Monday, 29 November 2021

How You Can Get Help through Health Care Fraud Investigation Texas?

Led by Dan James, one time Chief Investigator & Certified Fraud Examiner for the Office of the Federal Public Defender, Northern District of Texas, ICFECI’s team of healthcare fraud examiners investigate cases relating to..




Wednesday, 24 November 2021

LIE DETECTION

Lie detection is a hotly debated area of modern day psychology. Although it is not an exact science, there are techniques and methods that allow experts to judge if someone is telling the truth or not. Polygraph tests go some way in detecting lies, but they are not always available or feasible for every case. Instead investigators use a number of observational methods to establish whether someone is lying, including facial expressions and body language.


Micro expressions

It is widely accepted that faces exhibit two messages – what the liar wants to show and what they want to hide. Micro expressions refer to these brief, involuntary facial expressions that reveal their true emotions. This flash of leakage is there and gone in a matter of nanoseconds, so you have to be quick to catch it. Whilst this cannot prove guilt or deception, the behaviour does indicate dishonesty and warrants further investigation.

False expressions

Tied to this notion of micro expressions is the subject of false expressions. These nonverbal behaviours are forced or exaggerated to conceal true emotions, and research has shown that these faked expressions are asymmetrical.

For example, smiling may indicate a false expression when the eye muscles are not used. A genuine smile involves the movement of the outer part of the eye, so no matter how big the grin may be, a lack of eye expression may be the telling sign. If someone is afraid or sad, the absence of forehead expression hints that they are falsifying their emotions.

By studying the symmetry of a suspect’s face, experts may be able to detect a liar from a truthteller.

Body language

Studies have suggested that liars often gesticulate with their hands after they talk. This is because their brain is so preoccupied with making up and remembering a story, meaning that hand gestures that might normally appear before a statement happen afterwards instead.

Fidgeting is a common sign of lying. Twitching, shuffling feet and clasping hands are behaviours that may indicate guilt or deception due to fluctuations in the autonomic nervous system. This system regulates bodily functions, and when people are nervous it may manifest itself in fluctuations that cause itches or tingles in the body.

Sweating

It’s an exaggerated image we’ve all seen in movies and TV when a suspect is being questioned – sweat dripping from every pore in their body. Whilst it may not be this extreme, it is true that lying suspects sweat more due to automatic nervous system changes. If you notice someone’s forehead or upper lip perspiring, it could be a sign of deception.

To find out more about how we catch liars and get to the truth, get in touch with ICFECI today.

Resource: https://www.icfeci.com/lie-detection/

Tuesday, 16 November 2021

COMPUTER FORENSICS LAWS IN TEXAS

In the fairly recent past, a criminal defense investigator in Dallas would need to uncover physical evidence in order to help clear the name of their client. However, thanks to the advent of the digital age this has changed. A range of new crimes have emerged which are committed in an entirely digital space. This requires defense teams to utilise computer-based methods. It is vital that they understand the rules and regulations regarding these practices.


TEXAS RULES

Some areas of the United States are not very clear when it comes to the rules for this form of law examination. Extra research into local vendor compliance may be necessary. Texas, Michigan and Georgia are much more explicit. When it comes to the state of Texas a digital forensics practitioner needs to be fully licensed. This means that a criminal defense investigator in Dallas TX is only legally able to perform their duties if they have express consent from regulators. Those who manage to attain it are commonly referred to as PIs.

Licensing

A computer forensics criminal defense investigator in Fort Worth or any other area within Texas would need to apply for a Private Investigation Business License. This is also a requirement for owners of businesses that provide these types of services. Employees will be able to become fully licensed detectives in the process. However, start-ups may have difficulty due to these rules.

Restrictions

The main stumbling block for new computer forensics firms is the amount of experience that the manager needs. This includes at least 3 years of experience as an investigator or a degree in criminal justice. The FBI may perform a background check on them. The fingerprinting of managers in Texas is also mandatory.

Conclusion

There is a good reason for all of these rules. The PI will tend to gather and present digital evidence that is then used in court cases. Therefore regulations need to be in place in order to enforce a decent standard of conduct, accountability and training. Defendants rely on these firms to help them get a fair trial. The best company for this service is ICFECI. Contact them for all of your forensic examination needs.

Resource: https://www.icfeci.com/computer-forensics-laws-in-texas/

Friday, 5 November 2021

THE MEANING OF MESSAGES

As computer and cell phone forensic experts, ICFECI uncover a lot of private messages. Whether it’s emails, texts, social media messages or private IMs, this kind of data can become incredibly important evidence. Some messages may not seem obviously incriminating, but there could be a lot of revealing information for authorities or clues as to the authorship of the documents. While forensic investigators are concerned with retrieving, storing and presenting this evidence, we understand that it is the meaning behind the messages that makes all the difference.


Forensic linguistics

Forensic linguistics is the process by which experts analyse texts to establish authorship. Linguists look at syntax, grammar, word choice, conjugations, spellings and more to find patterns in a person’s writing style. If repeated patterns emerge, experts may be able to identify who originally authored the message. Certain spellings and word choices can help investigators build an offender profile – previous cases have allowed authorities to correctly identify age, education level, location and more.

The applications for this field are seemingly endless. Not only can forensic linguistics reveal who has written the message, but it can also establish if there is any perpetrator at all. Suicide notes, for example, can be examined to check if someone is covering up a murder, or suspicious texts sent from a loved one might be uncovered as the work of a kidnapper.

Handwriting analysis

While forensic experts deal mostly in digital communication, we may also come across written evidence on the devices we analyse. This is often the case with legal documents, certifications and contracts.

Handwriting analysis claims to study documents like these and identify the author through their written word. This is particularly useful when it comes to disputes about signatures for instance, or in cases of forgery. This kind of analysis can be performed either by a human investigator or machine systems that identify patterns and idiosyncratic lettering, comparing ‘known’ documents with the materials in question.

If you believe a message could make or break your case, hiring a forensic investigator in Texas is the right course of action. We can uncover deleted and hidden messages, and we are experts in retrieving evidence from even the most damaged device.

Resource: https://www.icfeci.com/the-meaning-of-messages/