WHO WE SERVE / INDIVIDUALS & ESTATES
You may need to preserve messages for a legal matter, understand records on an estate device, or assess access to a phone whose passcode is unknown. We start by checking the purpose, authority, and technical feasibility—then explain whether a focused forensic service is appropriate.
THE SUITABILITY CHECK
A specific question within DFI’s services.
Appropriate instructions for the device and records.
A supported method for the particular device or source.
If a requirement is not met, we explain the limitation rather than promise access.
WHY DFI
A phone or computer can be important because of the information it may hold. That does not mean every device can be accessed or every record recovered. We discuss the particular device or account, the information you need, and who can authorize the work. You receive a realistic explanation of the available route, rather than a promise of a result before the device is assessed.
Where a legal or estate matter is involved, we can coordinate with your lawyer or authorized representative. Their instructions help define the purpose and boundaries; our role is to assess and perform the agreed technical work.
WHERE WE CAN HELP
These examples describe possible requests. Suitability and access must be assessed for the actual matter.
We discuss the device, application, participants, and dates, then assess how relevant conversations and attachments may be preserved and produced. The examination is directed at the agreed question, not an unrestricted search of someone’s private life.
An authorized representative may need particular documents or communications. We clarify the requested material and documentation with the representative and, where appropriate, counsel before arranging any access or examination.
We can assess specialist access options for the particular phone. Model, operating-system version, security state, and condition matter. An initial discussion is a feasibility assessment—not a guarantee that the phone can be unlocked.
THE WORK, MADE CONCRETE
Start with information you already know. Do not change the device or repeatedly guess a passcode to complete this list.
| Tell us about | Why it matters | What happens next |
|---|---|---|
| The purpose | A specific evidence question helps establish whether forensic examination is the right service. | We discuss the relevant records and whether the request fits DFI’s work. |
| The authority | Possession of a device alone does not settle who can authorize access to every account or record. | We clarify required instructions or documentation; legal advice stays with your adviser. |
| The device or account | Model, software, condition and available access affect technical options. | We assess supported methods and explain known limitations. |
| The intended use | A personal review, counsel’s review and an expert report may require different work. | We agree scope, deliverable, handling and fees before the engagement proceeds. |
COLLABORATION, WITH BOUNDARIES
Explains the request, identifies the device or account, and supplies the information needed to establish authority.
Advises on legal authority and the intended use of the material, and provides appropriate instructions.
Assesses technical feasibility, proposes a focused scope, and explains the work, findings, and limitations.
We agree the scope, authority, access, reporting, and responsibilities before the work proceeds.
WHAT YOU RECEIVE
We agree deliverables before work begins. The appropriate format depends on your purpose, the available evidence, and the engagement.
An initial assessment of whether the request belongs within our forensic services.
What information is still needed, what methods may be supported, and which access limitations are known.
Where appropriate, a documented collection and focused review of the records specified in the engagement.
An agreed export, selected records, or a report appropriate to the purpose and available evidence.
RELATED SERVICES
Digital Forensics
If your phone’s passcode is lost, forgotten, or unknown, we can assess specialist options for accessing it. We first establish the make, model, operating system, and exact software version, because those details determine what may be possible.
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We help you preserve and understand the messages, media, and application records available from a phone or tablet. If a passcode is lost, forgotten, or unknown, we can assess specialist access options for that particular device.
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We examine computers and storage records to help you understand what happened in a dispute, investigation, or incident. Your questions guide the examination, and we explain what the available evidence can and cannot establish.
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Read articleA USEFUL FIRST CONVERSATION
Contact us with a concise outline. Do not send passwords, private messages, evidence files, or a physical device until we have agreed the next step and a secure way to provide material.
Check suitabilityKeep credentials and sensitive evidence out of the initial inquiry. We will agree a secure intake route if the matter proceeds.
