Fraud & Theft Investigations Canberra

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 Canberra and throughout the Australian Capital Territory, for private clients, law firms, insurers and employers.

How we run fraud & theft investigations in Canberra

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 the Australian Capital Territory law means for this work

Investigation work is not among the security activities licensed under section 7 of the ACT’s Security Industry Act 2003. The more useful question in Canberra is what licence an operator holds for work that crosses into New South Wales, because a great deal of it does. Queanbeyan is about fifteen minutes from the CBD and it is New South Wales, where a Class 2E licence under the Security Industry Act 1997 is required.

The ACT has no general statute regulating private optical surveillance outside the workplace. What applies instead is the stalking offence in section 35 of the Crimes Act 1900, which expressly covers surveillance and watching a place where a person lives, works or visits on two or more occasions, and where prosecutors need not prove actual fear. The border is the bigger issue: the moment work crosses into New South Wales, section 8 of the Surveillance Devices Act 2007 applies and it is considerably stricter.

The Listening Devices Act 1992 applies. Section 4 makes it an offence to listen to or record a private conversation you are not a party to, and also restricts a party recording their own conversation, subject to consent and lawful interests exceptions. Maximum 50 penalty units.

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 ACT 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 ACT 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 the Australian Capital Territory

Canberra has no local government and is organised into districts built around town centres, which is how work here is best planned. Inner North covers Civic, Braddon, Turner, O’Connor, Lyneham, Dickson, Watson, Ainslie and Campbell. Inner South covers Kingston, Barton, Forrest, Griffith, Manuka, Narrabundah, Red Hill, Deakin and Yarralumla. Belconnen, Gungahlin, Woden Valley, Weston Creek, Molonglo Valley and Tuggeranong each operate as their own centre. We also work the surrounding New South Wales communities that function as part of the Canberra region, including Queanbeyan, Jerrabomberra, Googong, Bungendore, Murrumbateman and Yass.

Where the evidence ends up

ACT Magistrates Court. Civil claims from $25,000 to $250,000, summary crime, and specialist jurisdictions including the Coroners, Childrens, Industrial and Family Violence Courts. It is also the court that issues covert workplace surveillance authorities.
ACT Supreme Court. Serious indictable crime, civil work generally above $250,000, and the Court of Appeal.
ACAT. Civil disputes under $25,000, administrative review, tenancy, guardianship and occupational discipline.
Note that the ACT has no intermediate court. Where other states have a District or County Court, the ACT has only two tiers.
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 ACT 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 the Australian Capital Territory as well as Canberra?

Yes. Canberra 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 ACT 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.