Blog Archives - Page 2 of 4 - McLaughlin Investigative Group, Inc.

Ghana is still having problems with fake driver's licenses

May 29, 2014 McLaughlin PI Leave a Comment

The general public in Ghana has been warned again about buying fake driver licenses. The DVLA spokesman reminded people they need to be tested to ensure road safety and as result started offering computer based written tests.

Auto Insurance companies in Massachusetts should verify all foreign driver licenses, not just driver licenses from Ghana. Using a local private investigative agency with international connections and experience will save the insurance companies thousands of dollars in claims and help make our road ways safe.

Another example of how a $50 to $100 background check would have saved a company's reputation and about $100,000 that belonged to people who are less fortunate

October 10, 2013 McLaughlin PI Leave a Comment

In Idaho a trusted employee, Leslie Briggs, of a nonprofit company that helps people manage their money who have trouble managing their own money stole over $100,000 from an account that she managed. If that is not bad enough, she was convicted on two previous embezzlement cases before she started working at her current job. A simple, inexpensive pre-employment check would have discovered these convictions. I am sure her employer would not have put her in the position to manage funds if they knew she was already convicted of embezzlement.

See… http://idahobusinessreview.com/2013/10/10/embezzling-trust-in-pocatello/

Can you believe this judge and the way the Mississippi Supreme court handled it???

October 4, 2013 McLaughlin PI Leave a Comment

In Jackson Mississippi, Union Carbide Corporation was sued in an asbestos case that resulted in a $322 Million dollar verdict. However, the judge on the case failed to disclose to the defendants that his very own parents had sued and settled an asbestos case against the very same defendants, Union Carbide!

The defendants had to go to the Supreme Court and the judge was forced to step down. He was later fined a total of $700 by the Mississippi Commission on Judaical Performance.

There was no justice done in this case for either the Plaintiffs or the Defendants!

See…http://www.attorneys.com/products-liability/mississippi-supreme-court-orders-judge-to-step-down-in-asbestos-trial/

Corporations around the globe should pay attention

October 2, 2013 McLaughlin PI Leave a Comment

In the UK, the first set of defendants appeared in court last week under the UK Bribery Act. The UK Bribery Act was first introduced in 2001 and the Serious Fraud Office in the UK has charged four men who are connected to the sustainable AgroEnegy with conspiracy to furnish false information, conspiracy to commit fraud by false representation. Three of the defendants have been charged with making and accepting a financial advantage contrary to the UK Bribery Act.

Corporations need to be proactive and conduct due diligence on all their subsidiaries and business partners.

Learn more at the SFO website http://www.sfo.gov.uk/press-room/latest-press-releases/press-releases-2013/four-charged-in-‘bio-fuel’-investigation.aspx

Has common sense finally arrived in asbestos litigation?

September 30, 2013 McLaughlin PI Leave a Comment

Well…probably not but at least there is a chance of it in Texas.

Earlier this month the Texas Supreme Court heard arguments on a Georgia Pacific LLC asbestos liability case (Bostic v Georgia-Pacific LLC) that may help companies for getting hit with massive trial verdicts by requiring plaintiffs to show causation.

It always amazed me that asbestos litigation was the only type of litigation that I know of where a defendant basically has to prove the plaintiff was not exposed to their products, verses having the plaintiffs prove causation.

California- Undocumented immigrants will be allowed to get driver license

September 30, 2013 McLaughlin PI Leave a Comment

Late last week the California Legislature passed a bill that will allow undocumented immigrants to obtain a driver license in CA. The law will not go into effect until 2015. Many people feel this is a step in the right direction which will help make our roads safer with more people getting proper driving education.

However, with other states, like Washington, passed similar laws they were faced with other problems. Mainly, people were trying to beat the system and criminal entrepreneurs starting offering services of helping undocumented immigrants from other states set up phony address in Washington so they could get a license.

In CA, they reported that people who will want to apply for a license under the new law may be required to obtain a TIN, provide copies of birth certificates, passports, military identification cards or foreign driver’s licenses.

Applicants would also have to show proof of residence in California, such as utility bills, and be fingerprinted.

It maybe a step in the right direction but how many people who are in the country illegally, will want to be fingerprinted. A change in the administration and policies and they become very vulnerable.

Also will the insurance companies consider the driving experience from another country? Will the police try to verify the licenses?

Another case of a Department of Motor Vehicles worker selling fake licenses

September 24, 2013 McLaughlin PI Leave a Comment

The amount of people operating motor vehicles on the roadways across the US and and around the globe is staggering. On a nearly daily basis, I find case after case of fake driver licenses. It does not matter what country or state. The problem of fake driver’s licenses is huge and is only getting bigger and more dangerous.

Just last week in South Africa the licensing authority reported that nearly 40% of licenses being used on their roadways are fake. In Nigeria the problem is worse. In late August the Chief Vehicle Officer in Lagos declares 90% of their licenses are fake.

In the US, on September 4 3 defendants plead guilty to producing and selling 25,000 phony licenses. Yesterday, an indictment was unsealed where a DMV worker has been accused of selling licenses to 18 different people. These people did not fill out an application or take a test.

The importance of hiring Professional Private Investigators

September 21, 2013 McLaughlin PI 4 Comments

In the UK, more than 100 big companies and law firms are being investigated as to their involvement with “rogue” private investigators. This past week a former private investigator in the UK was arrested for allegations of computer hacking and other breached of privacy. He was the 21st person to be arrested as part of a Scotland Yard investigations.

When hiring a private investigator it is important to ask a lot questions about what information can be obtained. If the investigator you are speaking with says something like, “all information is available” than I would proceed with caution. In the US, it is true that a lot of information is available and with an experienced investigator, he or she will know where to look and gather that information in a professional and legal manner. Another good question to ask a detective, if they would be willing to testify in court to their methods and results of their investigation. Most PI’s don’t want to give up their trade secrets to their clients, which is fine and understandable. However, the PI should be willing to go into court and testify to their investigations.

Just some food for thought….

No matter what side you sit on the political fence, if you believe in pre-employment screening you need to read this

September 19, 2013 McLaughlin PI Leave a Comment

As an employee we all want the right to work in a safe work environment. As an employer, we want to right to protect your employers and your company assets from theft and violence. This is why so many companies conduct pre-employment screening. It is not a tool to discriminate but rather a tool to protect their company and employees.

On September 11, 2013 the Wall Street Journal listed the following article in their Review and Outlook section:

Sue First, Investigate Later
Federal judges keep tossing EEOC lawsuits out of court.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887323595004579067270355961160.html#articleTabs%3Darticle

Fake driver licenses is not just a problem for the auto insurance industry

September 15, 2013 McLaughlin PI Leave a Comment

Fake driver’s licenses are a huge problem for the auto insurance industry. A person goes to a local insurance agent, makes a deposit and provides a copy of a driver license and they have auto insurance. Underwriting departments are not equip to verify a foreign driver license by just reviewing a copy or actually inspecting the license. Foreign vendors sell high quality counterfeit driver licenses that are nearly impossible to determine they are fake by merely inspecting them. Research needs to be done on the local level at the DMV of the country the license was allegedly issued from.

However, since the terrorist attacks on 9/11, fake driver’s licenses are key tool used by terrorist.

Consider the following that was recently posted on the PRNewswire on September 11, 2013:

In April 2013, Tamerlan and Dzhokhar Tsarnaev killed three and injured more than 260 runners and bystanders by detonating improvised explosives near the finish line of the Boston Marathon. Tamerlan’s Amazon.com wish list included four books about how to counterfeit driver’s licenses.

In November 2012, foreign student Khalid Ali-M Aldawsari was convicted in Texas for attempted use of a weapon of mass destruction. Aldawsari planned to attack nuclear power plants, reservoirs, dams, and New York City streets during rush hour. His “important steps” included obtaining a forged U.S. birth certificate to apply for a U.S. Passport and then obtain multiple valid driver’s licenses. Aldawsari lacked only a single chemical to complete his explosives before he was arrested by the FBI.

In July of 2012, a bombing on a tour bus in Bulgaria killed seven. The suspected bombers carried two fraudulent Michigan driver’s licenses manufactured by a printer in Beirut who reportedly supplies IDs for Hezbollah members. Both licenses contain discrepancies that would have been obvious on any inspection.

Please click the following link to read the whole article

http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/prevent-terrorists-from-using-fake-ids-it-is-way-overdue-223276291.html