 This article is provided by eChatter.
When it comes to an investigation, there is an overwhelming amount of information that needs to be gathered by the Investigator. Some of it is easy to find and some is buried deep.
The online research component is no different. There are times when you don’t know what you don’t know.
Let’s start with Social Media. You may have just found your subject’s Facebook profile. You take a look at it, spend time scrolling through posts and visit their friends’ profiles.Your work is done, right? Not necessarily.
Many people have multiple Facebook accounts as one example. The reasons vary- some intentional and some not. Why is this important?
· The person may have a “family and friends” profile and another profile that is geared more towards their work (legal or illegal).
· They created a profile but don’t have access to the email they signed up with and they forgot their password. This can still be important if you need historical information on the subject or a particular timeline.
· Friends listed on the secondary profile may be different that the primary profile. This is where you may be able to uncover more pertinent information.
“Some of the biggest mistakes investigators make when handling digital evidence are not properly securing, logging or even considering evidence,” says Adam Wandt, a professor at John Jay College of Criminal Justice and researcher with John Jay College’s Center for Cyber Crime Studies.
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