A Growing Industry

The UK’s private security sector continues to expand rapidly. In 2025, the market is estimated to reach £8.9 billion, driven by both traditional and technology-based security solutions. Businesses are investing heavily in measures to protect people, property, and sensitive data, while individuals are increasingly turning to professionals for personal protection and surveillance.

The private investigation market is also seeing strong growth. Valued at £520 million in 2025, it has expanded by 18% in just one year. This surge is fuelled by corporate due diligence, insurance fraud investigations, and digital forensics — areas requiring discretion, expertise, and advanced technology.

At the forefront of this expansion are private investigators in London and Oxford, where demand for high-quality, confidential investigation services continues to rise. From corporate intelligence to personal investigations, these professionals are supporting clients across a diverse range of industries and circumstances.

What’s Driving Demand?

Several key factors are contributing to this increased demand:

1. Corporate Security Needs
Businesses are taking a proactive approach to security. From safeguarding intellectual property to identifying internal fraud, private investigators in London are helping companies protect their assets, verify partners, and maintain their reputations.

2. Personal Safety Concerns
High-profile individuals and those in sensitive situations are increasingly seeking personal protection and surveillance. In cities like London and Oxford, professional investigators provide discreet, tailored services to ensure safety and peace of mind.

3. Digital Security Challenges
Cybercrime continues to grow in scale and sophistication. The need for digital forensics, identity verification, and online fraud detection has blurred the lines between traditional investigation and cybersecurity — a space where private investigators in Oxford are emerging as trusted experts.

4. Regulatory Compliance
Tighter governance standards mean organisations must carry out detailed due diligence. Professional investigators support compliance by delivering accurate intelligence and verification, helping firms meet legal and ethical obligations.

Technology as a Game-Changer

Technology is transforming both the private security and investigation sectors. From AI-driven analytics to advanced surveillance tools, these innovations are improving accuracy, speed, and responsiveness. Private investigators now have access to digital platforms that allow them to identify risks earlier and provide clients with clear, data-backed insights.

Looking Ahead

The outlook for the UK’s private security and investigation industry is strong. As risks become more complex, and as technology continues to evolve, demand for professional, trustworthy investigation services will only increase.

At Ingram Associates, we recognise that this growth reflects a deeper shift — security is no longer a reactive measure but a core element of strategic management and reputation protection. Whether supporting businesses or individuals, private investigators in London and Oxford are set to play a crucial role in safeguarding what matters most in an increasingly unpredictable world.

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Changes to The Recording of Rights

Following the UK’s formal exit from the EU on the 1^st January of this year, companies now need to record their rights in the UK and EU separately. Previously, brands could register their rights by including the UK in an EU-wide customs Application for Action (known as an AFA). EU AFAs that have not been approved by UK customs no longer have an effect, which can serve to help counterfeiters.

Higher Prices Might Mean More Demand for Counterfeit Goods

With the increased amount of paperwork required for brands to import goods between the UK and EU and the resulting price rises that go along with this, it’s believed that there will be far greater demand for cheaper counterfeit goods. Items coming into the UK from the EU taking longer and being more difficult to source will also increase consumer interest in counterfeit products.

Demand Increases Thanks to Online Shopping

With more people shopping online now than ever before (mainly due to the COVID-19 pandemic forcing everyone to shop from home), it is now easier for counterfeiters to target UK shoppers. With a few clever social media adverts, targeted email advertising and other digital tricks, it’s simple to capture the attention of shoppers who may never know items that they buy are counterfeit. And even if they do, they may be so enticed by the low prices, compared with the high price tags associated with genuine products, that they decide to go ahead and purchase anyway.

The COVID-19 pandemic combined with Brexit has meant that it’s difficult to tell at this stage whether the amount of counterfeit products coming into the country from the Far East has increased. It is, however, clear that the demand for these products has risen dramatically.

What to do if you Discover Counterfeit Versions of Your Product(s)?

Suppose your organisation finds fraudulent counterfeit goods posing as your own. In that case, it’s important to cooperate fully with HMRC to help them put effective border measures in place and seize any counterfeit goods already in circulation here in the UK. This includes providing full details on both genuine and fake products, keeping HMRC informed on developments on new anti-counterfeiting measures that may be applied to authentic products and keeping abreast of all developments.

If you’re a brand that doesn’t already have a brand protection strategy that covers you both online and offline when it comes to counterfeiting, now is the time to put one in place.

The post Will Brexit Help Counterfeiters in the Far East? appeared first on Ingram Associates.

Combined Homelessness and Information Network (CHAIN) data shows that there has been a 21% increase in the number of homeless people since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic and record numbers of young and disabled people being made newly homeless.

The change in immigration rules that makes one night of rough sleeping now grounds for deportation of non-UK nationals has also led to fewer people admitting to being homeless and becoming squatters instead. Almost one-third of non-UK nationals are afraid to ask for help because it means they must officially declare their homeless status according to data from homeless charities such as APAP, St Mungo’s and Street Link.

Squatting in a residential property is a criminal offence, and the police or the court system can take action to have squatters removed. Squatters in residential buildings can receive a fine of up to £5,000 and up to 6 months in prison. Do not ever try to remove squatters yourself using force or the threat of force, as you will be committing a crime yourself if you do so. Instead, get professional assistance by using the services of an enforcement agency such as Ingram Enforcement.

Squatting in a commercial property, however, is not usually a crime. The police can typically only act if squatters commit other crimes when entering or staying in a property. These crimes include causing damage when entering a property or whilst inside a property, fly-tipping, using utilities without permission, stealing from the property, and not leaving when they’re told to by court order. You should always contact the police first if you see someone breaking into or damaging commercial property and shouldn’t confront them yourself.

With many more buildings sitting empty thanks to the pandemic, the question of how to protect against squatters is something property owners need to consider now more than ever.

If you’re a property owner who wants to protect against finding your unoccupied property taken over by squatters, the best form of prevention is to prevent entry in the first place. Ensure your property is as secure as possible by installing additional locks, shutters, or similar ways of blocking access. Installing deterrents such as CCTV and intruder alarm systems can also be a great way to ward off potential squatters. Another option is to employ a security guard or property guardian whose job it is to secure your property and ensure it stays unoccupied.

Should the property become occupied, it is essential to act quickly. Contact Ingram Enforcement immediately, and we will help with the process of getting the squatters evicted.

The post Have The Number of Squatters Increased Over Lockdown? appeared first on Ingram Associates.

Digital fraud has been around since the beginning of the digital age; however, it is becoming more prevalent. Digital fraud can be highly sophisticated, and many people become victims, not realising anything is amiss until it’s too late and their details or money have already been stolen.

Since the beginning of the pandemic, fraudsters have been targeting people and collecting payments for fake COVID-19 treatments, tricking unsuspecting people into donating money to charities that don’t exist, and so much more. Data estimates that the fraud rate rose by 33% during the first period of lockdown in the UK [source] as people attempted to cash in during a difficult financial time for many.

The fact that more and more people are now making purchases online (which has again been fuelled by the pandemic) makes it even easier for hackers to commit fraud. Making purchases online is easy and quick; however, it also creates many opportunities for unscrupulous people to cash in.

Phishing emails and smishing text messages from people impersonating trusted organisations have also been rising in recent years. Phone calls from people posing as banks, building societies, mobile phone providers, energy companies and retail sources like Amazon are also widespread. They’ll typically ask for specific details from you to confirm your identity, when in fact, they’re attempting to use your details for fraudulent activities. They are often so convincing that many people don’t question it until they’ve already handed over their information.

If you suspect fraudsters are targeting you, it’s important to stop what you’re doing as soon as you think something may be wrong. Don’t give any personal information without first verifying they are who they purport to be. For example, if you receive an email from HMRC saying you’re owed a tax refund and asking you to click on a link and enter your details, don’t click the link. Instead, use a search engine to look up the official phone number for HMRC and phone and ask whether this is genuine or not. This is the smartest way to verify whether something is to be trusted or not.

Remember:

Stop – take a moment to think before parting with your money or information

Challenge – could it be fake? It’s okay to reject, refuse or ignore any requests you think may be fraudulent

Protect – contact your bank immediately if you feel you’ve been a victim of a scam and report it to Action Fraud

The post Cases of Fraud are Increasing appeared first on Ingram Associates.

Counterfeit products are cheaper than their genuine counterparts, and so, many people see no problem with buying them to save themselves some money.

Estimates report that imports of counterfeit and pirated goods to the UK in 2016 accounted for as much as £13.6 billion. The most popular counterfeit products brought in are electrical products, clothing, footwear, leather goods, handbags, toys and games [source].

Counterfeit products coming into the UK have the effect of crowding out legitimate economic activity, which will, in turn, affect employment rates. Less demand for genuine products will affect demand for production, and less production equals fewer employees

Suppose products that are usually designed, manufactured and sold in the UK arrive here as counterfeits from the Far East. If there’s less demand for genuine products, production will either lessen or stop altogether, and the people involved in this process will be made redundant.

Less demand also indirectly affects those paid to test the goods, those tasked with packaging and shipping them and those involved in transporting the goods around the country. Many people are involved in creating, selling, and delivering every product produced in the UK and are all impacted when consumers purchase counterfeit items from abroad.

There are many other disadvantages of counterfeit products beyond raising unemployment rates. These disadvantages include loss of sales revenue and profit margins as counterfeits undercut genuine products’ prices, overproduction costs of genuine products, fraudulent warranty claims, product liability claims and damage to authentic brands’ and products’ reputations. Another massive disadvantage of trade in counterfeit and pirated products is that it allows illegal activity to thrive, which often involves criminal networks.

Pirated and counterfeit products can also be a massive safety risk. For example, electronic products imported from abroad may not have gone through rigorous testing to ensure they perform correctly and may not adhere to safety standards here in the UK. Lack of testing could lead to items overheating and becoming a fire risk, and much more.

Toys imported illegally won’t have gone through the same testing processes to ensure safety for children using them and can be a risk to life.

Ensure you don’t play a part in supporting criminal activity by never purchasing counterfeit goods. Support the UK economy and UK jobs by buying genuine products, especially those made in the UK.

The post Are Counterfeit Products from the Far East Adding to Unemployment in The UK? appeared first on Ingram Associates.

Here are the most widely reported scams that have been on the rise since the beginning of the pandemic.

Online Shopping Scams

The most widely reported scam since the beginning of the pandemic is related to online shopping. There have been people paying large sums of money for protective face masks, antibacterial sanitiser and other similar products that are then never delivered. If you are ordering items online, ensure you purchase them from reputable and recognisable online retailers to avoid scams such as these.

Door to Door Covid Scams

There has been a dramatic rise in door-to-door scams during the pandemic as fraudsters know everyone is at home during the lockdown, and there are more homes and people to target than ever before.

There have been numerous reports of fraudsters selling COVID-19 testing kits and vaccines.  You will not be charged for these services when you go through the official channels, and buying at the door is extremely dangerous. If you require a COVID test, please book this via the official Government website gov.uk and wait to be contacted by the NHS for your vaccination.

There have also been reports of people visiting homes offering services to vulnerable people for payment, ‘volunteers’ offering to do shopping for people or collect prescriptions, fake charities, and so much more.

Investment Advice Scams

Another serious scam during the pandemic has been people posing as companies providing investment, trading, and other financial advice during a tough time. These scammers may contact individuals by email, over the phone or by coming to the door in person. They’ll attempt to receive your financial details and use these for their gain.

Email Scams

Email scams have been around for years, but many fraudsters have taken advantage of the Coronavirus pandemic to launch fresh scams. There have been emails pretending to be from the Government telling people they’ve been in contact with people who’ve tested positive for the virus, emails with malicious attachments that allow scammers to access information like passwords, email login information and personal banking details.

How to Avoid Becoming A Victim

Our best advice is to be sure you stay on your guard against scams and fraudsters. If something doesn’t feel right, then it probably isn’t, so you should stop immediately. Here are our top tips to avoid becoming a victim of a Coronavirus crime:

• Don’t give out PINs, passwords or any other sensitive information to ANYONE over the phone or email. A bank, building society, utility company or any other official body will never ask for any of these details.
• Ensure you only make purchases online with reputable, trustworthy websites. If you’ve never heard of a company before, take some time to research them online and read reviews from others. If there are no reviews or bad reviews, it is best to avoid them.
• Don’t click any links in emails unless you are 100% sure that they came from a trusted source
• Ask for ID from anyone who knocks on your door

The post The Pandemic Is Giving Fraudsters More Opportunities for Scams appeared first on Ingram Associates.

More Time Together

The various lockdowns we have experienced have forced us all to spend an increased amount of time at home together. Previously, either one or both partners would have been away from home during the day interacting with other people. Over the past year, spending so much extra time together has led to problems. Small things that might have been minor irritations between partners previously have been exacerbated into more extensive and more pressing issues, leading to arguments, tension and divorce.

Stress

Coping with working from home, living through a global pandemic, dealing with loss, managing bills with reduced incomes, changing lifestyles, and not seeing friends and family regularly, are all incredibly stressful. This stress can dramatically affect mental health, which has, in turn, affected coping mechanisms and relationships.

Family Life

 Learning to work from home and conduct home-schooling has been incredibly difficult for many people. The pressures of juggling teaching, working, preparing extra meals and the other responsibilities that come with a house full of people add up. Many couples feel that this responsibility is not shared equally, leading to resentment and arguments.

Time to Reflect

People who have been in unhappy relationships or relationships that just weren’t right, are focusing on their situation and have realised that now is the time to take action. Not having anywhere to escape to, or anyone else to lean on, provides more time to reflect. Many people have decided that they don’t want to continue in a relationship that doesn’t make them happy and are considering divorce.

Divorce?

It is reasonably certain that the numerous breakdowns in marriages and partnerships over the past ten months are a direct result of the Pandemic, or the Pandemic has highlighted old problems.  Either way, the best advice that we’ve seen is not to be rash; wait it out if you can, and see how your relationship feels when things return to normal.

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