Your trademark is registered. Your patent is granted. Your lawyers have sent the cease-and-desist letters. And still the copies keep coming, cheaper each month, sold through new websites and new shops under names that change as soon as you close one down.
Registration protects your rights on paper. Enforcement needs evidence. Our IP investigation services find out who is behind the infringement, where the goods are made, how they move and who profits, and then gather evidence your lawyers can take to court, customs or the police. As an international intellectual property investigation firm headquartered in Dubai and backed by the 30+ years of GREVESGROUP®, we work for brand owners and IP law firms in more than 100 countries.
What Is an IP Investigation?
An intellectual property investigation is an enquiry into the unauthorised use of trademarks, patents, copyrights, designs or trade secrets. It establishes the facts behind the infringement: the identity of the infringer, the scale of the activity, the supply chain and the assets available for recovery.
Good IP investigators do more than buy a fake product. They connect the online seller to the warehouse, the warehouse to the factory and the factory to the people who own it. That chain of evidence is what turns a complaint into a successful raid, seizure or lawsuit.
The Real Cost of IP Infringement
Lost sales are only the first cost. Counterfeits undercut your pricing and confuse your distributors. Poor-quality copies generate complaints and returns that land on your customer service team. In regulated sectors, fake medicines, cosmetics or spare parts can cause real harm, and your brand takes the blame. Meanwhile, every infringer who goes unchallenged encourages the next one.
That is why many brand owners treat IP enforcement as a business priority rather than a legal formality. The earlier infringement is identified and traced, the cheaper it is to stop.
When Do You Need IP Investigators?
- Counterfeit versions of your products appear online, in markets or in your distribution channel
- You need to identify the source or manufacturer of fake goods
- A competitor may be infringing your patent or copying your registered design
- You suspect a former employee or partner has taken trade secrets
- You need trademark use investigations for opposition, cancellation or non-use proceedings
- You need proof of prior use or the actual scope of another party's use of a mark
- Your lawyers need evidence before filing for an injunction, raid or customs action
- Licensees or distributors may be selling beyond their permitted territory or volume
Our Intellectual Property Investigation Services
Trademark Investigation
Our trademark investigations establish whether and how a mark is being used, by whom, since when and on what goods or services. These trademark use investigations support clearance searches, oppositions, cancellation actions based on non-use, and disputes over prior rights. We also run trademark infringement investigations to document unauthorised use for enforcement.
Counterfeit Investigation and Source Identification
Our counterfeit investigations start at the point of sale and work backwards through wholesalers, importers, warehouses and manufacturers. Source investigations focus on the factory or organiser at the top of the chain, because shutting down one retailer rarely stops the problem.
Test Purchases and Market Surveys
Test purchases provide physical evidence of infringement, documented with receipts, photographs and chain-of-custody records. Market surveys map where infringing goods are sold, at what prices and in what volumes, which helps brand owners prioritise enforcement.
Patent and Design Infringement Investigation
We gather evidence of the manufacture, import, offer for sale or use of products that may infringe a patent or registered design, including product samples, catalogues, trade fair evidence and supply chain information.
Copyright Infringement Investigation
We investigate unauthorised copying and distribution of software, publications, media and other protected works, both online and in physical markets.
Trade Secret Theft Investigation
When confidential formulas, customer lists or technical know-how leave the business, we investigate how the information was taken, who is using it and where it has gone, working closely with your legal team.
Raid and Enforcement Support
Once evidence is ready, we support raids and seizures with local authorities, pre-raid surveillance, site verification and post-raid follow-up, subject to local law.
Online and Offline IP Investigations
Most infringement today has an online face and an offline body. The listing appears on a marketplace, a social media shop or a messaging group, but the goods sit in a physical warehouse and are made in a physical factory. Investigating only one side gives you half the picture.
Our online IP investigations identify sellers, linked accounts, payment channels, domain registrations and shipping patterns. Our field investigators then verify addresses, visit premises, make test purchases and trace stock to its source. Combining both gives your lawyers a complete case, and gives enforcement agencies the confidence to act.
Our IP Investigation Process
Case assessment
We review your rights, the infringement and your enforcement goals, and sign an NDA.
Online and database research
Our team uses online investigations across marketplaces, social media, websites and company records to identify sellers and linked entities.
Field investigation
Local investigators conduct discreet enquiries, site visits, test purchases and source tracing.
Evidence preparation
We compile evidence in a form suitable for your lawyers, including photographs, samples, purchase records and investigator statements.
Enforcement support
We assist with raid planning, customs recordation support and follow-up investigations after action.
What You Receive
At the end of an IP investigation you receive a structured evidence pack: an investigation report with findings and recommended next steps, identified targets with addresses and corporate details, photographs and video where lawful, purchased samples with receipts and chain-of-custody records, and investigator declarations where your lawyers need them.
Industries We Protect
Counterfeiting and IP theft hit every sector, but the risks are highest in pharmaceuticals, healthcare, consumer goods, retail, fashion and luxury, electronics, automotive parts, FMCG, technology and manufacturing. In sectors like pharmaceuticals and auto parts, fake products are not just a revenue problem: they can put lives at risk.
Why Choose Risk Investigators for IP Investigations
Enforcement experience
GREVESGROUP® has more than 30 years of experience investigating IP infringement and supporting enforcement for brand owners and IP law firms.
Supply chain focus
We aim for the source, not just the shop at the end of the chain.
Coverage across 100+ countries
Counterfeit supply chains cross borders. So do our investigations.
Evidence built for lawyers
Our reports and exhibits are prepared with court, customs and police requirements in mind.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is an intellectual property investigation?
It is an investigation into the unauthorised use of trademarks, patents, copyrights, designs or trade secrets. It identifies the infringer, documents the infringement and gathers evidence for legal or enforcement action.
What is a trademark use investigation?
A trademark use investigation establishes whether a mark is actually in use, by whom, on what goods or services and since when. It is commonly used in opposition, cancellation and non-use proceedings, and before adopting a new brand.
Can you find the manufacturer of counterfeit products?
Yes. Source identification is a core part of our work. We trace the chain from seller to distributor, importer and manufacturer using records, online research and field enquiries.
Is a test purchase legal evidence?
In most jurisdictions a properly documented test purchase is accepted as evidence of infringement. We record the purchase, the seller, the product and the chain of custody so your lawyers can use it.
Do you support raids and seizures?
Yes. We prepare the evidence needed for raid applications and support enforcement action with local authorities where the law allows, including pre-raid checks and post-raid follow-up.
Do you work directly with brand owners or only law firms?
Both. We work directly with brand protection and legal teams, and with IP law firms acting for rights holders.