FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

We recommend requesting reports as soon as you begin discovery. We can only collect information that is publicly available, so the sooner we can collect and analyze the data, the less time the subject has to delete critical evidence from their accounts and the web. 

As you go through your legal proceedings, we recommend purchasing reports to track changes made on the subject’s account. 

The Deep Report is intended to provide a comprehensive overview of the internet activities of a person or company. Using proprietary search technology and the extensive toolkit employed by our analysts, the report will positively identify the subject and discover actionable answers to specific questions provided by the scope of the request.

The Export archives source code and metadata, establishes a digital chain of custody and timestamps and preserves the information on SMI Aware servers. The internet is constantly changing. An Export guarantees critical evidence is preserved and safeguards against alterations and deletions by the owner. 

The Research Bundle offers the comprehensive overview and analysis of a Deep Report and the preservation of metadata and source code of up to three social media profiles or websites. 

Ordering the Research Bundle guarantees and secures a digital chain of custody which makes the evidence collected admissible in court. Further, the comprehensive report provides scope-related details, pictures, and objective discovery from our highly trained analysts. 

The scope defines the length and depth of the investigation. The more information we have on the case, the more detailed and tailored our analyst can be during the search. The scope can include any information that is known about the case including the type of case, date of loss, or the claimant’s position.

A well-defined scope helps our analysts limit generalized results and focus on specific timelines, content, and connections to family, friends, or followers.

Unfortunately not. The only portions of a Facebook profile that can be retrieved must be marked as public. If the owner of the profile consents to allow access or is forced to change their settings to public as part of an investigation by a subpoena, then SMI Aware can retrieve the information for analysis and/or collection. SMI Aware offers monitoring services to periodically check private profiles and verify if and when they become public. Contact us directly at support@smiaware.com for more information and pricing for profile monitoring.

Time is of the essence when collecting social media evidence. The subject of your social media investigation can either delete or deactivate his/her profile or account. Deactivation is when a profile owner chooses to remove their username and personal data for a period of time. Deletion is a permanent action wherein a profile owner can remove his/her username and associated profile data from a social media account. The information is then removed from the social media platform’s database and is non-recoverable. Permanent deletion can also be a consequence of profile deactivation after a period of inactivity, usually 30 days.

Once a profile has been deactivated or deleted, SMI Aware cannot collect information about the subject’s profile or secure the source code for the page and content.

No, SMI Aware does not use Social Security Numbers as part of any investigation.

We recommend you attach any files relevant to the scope of your investigation and anything that provides personal identifiers for your subject. This helps us confirm a positive identification for your subject, and allows us to understand your needs for the case more fully.

Files we recommend you attach to your order:
-Any report or third party data
-Claim or case details
-Known pictures of the subject
-Reports or content that provides the analyst with context for details surrounding the investigation

Yes. When creating your order, add the name and email address of as many collaborators as needed in the space provided. Collaborators will receive an email with the report once the order is processed and released. If you decide to add a collaborator after the report has been processed or released, simply navigate to the Orders page and click on the order you would like to share. Add a collaborator using the sidebar on the right side of the screen. Once added, the collaborator will receive an email notification and copy of the report.

1. Enter your name and work email address. This will allow us to verify that your firm has an account with SMI Aware. Once you are verified, you will be directed to the order landing page. 
2. To start an order, select the report you would like to generate – Deep Report (discovery and analysis), Export (collection and preservation), and/or the Research Bundle (a combination of both the Deep Report and up to three Exports). Fill out the request with as much information and detail as possible to narrow the focus and scope of your investigation. 
3. Once finished, click submit. Once you submit your order, you will be prompted to set up a password. This will allow you to access your report once it is released and place orders in the future. 
4. Still have questions or trouble with submitting your order? Contact us at 888-299-9921 for support. 

Monday through Friday 9am-5pm EST.