Online Investigations Queensland
Online conduct now leaves a trail across social media, messaging platforms, websites, forums, marketplaces, email, domains, payment platforms and public records. The challenge is knowing what to preserve, what can be verified, and what evidence is useful.
Regional Queensland Investigations conducts online investigations, OSINT enquiries, scam tracing, cyber harassment reviews, social media evidence collection and digital footprint investigations for private clients, businesses, law firms and organisations across Queensland.
Online harm, scams and cybercrime are no longer minor issues.
Online investigations are increasingly needed because scams, impersonation, cyber harassment, identity misuse, fake profiles, business email compromise, deepfakes and online abuse can cause real financial, reputational and personal harm.
Public reporting shows the scale of the problem in Australia. Cybercrime reports continue to be made every few minutes, individual and business losses are rising, and scams are increasingly supported by social media, messaging apps, cryptocurrency platforms and AI-generated content.
Reported to ReportCyber in the ASD Annual Cyber Threat Report 2024–25.
Approximate rate of cybercrime reporting to ReportCyber in 2024–25.
Combined Australian investment scam losses reported by Scamwatch for 2024.
AI-generated realistic but false photos, videos and audio are now a live evidence issue.
Sources include the Australian Signals Directorate Annual Cyber Threat Report 2024–25, the ACCC National Anti-Scam Centre, Scamwatch and the eSafety Commissioner.
Trusted media commentary on regional cyber risk
RQI Director Jason King has provided media commentary on regional cybercrime and the impact of cyber attacks on essential regional industries.
In June 2026, Jason was quoted by ABC Tropical North in relation to the Mackay Sugar cyber attack, which affected mill operations, cane supply logistics, harvesting and regional business continuity. The ABC reported that Mackay Sugar shut down two of its three mills after operating systems were compromised, with specialist cybersecurity investigators working to restore systems safely.
Jason explained that regional communities and industries are increasingly attractive targets because they operate significant infrastructure outside metropolitan centres, including sugar, energy, transport, agriculture and other essential regional services.
Modern online investigations require more than screenshots.
Screenshots can be useful, but they are often incomplete. Online material can be edited, deleted, faked, hidden, taken out of context or incorrectly attributed. A proper investigation should identify the source, preserve relevant material, assess reliability and build a clear chronology.
RQI assists clients by conducting lawful online enquiries, reviewing publicly available material, preserving digital evidence, identifying patterns, mapping online conduct and preparing clear investigation reports for decision-makers, lawyers, employers or further referral.
When to engage an online investigator
- You are dealing with online harassment, threats, abuse or stalking.
- A person or business is being impersonated online.
- You need social media evidence preserved before it disappears.
- You suspect an online scam, romance scam or investment scam.
- You need to identify links between profiles, aliases, usernames or digital activity.
- An employee, contractor or competitor may be misusing online platforms.
- You need an evidence package for lawyers, HR, police, regulators or court processes.
Types of online matters RQI can investigate
Online investigations can support private, workplace, corporate, family, legal, fraud and reputational matters.
OSINT investigations
Open-source intelligence enquiries across lawful public sources, social media, websites, forums, business records, usernames, aliases and digital footprints.
Social media investigations
Review and preservation of social media posts, profiles, comments, messages, images, videos, public interactions, account activity and online associations.
Online scams and fraud
Enquiries into romance scams, investment scams, marketplace scams, fake businesses, crypto-related approaches, payment diversion and suspicious online identities.
Cyber harassment and online abuse
Cyber harassment, online threats, stalking, repeated contact, reputational attacks, anonymous abuse, doxxing and platform-based intimidation.
Impersonation and fake profiles
Fake accounts, profile cloning, business impersonation, catfishing, identity misuse, fake reviews and deceptive online personas.
AI, deepfakes and manipulated content
Initial review of suspected AI-generated images, deepfake content, manipulated screenshots, fake audio, synthetic profiles or altered online material.
Online investigation video resources
RQI also provides practical video content to help clients understand online investigations, cyber-enabled harm, scams, digital evidence and the importance of preserving online material before it disappears.
Online Investigations
Understanding how online evidence, social media activity and digital footprints can support private, workplace and legal investigations.
Scams and Digital Evidence
Why online scams, fake profiles and suspicious digital contact should be documented early and reviewed carefully.
Social Media Evidence
Social media material can be deleted, edited or hidden. Proper evidence preservation can make a significant difference.
Cyber-Enabled Misconduct
Online harassment, impersonation, threats and cyber-enabled misconduct often require a structured investigation approach.
Online evidence can disappear quickly.
Posts can be deleted, accounts can be renamed, privacy settings can change, marketplace listings can be removed, websites can be edited, and usernames can be abandoned. Early preservation is often critical.
RQI can assist with structured evidence capture, screenshots, URLs, timestamps, account identifiers, platform details, chronology preparation, source notes and report-ready evidence summaries.
Evidence we may review or preserve
- Social media profiles, posts, comments, images and videos.
- Public marketplace listings and seller profiles.
- Websites, domain records and business listings.
- Email headers and suspicious message content where available.
- Usernames, aliases, phone numbers and online identifiers.
- Public reviews, reputational attacks and defamatory-style material.
- Scam communications, payment instructions and wallet addresses.
- Chronologies of online contact, threats or harassment.
Regional Queensland online investigation support
Online matters often connect back to real-world locations, workplaces, relationships, businesses, addresses, vehicles, events and local communities. RQI combines online enquiry capability with practical field investigation experience across regional Queensland.
This is particularly useful where an online matter requires discreet local attendance, witness enquiries, business verification, surveillance support, document collection or practical assessment of what is happening on the ground.
Who uses online investigation services?
RQI assists individuals, businesses, employers, law firms and organisations where online conduct needs to be understood, verified and documented.
Private clients
Online harassment, scams, catfishing, impersonation, reputational harm, relationship concerns, missing persons support and identity misuse.
Businesses and employers
Employee misconduct, fake reviews, brand impersonation, competitor issues, confidential information concerns and workplace-related social media conduct.
Law firms and legal matters
Evidence preservation, background research, online reputation issues, social media evidence, litigation support and chronology preparation.
Government and organisations
Integrity concerns, online threats, public complaints, staff conduct, reputational risk, open-source review and regional enquiry support.
Cyber and scam victims
Scam communications, suspicious accounts, online payment trails, fake businesses, marketplace disputes and referral-ready evidence packs.
Schools and community groups
Cyberbullying support, fake accounts, harmful online content, group-chat issues, online threats and social media evidence preservation.
Our online investigation process
Each matter is scoped according to the allegation, available information, legal sensitivity, urgency and intended use of the evidence.
Initial assessment
We clarify the concern, identify the platforms involved, assess urgency and determine what material needs to be preserved.
Evidence preservation
We capture available material in a structured way, recording key details such as URLs, usernames, dates, timestamps and context.
OSINT enquiries
We conduct lawful open-source enquiries to identify links, patterns, aliases, public records, online activity and relevant background information.
Reporting and next steps
We prepare a clear report or evidence pack suitable for the client, lawyer, employer, platform report, regulator or police referral.
What the report can include
- Executive summary of the online issue.
- Chronology of relevant online activity.
- Profile, username and alias mapping.
- Social media and website evidence summaries.
- Preserved screenshots and source details.
- Scam communication summaries.
- Indicators of impersonation, manipulation or deception.
- Links between online identifiers and real-world information where lawfully available.
- Evidence gaps and limitations.
- Recommended next steps, referrals or preservation actions.
What we do not do
Ethical and lawful boundaries matter. RQI will not conduct illegal access, hacking, password compromise, spyware installation, covert device access, unauthorised account access or unlawful surveillance.
We focus on lawful investigation, open-source intelligence, evidence preservation, factual analysis and practical reporting.
- No hacking or unauthorised access.
- No spyware or illegal device monitoring.
- No impersonation to obtain protected information.
- No unlawful access to private accounts or systems.
- No guarantees that an anonymous person can always be identified.
Common online investigation triggers
Many clients contact RQI when they know something is wrong online, but do not yet know what evidence is useful or what steps to take.
A fake profile is causing harm
Someone is pretending to be you, your business, an employee, a family member or another person connected to the matter.
Online threats are escalating
Messages, comments, emails or posts have become threatening, targeted, repeated or connected to real-world concerns.
A scammer is using multiple identities
The same person or group may be using different profiles, phone numbers, emails, payment methods or platforms.
Evidence is disappearing
Posts are being deleted, accounts are changing names, comments are being removed or privacy settings have changed.
A workplace issue has moved online
Staff conduct, bullying, harassment, confidential information or reputational issues are now playing out through online platforms.
You need a clear evidence pack
You need material organised for a lawyer, employer, HR process, platform report, regulator, insurer or police referral.
Examples of matters suitable for RQI
- A person is being harassed, threatened or stalked through social media or messaging platforms.
- A business is being impersonated online or targeted by fake reviews.
- A private client suspects a romance scam, catfishing or deceptive online identity.
- A lawyer needs social media evidence preserved before litigation or negotiation.
- An employer needs to investigate employee misconduct involving online posts or messages.
- A school, community group or organisation needs help preserving online abuse evidence.
- A client needs an evidence package for police, eSafety, Scamwatch, a regulator or legal advice.
Why choose Regional Queensland Investigations?
Regional Queensland presence
RQI is headquartered in Mackay and supports clients across regional, rural and remote Queensland, including matters where online conduct connects to local people, workplaces or communities.
Investigation experience
RQI brings private-sector, law-enforcement, compliance and regulatory investigation experience to online, cyber-enabled and evidence-based matters.
Clear, usable reporting
We prepare structured reports and evidence summaries that identify what was found, what it means and what practical steps may follow.
Useful reporting pathways
Depending on the matter, online issues may also need to be reported to police, a platform, Scamwatch, ReportCyber, eSafety, a regulator, a bank, an insurer or a lawyer.
ReportCyber
For cybercrime reports including scams, unauthorised access, business email compromise, identity misuse and related cyber incidents.
Scamwatch
For scam reporting, scam trends and consumer protection guidance through the National Anti-Scam Centre and ACCC.
eSafety Commissioner
For online abuse, cyberbullying, image-based abuse, adult cyber abuse and certain harmful online content complaints.
RQI can assist with evidence preservation and factual investigation support, but emergency threats, immediate danger or criminal conduct should be reported to police.
Frequently asked questions
Do you conduct online investigations?
Yes. RQI conducts online investigations involving OSINT, social media, scams, online harassment, impersonation, digital footprint enquiries and online evidence preservation.
Can you identify an anonymous person online?
Sometimes, but not always. Online identification depends on the available evidence, platform, public information, usernames, contact details, payment trails, behavioural patterns and whether further legal or police processes are available.
Can you investigate online scams?
Yes. RQI can assist with scam evidence preservation, profile review, communication analysis, online identity checks, chronology preparation and referral-ready evidence packs.
Can you remove harmful online content?
RQI does not control online platforms and cannot guarantee removal. We can assist with preserving evidence, preparing platform reports and identifying appropriate referral pathways, including eSafety where relevant.
Do you hack accounts or access private messages?
No. RQI does not hack accounts, bypass passwords or access private systems unlawfully. Our work is based on lawful online enquiries, open-source intelligence, authorised material and proper evidence handling.
Need help with an online investigation?
If you are dealing with online harassment, impersonation, a scam, social media evidence, cyber-enabled misconduct or digital reputation harm, RQI can assist with discreet, lawful and evidence-based online investigation support.