South Florida is the yachting capital of the Americas, and everything that moves through it — vessels, crews, brokers, charter guests, contractors — creates risk that a survey and an insurance policy do not cover. FSO Guard provides maritime and yacht investigations in Miami and Fort Lauderdale for owners, captains, management companies, brokers, attorneys and insurers, backed by our licensed yacht and marina security practice.
Services for owners, captains and managers
Crew vetting and background checks
Captains, engineers, stewards, deckhands, chefs and nannies who will live aboard with your family and have access to everything. Identity, criminal, civil, driving and boating records; license and certificate verification; prior-vessel references; lawful online review. FCRA-compliant for U.S. hiring. Learn more about our background check services.
Contractor and vendor due diligence
Yards, technicians, provisioners, detailers and day workers — who they are, whether they are licensed and insured, and what other owners have experienced.
Theft, fraud and misconduct aboard
Missing valuables and equipment, fuel and provisioning fraud, inflated invoices and kickbacks, misuse of owner’s funds, unauthorized use of the vessel or tenders, substance issues among crew. Discreet, with evidence usable for termination, insurance claims or prosecution.
Onboard incident investigations
Injuries, altercations, harassment complaints, damage and disappearances of guests or crew — documented promptly with statements, timelines, CCTV preservation and coordination with counsel and authorities.
Guest and charter vetting
Background on charter clients and their parties where the broker or owner has concerns, and identification of fraudulent charter inquiries and payment scams targeting brokers.
Services for buyers, brokers and insurers
Pre-purchase vessel due diligence
True ownership and corporate structure, liens and mortgages, registrations and flag history, prior names and incidents, insurance claim history, arrests or seizures, and background on seller, broker and management company. See also corporate due diligence and asset searches.
Locating vessels and parties
Vessels moved after a default, dispute or sale gone wrong; owners, captains and crew who cannot be found — through licensed skip tracing, marina canvass, AIS and open-source analysis.
Marine insurance claims investigations
Theft, fire, sinking, collision and liability claims: verification of circumstances, scene and vessel documentation, witness interviews, background on claimants, coordination with surveyors and counsel.
Charter and sale fraud
Fake listings, fraudulent escrow and wire instructions, brokers or sellers who are not who they claim — in coordination with our fraud investigations.
Security assessments and protection
Because FSO Guard is also a licensed security agency, investigation and protection come from one team: marina and vessel security assessments, onboard and dockside security officers, sweeps for trackers and hidden cameras aboard, and close protection for owners and guests. Read our yacht security checklist.
How we work
- Confidential intake with the owner, captain, manager, broker or counsel — the vessel, the people, the concern, the desired outcome.
- Scope and quote in writing, from a single crew check to a multi-week onboard investigation.
- Investigation using lawful sources and methods: records, licensed databases with a permissible purpose, interviews, surveillance, marina and yard canvass, open-source analysis.
- Report written for the decision you need to make — hire or not, buy or not, terminate, claim, prosecute — with exhibits and, where needed, testimony.
Maritime investigators in Miami, Fort Lauderdale and Palm Beach
FSO Guard Security Company — Florida Private Investigative Agency License A 1000095, Security Agency License B3100530 — Hollywood, FL, minutes from Fort Lauderdale’s marinas and the Miami River yards. Investigators work in English, Spanish and Russian. Call (786) 659-5011 or message us on WhatsApp. See all investigation services.
