Anyone who has seen any kind of spy film will know that top-secret information no longer resides in paper dossiers; it is stored on computers behind passwords or within encrypted files.

Well, in just the same way as it might do in Hollywood blockbusters, computer data can play an important role in everyday legal disputes. This why computer forensic investigations, a service offered by forensic accounting firms such as Frenkels Forensics, are so valuable today.

To look at a common example, often within fraud cases involving an entire business it will only be an individual or small group of people who are actually involved in the illegal activity. If the owner or manager of the company, for example, is not privy to the actions that have been taking place then it will be essential that they can prove their hands are clean of any wrongdoing.

Enter the tech wizards; computer forensic experts can take control of company computers and examine the files held within. As each document or financial record on the machine will leave an audit trail this can lead investigators to the culprits – they can use this information to determine what actions were performed, when and by whom.

With almost all businesses running their accounts on software these days, the key evidence as to how fraud was committed and, in these instances, who committed it can be found on the computers. As such, using experts who are able to access encrypted data, analyse it and assess who has had their hand in the proverbial cookie jar can be the key to proving someone’s innocence or guilt in fraud cases today.

For expert help with a computer forensics investigation contact Frenkels Forensics for an independent appraisal.

Alternatively, if you’re looking for advice in any aspect of forensic accountancy, then do get in touch via Twitter, Google+, LinkedIn or by visiting our website www.frenkels.com

By Vitek Frenkel – find me via Google+.