Free download for investigators
The Investigator's Handbook
Getting Evidence from Online Platforms, Services, Banks and Providers
A working reference for getting evidence about online fraud and cyber-enabled crime: which request to send, to whom, in what order, and where each company, provider and bank publishes its official route. Every contact links the page it was checked on, and every chapter ends with its primary sources.
What is inside
- StartFirst 24 hours: quick-startA two-page checklist for a new online-fraud or threat case: danger to life first, then preserve, then money.
- 1How data requests workPreservation, legal process and emergency disclosure; content versus non-content data; timelines and user notice.
- 2The seven big platformsGoogle, Meta, WhatsApp, Apple, Snapchat, Microsoft and TikTok: portals, sign-in problems and what each can provide.
- 3The online-services directoryHow to read the entry for any of 116 services, and the patterns to expect.
- 4Country routesMLAT, the US CLOUD Act, the Budapest Convention and the EU e-evidence rules, with a 21-country table.
- 5Internet and telecom providersWork out which provider handled an IP address or number, and how to find a registered contact.
- 6Following and freezing moneyBanks, wallets and payment apps: what can be stopped on request and what needs legal process.
- 7CryptocurrencyExchanges, stablecoin issuers, preservation versus freeze versus production, and tracing basics.
- 8Handling digital evidenceCapture, hash, document and hand over material so it can be trusted later.
- 9Templates and checklistsPreservation letter, cover sheet, emergency checklist, MLAT outline, follow-up and a request tracker.
- A-ZService quick reference and glossaryA lookup of 60 common services and an A to Z of the terms you will meet.
Official pages and the text of laws and treaties, read on 18 October 2026.
Every service, country, ISP and bank entry links to its live page on this site.
Checklists, decision tables and ready-to-adapt templates.
Questions
Who is the handbook for?
Police and sheriff's office investigators, prosecutors' staff, fraud and financial-crime analysts, private and corporate investigators, and journalists who cover cybercrime. Anyone can sign up.
Is it free?
Yes. You sign up with your name, work email, organisation and country, and we email you a personal download link.
Is this legal advice, or an official publication?
No. Ministry of Cyber Affairs is an independent news and information website. It is not a government body, police force, court, bank, provider or recovery service. The handbook describes processes as official sources describe them; your prosecutor, legal adviser or court decides what applies to your case.
How were the contacts and facts checked?
Each portal, address and legal reference was read on its official page on 18 October 2026, and every claim was rechecked by an independent reviewer against its source. Each chapter ends with its sources. Companies change contacts without notice, so confirm on the official page before you serve process.
What do you do with my details?
We use them to send the download link and to tell you about updates to the handbook. You can unsubscribe in one click from any email. See our privacy policy.
Found a mistake?
Please tell us through the contact page. We correct errors and record them on our corrections page.
Browse the live directories this handbook draws on: LERS hub, ISP directory, Bank Fraud Help and guides for investigators.