Re: counterproductive CMA investigations
Did you have to be aware of (and what to do in the event of) dawn raids ?
Speaking from some related experience, you wouldn't be aware of an impending CMA/SFO or other state raid. It would likely be led by local police. Staff were warned that if there were any concerns, raids were a possibility, and general guidance was passed around, which I'll sum up for you:
1) Expect to be treated like criminal suspects, shouted at, told to drop everything, be herded into a single place and kept guard by several police officers. The ground troop police aren't used to dealing with white collar staff, so expect the treatment you see on TV in the arrest of a major non-violent fraudster or low level drug dealer who may try and destroy evidence or flee.
2) You will have all work and personal electronic devices, notebooks ect confiscated, and if you're really lucky you might get an escorted trip to the toilet.
3) You will be held for hours, but not under arrest, but anyone who stand on their rights, kicks up a fuss should expect to be arrested.
4) Everybody (everybody) in the area of the raid, will have their details taken, and may be asked for statements.
5) When they leave, expect all IT, written documents and personal or company devices to be bagged and taken away as evidence, so regular work won't be possible for days or weeks. Servers may be ripped out or secured in situ. All electronic communications (email, Lync records, texts, call data) will be at least scanned by software, any leading players may have all of theirs read by human.
6) Advice to employees: Comply fully with all requests, don't complain, don't do anything that might be taken as disrespectful.
7) Major players plus the legal team in the company were actually given full dress rehearsals with actors in police style uniforms.
Biting the hand that feeds IT
