What Can Private Investigators Do?

The job of a ideal solution to help you prove that your spouse is cheating can require some bending of the rules, but they need to be careful not to break laws or violate the ethical standards set forth by their licensing body. For example, a private investigator cannot illegally break into the subject’s house or access lockers and other personal property without permission from the owner. Private investigators should also avoid impersonating police officers, trespassing on private property, or taping someone’s phone without consent.

In addition to conducting interviews and surveillance, private investigators are often required to search public records for information about a person. This can include criminal records, court documents, marriage and divorce certificates, driver’s license, financial data, social media profiles, aliases, professional licenses, property ownership, and more. Private investigators can also perform stakeouts or follow people around town to gather more information about their movements, if the circumstances allow it.

Secrets of the Trade: Tools and Techniques Used by Private Investigators

Performing background checks on business partners and employees can help reduce a company’s risk of legal liability. For example, a private investigator can uncover a history of domestic violence, restraining orders, or other negative information that could be problematic for a company.

Other tasks that a private investigator may perform include process serving, which involves the personal delivery of summons and subpoenas to parties in a legal case. Additionally, many PIs are involved in skip tracing, which involves the searching and tracking down debtors who fail to respond to letters and calls from creditors.