Inheritance investigation: tracing and locating heirs

Written by Guillaume Pouillier, CNAPS-licensed private detective, licence no. AGD 095-2024-03-06-20190240581 · Last updated: July 14, 2026

Until an heir is identified and located, everything stops: assets stay frozen, accounts blocked, tax deadlines keep running. Our investigation unblocks the estate by giving the notary what is missing, a certain identity and a verified address, and, where needed, documents concealment of assets or undue influence.

When is an inheritance investigation needed?

Four situations dominate: an heir who moved abroad or lost touch; an unknown family branch revealed by civil records; suspected concealment of estate assets (“vanished” property or accounts); undue influence exercised before the death. Each calls for a different method, ours covers all four.

Heir tracing proper is genealogical and field work: reconstructing the devolution, cross-checking civil records and archives, physically locating the person. The contentious side, misappropriation, capture, concealment, is asset investigation: reconstructing what disappeared, when, and to whose benefit. Notarial practices instruct us for the former; families and their lawyers, often for the latter. See also our heir tracing page for professionals.

How do you find a missing heir?

In stages: reconstructing civil status and family chronology, exploiting accessible archives and registers, French and foreign open sources, then field work to verify the address and, often, make a respectful first contact. A location only counts once verified on site.

Borders do not stop us: the Prometheus Group has correspondents in the main destinations of French emigration (Europe, North America, North Africa). Depending on the mandate, we either stop at the location or carry a first message, a delicate step, because an heir who feels hunted digs in, while a well-handled contact can shorten the settlement by months.

What about concealed assets or undue influence?

Document fast: suspicious withdrawals, property that vanished between death and inventory, powers of attorney used late, organised isolation of the deceased during their lifetime. Our report establishes the chronology and the material facts on which your lawyer builds the civil action or criminal complaint.

Under French law, concealment of estate assets (art. 778 Civil Code) deprives the concealer of any share in the diverted assets, but the concealment must be proven. We combine field findings (occupation of a property, use of a vehicle, lifestyle), open sources and fairly collected statements to build that body of evidence. For undue influence (art. 223-15-2 Criminal Code), reconstructing the context, dependency, isolation, control, is decisive, and all the easier to document the earlier we start.

Can the notary and the court use your file?

Yes, that is its purpose: verified identity and address to continue the devolution; dated, sourced and fairly obtained facts for litigation. The report is designed to be annexed to the deed or filed in court, in line with settled case law since 1962.

We work hand in hand with the notarial practice: the notary keeps legal control of the settlement, we bring the facts. For contentious files, the engagement can be taken in the lawyer’s name, so our exchanges pass through professional privilege. In all cases the CNAPS licence (art. L621-1) and professional secrecy (art. 226-13 Criminal Code) frame the assignment.

How much does it cost?

Our assignments start at €85/hour (excl. VAT) (full day €850, volume discounts). Every case gets a free written quote before any commitment, no hidden fees.

Locating an heir in France is usually a matter of documentary sessions; searches abroad and concealment files are quoted in phases with progress points. No engagement without a written timetable and budget.

See the full price list.

Frequently asked questions