Did you know that last year, half of all the divorce cases filed in the UK involved hiring a private eye? It’s true. Although we don’t have figures for the same cases from other countries, still, this says a lot about faith in our dear sleuths these days. So, if you suspect your spouse of cheating, you can always hire a reliable sleuth or you can try becoming your own private eye and do your own investigation.

Indeed, you yourself can find out if you have what it takes to become a sleuth by investigating on your own spouse (only if you suspect him or her to be cheating on you). Here’s a rundown of things that will get you up to speed when deciding to do your own private investigation. First, know the signs of a cheating spouse.

What are the signs of a cheating spouse?

From How To Catch a Cheating Spouse Red Handed here are some of the signs that HE or SHE is cheating on you:

1. You notice a change in their usual pattern. He could be coming home much later from work, or she’s spending an unusual amount of time online.
2. Their phone is always off when you try to call them. Either that, or they don’t answer your calls all the time.
3. If you find that your husband or wife has suddenly gone cold, or has changed the way they treat you or the children, that’s a huge telltale sign.
4. In some cases, a spouse’s lack of money could also be an indicator of cheating.
5. Has your husband been changing his look lately? Exhibiting an interest in the way they dress or their appearance may be a sign that your husband or wife is seeing someone else, and they want to look their best when they do.
6. If you’ve noticed a sudden shift in your relationship, whether they’re too cold or too affectionate, should not be something you should take lightly.
   
7. Does your wife suddenly have an interest in tennis, when she’s sworn the sport off years ago? It could just be her alibi, or someone could be “teaching” her the sport. Whatever it is, I think you should investigate.
8. Does she leave the room to take a call? Do you often catch her in whispered conversations on the phone? What is she hiding? You should find out.
9. Suspicious computer behavior is also a key sign of cheating. If your husband suddenly minimizes a window or closes a program when you enter, it could be because they were chatting with someone they weren’t supposed to.

Of course, these are but signs. There’s more to it than just becoming aware about it. How do you support your hunches once these signs turn up? You do your own investigation by following these steps from the same article:

1. Surprise them at work. Do it at a time when your husband is working late, or your wife is at an all-nighter with the colleagues. You can bring over a pizza, or some topnotch coffee for everyone. This is one way of confirming your suspicions, as well as checking for clues that can lead to the truth.
2. Check their car’s mileage. To effectively tell if they really were where they said they would be, checking the meter on your car can give you clues.
3. Keep records of suspicious calls. It would be really helpful if you can log details, date, and time of suspicious calls. For example, if you find your husband talking in a hushed voice, then telling you that he had to be at work, that could be the time that he was talking to “her.” You can derive a pattern from these calls and know when to make your case.
4. Don’t tell them that you know. If you don’t have sufficient evidence to back it up, don’t make the mistake of telling your husband or wife that you’re on to something. This will get them to be more cautious and more careful, which can ruin your investigation.
5. Check receipts. Whenever you can, go through pockets and check on the receipts. Receipts can tell you a lot–where they had dinner, what they bought, did they buy for two people? It also gives you the location and date of such incidences, and can help you track them down.
6. Spy on them. If you decide to do this, make sure you bring a trusted friend with you. It’s not always easy when you see the affair unfolding before your very eyes.
7. Use technology to your advantage. A lot of incriminating evidence is kept in computers. Emails, chat logs, even search engine searches can tell you a lot about what your spouse is up to.

There you have it. You think you’re up for the challenges of becoming your own private eye?

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