Private investigations in the banking sector: The role of detectives in asset recovery

Many people still associate private investigators solely with marital problems. However, the reality of the market in Portugal is far more complex and strategic. A clear example of this is the use of professional investigators by large banks to uncover hidden assets and wealth .

The new bank case

The financial sector recently made headlines when the newspaper Diário de Notícias reported that institutions like Novo Banco had used private investigative services to track down the assets of large debtors . Although these procedures are complex, this strategy highlights a growing trend: the realization that traditional investigative methods are sometimes insufficient when debtors employ sophisticated methods to conceal their assets.

My opinion Professional:

In my experience as head of the company Private detectives Portugal I consider this development natural. In the current scenario, the concealment of assets often involves the use of straw men, shell companies, and asset transfers to complex jurisdictions.

Why do banks and legal entities hire detectives?

| Agility: While legal processes follow bureaucratic timeframes, the private detective acts immediately on site.

Lifestyle evidence: Often, a debtor files for bankruptcy but continues to lead a luxurious lifestyle. Surveillance and the collection of photographic and documentary evidence are crucial to proving fraudulent intent in court.

| Location of movable goods: Luxury vehicles, boats, or works of art are often hidden in garages and warehouses that can only be located through field investigations.

Diploma:

The Novo Banco case is just the "tip of the iceberg". Whether for a bank, a company exposed to unfair competition, or a private individual who needs to guarantee the payment of a debt – private investigations are an indispensable tool of the justice system today.

Do you need to locate or recover assets? Contact our agency in Lisbon. And in Porto, we use state-of-the-art investigative methods to uncover the truth and ensure that our clients do not suffer any harm through asset concealment methods.

Source consulted: Diário de Notícias

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