Fraud & Theft Investigations Adelaide

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 Adelaide and throughout South Australia, for private clients, law firms, insurers and employers.

How we run fraud & theft investigations in Adelaide

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 South Australia law means for this work

South Australia licenses investigators under the Security and Investigation Industry Act 1995, administered by Consumer and Business Services rather than by police. Section 6 creates an investigation agent’s licence, and it comes in two categories: restricted to inquiry work, or restricted to collection work. Only the inquiry work category covers investigation. Licences are renewed every twelve months, and licensing appeals go to the Administrative and Disciplinary Division of the District Court rather than to the state tribunal.

South Australia is the only jurisdiction with an express exception for licensed investigators. Section 5(4)(a)(iv) of the Surveillance Devices Act 2016 disapplies the optical surveillance prohibition where the device is used by the holder of an investigation agent’s licence authorising inquiry work, in the course of their functions, and where the use is reasonably necessary for the protection of a person’s lawful interests. Every element of that matters. It does not help an unlicensed operator, a collection only licence, or a client acting on curiosity.

Section 4 prohibits use of a listening device on a private conversation, but section 4(2)(b)(iv) contains the same licensed inquiry work exception as the optical provision, again conditioned on the use being reasonably necessary to protect a person’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 SA 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 SA 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 South Australia

Metropolitan Adelaide breaks into the CBD and inner ring through Adelaide, North Adelaide, Norwood, Unley and Prospect, the north through Salisbury, Playford, Elizabeth and Gawler, the north east through Tea Tree Gully, Campbelltown and Modbury, the eastern foothills through Burnside, Mitcham and Stirling, the west through Charles Sturt, West Torrens, Port Adelaide and Semaphore, and the south through Marion, Holdfast Bay, Onkaparinga, Noarlunga and Aldinga. Beyond the city we cover the Adelaide Hills, the Barossa, the Fleurieu and Kangaroo Island, the Limestone Coast, the Murray and Mallee, Yorke and Mid North, Eyre and Western, and the Far North.

Where the evidence ends up

Magistrates Court of South Australia. Summary crime and smaller civil claims, with country registries at Berri, Mount Gambier, Murray Bridge, Port Augusta, Port Lincoln, Port Pirie and Whyalla.
District Court of South Australia. Mid tier criminal and civil work, including the Administrative and Disciplinary Division.
Supreme Court of South Australia. The highest state court, including the Court of Appeal.
SACAT. Tenancy, guardianship, mental health and review of government decisions.
South Australian Employment Tribunal. Workers compensation under the Return to Work Act 2014, the main forum for insurer commissioned evidence here.
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 SA 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 South Australia as well as Adelaide?

Yes. Adelaide 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 SA 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.