Fraud & Theft Investigations Brisbane

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 Brisbane and throughout Queensland, for private clients, law firms, insurers and employers.

How we run fraud & theft investigations in Brisbane

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 Queensland law means for this work

Queensland licenses investigators under the Security Providers Act 1993, administered by the Office of Fair Trading. Private investigator is one of the security provider classes in section 4, and section 9 makes it an offence to act as or even advertise as a security provider without a licence. A separate security firm licence is required to run an investigation business.

Queensland is the only Australian jurisdiction with no surveillance devices act. Optical and video surveillance is not covered by any dedicated statute here. The limits come instead from the Criminal Code, in particular section 227A on observations and recordings in breach of privacy and section 227B on distribution, along with trespass and stalking offences. That absence is not permission, and any operator who treats it that way will hand you evidence a court can still refuse.

Listening devices are covered by Part 4 of the Invasion of Privacy Act 1971. Section 43 prohibits using a listening device to overhear, record or monitor a private conversation, with a maximum of 40 penalty units or two years imprisonment. Queensland does permit a party to a conversation to record it, which is a real difference from several other states.

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 QLD 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 QLD 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 Queensland

Brisbane divides into the inner city around Fortitude Valley, New Farm, South Brisbane and West End, the north through Chermside and Aspley, the south through Mount Gravatt and Sunnybank, the east through Bulimba, Morningside and Wynnum, and the west through Toowong, Indooroopilly and St Lucia, with Ipswich, Logan, Moreton Bay and Redlands around it. Beyond the South East we cover the Gold Coast, the Sunshine Coast, Toowoomba and the Darling Downs, Wide Bay, Central Queensland, Mackay and the Whitsundays, Townsville, and Cairns and the far north.

Where the evidence ends up

Magistrates Courts of Queensland. Summary crime, committals, domestic violence protection orders and smaller civil claims.
District Court of Queensland. Mid tier indictable crime and civil claims, with the civil limit currently $750,000.
Supreme Court of Queensland. Unlimited civil jurisdiction and the most serious crime, with the Court of Appeal above it.
QCAT. Minor civil and debt disputes to $25,000, tenancy, building disputes, guardianship and review of Office of Fair Trading decisions.
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 QLD 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 Queensland as well as Brisbane?

Yes. Brisbane 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 QLD 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.