Illegal Disclosure of Information by Employees

In addition to various property offences (theft, embezzlement, financial fraud) and types of fraud such as bogus sick leave and manipulation of accounts, employees often harm their employers through the disclosure of confidential information – a form of wrongdoing that can cause lasting and substantial damage. The screening of bribable employees is consequently one of the key tasks carried out by our Zurich Commercial Investigation Agency, and we are happy to support your company as well: +41 44 5522 264.

Breach of Non-Compete Agreement | Investigations by Our Zurich Detectives

In a city like Zurich, which attracts attention for innovations in IT as well as in the manufacturing sector, and equally in many other Swiss regions and industries, competitors show great interest in obtaining external business intelligence – often by any means necessary. In addition to the covert installation of audio and video recording devices, establishing contact with current or former employees of the target company is a common way to unlawfully acquire sensitive corporate data.

Employees who possess knowledge of internal developments, production processes, customer and supplier contacts, and additional business information typically have a post-contractual non-compete clause in place. If, for example, an employee of Company A applies to Company B – or conversely, Company B attempts to poach an employee of Company A – such contact constitutes an unlawful approach by a competitor. Should the employee switch to Company B, it must be assumed that they will divulge trade and business secrets to their new employer, whether by personal initiative or against a “financial incentive”.

Since the employee will hardly inform their current employer about a move to a direct competitor, it becomes the task of our Zurich commercial investigators to provide court-admissible proof of the breach. If you suspect that an employee is passing internal company information to the competition, contact our agency in Switzerland with confidence: kontakt@kurtz-detektei-schweiz.ch.

Employee Espionage in Exchange for Bribes

To leak internal company information, an employee does not necessarily have to transfer to a competitor; they may instead be bribed while still employed in your organisation. In most cases, the perpetrator will not display any unusual behaviour in the performance of their duties. You only become aware of the situation when you realise that sensitive corporate data has ended up in the hands of a competitor. Significant loss of revenue caused by customer poaching, the competitor’s price reductions, or the launch of new products that imitate your own innovations while being sold at lower prices are clear indicators of the disclosure of trade secrets or data leakage.

To prove competitor espionage conducted by in-house employees, our Zurich private detectives employ a variety of methods:

Method I: Surveillance by Our Swiss Detectives

External surveillance of a suspicious employee is advisable if there are indications that clandestine meetings with the bribing competitor may occur, or if the employee is suspected of performing unauthorised secondary employment for a rival company. Such activities allow important conclusions to be drawn. If, however, the data exchange between the in-house spy and the competitor occurs electronically, we use the method described below.

Method II: IT Forensics in Cases of Computer Espionage

Example: A small USB stick containing spyware is inserted into a company computer and installs malware that sends data directly to your competitor. This alone may suffice to cause serious damage, while the employee remains entirely inconspicuous. Such activity can be uncovered by our academically trained IT specialists in Zurich through forensic analysis.

Method III: Undercover Placement of a Detective

Another highly insightful method is the undercover placement of a detective as a supposedly new employee within the affected business. This approach allows the investigator to become familiar with operational procedures and staff. Over time, a detailed picture of the reliability of individual employees emerges, and indications can be observed to narrow down the group of potential perpetrators. Once the list of suspects has been reduced to a few individuals, the undercover commercial investigator conducts targeted internal surveillance and covert contact with the relevant employees. Although time-consuming, this method typically leads to well-founded findings and evidence. In addition to clarifying the suspicion of espionage, it provides deep insights into the structure of your workforce and the reliability of individual staff members. Undercover placement is especially useful when a crime has occurred but no specific suspect exists.

We will be pleased to advise you extensively and without obligation regarding the measures listed above, as well as additional case-specific strategies appropriate in cases of suspected disclosure of confidential information and data leakage. Please send your enquiry via our contact form or call us: +41 44 5522 264.