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Computers and Storage
Supported message content, headers, forwarding or inbox rules, mailbox audit records, sign-in activity, identity logs, and cloud account data may help organize the technical sequence.
See cloud forensics →Start with the matter and the available evidence
Start with the questions the digital evidence needs to answer.
For Tampa area law firms or businesses, the first step is to identify the events and people involved, then the devices or accounts that may hold relevant records. The matter may concern an employee departure, disputed activity, mobile or cloud evidence, a business investigation, or litigation. We then define the forensic scope and requested work product.
Planning example: Counsel may need a computer forensics review, records preserved from several sources, transfers or deletions traced, or technical findings explained. The initial scope identifies the questions, available sources, and requested work product before collection or analysis.
Digital evidence sources
Connect messages and headers with account, audit, and device records
The useful record may span email messages and headers, mailbox rules, sign-in and identity logs, provider audit records, cloud accounts, payment communications supplied within scope, business computers, and collected documents. Third-party systems, incomplete logs, spoofing, and shared credentials can leave important gaps.
Business computers and collected documents
Supported computers, browser records, files, communications, and available system artifacts may add endpoint context or supply documents for a broader review set.
See computer forensics →Authorized mobile or backup sources
When authorized and relevant, supported mobile records, backups, or cloud-linked data may contain communications or account context not retained in the mailbox or endpoint.
See mobile phone forensics →Messages & headers
Mailbox rules
Sign-in logs
Audit records
Business devices
Collected documents
Services for law firms and businesses
Digital Forensics Services
The service path can begin with cloud and email forensics, preservation, and event analysis, then add eDiscovery processing, hosted review, computer or mobile examination, or a defined business investigation as the record requires.
Cloud, Email & Document Forensics
Review of supported messages, headers, mailbox rules, sign-in activity, identity logs, provider audit data, cloud records, and related account information within the authorized scope.
Cloud and email forensics →eDiscovery & Hosted Document Review
Data inventory, processing, normalization, search, culling, analytics, hosted review, quality checks, and counsel-directed export or production support.
Technical forensic eDiscovery →Forensic Data Preservation & Collection
Source and retention scoping for identified mailboxes, cloud accounts, identity logs, devices, communications, and collected documents, subject to access and source conditions.
Data preservation and collection →Computer Forensics Investigations
Focused examination of supported business computers and storage media for browser, file, application, communication, and system artifacts relevant to the event chronology.
Computer forensics services →Mobile Phone Forensics
Examination of supported mobile devices, applications, messages, media, backups, and cloud-linked records when an authorized mobile source is relevant to the communication sequence.
Mobile phone forensics services →Employee & Business Investigations
Technical support for a defined suspected fraud, email-compromise, or business-activity question without deciding criminal or civil liability, intent, or outcome.
Employee investigation services →Departing employee communications investigations
Departing Employee Communications Investigations and Digital Forensics in Tampa
For a Tampa matter, digital forensics can help counsel or a business examine communications and account activity around an employee departure. Computer forensics may be considered with message headers, mailbox rules, sign-in records, cloud logs, mobile sources, and collected documents.
Planning example: Computer forensics may help place device activity alongside email or cloud events before selected material moves into legal review. A digital forensics report explains the work and relevant observations without treating chronology as proof of attribution, intent, theft, or legal responsibility.
Preserving digital evidence
Identify short-lived message, audit, identity, and account records early.
Mailbox changes, forwarding rules, provider retention, audit settings, shared credentials, device use, cloud changes, and third-party systems can affect what remains. Counsel or another authorized decision maker controls legal scope, while the technical discussion identifies priority messages, logs, accounts, devices, and communications. Computer forensics scope depends on the identified devices and questions.
eDiscovery and document review
Define the data assumptions before review and export begin
A counsel-directed workflow may include data inventory, processing, normalization, search, culling, analytics, hosted review setup, exception reporting, quality checks, and an agreed export or production-support step.
Source and processed volume, file types, processing exceptions, search strategy, hosted volume, users, hosting duration, analytics, review decisions, and export requirements shape the workflow. Counsel retains privilege, responsiveness, redaction, proportionality, production format, and deadline decisions.
Explaining technical findings
Why Choose Forensic Discovery for Digital Forensics in Tampa
Depending on scope, deliverables may include a communication chronology, header and mailbox-rule observations, account-activity summary, technical indicator list, data inventory, processing summary, and limitations or corroboration needs.
The report should identify the messages, account records, logs, devices, and review outputs considered; explain supported technical indicators; and disclose missing records, shared credentials, spoofing possibilities, third-party gaps, and alternate explanations. Expert work is separately scoped.
Pricing examples
Examples to Help Plan the Initial Scope
The examples below show how three common types of forensic work are priced. They provide a starting point for discussing the evidence sources, technical questions, and requested work product. We confirm the scope and price in writing before work begins. On-site collection support, when requested, is billed at $450 per hour plus travel.
Mobile Collection & Targeted Text Extraction
Obtaining text messages involves two separately billed stages: device collection and targeted extraction. Collection is $750 to $1,500 for a supported iPhone or $1,250 to $1,500 for a supported Android device, depending on the collection method. The cost of obtaining messages includes both stages. Extracting and converting the requested messages or supported app data is then billed at $450 per hour. Extraction time depends on the available data, applications, date range, and requested output. We confirm those details during scoping. Analysis and reporting are additional services when needed, and some requested or deleted data may be unavailable.
Mobile phone forensics →Departing Employee Computer (DEI) Investigation
A $5,000 professional-service package for a defined investigation of one supported, accessible, company-controlled computer. It includes forensic collection, focused analysis of the questions agreed during scoping, and a preliminary findings report explaining the work performed, relevant observations, and limitations. We generally request a $6,000 initial retainer to cover the package and anticipated expenses. The retainer is an advance toward the engagement’s charges. Additional devices, accounts, data storage, broader investigative questions, or expanded reporting are scoped separately.
Departing-employee investigations →Forensic Investigation & Expert Testimony
Digital forensic investigation and analysis are billed at $450 per hour. We agree on the questions to examine, evidence sources, planned work, and deliverables before work begins. Expert testimony is $2,200 for one four-hour block, scheduled from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. or 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. The engagement letter confirms the matter, assigned examiner, date, and time zone. Preparation, additional source review, travel, and time beyond the reserved block are scoped separately.
Forensic analysis and reporting →How work begins
A straightforward first conversation
Serving the Tampa area and Florida
Collection Planning and Laboratory Coordination
We work with law firms and businesses in the Tampa area and other Florida communities when the requested digital forensics services and evidence sources are within scope. We discuss how to coordinate the work based on where the evidence is, how it can be accessed, security needs, deadlines, and the agreed scope. We serve law firms and businesses in Tampa, St. Petersburg, Clearwater, Brandon, Riverview, Wesley Chapel, New Tampa, Temple Terrace, Plant City and Lakeland. If your community is not listed, contact us to discuss whether the evidence sources and requested work are within scope. Collection arrangements are confirmed during scoping.
Our primary digital forensics laboratory is outside the Tampa area. If evidence needs to be transferred for laboratory work, we confirm the handling plan and intake documentation during scoping.
Common questions
Questions for this evidence path
What records may matter after a suspected email-compromise event?
Relevant sources may include messages and headers, mailbox rules, sign-in and identity logs, provider audit records, cloud account data, business computers, available mobile records, and payment communications supplied within the authorized scope.
Can email headers identify who caused a payment-diversion event?
Headers and related records may support parts of a technical chronology, but spoofing, compromised accounts, shared credentials, incomplete logs, and third-party systems can prevent conclusive attribution. The work does not determine criminal or civil liability.
Why should mailbox rules and sign-in records be reviewed together?
Forwarding or inbox rules may show account changes, while sign-in, identity, and audit records may supply timing and account context. Availability depends on provider retention, licensing, configuration, permissions, and the defined event window.
Can digital forensics recover transferred funds?
No recovery is promised. The technical work may organize available communications, account records, indicators, and gaps, but fund recovery, financial accounting, law-enforcement action, attribution, and legal outcomes are outside the default technical scenario.
When does an email-compromise matter need eDiscovery support?
eDiscovery may fit when collected messages, attachments, documents, cloud exports, or device data require processing, search, culling, analytics, hosted review, quality checks, or organized exports for counsel.
What assumptions should be defined before hosted review begins?
Define source and processed volume, file types, processing settings, exceptions, search strategy, review population, users, hosting duration, analytics, quality checks, and export requirements. Counsel controls privilege, responsiveness, redaction, and production decisions.
What deliverables may fit this type of technical review?
Depending on scope, deliverables may include a communication chronology, header and rule observations, account-activity summary, technical indicator list, data inventory, processing summary, exception report, review workspace, or counsel-directed export support.
What limits should a technical chronology disclose?
A chronology should identify missing messages or logs, provider retention, shared credentials, spoofing possibilities, clock or timestamp issues, device gaps, third-party systems, and the distinction between technical observations and attribution or legal conclusions.
Who may engage Forensic Discovery for a Tampa-area matter?
We accept engagements from law firms and businesses only. We do not accept direct individual consumer matters. A represented individual should ask the law firm to contact us about a qualified business or legal matter.
Is your primary digital forensics laboratory located in Tampa?
No. Our primary digital forensics laboratory is outside the Tampa area. Evidence transfer and intake documentation are discussed during scoping.
Confirm engagement fit
Who We Serve in Tampa
This focus lets our intake begin with the legal or business question, the organization responsible for the matter, the relevant systems, and the decision the work needs to support.
Law firms
Outside counsel, litigation teams, and attorneys seeking digital forensics, computer forensics, evidence preservation, document review, forensic reporting, consultation, or separately scoped expert support for a client matter.
Businesses
In-house legal, HR, compliance, IT, security, risk, and business leaders handling employee, data, fraud, incident, litigation, or document-review concerns.
Individual consumer matters
We do not accept direct engagements from individual consumers. If a law firm represents you, the firm may contact us to discuss support for the matter.
For law firms and businesses in Tampa
Talk through your next step.
Tell us what happened, what you need to find out, and any deadlines. We’ll discuss which devices, accounts, or records may matter and how to scope the work.
Start withYour question and any deadline
Before work beginsScope and pricing confirmed in writing
Please do not send evidence files, account credentials, or potentially privileged or confidential material through the website contact form. We’ll discuss an appropriate transfer method after initial contact.