From Mossad to the world: How BIWC Group used covert tactics to save high-net-worth investors from a sophisticated investment scam

As technology and cyber security capabilities increase, so do those of their nemeses; scammers and fraudsters. As a result, investment scams are becoming more sophisticated and can look as legitimate as the real thing. In 2022, scams cost investors $8.8 billion in the US alone, more than triple the amount lost in 2021. That is why it is essential to remain vigilant and seek expert advice from relevant sources before making significant financial decisions. Regardless of how professional and legal a company might seem, investors are being scammed out of more money than ever before, and the numbers continue to rise.

That's where BIWC Group comes in. In true 007 fashion, they are able to use covert tactics to unmask these fraudsters. Based in Tel Aviv, a global cyber security hub, BIWC Group combines its expertise gained from Israeli intelligence and cyber security services to provide military-caliber advice to the business world. The team comprises specialists from Israeli special forces, IDF, intelligence, and cyber security backgrounds. They use their combined experience to provide a vast array of solutions across multiple verticals.

One of the findings of the group's most recent stings came after an international investigation following a request from a client. A high-net-worth individual reached out to the group and asked them to gather information on an investment company based in Oman, along with some high-profile members of its team. "This is a perfectly innocent request, as it's natural to have doubts when large sums of money are on the line. Our clients come to us for assurance and peace of mind, so it's up to us to separate the wheat from the chaff", Said Idan Barlev, CEO of BIWC Group.

Although, what began as deep dive due diligence, would soon turn into something much more sinister. Al-Saayda Investment Company looked like a legitimate enterprise to the untrained eye. A slick website, great credentials, testimonials, track record. It seemed like they had it all.

The client provided BIWC Group with some materials to help with their research, like copies of passports, literature, and the company website. This was when the deep dive investigation started.

The passport belonged to an Emirati citizen who was Al-Saayda's lawyer in charge of international remittances. Using the darknet, cyber and web intelligence, and their network in GCC countries, BIWC Group determined that the passport was fake and had been cloned. They were even able to trace the passport to its original owner. After secret service levels of scrutiny, it was established that the picture on the passport was fake, and the passport number didn't exist on the UAE database. "Without having our capabilities or government connections, there was no way to tell that this passport was fraudulent. Everything looked completely innocent at first glance. After digging deeper, we could confirm that this passport was the victim of some very skilled editing and fraud. By using our intelligence tools and cross-examining information on the darknet, we purchased the original passport, compared the two, and identified the fake," Said Idan.

This was only the tip of the iceberg, and after a deep examination of the website and the company's team, the truth continued to unravel. After a cyber investigation and using the entire sphere of intelligence and regional network, things didn't add up. By delving into open source and investigating the rest of Al-Saayda's team, it was found that they weren't who they seemed to be. BIWC Group was able to distinguish the real identities of the people in the photos of the team members. They ranged from celebrities, university presidents, and singers to TV presenters. Some even had connections to royalty in Qatar and Oman. Still, none of them were who they said they were.

Everyone from the CEO, CFO, and Investment Manager to the HR manager had stolen identities. The skill level involved was almost flawless, but by utilizing their capabilities, BIWC Group could build an accurate profile of who was really in the photos. Leaving no stone unturned, each so-called' team member' was analyzed and scrutinized. Some images used very sophisticated mirror editing, and some were fake identities taken from images found online, but everything looked legitimate.

The website also raised eyebrows after checking when and how it was registered and discovering plagiarized text from a US IPO regulations handbook. The content was deemed unauthentic, which had been expertly, but nonetheless, taken from elsewhere. They didn't just steal content from the book but from several genuine investment websites.

BIWC Group was also able to prove beyond any reasonable doubt that the company's license couldn't have been valid by connecting the dots and utilizing its knowledge of the business world in the Gulf area. With a multitude of experiences through several projects in the area, BIWC Group was able to read between the lines and establish what was real and what wasn't.

It was more than just the website that would have fooled most people. The company was also very active on social media and posted regularly to build a credible persona for themselves. The fraudsters were able to build a credible cover story, but by utilizing their capabilities, BIWC Group was able to expose this as fake. The now botched CFOs face was also photoshopped into a meeting at a board table, and the Al-Saayda logo was placed expertly on the tablecloth.

BIWC group prides itself on providing clients with more critical intelligence information than they thought possible. It's well beyond a case of finding generic details about someone; it's about taking off the mask of these fraudsters and showing clients who they really are or really aren't. By scouring government databases, using essential information for the decision-making process for contacts at the highest level, diving into the dark net, or searching the open web, BIWC Group will reveal if someone or something isn't who they say they are. They want investors to feel safe and secure when making the right strategic decisions, and the only way to do this is to leave no stone unturned while investigating.

"We're just happy that this one didn't slip through the net, and we were able to save our client millions. This is what gets us out of bed in the morning. We're not here to claim everything is a hoax, but when there is one, we will find it. Al-Saayda wasn't chosen as a name at random. It's a widespread name for VCs and investment firms in the Gulf countries, and it seemed very safe. So many people think 'it will never happen to them,' We hope they're right, but statistics don't lie. We have a truly global outreach, capabilities, and expertise that the business world simply doesn't have. No matter how vigilant investors might be, without having us do a deep dive investigation into the company or platform, there is always a risk. There are fraudsters out there that look even better than the real thing, and we will continue to hunt them down. This is a trillion-dollar industry, and it's growing, but we do everything we can to ensure it doesn't get any bigger. Even institutions like JP Morgan aren't safe from the grasp of these fraudsters. Earlier this year, they fell victim to unprecedented levels of fraud." Concluded Idan.

BIWC Group is a business intelligence and consultancy company led by Idan Barlev. They are known for their unique expertise in acquiring top-level intelligence on any individual and market. The company's clientele includes world leaders and renowned technology, legal and financial executives.