Observations & Interviews

Some great stories

2012-02-11T06:46:00.000-08:00

The private investigations industry does not have the greatest professional image. However, these two recent stories show both the importance of private investigators and the profession's growing status as a necessary and useful enterprise for businesses, individuals, and governments.

If you need international investigative services or protection, consider hiring United International Investigations.

A useful book

2012-02-06T13:47:00.000-08:00

Though the following book may not be useful for all readers, it is something that both the Californian private investigator and clients (especially attorneys) should read. It is written by David Queen, a tenured federal prosecutor, defense attorney, and licensed private investigator. The book's legal focus makes it very useful guide for assured due diligence in investigative cases. Investigators and clients residing outside of California can benefit from this text by using it as a reference when subcontracting or when an investigation shifts to California legal statute. As a reference book, it can certain assure that the investigator handling a case is operating within the rule of law.

New format: Also, a few notes on social networking safety

2012-01-20T08:16:00.000-08:00

As promised in our end of the year post, we're going to change some things about our blogging efforts this year.

While we will intermittently write a variety of our longer posts offering advice and tips, we're going to try a more popular format of writing short posts somewhat more frequently. Expect a post about every 2 to 3 weeks instead of every four.

The theme of the posts will vary, but will generally provide links to interesting news stories, reviews of relevant books and journal articles, helpful advice and reminders, and other interesting substance. As before, the posts will focus on issues relevant to the private investigations industry with an intended audience of (potential) clients. As we've advocated, it is important to remain an informed consumer and select investigators who are practicing ethically and legally.

In this post, we want to remind our reader's to remember that it is hard to identify people who are potential con artists, as evidenced by a woman who recently was able to swindel her boss out of a million dollars, and to be wary of social networking scams, which are becoming more sophisticated.

The following books are useful resources for people looking for specific tips and strategies

It's that time of the year... to wrap things up and open new gifts

2011-12-05T21:16:00.000-08:00

It's that time of the year again, when people wrap presents, eat food, and drink delicious beverages... that they likely didn't buy! One in every 11 people who walk through a retailer's door is likely to walk out with at least one item he or she didn't pay for, with nearly 70% claiming they didn't plan to steal something (Klara, 2011). The top 10 most shoplifted items, according to Klara in an article published in Adweek, are as follows:

Filet Mignon
Jameson (liquors)
Electric tools
iPhone4
Gillette Mach4
Axe (deodorants)
Polo Ralph Lauren
Let's Rock Elmo
Chanel No. 5
Nikes

The list is interesting, for sure. But we provide it as a friendly reminder that retailers need to take precautions, as we suggest last year at this time. No retailer is safe from sticky fingers, and it seems that there are a variety of motivations for theft. It is also a reminder to be observant of others' behaviors and, if warranted, do a background check or surveillance on employees, spouses, children, etc., especially when they engage in suspicious behavior. This is just a matter of protecting your own self interest, even if it feels odd.

It is also that time of the year when people think it is appropriate to make changes. We're not alone. We're planning to make a few changes to our blog next year. We'll continue to write long posts with ideas and tips for clients, and thoughts on the profession. However, these will be less frequent. Instead, we will update the blog a few more times per month with shorter comments, and more timely news about the profession. This, we believe, will allow us to cover more topics. It is also consistent with the push in social media to make information fresh and concise. We believe shorter comments with links to articles will better serve our readers and the PI profession more than our current approach does.

So until 2012, have a safe and happy holiday. However, if it is for any reason a little unsafe and unhappy, give us a call: investigateworldwide.com.

(Note: We'll be working cases, but we'll begin delivering content in mid-January.)

Learning about Private Investigations

2011-11-03T07:40:00.000-07:00

This post is for readers who want to know more about the profession of private investigations. Whether you are interested in the field out of intrigue, are thinking about hiring a private investigator and want to be an informed consumer, or are contemplating a career in the profession, this post will point you in the direction of some excellent books.

There are a variety of books on the profession, some better than others. While it may be useful to read a book that gives a general overview of the profession or provides interesting stories, such as Broker, Trader, Lawyer, Spy: The Secret World of Corporate Espionage, the more useful books are those that build knowledge and skills that are relevant to successful investigations. If you are seeking employment with an investigations company or want to be an informed consumer, it is better to invest in books that deal with the process of investigation and relevant laws. The following books are excellent resources:

In addition to the books listed above, you will want to invest in books on writing if you plan to work as a field investigator. You will write professional reports that will be passed along to clients and may be used in court. A well written report, free of grammatical errors and typos, will project the proper professional image. The following books are excellent resources for improved writing.

Being a private investigator is not just about following people, as popular press images suggest. It is about knowing the laws and understanding human psychology. The above books will help you to gain an understanding of what it really takes to conduct a successful investigation.

Be wary of doing your own investigations

2011-10-02T07:06:00.000-07:00

It's true, you can find relatively inexpensive GPS tracking devices and install them on a vehicle and monitor a car. It's true, you can follow someone and video record him or her. It's not always true that this is giving you good information. More importantly, it's not always true that this is legal.

Consider, for a moment, that you suspect your spouse is cheating or one of your mobile employees are engaged in some kind of theft (even if just "stealing company time"). So you install a GPS tracking device. But what does the GPS tracking provide, other than information about a vehicle's whereabouts? This could be troubling if your spouse or employee is one location when he or she claims to be in another. But this certainly does not prove anything other than a lie, and maybe not even a bold one.

Let's take the example of the cheating spouse. At conferences, investigators often share stories and a common one usually includes observing a suspected cheating spouse do peculiar, not necessarily damning, things. For example, instead of infidelity, sometimes spouses have "personal side activities" that they simply want to claim as their own. From the field, this has involved everything from taking classes at a community college, writing a novel in a coffee shop, shopping, and volunteering to be a conversation partner with a lonely senior citizen. A GPS unit alone leaves it up to the imagination about what is really going on. Sure, your partner may not be truthful, but when you reveal you've been covertly tracking his or her movements with a GPS device, this is likely to cause more strain to the relationship than his or her secret volunteer work. A private investigator can confirm, by observation, what is really going on before you damage your relationship. Oh, and the most important part: electronic tracker laws vary by state and are changing rapidly as courts resolve civil suits. In short, what you are doing could be illegal. If it is legal, but you are hot tempered, remember that a professional investigator acts as a buffer. If you get angry and confront your spouse "in the act," even if it really is cheating, then you could find yourself dealing with assault charges. A private investigator does not immediately reveal details, giving you a chance to "cool down."

Today, inexpensive technology has made it possible for lay people to do all kinds of investigations one limited to the private detective. But the laws are often unclear about the boundaries between the legal and illegal. It is for this reason that Harvey Silvergate claims we commit at least three felonies a day (see article). In recent court cases, people have been arrested and charged for felony wiretap for doing very basic things, such as recording with sound, tracking a person's computer activities [another article], and pretexting (pretending to be someone else to obtain information). Professional investigators take continuing education courses to say abreast of the shifting boundaries. Importantly, they assume the risks of the investigation rather than the client.

The best way to protect yourself legally and to insure you are "getting the facts straight" is through good ol'- fashioned detective work performed by a qualified, insured, and licensed professional investigator. As the saying goes, you get what you pay for and, in today's world, one could rephrase this saying: you may pay (in jail or by ruining your relationship) for what you don't pay for.

Another privacy issue, another reason to hire a private investigator

2011-09-02T11:27:00.000-07:00

Continuing with our theme of internet safety, personal computer safety, and fraud protection, we have another odd case to report on. Again, this news only highlight why private investigators are becoming more important and how they can assist domestic and corporate clients.

An Ohio teacher recently sued a computer tracking company for sex spying. In this case, as described in the article and summarized below, the Ohio substitute teacher, Susan Clements-Jeffrey, had a webcam chat of a sexual nature with her boyfriend. This was at her home, in private. Little did she know, her laptop was actually stolen property being aggressively monitored by Absolute Software, a private company that specializes in tracking stolen computers.

Clements-Jeffrey had purchased the a used laptop from one of her students for $60 in 2008. Not only is this ethically questionable, but it should have at the very least raised a red flag. According to Clements-Jeffrey, she was unaware that the laptop was stolen. Supposedly, neither did the student. He or she had purchased for $40 at a bus stop and passed it along for a quick buck.

The computer was actually property of Ohio's Clark County School District, which uses Absolute Software to install hidden tracking software on all of its machines. This assists in recovery in the case of theft. As noted in the referenced article, "Absolute's software, known as LoJack for laptops, gives the company total remote access to the computer's data, which it records. LoJack is a highly-rated security service — and an entirely legal one — but in this case, Absolute is under fire for potentially violating the Electronic Communications Privacy Act and the Stored Communications Act, which details guidelines for virtual privacy." The issue is that Absolute's theft officer recorded Clements-Jeffrey's keystrokes and snapped three sexually explicit screenshots, and passed these along to the Springfield, Ohio police department. Clements-Jeffrey and her partner are currently suing Absolute, Magnus, the city of Springfield, and two police officers for violating their Fourth Amendment rights.

This is certainly an alarming story--one that does not reflect well on the private security industry. However, as with all news--good or bad--about a profession, much can be learned by unpacking the story's lessons. In this case, it should lead individuals to consider the following two things:

Consider contracting with smaller companies. Small investigative and security firms can do many of the things that Absolute does. Need your computers monitored or stronger internet security? A professional, private investigator can do this for you. In many cases, the smaller company subcontracts with companies that offer global property tracking services. So the service coverage is the same. However, with a smaller company you get higher quality, safer, and monitoring free of legal error. Though you may not get the same cost advantage as going with a larger firm, you do get the benefit of a more personalized service. Smaller companies often only employ a few investigators, who are micromanaged. Direct supervision of employees or the actual work of a licensed, bonded, and experienced investigator (who is required to know laws and take continuing education) mitigates the possible poor judgment of lower-paid or low-skilled agents. In the end, piece of mind is worth the extra expense up front. In the case that it leads to a lawsuit, the minor additional costs of contracting with a small company will far exceed the costs of errors caused by larger firms.
Hire an investigator to check sellers, buyers, and products. Sometimes, a good deal is not too good to be true. However, if you are suspicious that one is (e.g., a $60 laptop) then spend an extra $100 to check the deal out. A private investigations company can do a background check on the equipment, check it for spyware, do a background check on the seller (or buyer) and so on. Obviously, for more expensive items, or when selling online, you definitely want to consider hiring a private investigator to facilitate and guide the process.

In today's economic climate. People are looking to take advantage of others. One group of people has been reducing domestic, professional, and corporate risks for centuries. A professional investigator can be an excellent way to avoid having to sue, or being sued by people. In this case described in this post, everyone seems to be a loser in the deal. A smaller investigative company could have been the unforeseen solution.

Another social media cautionary tale

2011-08-02T05:54:00.000-07:00

Social media can be a great way to keep in touch with friends and family. It also has become a space for criminals of all sorts to steal identities or engage in illicit activities. Past blogs have noted ways to protect your identity and personal information in a digital and online world (Example: http://tinyurl.com/3eoocnh; http://tinyurl.com/42za7qz). The media recently reported another worry of social media. It is a bizarre story, but not surprising to professional private detectives.

It appears that Angela Voelkert created a fake account for 17-year-old “Jessica Studebaker,” complete with an attractive photo, and friended her ex-husband. Suspecting all along that it was his wife, David obtained a notarized affidavit: “I am lying to this person to gain positive proof that it is indeed my ex-wife trying to again tamper in my life… In no way do I have plans to leave with my children or do any harm to Angela Dawn Voelkert or anyone else.” He then proceeded to tell the person he had illegally installed a GPS unit on his ex-wife’s car and was seeking to hire someone to kill her. Angela turned this over to the FBI, who, in turn, arrested David. Having produced the notarized affidavit, however, David was able to turn the tables on Angela.

See stories in Time and HuffingtonPost.

This twisted tale is unsurprising to the professional investigator because domestic cases, especially those involving custody of children, often are fraught with high emotions. David’s decision to obtain a sworn affidavit was a good idea, but unlikely something most individuals would think of doing. It is not clear whether David was acting under the guidance of a private investigator, but most would have suggested doing exactly what David did. What is more, they could have given David additional security by recording and witnessing his social media interactions with “Jessica Studebaker.”

This story is just another reason private investigators are becoming more necessary in today’s world. Private investigators can assist clients in a variety of personal matters, including those in the still legally uncertain domain of social media. A quality private investigator would have dissuaded Angela from trying to entrap her husband. Instead, she or he would have suggested more civil procedures. For example, Angela should have considered having David’s everyday activities surveilled for some time to insure he was living a life that was proper for their children. In the end, of course, it is possible the investigator would have discovered that David was, in fact, a good father. This evidence could have been reassuring to Angela. Private detectives are not “hired guns” that seek to prove a client’s case for them. Ethical investigators act as collectors of information and third-party witnesses and mediators. Retaining their services is no guarantee of getting what you want, but it certainly would have been prudent for Angela.

If In previous posts, we have provided advice that will assist you in finding a quality private investigator and making a good decision regarding the fit of a particular investigator with your case.

Happy 4th of July: Recognizing the importance of the PI in US society

2011-07-01T04:48:00.000-07:00

It’s just about the 4^th of July, which means that many US-Americans will reflect on U.S. history and think about its future. Though the private investigator may conjure thoughts of shady surveillances of cheating spouses, the profession has been, and will continue to be, an important to citizens and businesses. For example, before there were county sheriffs, city police departments, and even the Secret Service, everyday citizens, politicians, and entrepreneurs could only rely on the help of private investigators to resolve criminal or civil issues. (In today’s climate of budget cuts, many police cannot investigate petty crimes so again private investigations is on the rise, see OOH.) Allan Pinkerton, for example, the founder of one the first formal (and most famous) private detective agencies in the United States, Pinkerton National Detective Agency (est. 1850), provided security detail for Abraham Lincoln, and even foiled an assassination plot against Lincoln. Pinkertons created many procedures and protocol that were used to set up and train early FBI agents (source: Wikipedia).

Though private investigators may not enjoy the same status and image in the United States that they once did, or get to enjoy adventures on par with Allan Pinkerton, they are still retained by the public, business owners, government agencies, and attorneys to assist in a variety of cases that matter to well-being of citizens and the security of the nation. Below is a list of a few cases in the past few months that are particularly noteworthy. In celebration of Independence Day, let’s salute these professionals for a job well done, and remember that all civil, criminal, and personal matters, big or small, can often benefit from the dedicated work of a professional investigator:

Missing Farrah Fawcett Portrait, worth millions, found by a private investigator. [link]
Undercover sting, coordinated by a private investigator, proves blackmail and protects bank assets. [link]
Missing Loyola University student found in hotel room by professional investigator. [link]
Private eye locates homeless man and informs him of a significant inheritance. [link]

Remember that a private investigator can be your advocate. If you currently have a financial, legal, business, or personal issue that you think could be resolved by a private investigator, please do not hesitate to call United International Investigations. We have been retained by clients nationwide.

Help your private investigator save fuel, and you money

2011-06-03T13:18:00.001-07:00

It appears that near-$4 gas prices are here to stay. Who knows, they may even go higher. If this is the case, all of us are going to feel the squeeze. But this does not mean that we can avoid uncovering spousal or domestic-partner infidelity, identifying employee misconduct among mobile workers, locating and serving subpoenas, documenting workers’ compensation fraud, and so on. It simply means, unfortunately, we must make (sometimes painful) adjustments to our habits in order to do business in an economy with higher energy costs.

Private investigators are feeling the pinch too. The cost of operating a private investigations business requires ongoing continuing education, state licensing, liability and auto insurance, office rent, database fees, advertising, and so on. High fuel costs, just like in most professions and business, means less money to pay for unforeseen personal or business-related expenses. Investigators have always charged money for travel expenses related to the cost of an investigation, but this only partly recaptures the full expense of vehicle wear and tear and fuel. In short, the investigators and their clients share the expenses related to “mileage fees.” However, due to high fuel costs, many investigators have been unable to absorb all of the additional expense and have had to raise their mileage rates, or institute special surcharged fuel prices go above $4 per gallon. This unfortunately is not good for the client, and therefore not good for an investigators long-term business interests.

In this blog, I would like to share with readers what they can do to save money. By working to save money for themselves, I believe clients will also help the investigator save fuel and vehicle maintenance. Though the tactics below may cost the investigator a few hours of surveillance time—savings passed onto the client—any lost surveillance or investigative work will be offset by saving on fuel. By sharing some strategies that will help our clients money, investigators will not only use less fuel (hey, it’s good for the environment), but will have better investigative outcomes. Thus, by heeding the three pieces of advice below, we believe our clients will help us create a win-win situation.

1. Gather intelligence. Investigators need good intelligence to do their jobs well. The more intelligence you gather regarding a person’s behaviors and the context of their actions, the less time and travel the investigator will need to invest in establishing the parameters of the investigation. Often clients think they have good intelligence, but they incorrectly recall details or simply just draw upon the investigative subject’s recent practices. This often leads to fallacies of causation or generalization. In a domestic case, for example, a suspicious spouse may recall a recent event that seemed odd. However, his or her suspicions only seem to exaggerate the details. Let’s suppose a husband, for example, returns home two hours later than usual. This does not necessarily mean he was meeting someone. On that particular day, he may have had a post-work doctor’s appointment. By taking a few weeks to systematically record a spouse’s practices, a client may help an investigator avoid the need to establish random surveillances following, in this example, the husband after work. By observing daily practices, routines will become known. Since we are creatures of habit and routine, anomalies in routines become some of the best times to conduct surveillances. The same occurs in business. By looking at data and then correlating it to employees’ workdays, a client can help an investigator see patterns and identify which mobile employees ought to be followed. This will significantly reduce travel that would come with following all mobile employees for some time. In short, the more intelligence a client can provide the better chances that an investigator will spend fewer hours in the field.

Don’t skimp on money up front. Investigations can be expensive. Foremost, good investigators want to help clients get what they paid for, and if a good investigator is a good businessperson, he or she will also want the client to feel that she or he got a good deal. Referrals and reassignment is far less expensive than obtaining new clients through advertising. A good investigation, however, does require (as noted above) quality intelligence, which costs money. If you try to cut costs by not allowing the investigator to check, for example, vehicle registrations of a targets’ known associates. If you try to cut costs by avoiding the use of a tracking GPS on a company car or spouse’s vehicle (note: there are legal nuances so you should never do this without consulting an investigator), then the cost of the investigation may increase over time. For example, let’s imagine a frequent scenario where the investigator is following a target from one location to a potential meeting place with his or her paramour. Sometimes an investigator will need to stop a traffic light that the target was able to get through. If, for example, the investigator knows where the potential paramour lives—because of a background search on known colleagues—then the investigator can deduce from driving patterns where the target may be going. If the investigator already knows the potential paramour’s address, he or she has an increased chance of relocating the vehicle and getting quality surveillance video. If, however, the client forgoes such up front data gathering, then the investigator may spend time driving around with the hope of relocating a vehicle. In addition, surveillance may have to be rescheduled, increasing fuel use and additional hours of billable time.

Follow your investigator’s advice. This piece of advice is related to the second. It is probably some of the most important advice a client can receive, but often the most challenging to accept. Emotions run high in domestic investigations, so it is easy to want to confront a potential cheating domestic partner or spouse. Businesses want to quickly rid themselves of a suspicious employee. Being patient during surveillance is not always easy. However, it is important a client listen to the investigator, not because she or he she is always right, but because she or he has the best intelligence. A client cannot see what is going on during fieldwork. Getting too involved can create problems both for the client and the investigator. The great unknown for everyone is the target’s practices. Ideally, the investigator would be able to predict movement and establish a surveillance point just before the target moves. This way, the investigator is not spending 8 hours in the field waiting for a target’s movement. Intelligence can help close this gap, but it cannot fully close it. A client may think that surveillance is only going to be a few hours. But let’s say the target spends more time at work, or does not, on the first day, go to anticipated places. Or let’s assume the target engages in less public (and therefore less observable to the investigator) behavior. If a client micromanages or does not take the advice of the investigator, then he or she may pull the investigator away from a surveillance. In most circumstances, the client will want another surveillance to occur at a later time. Every time surveillances start and stop, the investigator has to travel to and from her or his office. All of this increases fuel usage and the cost of an investigation. If an investigator advises you to wait, then do so; it will cost you a bit more money then, but a lot less in the end.

The above pieces of advice will definitely work toward helping save the fuel costs associated with an investigation. Nothing is more important than honest and open communication between an investigator and his or her client, though. You should feel comfortable with your investigator. If you do not, choose an investigator with whom you do. Each investigator has his or her own approaches to doing investigating and operating his or her business. There are many of us available to serve your needs, so shop around. If you happen to be in the Austin area, I’d, of course, appreciate your business. If you think you may have trouble covering the costs of an investigation, speak with an investigator. Often she or he has savvy ideas to help reduce investigative expenses for a client. So call an investigator today to discuss the particulars of your case and see what kind investigation can be conducted with few stops at the gas pump.

No 'high five' for WiFi: How to protect your connection

2011-05-03T06:14:00.000-07:00

Chances are, you have a wifi network in your home. According to the Wi-Fi Alliance, an estimated 201 million households worldwide use WiFi networks. While many people properly lock down their Wi-Fi networks, several people do not. According to a recent poll conducted by the Alliance, 32% of 18 to 32 year olds acknowledged trying to access a Wi-Fi network that wasn't theirs.

While some people, such as cyber libertarians, do not lock down their network for ideological reasons, others simply do not know how to protect themselves. Leaving your WiFi network exposed can create serious financial and legal problems.

A recent Associated Press article reported that Barry Covert, a Buffalo, New York homeowner, was awoke in the middle of the night by a SWAT unit with an arrest warrant. They believed he was a child pornographer who went by the name "Doldrum." After being arrested, Covert continued to proclaim his innocence. However, he had to prove that he was not who the investigators thought. After searching through his personal computers, the police ultimately determined that Covert had been telling the truth--"About a week later, agents arrested a 25-year-old neighbor and charged him with distribution of child pornography. The case is pending in federal court." Cover was lucky, but the article reports on other cases too, showing that this is not an uncommon problem. Orin Kerr, a professor at George Washington University Law School, notes that this is one reason to secure a WiFi network: "Whether you're guilty or not, you look like the suspect."

We've already blogged, to some degree, on this topic for businesses. So in this article we want to suggest four ways to secure your WiFi network, and point to pages that give quality explanations of how to do what we suggest. (For more reasons, see Bradley Mitchell's article posted on About.com.) Here are the four things you should do:

Change default administrator passwords.
Disable SSID Broadcast
Assign static IP address to devices
Turn off network during extended periods of nonuse.

These four easy things will help you protect your WiFi network against undesired use. If you notice your network has slowed, this is a good sign that you may have been hacked. Be sure to take measures to protect yourself.

If you find that your network has been improperly used, hire a private investigative company skilled at computer forensics. Whether you are building a defense case or taking preemptive measures, private investigators can help you track down people who have illegally used your network and help build a case for civil or criminal pursuit or defense.

Spring cleaning your digital devices

2011-04-01T02:34:00.000-07:00

Individuals and businesses now likely possess several electronic and digital data devices, including, but not limited to, netbooks, computers, and smart phones. Just as we noted in a previous blog about identity theft, one should be concerned with how to dispose of these devices properly, especially as their life cycles seem to be shortening . Not only does proper disposal help protect the environment, but more importantly, it helps protect your personal and business information.

We recommend that you always dispose of your electronic devices following the guidelines of your local waste management company and by following city ordinances. The best solution is to donate your devices to a local school, church, training center, or marginalized family who need the the device. Regardless of your disposal method, we'd like to provide you with some tips to mitigate identity theft.

#1: Before surrendering your device, remove the hard drive or SIM card.

The best way to protect all of your personal data is to never hand over any drive that may contain data. This, of course, is not always practical. You still need to dispose of the hard drive and for a donation, this renders the product unusable. For disposal, simply hammer or drill through the hard drive or SIM card so that it no longer functional. When transferring computers, however, physically destroying the hard drive renders the product useless. Therefore, we recommend doing the following before transferring the unit.

#2: Scrub the hard drive (frequently) with drive cleaner software (e.g., CCleaner )

To maintain a clean hard drive on computers you actively use on a daily basis, you need to be sure deleted information is no longer available. Before transferring the hardware, run a program like cyberCide that writes over data multiple times. To protect yourself on a daily basis, it is recommended that when deleting files you use a drive cleaner software (e.g, CCleaner) or the ‘secure empty trash’ feature with a Macintosh operating system. You can find directions for permanently removing personal information from a cell phone before you donate, exchange, sell or recycle at Recellular. Remember to run these programs to clean your data drives before donation. For added security when disposing, you can use these suggest programs before following method number 1 above.

Please note that solid sate memory drives, such as "flash drives," external hard drives, and phone media in iPhones, are much more difficult to erase. It is recommended, therefore, that in almost all circumstances the device be transferred to a well-trusted person. However, the best way to dispose of these items is to physically destroy the circuit board or trade the device with a trade-in program (e.g., Target Stores' program).

We are always willing to work with you to craft a comprehensive security risk program for your family or business. If you would like to speak with one of our investigators, please call us today for a free, initial telephone consultation.

Got bullying problems? Consider a private investigator.

2011-03-02T20:42:00.000-08:00

A simple Google search using the key term "bullying" suggests that it is a serious social issue. While school-yard bullying has always been a concern of parents and gurdians, recent news about cyber-bullying and its effect on youth and adults' seemingly lax oversight and poor understanding of both physical and cyberbullying, have prompted a national conversation. West Virgina, for example, just passed a stronger anti-bullying bill.

Suspicions of bullying can be hard to prove. False claims made against a child can be hard to disprove. Cyberbullying is hard to detect. School misconduct or poor due diligence can be unnerving.

While any serious concern about bullying should be reported to the proper authorities, there are reasons that parents and guardians, schools, and other public stakeholders ought to consider, in certain circumstances, hiring a private investigator to prove or disprove (cyber)bullying. As an independent professional, a private investigator can collect additional facts, interview witnesses, conduct surveillance, review case files and, when necessary, work with authorities. This work will allow you to obtain an unbiased impression of a case in order to protect a child.

As part of their "domestic services," many private investigators already conduct investigations into parental abuse, kidnapping, and other crimes against children. Thus, they are well prepared to handle bullying cases. So speak with one to see if he or she can assist you with bullying too.

As our regular readers know, we have designed this blog to provide helpful information to our clients and to passersby. Thus, we'd like to mention that when it comes to online social networking and cyber-bullying, parents and guardians should consider implementing safeguards with or without a professional investigator's help. Many private investigators can, of course, conduct a comprehensive online security risk-assessment for your family. For those who need a basic solution, though, help seems to be on its way. There is a new company, SocialShield, that provides a solution for online monitoring, and it recently received an injection of capital to improve its product. Here is a description of the service as posted in a recent issue of Entrepreneur:

SocialShield doesn't prohibit users from engaging in any behavior online and doesn't restrict access to websites. Rather, it acts as watchdog, monitoring children's contacts online, comparing friends and others interacting with the child to names and photos on sexual predator databases. Parents are alerted if there is a match or if there is a contact unrelated to other connections in the child's network, which can be a sign of stalking. The application also analyzes keywords in comments and posts and notifies parents if there are references to drugs, violence and suicide and words commonly used in cyberbullying.

If your child attends school in the Austin area, and should your child be a victim or suspected instigator of bullying, please call us to discuss your concerns and the specific nature of your case.

CYA: Get ToneCheck to monitor your company

2011-02-02T12:35:00.000-08:00

We’ve blogged in the past about the need for small businesses to think about cost-effective solutions to security, employee monitoring, and due diligence. So when a program comes along that could help you legally monitor (if implemented correctly) your and your employees’ emails with internal and external stakeholders, we want to pass this information along.

Entrepreneur Magazine recently published an article about ToneCheck, an email plug-in that flags emotionally charged and other inappropriate email. With a relatively good freeware version and a reasonably-priced full version for use in small to large enterprises, ToneCheck provides a line of defense against harassing and inappropriate emails. You know, those types of emails that may originate in a time of intense anger or passion, or when you're rushing to send off a rushed email.

If, for example, your employee wants to send a message, in jest, that reads "Ugh, you suck!" the "CYA" program comes to the rescue: a box pops up informing the sender that she or he "has exceeded the company’s tone tolerance." You can, of course, create various settings, and it does not stop an email; it only warns the sender. Such a program. however, can come in handy for a variety of reasons.

When used legally and strategically as part of your broader risk- and security-management, this program can help mitigate risk of lawsuit or lost business. For example, if you have this program installed on all of your computers, with employees' full awareness, they may actually appreciate this handy tool. Before an employee sends you that angry-toned email about how you're such a “bosshole” (admittedly, Entrepreneur Magazine said this one got through), the program will warn him or her that the message is “threatening.” In short, the employee will appreciate that this program saved their job.

Before an employee sends along a sexually-provocative joke throughout the office, “just to make people laugh,” the program will warn them of the risk. If she or he still proceeds, and your employee handbook specifically notes “that we do not tolerate the exchange of inappropriate emails (e.g., sexually explicit or racist in tone),” and you further specify that sending the email after warning by ToneCheck, the employee can face legitimate reprimand or termination. Also, you can show due diligence in court should a discrimination lawsuit be filed.

As a tool for yourself and your employees, y'all will be warned regarding the tone of an email to a potential or current customer. If you or your employee happens to be in a rush, the program will warn that the email can be interpreted as “threatening.” You don’t want to say “It has been annoying…, upsetting…, troubling…,”—which are all somewhat angry—when you really want to convey the following: “It has been concerning me for some time that you have not been able to keep up on payments.” Yes, you may be annoyed or angry, but you don’t want to lose a good customer just because they interpreted your email as threatening.

Of course, a program is only as good as it is used and it can only be used with the appropriate type of monitoring. If you find that a particular employee has a tendency toward writing violent or threatening emails, especially if unconsciously, you may want to hire a private investigator to look into the person’s history or to conduct a thorough investigation. This program could just help you uncover an employee who is threatening sabotage or violence against you or your company’s interests.

A reminder: Know the laws, or hire a licensed investigator

2011-01-11T05:43:00.000-08:00

Here's an interesting news story recently aired on ABC's Nightline. A Michigan woman has filed charges against her husband, who violated, according to prosecutors, an anti-hacking law. If convicted, the man faces up to five years in prison. The man should have hired a private investigator, who could provide information on legal procedures and discovered whether the woman was having an affair. Is five years in prison worth saving a few hundred dollars? Also, if you think someone may have hacked your account, a professional investigator can help you find out.

There are other ways to find

New Year’s Resolutions a professional investigator can assist you with

2011-01-02T06:41:00.000-08:00

Locate a long-lost friend or family member. With the proliferation of social media sites and search services like Intelius available on the internet, it would seem that locating a relative or friend is easier than ever. While using these services can be useful, there are more difficult cases and circumstances that a private investigator is a better investment. With access to proprietary search services and practiced techniques (e.g., pre-texting), a private investigator can track down and locate hard-to-find individuals who may be living off the grid. In these tenuous times, where people are more concerned with personal security and privacy, you can protect yourself by using a state-licensed professional who can verify that the person want to be found, thereby protecting yourself from an uncomfortable situation or an claim of illegality (e.g., stalking).
Update company with mobile apps. If you are a business with a mobile sales force or mobile servicing, it is probably time to integrate your financial processing with the various iPhone or Droid apps (for example) that are on the market. However, you must also concern yourself with security. A professional investigator can help assure that your mobile technology is being uses properly. Working, for example, as secret shoppers, a professional investigator can assure that your mobile employees are properly safeguarding important customer data. Should a problem arise, it is important that you can prove due diligence, and a having a private security consultant working with you will certainly help advocate your case to insurance companies or courts. Next month our blog post will be about protecting your company in the world of apps.
Solve a cold crime. If you or your family has been the unfortunate victim of an unsolved crime, you ought to consider hiring a professional investigator with criminal investigation experience to assist you. An experience independent party can help develop new theories, identify new leads, substantiate or refute the sequence of events, interview witnesses to check consistency in statements, conduct forensic analysis using private labs, and so on. Regardless of the severity of crime, a private investigator can provide the focused attention to a crime that policing agencies cannot (usually due to budgetary constraints). Most people do not realize that many high-profile crimes were solved or defended through the efforts of private investigators.
Be proactive. If you’ve been suspecting something in your personal or communal life is not right, perhaps it is time to take proactive measures to find out. If you’ve been suspecting that the person you’ve been dating has a questionable background, it’s time to do a background check. If you suspect that your spouse or partner has been cheating, it’s time to put him or her under surveillance. If you suspect that a local company has been engaged in illegal or unethical behavior that will affect your or your community’s health, well-being, or security, it is time to conduct a civil investigation. If you think that your employees have been stealing from you, it is time to conduct a security assessment of your company. Remember that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of care. The cost of hiring a private investigator may seem high, but if you see it as an investment rather than a cost, then the return will likely be worth it.

If you have questions regarding how a private investigator may be able to help you, please contact United International Investigations to see how we may be able help you. Our initial telephone consultations, as always, are free.

Small business owners, are you prepared for holiday scams, fakes, and cheats?

2010-12-03T09:30:00.000-08:00

The National Retail Federation provided staggering estimates that retail fraud cost businesses $9.6 billion dollars in 2009. $2.7 billion of these losses were during the holiday shopping season alone. The details of NRF’s survey of large national retailers point to some alarming statistics:

According to the survey, 93.1% of retailers said stolen merchandise has been returned to their stores in the past year, up from 88.9 percent in 2008. In addition, three-quarters of retailers (75.4%) say they have experienced returns of merchandise purchased with fraudulent or stolen tender while 43.1 percent say they have experienced returns using counterfeit receipts. Nearly half (46.2%) also report that wardrobing—the return of used, non-defective merchandise like special occasion apparel and certain electronics—has been an issue for their company within the past year.

The same survey, however, also indicates that there is some hope:

Though return fraud continues to plague the retail industry, changes in policies have helped companies see improvements in some areas. According to NRF’s annual Return Fraud Survey, completed by loss prevention executives at 134 retail companies, two-thirds of retailers (69%) say their company’s return policy has changed in the past to account for fraud. However, the losses remain staggering: the retail industry will lose an estimated $2.7 billion in return fraud this holiday season and an estimated $9.6 billion this year.

But where do you begin if you’re a small business? National and regional businesses have more resources, which often include their own in-house loss prevention specialists. Because they need to have comparable return policies as their larger competitors, but lack security expertise, small business retailers are more exposed to the risk of fraudsters. This is one reason to permanently retain a professional investigator or security consulting company. According to Dr. Craig Engstrom, a small business consultant and assistant professor at The University of Montana, “Small retail and restaurant owners understand that bogus returns and counterfeit coupons put a major dent into their profits. However, most small business owners—especially those with fewer resources—seem to be at a loss about where to begin. I recommend to my clients and students to outsource to professional investigators.”

In a previous post, I already explained the benefits of retaining a private investigator as a small business owner. However, there are a few additional reasons to make a private investigator a permanent part of your business operations:

Reduced fees. The first benefit of permanently retaining a private investigator is lower service rates. If you contract with a private investigator and pay a large, and often refundable, retainer, she or he is likely to reduce the rates of services.
Specified expertise. By permanently retaining an investigator, you will have investigators permanently on call to respond to issues. What is more, the investigative company will better understand your business and be able to respond quickly to fraud, when time is precious. Because the investigative agency will do a comprehensive security assessment of your business, your risk exposure will be mitigated. Should an unforeseen problem arise, however, you’ll have a trained expert ready to begin an investigation to quickly identify or prepare a case against shoplifters and individuals who fraudulently return merchandise.
Lower insurance rates. If you retain a professional investigator with security expertise, you can make a case to your insurance company that you should receive a discounted rate. Just as an alarm system lowers your insurable risk, so does having a team ready to respond to crisis. You may be surprised to learn that many private investigations companies actually write comprehensive risk assessments and offer crisis management training and preparedness to many small- and medium-sized enterprises. Do you have a crisis management plan and are your employees trained to handle crisis? If the answer to either of these questions is “no,” then you should consult with a professional investigator soon.

With the holiday shopping season now in full swing and the economy still in recovery, the risk of fraud has never been greater. Practicing due diligence by having a private investigator ready-at-hand can reduce your risk to fraud and exposure to crisis. An investment in security may be one of the best decisions you could make now or in 2011. According to Entrepreneur, to be successful in 2011, businesses should, among other things, “overhaul… business plans” and “team up” with other companies. One thing you should seriously consider adding to your business plan is “risk management” and instead of guess what may or may not work, team up with an expert, such as a local licensed private investigator. Two things to remember: Don’t forget to ask the right questions in your first phone consultation and if you can’t afford the investment on your own, perhaps team up with several other local business and pool your money together to hire an investigative agency that will look out for all your interests.

A new ad: Just in time for the holidays

2010-11-01T06:55:00.000-07:00

We're recovering from Halloween too, and now gearing up for the next two big holidays. Perhaps it's the sugar rush, but we're going to break from our typical monthly post of giving advice, and do a bit of self-promoting. (Thanks for being understanding, especially since it's the holidays!)

Thanksgiving and the various social and religious holidays in December can be a stressful, especially for relationships, marriages, and employees. But they are, in our experience, some of the best times to conduct domestic-related and business-related investigations. People do not have their guard up, the stress of the holidays tends to push people to do things they normally would not do (e.g., steal some money from the register to buy that gift one can't afford), and there are ample opportunities for infidelity: "honey, I'm going out shopping"; "'X employee,' can you take care of the deposits for me?"

Surveillance and a professional investigation is the only way you're going to find out who's been naughty, and who's been nice. If you suspect your employee is stealing or your spouse/partner is cheating, please contact us today for a free, initial consultation. Here's a video that the folks over at Yellowbook.com kindly put together for us:

Students: Your education is valuable to a private investigator

2010-10-02T09:15:00.000-07:00

College is full swing around the country and students are working hard (okay, some are) toward their degrees in a myriad of subjects. While the atmosphere seems to be a bit more energetic and positive then in recent years, the on-going recession and the burgeoning student debt problem are still tempering the mood. The long-held belief that a college degree—any college degree—was a fast track to a lucrative career and high paying job has proven to be a myth. Before parents begin remodeling the guest room for a permanent resident or before students drown their sorrows in another cheap beer, let’s explore some ways in which student can translate a degree into a career as a professional private investigator.

Why should students consider the profession? The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports that the field of private investigations will grow by 22% over the next eight years. This does not mean, of course, that you can just grab your diploma in Medieval European Literature, Gender Studies, or Business Administration, in May and get a job as a private investigator. As BLS also reports,

Keen competition is expected for most jobs because private detective and investigator careers attract many qualified people, including relatively young retirees from law enforcement and military careers. The best opportunities for new jobseekers will be in entry-level jobs in detective agencies. Opportunities are expected to be favorable for qualified computer forensic investigators. (http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos157.htm#projections_data)

Clearly, it may be attractive for investigations companies to hire police or military retirees. But as we know, these guys and gals don’t always make the best private sector employees. So you have an equal chance at success. So in this post, I’d like to offer some advice regarding how you can improve your chances of getting a entry-level job upon graduation.

So how do you, a student with a degree in, let’s say, in Philosophy, position yourself in the competitive job market against people with greater practical experience? By understanding the profession, obviously; which means doing things today that will improve your resume and demonstrate you understand the needs of a private agency. In short, you must show that you have both knowledge and technical expertise in areas that are valuable to a fledgling agency.

Most private investigators are relatively small outfits. In fact, very few agencies employ full-time staff. There are some investigations and consulting companies that employ thousands of people (e.g., Pinkerton Consulting & Investigations), but these fall largely within the niche of corporate investigations. The type of private investigations I’m writing about are those that do a variety of small business and domestic-type cases: employee theft, cheating spouse, missing persons, skip tracing, process serving, and, among other things, criminal defense.

Given their small size and increased exposure to the uncertainties of the external environment, private investigations want to hire agents that mitigate risk and uncertainty. Show them that you are trained (or easily trainable) and can do your job well without much oversight. In return, you’ll be compensated handsomely. Starting salaries typically range from $18-$25 per hour, and you will likely be making much more than this in just a few years—especially if you follow the advice below.

So how exactly how does a philosophy student become a private investigator? (Obviously, if your degree is in political science, international affairs, public relations, communications, etc., then you have to translate your background differently. It’s doable. If you don’t see exactly how, I’ve provided below a contact of a person who may be able to help you.)

Like all jobs, you need to make a case for your fit within the profession. While some professions (e.g., accounting) have its own systems for vetting candidates (e.g., CPA licensure) and standardized curricula, there is not such standardization in the profession of private investigating. Agency owners, therefore, are persuadable.

Like most folks, private investigators probably look at a philosophy degrees with a bit of suspicion. We want to hire someone who is going to be asking questions about the meaning of life when you should be asking “where is this guy going?” We want someone who can anticipate people’s moves, ask questions that elicit information, understand how to use maps, and use scientific reasoning to connect facts in order to draw conclusions in a case (wait, that sounds oddly like philosophy!).

Our ignorance about philosophy degrees should not be your loss. This is why you need to inform us that there is a difference between an analytic philosopher and academic philosophers. We don’t realize, unless we’ve been informed as I have, that you’ve taken all those courses in logistics, which has sharpened your mind to the point that your degree is one of the most sought after in the United States, by companies and government agencies like UPS, FedEx, the Security and Exchange Commission and the CIA (see Forbes article.) In short, you have to sell us on your degree.
Book knowledge is important, of course. However, there are other technical skills that are important to good private investigations work, so you should take courses that give you these transferable skills. Courses like photography, writing (e.g., grant writing, short story writing), communications (e.g., conflict mediation, organizational dynamics), and foreign languages (especially Spanish) can be invaluable to us. If you’re not sure how your background can be translated to the field of private investigations, hire a life coach or personal consultant.
Traditional students: Don’t forget the value of your age. While it is illegal to discriminate on the basis of age, and I am not advocating for this, there are times in our profession when age does matter. Under certain undercover situations, it is necessary to use a younger person. An old-looking private investigator walking into a bar full of college-age students is very inconspicuous (note the sarcasm). Thus, age is a bonafide occupational qualification. An agency must keep on staff younger private investigators in order to meet the changing demands of cases.
Build your experience in our profession. There are ways in which you can increase your chances of getting a private investigations position. You’d be surprised how many people have never actually experienced the demanding work of surveillance. “I love watching people” does not qualify you to be a private investigator. In fact, if you said in your interview, “I hate watching people, but I know it’s easy money,” you’ll increase your chances of getting a job. How do you learn to love to hate surveillance? By doing it. I recommend that you job shadow a private investigator or offer to help a local private investigator on a few assignments (you know, one where they need a college-age face?) Don’t wait until you graduate!
Start developing a list of contacts. Let’s face it, a private investigator wants you to be more than just an investigator. If you can bring a list of contacts to the organization that can help land future contracts, especially with insurance agents/adjusters, attorneys, and small businesses, then you are valuable. If you have a lot of contacts, you should consider negotiating a stipulation in your employment contract that assures that you get a percentage of all new sales you make. So start tapping into your social and professional network that exists on college campuses. Your faculty, your sorority sisters and fraternity brother, your classmates, and friends, likely can give you leads. If you develop a list of contacts and can show this to an investigator, your chances of getting a job will markedly increase.
Don’t over party. Okay, there may be some professions where a little jail time for a hard weekend of partying is not going to thwart your chances of getting a job. Private investigating is not one of them. By law, people with certain types of convictions are barred from the profession.
Attend conferences and associations. It’s never too late to actually take a course in private investigations or to attend any one of the several conferences available.
Read books about the profession. Here are some recommendations, and we’ll be posting reviews of others in the near future.

If you heed just some of the advice listed above, you’ll be in a much better position than other job candidates. If you’re a high quality person and are ambitious enough, you can help grow a small agency into a bigger one. In so doing, you will likely be rewarded through partnership.

College is a great time in your life; however, don’t forget to keep in mind that you need to start building and shaping your post-graduation career. The sooner you know what you want to do, the more opportunities you will have to craft your experiences into something valuable to potential employers.

If you’re serious about exploring career options, please feel free to call Dr. Craig Engstrom of Critical Hours Education Services. For a marginal fee, he’ll help you create a career action plan. His number is 314.732.1717.

Private eyes can help resolve your rental problems

2010-09-01T22:35:00.001-07:00

A recent Newsweek article shows that, not surprisingly, U.S. apartment rental companies are seeing a surge in new tenants. On the negative side, this is a result of the large number of foreclosures over the past few years. On the positive side, this is partly due to an improved job market and an increasing number of folks feeling confident that they no longer need to share living arrangements with colleagues, friends, and family. (Here’s an interesting article on the topic: “Apartment rentals surge…,” Businessweek.

Due to the combination of this “surge,” cheap foreclosed properties, and record low interest rates, many existing rental companies are expanding their enterprises. Also, there are many new landlord-entrepreneurs entering the market by purchasing properties on the cheap and converting them into rental units. With overburdened established enterprises and fledgling new owners trying to keep up with the demand, the propensity toward poor management (e.g. rules are not enforced and the community deteriorates), fraud, discrimination, and deceptive practices should increase. These potential issues are not only cause for personal concern, but more often than not are regulated by law. For example, the federal Fair Housing Act and Fair Housing Amendments Act (Title 42, Chapter 25 U.S. Code §§ 3601-3619, 3631) prohibit landlords from choosing tenants on the basis of race, religion, ethnic background or national origin, sex, familial status, or a mental or physical disability. For problems that may not be generally regulated by state or federal statutes (such as dealing with lazy managers who do not fix problems), collective or individual civil action may be possible..

In cases of egregious violations of law or on matters of personal health or financial safety, hiring a private investigator to deal with tenant-rental company problems can be a wise decision. Obviously, a private investigator should not be hired for simple problems or misunderstandings. For purposes of mediation or arbitration, however, a competent private investigator can initiate an investigation of property safety by surveying a property and provide an objective opinion about the area’s general day-to-day activities and the operations of the rental management company. If you feel you’ve been discriminated against either as a tenant or as a potential tenant, a private investigator can set up an undercover investigation or use a wide range of data sources (many of which are only available to licensed private investigators) and knowledge to locate and interview others who have been involved with a particular company or manager.

While an internet search of “rental complaints” would suggest that there are many shady companies out there, we tend to believe that most are pretty good. However, you should have peace of mind when you do decide to rent. For renters who are moving to a new area and don’t have an opportunity to check out a rental property in advance, a private investigator can do a thorough security analysis of the neighborhood as well as send other types of objective documentation (e.g., photographs, video, and current tenant testimonials). While rental consultants and real estate agents are good at what they do, many of them receive a commission from property management companies. Obviously, this reduces their objectivity. Regardless of your current location, if you are considering renting a house or apartment from a new “entrepreneur-landlord,” it is recommended you conduct a background check on him or her. While this may seem strange, it is appropriate for two reasons. First, it is likely that she or he will do a credit check on you. Likewise, you should know who you’re dealing with. Does the landlord have poor credit rating or a criminal record? Would you feel comfortable renting from him or her if she or he does? While this will likely require consent from the property owner, he or she should not mind adding this addendum to the contract. In some circumstances, he or she may even be willing to absorb the cost of this report to obtain you as a tenant.

There are numerous other reasons you may need a private investigator as a renter. The best advice we can give is this: if something doesn’t feel right, it probably isn’t. Many private investigators offer free initial telephone consultations so there is no reason you should be hesitant to call one. If your particular situation doesn’t warrant a private investigator, he or she will let you know. Chances are pretty good that the investigator will know someone who can help you. In other words, one phone call could save you a lot of time.

Thinking of renting? Need help resolving a problem with your current landlord? Please visit our website for more information about our company and give us a call.

Elder abuse is a serious issue

2010-08-01T05:57:00.000-07:00

In the United States, an aging population and the increase in home elderly care, adult day care, and assisted living centers means that more people are relying on others to care for their parents, grandparents, and friends. With children, people tend to take more precaution and are concerned with abuse. However, spiraling rates of elder mistreatment are reported by both practitioners and researchers. As noted by the National Committee for the Prevention of Elder Abuse:

There were 253,421 reports of abuse of adults age 60+ or 832.6 reports for every 100,000 people over the age of 60. The National Elder Abuse Incidence Study (National Center on Elder Abuse, 1998) found that more than 500,000 persons aged 60+ were victims of domestic abuse and that an estimated 84% of incidents are not reported to authorities, denying victims the protection and support they need. Elder abuse is estimated to cost Americans tens of billions of dollars annually in health care, social services, investigative and legal costs, and lost income and assets.

Obviously, people should take this issue as seriously as child care or child abuse. Like child abuse, the warning signs are similar. Here are just a few, courtesy of the National Center of Elder Abuse:

· Physical Abuse - Slap marks, unexplained bruises, most pressure marks, and certain types of burns or blisters, such as cigarette burns

· Neglect - Pressure ulcers, filth, lack of medical care, malnutrition or dehydration

· Emotional Abuse - Withdrawal from normal activities, unexplained changes in alertness, or other unusual behavioral changes

· Sexual Abuse - Bruises around the breasts or genital area and unexplained sexually transmitted diseases

· Financial Abuse/Exploitation - Sudden change in finances and accounts, altered wills and trusts, unusual bank withdrawals, checks written as “loans” or “gifts,” and loss of property

The challenge that many people face, both with child and elder abuse, is that the abuse is often difficult to identify and goes unreported by the abused. With elders in particular, they may live in assisted living centers in communities where no immediate family is available. Consequently, the ability for family members to “keep tabs” on the care given by providers is reduced. Alternatively, they may live with a family member who does not provide adequate care or is emotionally abusive.

Of course, this is a sensitive subject. However, assessments of care centers and investigations into potential abuse by relatives should not be avoided. While there are many resources available once abuse has been identified, there are not many resources available to people who simply suspect abuse.

One available resource is a local private investigator. Utilizing a wide variety of investigative skills and expertise, along with some rights and privileges provided by state licensure, private investigators can give clients knowledge and assurance that a loved one is properly cared for. Here are just a few things a private investigator can do:

· Conduct pre-care investigations into companies or individuals.

· Provide consistent “assessment checks” to assure that the quality of service, cleanliness, employee morale, and mental and physical health of those being cared for has not declined. (This is a particular good option when families do not nearby.)

· Conduct full investigations and surveillance into suspicions or knowledge of ongoing abuse.

If you suspect that someone you know may be suffering from elderly abuse and would like to know more about what a private investigator can do to assist you, please contact me for a free consultation. You can hold care providers legally and civilly accountable for their mistreatment, neglect, or abuse of the elderly.

Answering some frequently asked questions

2010-07-16T05:12:00.000-07:00

As noted in several blog entries, people may need an investigator for a variety of reasons. Hiring a private investigator can be overwhelming for someone who has never done so. Whenever I receive a call from a potential client, he or she frequently asks the following: "I have never needed an investigator before in my life. I would like to know how your services work, how much it costs, and what information do you need from me?" In this short post, I would like to answer these questions and present a few things that are important to consider when hiring a professional investigator.

How do your services work? When you hire any private investigator, he or she will ask you to sign an agreement for services. Within this agreement, your rights and his or her responsibilities will be specifically outlined. It is important that you read this document. I have made it a policy to present this information directly on the front page of my website. I feel that it is important that my clients understand that I am serious about our relationship and they are not surprised by any hidden fees. Almost all private investigators, like other legal professionals, require a retainer. This is essentially a refundable deposit that demonstrates that you have the financial means to pay for services rendered. Whenever any service is performed—and my company’s policy is to obtain permission from the client before performing a service—the payment is deducted from the retainer. Typically, private investigators will charge an hourly rate for surveillance-related activities and will charge flat fees for information gathering and document production. However, there are several services that are charged both at an hourly rate, plus additional feed. All of these, of course, are specified in the contract.

Services work best when there is quality communication between the client and the investigative agency. A quality investigator will be able and willing to explain the importance of a service before performing it. He or she will also always avoid ethically questionable or illegal practices. Every case is different, of course, so I cannot be specific about investigative practices without hearing your case. However, I think that by understanding clearly the business-related matters my clients feel comfortable with my approach to investigations.

How much does it cost? It is always difficult to answer this question because every case is different. If you can provide more intelligence in the beginning, this may save some costs. If the target of an investigation is very active or “sloppy,” important evidence may be obtained quickly and the overall cost of an investigation may be reduced. On the other hand, an investigation requiring more investigators, intelligence gathering, and technical expertise will likely increase the total cost of an investigation. It is my policy, however, to charge my clients the same hourly rate. This is all described in our contract, which is available on our website (www.investigateworldwide.com). This means that we, unlike several investigators, do not first “size up the client” and charge a higher hourly rate to those who seem to have greater financial resources. Our clients also do not have to worry about us quoting a lower rate but charging for more services. In short, I have made it a policy to be transparent. While I would like to be hired by readers, I know that you will shop around. At the very least, an investigator should be willing to provide for you a price list of services. If she or he cannot, you ought to consider whether you are getting a fair deal.

What information do you need from me? Understandably, many people who need to hire a private investigator do not want to give too many details when initially speaking to a private investigator. Nevertheless, certain details are necessary to get a better understanding of a case so that I can give a reasonable estimate of the type of services needed to be successful. Additionally, understanding the need of a client or the patterns of behavior of a potential target can help develop a better understanding of what will be required to produce successful results. This is why it is likely you’ll have to give some details during the initial phone conversation about the case. If you do decide to hire a private investigator you’ll obviously have to disclose some personal information so that we can enter into a legal relationship and provide any evidence or materials that will enhance the investigation and reduce the overall costs. As noted in the agreement, however, privacy is an important issue and we will reasonably, within the parameters of the law, protect your identity and any evidence produced during an investigation. You should feel comfortable with whomever you hire and by choosing someone who is licensed, you’ll know that you’re hiring someone who is regulated by your state’s Department of Public Safety. I hope that my company, United International Investigations, will make you feel confident that your case is being handled by professionals.

Community funded journalism’s need for private investigators

2010-07-01T06:23:00.000-07:00

Many people don’t realize that investigative reporters frequently get their story leads from private investigators or retain private investigators to assist with developing stories. Jim Strickland, Atlanta’s “Channel 2 Action News Consumer Investigator,” suggests that he often follows the leads provided by local private investigators (Engstrom, 2010). The value of journalists employing a private investigator, especially in states that require a license to engage in private investigative activities, is that the investigator is able to obtain records and information using tactics that the journalist may be legally restricted from performing; he or she can continue to conduct an investigation while the reporter focuses attention on more pressing stories; and, the private investigator functions as a corroborating witness, which is a key requirement of quality journalism.

With the introduction of “community funded reporting,” a style of journalistic reporting that has emerged from the blogging movement, the relationship between private investigators and investigative reporters has become stronger and more essential.

Community funded reporting has been described as the confluence of micro-financing and amateur reporting. Individual reporters pitch a topic and community members fund the production and publication of a story, which includes the research into the alleged problematic activity. Spot.us is one of the most widely talked about sites that engages in this type of activity and has helped bring investigative news to consumers, which has diminished in recent years as major city newspapers have gone out of business or have been purchased by major networks that cover sensational or popular culture stories only. Stories on community funded journalist websites have dealt with contentious topics like political corruption, the misuse of public funds, the rise of the military industrial complex, the mistreatment of humans and animals, the abuse of office by public officials, migration and contemporary slavery, and corporate misconduct.

While many of the stories can be funded cheaply and can be handled by an individual reporter, several stories that have been proposed and future stories will benefit from the services of a licensed private investigator. All part-time reporters in general, but especially those without a journalism degree from reputable university, benefit from the expertise of professional investigators. On the one hand, bloggers and investigative reporters, just as reputable journalists like Jim Strickland for large networks, can use private investigators to strengthen the ethos of a story. On the other hand, independent bloggers and journalists benefit from the reduction of risks associated with undertaking contentious investigations. By hiring a private investigator, independent journalists mitigate potential risks by having retained the legal knowledge and expertise of an individual who has been qualified by the state to engage in activities that are restricted to private investigators. What is more, the private investigator can provide the necessary substantiating evidence in stories, increasing the efficacy of a story.

Private investigators are members of the communities and are constantly looking for ways that they can give back. As such, an investigative reporter who pitches a good story may be surprised to learn that the private investigator will work at a substantially reduced fee. Then, by demonstrating to potentially investors that the story is going to be properly handled by professionals, the chances of obtaining the necessary funds becomes easier.

Whether you are a professional or amateur reporter, consider hiring a private investigator to assist you with your story. If you’re a consumer of investigative journalism, insure that the stories you’re reading have been properly researched. One way to check the reporter is to check how she or he did their research and whether they consulted experts, including a private investigator.

References

Engstrom, C. (2010). Shadowing practices: Ethnographic accounts of private investigators as entrepreneurs. Southern Illinois University Carbondale, Carbondale.

Some notes on identity theft

2010-06-01T00:01:00.001-07:00

What are the odds that you’ll be a victim of identity theft this year? About 1 in 6, according to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).

What is the expense of identity theft? Depends on the severity; however, the FTC estimates that the average victim spends $1,200 in out-of-pocket expenses and an average of 175 hours in his or her efforts to resolve the many problems caused by identity thieves. (Source)

What are the most common types of identity theft? According to the ID Theft Data Clearinghouse, the following are the most common types of identity theft:

Using or opening a credit card account fraudulently
Opening telecommunications or utility accounts fraudulently
Passing bad checks or opening a new bank account
Working in another person’s name
Getting loans in another person’s name

People could also use your identity to obtain a driver’s license, medical services, or to cover up both violent and non-violent crimes. As a result, you could find yourself in a situation where you have unpaid fees and fines or an arrest warrant issued in your name.

There are several ways in which an identity thief can steal your information. Here are just a few of the more obscure ways:

Dumpster diving – As the saying goes, one person’s junk is another’s treasure.
Your mail box – An unlocked mail box receives delicious pieces of mail everyday, usually while people are not at home.
Computer hard drives – Don’t sell or recycle your computer without taking out the hard drive!
Stealing customer details from a business – A disgruntle employee, for example.
Email phishing scams – Don’t click on links embedded in emails!
TMI-O! – Too Much Information Online! Posting all your contact information online along with your resume, bio, and picture can give an identity thief enough nuggets to assume your identity.
Pre-texting – Some identity thieves pretend to be telemarketers and get unsuspecting victims to give them many details. If a legitimate representative of a company wants you to upgrade, they’d never say, “to verify your account, could you please provide your number and password?” Hang up!
Outright theft – Yes, there are still those old-schoolers out there who’ll just steal your wallet or purse.
Threats that you may not even know about -- Like this one:

Please do not become overly paranoid. People still have to take risks in order to function in our society. Being a member of an online social network can help you stay in touch with friends. Posting your resume online could be vital to getting yourself a job. Offering your biography online could solicit new clients. But be diligent whenever you put information online. Do an on-line security assessment from time to time.

How can you protect yourself? There is no shortage of information on the internet offering advice for protecting yourself (e.g., frequently change your online passwords). Here are a few good ones: FTC ID Theft Help, Privacy Rights Clearinghouse, and Identity Theft Resource Center.

In the event that you should be a victim of identity theft, you need to take action immediately.

Hiring a private investigator can save you time and money; here is a real life example:

An investigator I know was recently retained by an individual (the victim) whose social security number had been used to open an account with a large mobile phone provider in Austin, Texas. Without notice, the victim started to receive harassing phone calls from a collection agency attempting to collect approximately $500. The identity thief had cleverly altered the last name of the victim and used a fictitious billing address to open the account. (This suggests it was likely an inside job.) The victim never received notice of the debt accumulating against his social security number. By the time the collection agency received the debt, more than a year had passed. It was the collection agency who eventually posted the delinquent account to the victim’s credit history; consequently, the victim’s credit monitoring company did not flag this because it was technically non-existent. (This also means that had the issue not been resolved quickly, the collection agency could have claimed the victim had himself committee fraud and reported him to the police.)

Due to the fact the credit added this alias to the victims credit history, the victim had an alias for several months and a lower credit score. After the victim repeatedly suggested to the collection agency that he was a victim of fraud, that his last name and date of birth were different than that of the supposed alias, and that he had never lived in Austin, Texas he tired of dedicating so much time to this simple issue. The victim wasted at least 40 hours or more trying to resolve the problem himself when he retained the private investigator. For less than $150 and in just a few days time, the issue had been resolved. The investigator simply provided proof that no such address was in existence—a demonstration of negligence on the part of the mobile phone provider—and contacted the collection agency and the large mobile carrier on behalf of the victim. With specific details, a comfortable understanding of laws and legal jargon, the name of attorney, the investigator motivated both organizations to provide the proper forms for the victim to resolve the issue. According to the victim, the professional investigator saved him a lot more time. Since time is money, the $150 turned out to be a great return on investment.

Your identity and financial credit history are important matters. Take precautions and contact the appropriate people who have the knowledge and experience to help you.

The following books may also be helpful:

Protect yourself when selling online (and a few other ramblings).

2010-05-19T19:22:00.000-07:00

Selling personal items and services online can be a way to earn a few extra bucks. However, the dangers of advertising and selling expensive items online or in traditional print classifieds became all too apparent recently. James Sanders advertised a 1.07-carat diamond ring with an asking price of $1,050. He arranged for a couple to come to his home to look at the ring, and hopefully purchase it. During the transaction, James and his wife were ambushed by four people. By the end of the altercation, James had been shot. Click here for full story.

While it would be easy to suggest Craiglist be monitored, controlled, or shut down, this would come at the loss of a great, free, and easy service. It would also not solve the problem of people creating these dangerous situations. This tragic story only highlights the need for people to better plan for the dangers of interacting with strangers and engaging in online (social) networks.

Here are just a few tips to keep in mind in dealing with online and offline interactions:

Never post personal details, home phone number, or addresses online, especially when engaging in a high-value transaction. With phone number reversal sites and the online white pages, it’s easy to figure out where you live, especially if you still use a landline. Cell phones are more difficult to trace, but it’s possible. Create a free email address or use the Craigslist anonymous email posting option. When doing an online transaction, ask people to supply their full name and number in the initial email response. Then you can check them out before you make more personal contact.
Meet in public spaces, with lots of people and surveillance cameras, and during the day. This does not require further explanation, does it?
Arrive first and leave last. This will reduce the possibility that you’ll be staked out by potential thieves.
Meet people with your (big) friends present. Again, no further explanation needed.
The incomprehensive list above applies to all types of off-line interactions that originate online or via advertisement. If you’re on a social networking site, never post that you’ll be leaving town and wait to return before sharing the photos and updates from your trip. Many people whose homes are burgled oftentimes have a direct or indirect connection with the thieves.

For added security, especially on big ticket items like cars, you may want to consider hiring a private investigator. Here are just a few things he or she can do for you.

Attend the sale with you. Some private investigators are certified in doing security and are licensed to carry a fire arm.
Complete a background check on a potential buyer.
Protect your online persona.
As far as your online persona goes, many private investigators are being hired to complete comprehensive on-line security analysis. Just like a home security analysis can be used to identify potential security weaknesses in your home, an online analysis can identify the areas where you are open to identity theft or exposing yourself to personal risk. Fortunately, there are now many ways to control what people are able to find out about you through search engines (e.g., Google) and a professional private detective can identify and deal with these for you.

There is no reason for tragedy to strike you. There is no reason for you to be passed on an excellent job offer because your friends tagged a photo of you doing a shot of vodka at that bar you don’t remember and posted it without your permission to their Flickr account. There is no reason you should expose yourself to identity thieves and predators. Just keep these things in mind and you’ll be much safer: If you won’t do it offline, don’t do it online. If you wouldn’t plaster it on an interstate billboard, don’t post it online. Finally, expect what you’d find offline (e.g., violent criminals and stalkers) to be more pronounced online. Call a professional investigator if you have any concerns, chances are he or she can help you.

Another resource:

Civil rights violated?: Another reason you need a private investigator

2010-05-01T00:00:00.000-07:00

by Craig Engstrom, Ph.D.*

Radley Balko, a senior editor for Reason, recently published an intriguing article. As he notes in the introduction to the article:

George Orwell famously said, ‘If you want a vision of the future, imagine a boot stamping on a human face—forever.’ He may still be right. But in today’s age of smart phones, Flip cams, and iPod cameras, there's a pretty good chance someone's going to capture that boot and the face it's smashing and post both to YouTube for all the world to see. Two recent incidents in Maryland illustrate the power of this new and increasingly democratized technology—and highlight just how important it is that the law protect the people who use technology to hold government agents accountable. (Balko, 2010, ¶ 1)

The first incident Balko describes, which will frame the advice given in this post, occurred recently at the University of Maryland. Following Maryland’s win over Duke, university students spilled into the streets to celebrate. In what appears to be an unprovoked confrontation, Jack McKenna, a Maryland student, was beat by three riot cops. With their iPhones, several bystanders captured to video this event and posted them to YouTube. Interestingly, the campus police initially stated that they could not provide footage from the campus security camera:

After the iPhone video of McKenna's beating emerged, investigators subpoenaed 60 hours of surveillance video from the College Park campus police. The only video police couldn't manage to locate was the one from the camera aimed squarely at the area where McKenna was beaten. Funny how that works. Campus police claimed that a "technical error" with that particular camera caused it to record over the footage of the beating. As public pressure mounted, police later found what they claimed was a recording of the lost video. But two minutes of that video were missing. Coincidentally, those two minutes happened to depict key portions of McKenna's beating. (Balko, 2010, ¶ 4)

While this incident (and the other incidents described in Balko’s article) highlights the usefulness of new technologies to speak truth to power, it raises two important questions: 1) What if bystanders had not been recording the incident and 2) what can one do immediately following these types of incidents? A possible recourse for victims, who feel that their civil rights have been violated in any type of situation, is to immediately retain a private investigator.

The immediate benefit of retaining a private investigator, even before an attorney in many circumstances, is that she or he can immediately begin an investigation. This will mitigate the potential that precious time will be lost. In these types of situations, it is critical to begin an investigation immediately, before evidence is lost (or destroyed) and witnesses forget details or are coached to question their initial impressions. In many states, any information that is obtained by a private investigator can later be submitted to the attorney as “notes to file,” meaning that it becomes part of the attorney’s work product and is, therefore, not discoverable. This will allow you to search for an attorney (the professional investigator will likely have several to recommend) or to file your claim with civil rights agencies without worrying about whether you’ll have a case. The private investigator will already be collecting data that will hopefully demonstrate that there is grounding for your claims. By having hired a licensed private investigator, evidence will be collected and processed in a legal manner, consistent with court admissibility. You will also have a central person to whom you can direct all people who approach you about the incident.

The investigator may also uncover witness video recordings that, for whatever reason, did not make their way to YouTube or other social media websites. This is, of course, the best evidence to have. But even if no video is obtainable, the investigator will be able to follow leads and conduct interviews with witnesses in order to collect accounts of the events. He or she may even be able to uncover details that may be purposefully or accidentally omitted in police reports. Whatever he or she can collect becomes important data that can be used to help in your defense (should you be charged with a crime) or civil proceedings (should you choose to file a suit). If, for whatever reason, there are no witnesses present during an incident where you feel a government has violated your rights, you may still benefit from an investigator. You can file your complaint to the appropriate authorities, and the private investigator can conduct an investigation into other complaints filed against the particular agent(s). By interviewing other complainants, employees, and other individuals who are knowledge about the agents or departments, an investigator may discover a pattern that could prove some negligence.

Private investigators are important ballasts to their public counterparts. While hiring a private investigator is often a great investment, it is important to remember that you or your family should vet private detectives before hiring them. You should ask the private investigator several questions, including whether she or he can conduct an objective investigation into potential police misconduct. While some private investigators are former police officers, many of them are not. Nevertheless, you should not exclude a private investigator solely on the basis of his or her prior or current connection with a particular police department. Hiring a private investigator with prior police experience can be an asset for many reasons. In other words, the particulars regarding where an investigator received his or her training and experience is not as important as what type of knowledge and experience she or he has. What matters more than anything, and something that you will be able to tell during your initial conversations, is whether the private investigator seems interested in your case and has the expertise to conduct a competent investigation. Not every investigative agency is interested in or equipped to handle these types of investigations. You should ask the investigator to explain to you what she or he will do to assist you. If something doesn’t sound right to you, it may not be. Before hiring any investigator, you should also check his or her reviews on websites such as Ripoffreport.com, Yellowbot.com, or the local Better Business Bureau.

It’s unfortunate that many citizens have to rely on technology and private investigators to protect themselves from government and corporate misconduct. However, by relying on both technology and quality private investigators, you can better protect yourself against injustices perpetrated by others against you.

* Dr. Craig Engstrom is owner and operator of Critical Hours, a company that provides consulting, research, and documentation services to small business owners. His scholarly research focuses on the business of private, professional investigations.

References

Balko, R. (2010, April 26). Watching the detectives: A nebulous "right" to videotape on-duty cops isn't enough. The right needs to be enforced. Reason Magazine. Retrieved April 27, 2010 from http://reason.com/archives/2010/04/26/watching-the-detectives>

Recognizing infidelity & getting the most out of your investigation

2010-04-01T00:00:00.000-07:00

In recent months spousal infidelity has been a popular topic in the media. Sandra Bullock is just the latest celebrity, among many, who has felt the pain caused when a loved one does not act in accordance to the expectations of a relationship. Discovery Health Channel is about to air a series on the topic starting on April 4, 2010 on the topic (9:00 pm ET/PT), followed by the network premiere of The Secret Life of Tiger Woods: A Dateline Special (10:00 pm ET/PT).

There are already several helpful blogs and news articles that can help you learn how to detect if your spouse or partner is cheating on you. One of the most thorough articles detailing helpful hints and signs is Cathy Meyer's article on About.com:

"Top 9 Signs Your Spouse is Cheating"

To summarize, here is what you ought to be looking for:

Statements like, "We are just friends" (when referring to another woman or man) or "I need some space to figure out my feelings"
A sudden need for privacy.
Regular work habits suddenly change.
Spending a large amount of time on the computer or internet.
Secretive phone calls or changes in habits of where he or she leaves the phone.
Behavior that just doesn't add up. Here is a list of these behaviors.
Your own fears and suspicions. As they say, "Trust your intuition."

But what can you do once you're convinced or have the intuition that your loved one is floundering? Hiring a private investigator can be a great investment, both personally and financially. Here's the deal: even in no-fault states that do not weigh infidelity into alimony or child support awards, it is unlikely that a judge would be unbiased by the emotional toll infidelity has caused to another. The benefits can come in various minor decisions that have major outcomes.

In states, such as Georgia, where infidelity does matter, the value of a surveillance conducted by a private investigator can yield financial gain for the offended party. Personally, you always gain when you have important information that can clear your conscious, prove you've been "right all along," and help you make a decision regarding whether to stay in a relationship and seek counseling, or move on to better things.

Regardless of what you may want to obtain from an investigation into your spouse's or partner's infidelity, here are some practical things you can do before hiring an investigator, which will both increase the outcome of success of the investigation and decrease some of the overall costs incurred.

Obtain phone numbers and other potential evidence: Whenever your spouse/partner finishes what appears like a "secretive" or abnormal call, try to obtain the number of the person with whom he or she has been speaking. This is legal, so long as you don't break any passwords. The number can be helpful to the investigator in identifying who the potential romantic other is. This allows the investigator to place either subject under surveillance--doubling the chance of success. Other documents can be obtained in similar ways. In order to make sure you do things legally and avoid hindering an investigation, make sure to consult with your private investigator.
Establish a pattern: Start keeping records. Usually there will be tells that give away the fact that your spouse/partner is about to "go out" with his or her beau or paramour. If you are able to see the clues, you can schedule a surveillance at a time that is most likely going to yield results, saving you money.
Don't change your own behavior. One thing that frequently hinders a private investigations into infidelity is the client begins acting strangely, giving away clues that she or he is starting to figure things out. This often will "cool off" the infidelity and increase the length and expenses incurred. It is difficult, but you must keep the investigation a secret and do what your professional, experienced investigator recommends.
Don't do an investigation on your own, unless instructed as the above examples explain. People sometimes attempt to do some parts of the investigative work, such as surveillance, on their own. This is not recommended for a variety of reasons. First, it can appear to a judge as stalking. By hiring an objective observer and trained professional, laws will not be violated and your evidence will be much stronger. Additionally, by doing investigative work on your own, especially before or during an investigation, you increase the chance of undermining the work of the investigator. This will increase the overall costs of an investigation. In other words, it is better financial sense to consult a professional before making any decision regarding how you should proceed. Most investigators offer free initial consultations. Finally, and most importantly, should you catch your spouse or partner with another, this increases the chances of potential violent confrontation. Most people just don't realize how they'll react to seeing these things. If you confront your spouse or partner in these ways, you'll give him or her several legal options they simply didn't have before. On that note, most professional investigators are actually very critical of shows like Cheaters and Sex Decoys. They will never ask you to confront your spouse as these shows do.

If you have additional questions regarding the content of this posting or feel you'd like to speak with someone regarding a potential cheating spouse/partner, please feel free to call me personally 512.687.3490.

Being stalked through your cell phone or other electronic devices?

2010-03-09T23:58:00.000-08:00

If you suspect your electronic devices, home, or car is bugged, it is important to keep in mind that very few private investigators are specially trained in electronic countermeasures and counter-surveillance techniques. Remember to practice due diligence.

Video available here: http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/video/stalked-cell-phone-10040683

Be careful when using Google or other internet search engines, begin with Yellow Pages instead

2010-03-01T00:00:00.000-08:00

by Craig Engstrom*

You may need a professional investigator for a variety of reasons:
you need a thorough background or asset check completed on your business or domestic partner,
you suspect your spouse or significant other is cheating,
you want to know if the hospice where your mother or father resides is a good one,
you want to know if your realtor is a fraud,
you need to know if your child is hanging around the wrong crowd,
you need to know if your mother or father is remarrying the right person,
you want to know if the police have done a thorough job developing a case for prosecution, or
you need to prove your innocence or mitigate a sentence.
This list could go on.
But where do you find a quality private investigator? The answer to this question is not simple. Evidence suggests that more people are turning to internet search engines to find businesses (2008, “Dial I for internet”). This is also true in the profession of private investigating.
Searching “[name of city] private investigator” through Google, Yahoo, or Bing can quickly generate a list of companies, but then you have to decide which companies to call or hire. If you’re not unlike most people, it is likely you will rely on the boxed advertisements or the top listed companies provided by the “search spiders.” While these may be good private investigation companies, sometimes they are not.
To assist you in making your search results work for you, here are two things to keep in mind:
800 numbers or vague links can be trouble. Among the listed and advertised local companies, there will be nationwide companies with a toll free number and generic website. The business model for these companies is to contract a case with you and then to locate a private investigator in the area where you need an investigation. While this may be a good model for florists and hotels, when it comes to legal matters, it is best to go straight to the company that will provide you with needed services. First, the “nationwide” companies have to charge you more because they will then subcontract to the local company. They may try to find the lowest-priced investigator. Why should you pay $85 per hour for a $50-per-hour investigator? It is not the money that is really at issue--a quality investigation is. Second, with the nationwide company you may not get direct access to the field investigator. This means that if you happen to have intelligence that will assist the investigation, it may not reach the field investigator in time. Similarly, the field investigator cannot contact you with field reports and give you timely updates. If you know that the target of the investigation is not doing much, you can direct the investigator to do it at another time (saving you money). In other words, you have less financial control of the investigation.
Advertised or top listed companies are spending more money on advertising. A good business person is not always a good private investigator, and a good private investigator is not always a good business person. By simply relying on top listed or companies advertising with “Adwords,” you may simply be hiring a good business person who pays a lot of money to web optimization companies. These companies can employ great investigators, but not always. You should contact several companies and be diligent and ask the right questions.
Keep in mind that the higher advertising expenses a company has, the more likely they’ll charge higher hourly rates.

The first thing you should look for when you click to a company’s website is their license number. It is the law in most states that private investigators display their license numbers. If the company does not follow this law, will they follow others?
Here is an alternative to search engines:
Begin with the yellow pages. Not to sound old fashioned, but there are reasons to still consider the yellow pages when searching for a private investigations company. You can even do this search online (www.yellowpages.com). While the same issues as above apply, the value of yellow pages is that it is a great selection mechanism. Consider the yellow pages as a reference book. The number of companies listed in the yellow pages is likely already to be sufficient for you to have an opportunity to find a quality investigator who can meet your investigative needs. While it may take a minute longer to look in the yellow pages than to do a Google search, you will save time because all of the search results are already filtered for you. You also know one thing for sure: companies in the yellow pages have been around a while. Each year hundreds of new private investigations companies start and just as many go out of business. A new company can immediately begin showing up in internet search results, but a company in the yellow pages has had to be around for at least a year. If your investigation is likely to extend over a period of time, it is best to go with a company with tenure.
Nothing, of course, will be able to assist you more than your own due diligence. Hiring a professional investigator can be the smart thing to do. Hiring a quality investigator should take you some time. Your decision should not be made by an internet search engine.
References
Dial I for internet. (2008, May 24). The Economist. Retrieved June 18, 2008 fromhttp://www.economist.com
*Craig Engstrom is a doctoral fellow at Southern Illinois University Carbondale. His research focuses on the business of private, professional investigations. He provides public relations and consulting services to private investigators in order to increase the legitimacy of the profession and to assist consumers in making well-informed decisions.

Want to improve your chances of getting a PI job?

2010-02-01T00:00:00.000-08:00

According to the Occupational Outlook Handbook, published by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the field of private investigations is projected to grow by 22% over the next decade.

Although the field is growing, competition for employment is keen. Agency owners receive several calls a month from people who say, “I’d like to be a private investigator.” But most of these callers do not have the qualifications to become a private investigator or fail to grab the agency owner's attention. Truth be told, an investigative agency that finds a qualified individual will often create a part-time position for him or her. Given the high turnover rate in the profession, such individuals will likely move quickly into a full time position.

This blog entry is designed to help you increase your chances of getting hired by a private detective agency and help you prepare for life on the job.

First, and most importantly, before calling an investigator about employment, make sure you qualify in your state to be a field investigator for a private agency. These rules vary by state. InTexas, for example, you are typically disqualified if you have a felony conviction, but you can obtain a field license without any specialized courses as long as you are 18 years old. The investigative agency will sponsor you. In Illinois, however, you have to be 21 years or older and complete a 20-hour course to qualify for work with a licensed agency.

Second, deeply consider whether you really can work as a private investigator. Unless you have some special training in law, accounting, or computer forensics, you are not likely going to be an investigator with a nine-to-five schedule. If you happen to know accounting, you may be able to work as a fraud examiner with a more stable schedule. But it’s more likely that you are someone who does not have much formal training in investigative work. That is fine, but you’re going to work primarily for an agency as a surveillance specialist. The needs for surveillance-related work are high, so it is a great way to get started with an agency when you don’t have many specialized skills. But be forewarned: The hours are erratic and you will likely need to work every weekend from early evening to early morning (1600 hours to 0300 hours). You will have weeks that are busy and weeks that are slow. What this means is that some weeks you will not sleep much and other weeks you won’t have income. Does this sound okay for you? If it does, then this is something you should tell an agency owner. But you have to follow through. If you work hard, you’ll likely get to do other things and move up in the company. Eventually, you may even qualify for your own agency license. But answer this question truthfully: Are you willing to forgo your personal life for a few years? As a “part-time” employee you won’t work a set 20- hours-per-week schedule, you’ll be called upon at various times in the week. If you say you can’t go to work too often, then you’ll stop receiving calls for work.

Third, when you do call an agency owner and he or she asks you why you want (or are qualified) to be a private investigator, do not reply in any way similar to the following: “I’ve always thought it would be cool to be a private investigator,” “I like the shows Cheaters and Sex Decoys and would like to do this work,” “I just need a job and I’ve always been good at snooping on my neighbors.” Many people say this and it is not impressive. Consider more deeply what special skills or knowledge you can bring to an agency and start there: “I know how to operate a camera, can drive defensively, and have a great deal of common sense—you know, those things that can make you good at doing surveillance work.”

Fourth, prepare yourself. You can begin your career as a private investigator without a college degree. However, this does not mean you do not have to educate yourself about rules, laws, and regulations. If you still believe that you’d make a great investigator after all you’ve read, you can impress an agency owner with your knowledge of laws. For self-education, the following reading materials are recommended:

Your state’s laws regulating the profession and relevant practices (e.g., pretexting and recording conversations).
The following two books:

While this information cannot guarantee employment, it is likely going to help your chances. Being a private investigator can be rewarding, but it takes a great deal of hard work, specific knowledge, and practice to succeed.

Five questions to ask your private investigator

2010-01-01T00:30:00.000-08:00

Tom Cruise is being sued for $5 million dollars because he hired the wrong private investigator (PI). According to court documents, published by Radaronline, Cruise is being sued by Michael David Sapir, a magazine editor, who believes Cruise hired Anthony Pellicano to illegally wiretap his phone. Pellicano, a former high-profile Los Angeles private investigator, is currently serving a 15-year federal prison sentence for illegal wiretapping and conspiracy to commit wiretapping.

Whether Cruise and his attorney, who is also mentioned in the suit, knew Pellicano tapped the phone is irrelevant. They could still be in hot water. Nevertheless, Pellicano should have known that he could not record any conversation, in person or over the phone, without every participant’s knowledge and consent. In California, along with twelve other states, one must haveall-party consent before recording a conversation (even in person!). If Cruise did request such activities, Pellicano should have told Cruise he would not do it. In short, Pellicano should have stayed committed to his state association’s professional ethics and California and federal statutes.

Of course, Tom Cruise is not expected to know what is legal and ethical. Neither are you. But so that you don't find yourself in a similar legal situation as Cruise, or have your evidence become inadmissible in court, you had better hire a high quality PI. So how do you know if your PI is good for you? Here are a few questions you can ask to get a better sense if she or he is a qualified professional:

1. Are you licensed and insured? While licensing varies by state, most require a minimum three years investigative experience, annual continuing education, and up to million-dollar insurance policies. If an investigator says she or he is licensed and insured, verify this with your state’s regulatory agency. Here are a list of some state agencies:

§ California

§ Texas

§ Georgia

§ New York

§ Check other states

2. What are your areas of specialization and background? While most investigative agencies will do just about anything, from finding a lost pet to investigating workplace deaths, some are more qualified than others to do different investigations. If you need surveillance work, hire a company that specializes in surveillance. If you need electronic countermeasures, hire a company that has the training and equipment. You want someone to feel motivated about your case. If your needs don’t match the investigator’s business, your case may not receive priority. A good private investigator will admit to his or her limitations and inform you about his experience and background. Most importantly, an investigator working in his or her area of knowledge is likely to know all of the rules and legal procedures that apply--he or she will not jeopardize your case.

3. Can I see your contract? The first time you see an investigator’s agreement for services should not be when you’re signing it. A high quality investigator will let you see his or her agreement in advance. You are entitled to know your rights and obligations before your first meeting. This information could save you and your investigator time and money. Some investigators even keep a contract on their website so you can look at it any time. Look at the contract, does it appear professional? If this legal document is not important to the investigator, then don’t expect other legal documents will be either.

4. How do you deliver your reports, what do they look like? You can learn a lot about the way investigators do their reports. This is the product you will receive at the conclusion of an investigation. An investigator that provides proof of all services rendered, in various formats (e.g. video and print), likely takes their work seriously.

5. Are you available 24-7? Believe it or not, some investigative agencies maintain banker’s hours. It is important to know that if something urgent comes up you can reach somebody with the company any time of day, any day of the week. Then try it out. Call the agency late at night and see what happens. While this question may not allow you to know if the investigator is being ethical, you’ll know at least if she or he was being honest about phone access.

Other questions you may want to ask, depending on your personal situation, are “How many clients do you serve at once?”; “How many field investigators work for you?”; “What are your success rates?”; “How much is your retainer?”; “How do charges appear on my credit card?”; “What was the outcome of your last case?”; “Are their additional charges for court appearance fees?”

Of course, these questions are just general guidelines. While they are likely to be help you appear as a knowledgeable consumer, they do not guarantee success. Do your homework. Search to see if the company you are about to hire has outstanding claims with the Better Business Bureau or other consumer groups. But most importantly, go to your state's regulatory agency (links above) and verify that his or her license is active. In many states, they list any disciplinary actions taken against an agency. Tom Cruise should have known better than to trust a private investigator who said he was willing to use, as Pellicano claimed, “unorthodox methods.”

Six reasons entrepreneurs should retain a professional investigator

2009-12-13T11:02:00.000-08:00

Since the recession began, increased layoffs and high unemployment have led to a much talked about increase in new business start-ups. Most start-ups, according to data reported by Scott Shane in The Illusions of Entrepreneurship (2008), are destined to fail. What is more, businesses that seem successful are constantly faced with common business risks, such as employee misconduct, theft, and lawsuits. These constant threats keep most small-to-medium-sized enterprises in a perpetual “near-death” state.

The recession has also led to increased unemployment, economic hardship, and, not surprisingly, increased business theft. Take, for example, the case of Bradco Supply Company (Dallas, Texas), which has been robbed repeatedly throughout 2009. This is not, of course, an isolated incident,

Crooks nationwide have been stealing millions of dollars worth of shingles from companies this year, a sizable increase from years past. Previously, thieves would steal them from construction sites, but not on this level. They’re now getting ambitious, robbing warehouses — sometimes several semi-truckloads at a time — and hauling away hundreds of thousands of dollars in shingles. In Texas alone, at least $4 million worth have [sic] been stolen this year. (Oct. 10, 2009, Health News)

This has left many shingle suppliers literally hanging on by one. While public detectives are dealing with increased thefts, cities are also faced with their own fiscal crises due to declines in property tax revenues. Consequently, many of them have had to make painful cuts to city budgets. While police and fire departments may be the last to see their budgets cut, they are being asked to do more with less, and “with the emphasis in public law enforcement upon illegal drug suppression and violent crime reduction, property crimes perpetuated against faceless corporate victims receive second-level priority” (Sennewald, 2006, p. 15). Because many police departments do not have the time or resources to fully investigate small crimes against business owners (and by small this could still mean a $20,000 piece of equipment), many small businesses owners have been left searching for their own solutions.

Business owners should seek out multiple solutions to these problems. One feasible solution is to keep on retainer a private, professional investigative agency. While the cost of retaining an independent investigator could cost a business owner anywhere between $5,000 and $25,000 a year, this is considerably cheaper than the costs associated with inventory loss, employee misconduct, or service/production shut down. (If you’re smaller than that, most investigators will find an amicable solution.)

There are at least 6 reasons a professional investigator can be beneficial to any small business:

(1) Due Diligence – Whenever a civil or criminal suit is filed against a company, one of the best defenses a company has is its ability to demonstrate due diligence. Showing (with good documentation) that a company took reasonable measures to mitigate risks and thwart dangerous, risky, or hazardous behavior can make a positive impression on judges and jurors. Remember, a company just has to show it took reasonable steps. Having an independent observer overseeing employees, seeking out security breaches, and identifying product risks, is likely to be seen as a reasonable precaution. Additionally, it is hard to live with the consequences of accidental deaths or huge inventory losses, especially when they may have been preventable.

(2) Risk Assessment – Using a company that specializes in risk assessment, security, and fraud, to test for potential breach points can help save a company a significant amount of money and negative publicity. For example, an episode on Dateline NBC a while back showed valets stealing items from cars. The owners of the hotels, restaurants, or valet service companies were castigated on national television for not controlling their employees, demonstrating why these companies have a vested interested in running their own undercover operations from time to time. Other risk assessments that a professional investigator can assist with are independent laboratory product tests, computer security threat assessments, electronic countermeasures, and undercover operations to check employee loyalty. An ongoing consultation with a trained private investigator can help identity problems, and she or he can offer a variety of solutions. Do note, however, that a good investigator will admit his or her weaknesses and will suggest alternative experts to deal with issues where she or he lacks expertise. (Make sure to specify in your contract who assumes the costs for the experts.)

(3) Background Checks – Many small businesses hire people without doing an extensive background check. This can become a major liability and threat to a company. Retaining a private investigator to do background checks on all potential hires will save a company money through quantity discounts and increased security. Habitual entrepreneurs should absolutely do a background check on all potential partners and investors.

(4) Asset Searches – Of course, a company may have to do asset searches as part of a background check on investors or business partners, but if management suspects that a major customer may file for bankruptcy, and that company has accepted goods or services on credit, a thorough investigation of the indebted business’s assets should commence. A retained investigator can insure they aren’t hiding or selling assets as means of avoiding repayment of credit.

(5) Networks – One thing that many people don’t fully understand is that professional investigators have many connections with other agencies, attorneys, experts, and professionals. This means that whenever a question may arise, they have a large pool of expertise to draw upon. If a company happens to need an answer to a particular question, they can call their investigator and save precious time and money.

(6) Commitment to company goals – Businesses sometimes must thwart activities without publicity. When a public detective investigates an issue, they have a duty to observe and report. This means that—like it or not—a public detective’s investigation will be made public or, worse, publicized in media sources. A public investigator’s objective is prosecution. A private investigator, on the other hand, has many options. His or her interest is helping to protect the client from negative publicity and to thwart any activity that is not in the interest of their client (within reason).

These six reasons entrepreneurs should hire a private investigator are only partial. There are, of course, many other reasons an entrepreneur may want to hire a professional investigator. This non-comprehensive list, however, highlights some of the more important work investigators are currently doing for their private sector clients. So that each party can better understand the other’s needs and work styles in a time of crisis, it is important to build a relationship and rapport with a particular investigation company over time. This requires ongoing collaboration, which is only attainable through ongoing work together. In a time of crisis, having had a private investigator agency as part of your yearly operating expenses will save you time, money, and emotional stress. Call a local, licensed agency to see what sort of plan you can create within your budget to protect your precious business assets.