As a private eye, you have to have access to a lot of different records to effectively track someone down, or find out about their various transactions. Here’s a little guide so you’ll know what type of records are out there, and how they can help.

Court Records
Various court records like civil, criminal, and bankruptcy records can help you gain a wealth of information about a person. For starters, bankruptcy records are going to be very useful if you have financial matters to settle with this guy.

Court records, generally, contain information about a person that can help you further with your search. This is where you can find out the person’s social security number, address, properties, date of birth, and even the name of the spouse. It’s also a great way to dig up dirt and keep it in the back burner in case you need it.

Vital Records
These include birth records, death records, and marriage records. These can help if you need to find out about your subject’s birth parents, or marriage details. These records are especially helpful if you want to know about your subject’s finances, and where they are going.

Driving records
Depending on the state, driving records may be obtained from the DMV. This is a great way to get some dirt on your subject, to know the violations he has on his record and such. Information included in driving records are vehicle registration, driver’s license number, and social security number. These are helpful tidbits that can maximize your search.

Voter Registration Records
This is a case-to-case basis, though, as not everyone in the country opts to exercise their right to vote. But going through voter registration records can give you access to your subject’s relatives as well, and your search can start there. Obtaining voter registration records may take a while, though, because you still have to know the county that your target is registered in.

Tax Roll Records
Tax roll records can give you an idea of your target’s various bills, such as property tax bills and excise tax bills. You can find out how his financial standing is, and also gives you and idea about his assets.

Business License Records
This is not really recommended, because you will still have to do a lot of digging before you get your hands on these. Depending on the state, the office or bureau that takes care of business license varies. With these documents, you can find out what businesses your subject has gotten into.

So just choose among the available records to finally get your search going. You should also choose the most appropriate one that will give you all the information you need to know.

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As exciting as being a PI is, and having access to so many information, being your own private investigator, or any private investigator, for that matter, sure has its pitfalls as well. Sure, you get to follow someone around, get to find out juicy secrets about them. Some PIs, if they’re very good, can get paid really well.

But let’s face facts. Being a PI isn’t all adventure and excitement. The job has some serious dangers, and it helps to know what you’re getting into before you go all the way.

Continue reading "The Downsides of Being a PI"

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Writing up your report about your observations and surveillance is an important part of your investigation. But before you do that, you have to make sure you have the right recording tools at your disposal.

Recording instruments and writing media depend on your personality and budget. There are various tools you can use to effectively record your observations so you can keep going through them throughout your case. So before you go out on the field, arm yourself with the necessary writing or recording tools that you need.

Good Ol’ Pen and Paper
It’s been centuries since paper was first invented, and it’s still an important part of our every day life. If you’re the old-fashioned PI, you can opt for the conventional pen and paper. Get a small notebook that you can bring anywhere, so you can easily whip it out and start taking notes. When it comes to being handy and light, nothing beats the pen and notebook tandem. They fit in your pocket, and can be taken out easily. Unlike modern gadgets, they don’t need startup time, which can delay your investigation. Just make sure your pen works well, and have a lot of spare ink ready.

Fancy Tape Recorder
If you’re the more modern type, you can get yourself one of those handy recorders and a large stock of tapes. This is a great way to store your observations without taking up too much space in your “office.” Just make sure your recorder is handy and easy to operate, to avoid mishaps while you’re on the field. It’s also a good idea to “practice” recording so you get a good idea on how your new gadget works, to avoid pressing the record button when you had wanted to press rewind.

The Digital Age
There are also digital recorders available today that can allow you to record much like a tape recorder does, but the added perk is being able to upload your files to your computer. This saves a lot on physical space, as your files can stay in your computer. Another advantage to digital recorders is that their design is usually smaller, so they don’t take up as much pocket space as tape recorders do. So also won’t need to keep buying tapes, as digital recorders can thrive on reusable memory cards.

Laptops are also pretty handy, and you can also use it to type up your reports. Just don’t get anything too bulky or heavy, as it may hamper your ability to effectively follow your subject. Having your files stored in a computer makes it easier to check back on a case, or to provide new copies of your report in case somebody misplaces theirs.

PDAs are handier than laptops, and can perform basic computer functions. They also double as recorders, so you can do everything on the field using just one gadget.

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