Fraud & Theft Investigations Sydney

Fraud is usually discovered late, by accident, and by someone who then has to decide what to do next while the person responsible is still in the building. The first decision matters most. Confronting someone early feels satisfying and frequently destroys the evidence trail that would have supported a recovery or a prosecution.

We provide fraud & theft investigations in Sydney and throughout New South Wales, for private clients, law firms, insurers and employers.

How we run fraud & theft investigations in Sydney

We start with the documentary trail rather than the suspicion, because the trail is what survives. Transaction records, approvals, access logs and reconciliations, mapped to establish what happened and quantify it. Only then does the question of surveillance or interview arise. Working in that order preserves options: police referral, civil recovery, insurance claim or internal action all remain open, and each has different evidential requirements.

What New South Wales law means for this work

Investigation work in New South Wales requires a Class 2E licence under the Security Industry Act 1997, administered by NSW Police through the Security Licensing and Enforcement Directorate. The old Commercial Agents and Private Inquiry Agents Act 2004 was repealed on 1 July 2022, so a licence issued under that Act is no longer the relevant authority. Ask any operator what they hold and when it was issued.

Optical surveillance in New South Wales is governed by section 8 of the Surveillance Devices Act 2007. The offence is not filming as such. It turns on whether the recording involved entry onto premises or a vehicle without consent, or interference with a vehicle or object without consent. Observation from a public vantage point, without trespass or interference, does not engage section 8, and that is the basis on which lawful surveillance is conducted here.

Section 7 prohibits recording or monitoring a private conversation you are not a party to. There are exceptions where all principal parties consent, or where one principal party consents and the recording is reasonably necessary to protect that party’s lawful interests.

None of that is a formality. The rules differ genuinely between Australian jurisdictions, and evidence gathered outside them is frequently inadmissible and can expose the person who gathered it. Working inside the NSW framework is what makes the result usable.

The federal statutory tort of serious invasion of privacy, which commenced on 10 June 2025 under Schedule 2 of the Privacy Act 1988, applies on top of NSW law and contains no exemption for private investigators.

This is general information about how we operate, not legal advice. For advice on your circumstances, speak with your lawyer.

What you receive

You receive a quantified loss, a documented chain showing how it occurred, and evidence packaged for whichever route you choose. If the amount is small enough that recovery will cost more than it returns, we will tell you that too.

Where we work in New South Wales

Sydney divides operationally into the CBD and inner south, the inner west, the eastern suburbs, the lower and upper north shore, the northern beaches, the Hills district, Parramatta and the greater west through Blacktown and Penrith, the south west through Liverpool and Macarthur, and the south through St George and the Sutherland Shire. Beyond the metropolitan area we work Newcastle and the Hunter, Wollongong and the Illawarra, the Central Coast, the mid north coast, the northern rivers, New England, the central west and the Riverina.

Where the evidence ends up

Local Court of New South Wales. Summary crime, apprehended violence orders and civil claims to $100,000.
District Court of New South Wales. Indictable crime other than murder and treason, civil claims to $1.25 million, and unlimited jurisdiction for motor accident claims.
Supreme Court of New South Wales. Unlimited civil jurisdiction and the most serious criminal matters.
NCAT. Tenancy, consumer and commercial disputes, guardianship and occupational discipline.
Personal Injury Commission. Motor accidents and workers compensation, where most insurer commissioned evidence in this state is tested.
Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia. Family law is federal, so a family matter runs under Commonwealth law even though the conduct investigated is governed by NSW rules.

Frequently asked questions

Should we go to the police first?

Often yes, and sometimes not yet. Police need a coherent brief to act on and a matter presented as a suspicion tends to go nowhere. Establishing what happened first usually produces a better outcome, and we can help you decide the right moment.

Can you recover the money?

We establish what was taken and how, which is what any recovery depends on. Recovery itself is a legal process and your lawyer runs it. We are candid about the likelihood before you spend on investigation.

Do you cover regional New South Wales as well as Sydney?

Yes. Sydney work can generally be mobilised faster and at lower cost. Regional work carries travel time and expense, and we will tell you honestly whether the likely result justifies it before you commit.

Talk to us about a NSW matter

Every enquiry starts with a confidential conversation about what you actually need, and sometimes that conversation ends with us saying an investigation is not warranted. Call 1300 792 283 or get in touch for a free consultation and a written quote before any work begins.