PIs, or private investigators, are highly trained professionals who are experts in conducting research and collecting data through various methods, thus helping you investigate an individual or business discreetly.
There may be numerous reasons to hire a private investigator, such as fraud investigation, theft or burglary investigation, adultery investigation, etc., but whatever your reasons are, make sure you only hire PIs who are licensed and fully insured.
They conduct their work under strict regulations and ethical standards, and prioritise discretion above all else. The investigators have many tools at their disposal, including databases, paper records, etc., and may even do their own surveillance or tap into their extensive network of contacts in order to obtain information.
Whether you need someone located, require some confidential information, or need to spy on your spouse, using the services of an investigator will save you time, money, frustration and sometimes even your sanity.
Who/What is a Private Investigator?
A private investigator (PI) is an independent contractor who conducts investigations for law firms, businesses and individuals. Their services are not regulated by any government agency.
They are hired to conduct private investigations on behalf of their clients in order to obtain evidence needed for matters involving civil litigation, criminal defence and personal matters such as child custody disputes, missing persons cases, alimony/spousal support issues, insurance fraud claims etc.
How can they help?
They are a great help when it comes to solving cases, as they have the necessary training and experience. They can work in many different fields, such as:
- Identify suspects
- Track down missing persons
- Locate witnesses that can strengthen your case
The investigators can provide many services to the general public. These include:
- Insurance fraud investigations.
- Employee theft, embezzlement and other types of white-collar crimes.
- Forgery investigations and document authentication services.
Why hire a PI?
Investigations are done in a confidential manner: An investigator is bound by the law to keep all of your sensitive information confidential and will never reveal any information about the case to anyone unless they are specifically authorised to do so by their employer.
Many times, clients don’t want everyone on their street knowing that they hired an investigator. This is why private investigators prioritise discretion and privacy above all else. Even when they speak with other people involved in the case, such as witnesses or suspects, they don’t reveal their employer.
Conclusion
Private investigation is one of the most risky and nuanced tasks and must only be done by trained and skilled professionals who have years of experience in their industry.
Conducting private investigations on your own is not only risky, but also illegal. According to the law, only a licensed investigator can obtain information that would otherwise be inaccessible or unattainable.
Before choosing an investigation agency to assist with the research, ask for references and review their track record. You can also go through online reviews about the PI agency to make sure that all or most of their previous clients were satisfied with their work.