #Cyber Security 2015, will be held on 19th November, 2015 at New Delhi, India. new6_e0 The International Conference on #Cyber Law #Cyber Cri...

3 Cyber Pirates Nabbed in Separate Raids

29/07/2015

The three are charged with violating the Intellectual Property Code of the Philippines which prohibits reproduction of copyrighted material such as TV programs or movies even for free viewing. ABS-CBN has filed three civil lawsuits in the U.S. federal district court against each of the defendants. ...

Call Centres: New Battle Front for Fake Drugs

07/06/2015

By KATHY CHU And TREFOR MOSS CLARK, Philippines—The new front line in rooting out fake medicine is an elusive one. This bustling call-center hub north of Manila hosts an army of phone operators pitching goods and services. Among the offerings, authorities allege, are counterfeit drugs. In one cal...

IFW Endorses 4th Annual Fraud Prevention and Detection Summit

24/04/2015

28th to 30th April 2015 - Radisson Blu Hotel, Sydney Fraud is becoming increasingly common in Australia and seems to be rising each year. According to Australian Securities and Investment Commission’s latest six-monthly enforcement report, the amount of white collar crime committed i...

Fugitive Peter Foster Located by IFW and Arrested!

29/10/2014

IFW’s cyber investigation team was instrumental in the arrest of serial con man, Peter Foster yesterday. Foster has been on the run from police for the past year. He was listed on Interpol’s most wanted list and was rumoured to be living on the NSW north coast. &n...

Aussie MH17 Plane Crash victims exploited on Facebook

23/07/2014

A number of Facebook pages were set up last week alleging to be tributes relating to victims of the MH17 plane disaster. Each of these Facebook sites contained a website link to goalshighlights.com, a website purporting to promote soccer highlights and other recent events. IFW traced the domai...

Online Sports Betting Fraud

27/05/2014

Corruption Prevention Network Forum Online Sports Betting Fraud The Prevention Network (CPN) Annual Forum was held in Sydney on 12 September 2013. The genesis of the CPN came from practitioners getting together in the early 1990’s with officers from the ICAC and Audit Office to consider how best t...

Investigations | Intelligence | Recovery