One of the most common jobs that clients ask a private eye to do is to perform background checks on potential employees.  Employers know that making a bad mistake in hiring someone can be very costly for their company, not to mention very inconvenient indeed, especially since finding a replacement can be a hassle.  If you’ve been hired to check on a job candidate, here are tried and tested tips you can use:

Always ask if the potential employee consented with the screening
To protect the rights of all job applicants, the Fair Credit Reporting Act was implemented.  Be aware that the Act requires the inquirer (in this case, the employer) to show written proof that the potential employee agreed to have a background check performed on him.

You also have to let the applicant know the source of the information you obtained, in case their application is turned down based on whatever data you as a private eye gets to collect.  Remember that the information you will obtain from performing such a background check will affect the outcome of the potential employee’s job application.

Obtain a resume of the potential employee
The resume of the candidate will tell you plenty of things about the person.  It contains information regarding his former employers, the people he worked with (usually included as references) and the school where he got his education.

You should be able to match the information provided by the job applicant with what is factual: did he really work at the company he mentioned in his resume and in such a capacity?  Are his claims regarding the types of responsibilities he had truthful?  Did he really complete the education he said he trained for?

Ask what type of references your client needs
As a professional private eye, you should be able to offer your client different screening services.  Offering a complete, all-in-one package may not be that useful for your client because of the nature of the job that the potential employee will be performing.

You could, for example, offer a basic potential employee screening package covering an employment background check, resume verification and a criminal record check for most job vacancies.  Based on the qualifications required for the job position, you can then extend your screening services to include checks on the potential employee’s education and training, work documentation and any records that might show a criminal past.

Cover your grounds
Be careful about screening a potential employee for your clients.  Cover all the necessary issues to ensure that your client gets all the relevant information about their job applicant.  If they make a bad hiring decision based on the information you provided, they may not remain as your clients for so long.

image credits to sxc.hu

Re-Tweet This Post RSS

What, exactly, can an employment history record do for you as a private investigator?  In the course of performing your job as a private eye, you will come across a huge variety of records, both public and personal.  Many of these records, such as an employment record, will tell you things about a person you are conducting an investigation about.  But what exactly are you expected to do when using employment history records?

Usage of employment history records for background checks
Employment history records are frequently used as a reference during an investigation or a background check.  Often, this is in relation to a job application, when a client employer would like to screen a potential employee’s personal and professional past.

This is to determine how well suited or qualified the applicant is or if all the qualifications and information provided in his/her resume were truthfully stated.  Many employers would rather avoid problematic hirees, especially those who have a criminal past and those who might have lied or overstated their education, training or other qualifications.

Make a thorough research regarding someone’s employment history
Actually, employers are not legally required to make reference checks about their possible hires.  They simply turn to private investigators to conduct these checks for them in order to validate whatever information is offered by a job applicant.

Employers are also advised to have employment history records checked in order to avoid any liabilities that result from negligent hiring.  As a private investigator, it is your job to ensure that you perform a complete research regarding a person’s employment history records.  Missing a critical piece of information could cost your client a lot.

Know state restrictions regarding employment history records
Not every information you obtain out of someone’s employment history record can be considered as useful by your client.  There are certain states in the U.S. that forbid employers from using certain facts about their client as pre-employment qualifications.  These include age, race, national origin, ancestry, veteran status, physical disability or religion – information you can readily gather from an applicant’s employment records.

Find only relevant data
When checking a person’s employment history record, you should know beforehand the type of qualifications that are required from the applicant.  Focus on what the individual can give in terms of skills, training, knowledge, abilities, attitude and behavior at work based on his past and present performance.

Also, there is a wealth of information you can find on data that has not been provided on the individual’s employment history.  As a private investigator, you could, for example, check on any significant employment gap in the person’s work history – why did they not work for so long?  What were they doing during the interval?  What was the reason they quit in the first place?

When considering employment history records usage, a private investigator must always try to obtain data that will help their clients identify the most important information about a job applicant.  This in turn will help an employer make the right hiring decision.

image credits to sxc.hu

Re-Tweet This Post RSS

Probably one of the most common documents that you will ever come across with as a private investigator is someone’s criminal record.  Many clients will ask you for this document in the course of your investigation, particularly if they want to hire someone for a job, obtain information about someone they will work with or start personal relations with.  Since criminal records will be a critical component of your job as a PI, here are tips on how to use them properly and efficiently.

Take note of the extent of the violations
A minor driving infraction is not and will never be the same as theft or murder.  When using criminal records in your capacity as a private investigator, carefully assess the type of violations you might find on the criminal record.  Certain cases could only be misdemeanors and may not be considered as serious crimes or felonies.

Consider legal means
There will be times when you will be hired to sift through criminal records by a client, such as when they need to check on a potential job applicant’s background.  There is a limitation regarding the extent to which you as a private eye can use these records.  The Fair Credit Reporting Act will restrict your access to someone’s criminal records in case you’ll be investigating them for a job.

To comply with this Act, you should have the consent of the person before you can perform any background checks on them.  This consent must be in written form.  Make sure you have this because this will help you avoid any legal complications later.

Don’t be tempted by illegally obtained records either.  Although criminal records exist in the county or state level, there is only one nationwide database for criminal records and that is the FBI database.  This database is restricted and unless you are authorized, you cannot access any information contained here.  A black market offering this information is present but don’t fall for it.  If you get caught, you will be slapped by some heavy penalties.

Always practice total discretion
Some criminal records can be obtained by almost anyone online.  There are companies that offer access to information on records of a person’s birth, address, marriage, divorce, bankruptcy, arrests and jail time.  These are paid sites but many of them offer unlimited checks, which allow people to view other people’s criminal records, if such actually do exist.

However, as a private investigator, it’s your job to take good care that these criminal records are not viewed by anyone who has no business regarding the information.  Make sure to respect owner’s right to privacy and be extra careful about handling these records.  What information you might have should be kept between you and your client and should not be discussed with anyone else.

image credits to sxc.hu

Re-Tweet This Post RSS

Reverse records are very useful for tracing back information about another person.  They can help check a person’s criminal background and act as evidence regarding a possible criminal activity.  Furthermore, they can help prevent potential problems from occurring and can serve as a warning of any potential criminal or predator.  If you’re working as a private investigator, here are things you need to know about reverse records:

What are reverse records?
A reverse record is a document containing information about an individual, such as the name, address and contact number.  These information are often used for identification purposes and for tracing and tracking down a person.

What types of information cannot be accessed through a reverse record?
Only the basic information about a person is usually available as a reverse record.  Some personal information may not be included because of their sensitivity, such as financial records, medical, insurance, driving, social security and employment history.

With a reverse record, a private investigator can also look up the following information about a person:

- Date of birth – which helps you identify the person among others with the same name; also helps verify a person’s age
- Marital status – helps you verify if a person has been married before, how many times and if they have been divorced
- Address history – helps verify, locate and track the person’s whereabouts at a given period of time
- Property records – a list of that person’s assets, useful for determining the person’s financial capability and history
- Associates and relatives – through reverse records, you will be able to obtain information that will help you track a person’s former officemates and co-workers and quite possibly, some of their relatives

State restrictions
Just because almost anyone with the ability and the right access to a resource can make reverse records checks does not mean they can pretty much do anything they want with the information they obtain.  There are state restrictions that limit the use of these records for means that may be derogatory to the individual concerned or affect his personal and/or professional life.

When obtaining these reverse records for your client, make sure you are aware of any restrictions that may be in place in the state where you operate.

Respecting an individual’s privacy
Many of the stuff you’ll obtain from doing reverse records checks are publicly available records.  As a result, the individual who owns that record will not be able to identify who made the request for information.  But just because you are afforded a good amount of anonymity does not excuse you from sharing that information with people other than your client.  Be professional and respect a person’s right to privacy.  The more reliable you are as a private investigator, the more clients will come to trust you.

image credits to sxc.hu

Re-Tweet This Post RSS

Although the private investigation industry was largely unregulated, it does require aspiring PIs to obtain and maintain a license.  Licenses are usually valid for a set number of years, after which the private investigator will have the option to have it renewed.  However, there are also a number of ways that could cause you to lose your private investigator license.  In case you plan to work as a PI in the future, these are some of the reasons your license could get revoked:

Gross negligence
Negligence in the performance of duties is one of the main reasons that private investigators lose their licenses.  If they are careless or cause their clients or anyone unnecessary harm, it is considered as a violation.

Incompetence
Becoming a private investigator takes skill, training and experience.  Many of the cases that PIs are involved with require specialized knowledge.  If the PI has demonstrated that he or she lacks the necessary skill or ability to perform his duties, it could cause him to lose his license.

Fraud
If the private investigator has committed fraud or any act in which he or she has deliberately cheated his client/s or any person involved directly or indirectly with the investigation, it is considered reason enough to revoke his license.  Fraud may also be committed if the private investigator has obtained money, gifts or favors illegally or through the use of conscious deception.

In case the private investigator used a false identity during the time they applied for a license or if they have falsified their records, they could also stand to lose their private investigator license.  Furthermore, falsification of documents could even result to a criminal prosecution.

Misrepresentation
When performing their jobs, private investigators must sometimes have to use certain techniques in order to obtain the information they need.  They could, for example, use certain pretexts.  However, they are bound by law not to use misrepresentations of any kind.  They cannot claim authority or licenses that they actually do not have.

In case they use advertising to promote their business, private investigators must also take care not to misrepresent their services.  They cannot, for example, promise to perform certain duties that they cannot deliver or for which they have no authority to perform.

Felony conviction
Applicants for a private investigator license are required to have a clean criminal record.  If they can’t demonstrate this, they will not be able to obtain their license.  However, even if they are already practicing as licensed investigators, they could still lose their license in case they become involved in a crime or become convicted of felony charges.  This is especially so if the crime reflects negatively on their moral and professional integrity and honesty.

image credits to jantik

Re-Tweet This Post RSS

A private investigator career can be very productive and challenging.  However, your success as a PI will depend heavily on how well-prepared and trained you are for the job.  Courses that lead to a career in private investigation can be costly and in some cases, even inconvenient, particularly if you can’t make time for more structured classes.  With home learning courses, however, you will have more control on your time, place and pacing.  A home learning course in private investigation could just be your ticket to a very rewarding career.  Here are some things you need to know about taking this course in the U.K.:

What kind of training is a private investigator home learning course?
In the UK, the PI learning course is a diploma course.  Because it is home-based, it is also considered as independent study.  Lessons are highly flexible since there is no set time.

As for the lessons taught – some home learning courses offer a complete deal, ranging from the basic and a few specialized studies considered critical to the PI’s job.  However, you also have a choice to take a basic course in one learning center and then obtain certifications in specialized courses from other institutions.

How long does a private investigator’s course last?
In the UK and in other countries, a course can last for at least 6 months, provided you choose expedited courses and are able to participate in lessons as often as you can.  If you take your time, you could earn your diploma in about a year or two.

Is there an age limit?
In most cases, private investigators are required to be at least 19 years old in order to work.  Most learning centers in the UK will probably require you to be at least that, so it pays to inquire regarding any restrictions.  As for the maximum age limit, however, most PI learning courses do not impose this restriction.

What is the advantage of a home learning course in private investigation?
Other than the relative independence, it also offers a very flexible way to complete a diploma course, since a student can take the course materials with them anywhere they go.  Some lessons, for example, may even be studied and completed online.

Furthermore, home learning courses in private investigation are relatively cheaper than more traditional classes.

What you can look forward to
A private investigator learning course in the UK could lead you to obtain training and certification in a high-demand job.  Expect to work from 15 to 30 hours a week and earn about L40,000 a year, or even more.

image credits to tricky

Re-Tweet This Post RSS

The manner with which a private investigator collects evidence and testimony is critical to the success of his job during an investigation. Having excellent interviewing skills is so important to the private investigator that it is one of the top skills he is taught and trained to have. If working as a private eye is your preferred career, here are some tips for honing your interviewing skills and becoming a sharper, better private investigator:

Learn to ask the right questions
Not every person reacts to a specific question in a similar manner. A simple question such as, ‘What did you see?’ could elicit different types of responses, with different degrees of truths and half-truths. It is the job of a private investigator to phrase the right question that will lead him to obtain information that will help him resolve the case.

Learn to listen
A lot of people have the wrong impression regarding interviews. In an ideal private investigation interview, it is the person you are interviewing that should do most of the talking and not you.

Use the right body language
When honing your interviewing skills, learn the correct body language to use. Folded arms and scrunched eyebrows, for example, express disagreement and are considered negative gestures. If you scowl, you could intimidate or displease the person you’re interviewing and discourage them from offering more information.

Learn which gestures and facial expressions are best to use for which persons during an interview. A serious, businesslike approach might work for one person while a light, friendly approach might be best for another.

Pay attention to what is not being said
When honing your interview skills as a private investigator, it’s important that you also try to read and interpret what is being said between the lines. Take note of how the person talks – his voice inflections, intonations, the words he uses, his facial expressions, gestures, etc. If you learn how to interpret people’s actions, you will be able to ask the right questions and obtain the information you need.

Observe
New private investigators usually work with more senior PIs as part of their training. Use this time to observe and learn as much as you can about how to talk to people. Simply by observing how your senior PI converses with other people will help hone your interview skills.

Practice
No private investigator gets their interviewing skills right the first time. Even the best had to go through hours and hours of practice and real-life interviewing before they could perfect their technique. Be patient but take each opportunity you find at work and during training as a means to improve yourself.

image credits to sxc.hu

Re-Tweet This Post RSS

Hiring a private investigator can cost a few hundred dollars for a week’s worth of work, depending on their expertise and experience. In case the investigation lasts far longer, charges could go up. Before long, a client could find themselves dealing with a huge bill. This is why to a potential client looking for cheaper private investigation services, the promise of a free private investigator can be too tempting to resist. But are they for real? Here’s the real deal:

Free consultation
Very likely, a client looking for free private investigators will come across ads from agencies offering free consultation. This deal is actually for real – with a catch. The free consultation is very often only the first or initial consultation. This can range anywhere from half an hour to an hour. Some agencies or private investigators might even allow an unlimited number of hours for the first consultation. They then charge you for the succeeding ones.

Is this for real? Private investigators offering their services for free know that many potential clients are wary about spending money to pay a private eye they aren’t sure they would like to work with. By going with a private investigator who offers his services at no charge, they could check if they feel comfortable with the person and whether or not they are satisfied with how the PI intends to conduct the investigation.

Another reason most private investigators work for ‘free’ is because there is a limit to the type and degree of the services they offer. For extras or more complete investigative services, they will charge their clients.

Toll costs
Some private investigators will offer free toll charges for clients who phone in. This can be quite attractive for people who communicate with their PIs from remote locations. The clients aren’t charged for their phone calls but they do pay for the cost of the consultations.

Free services
There are private investigators that advertise certain services for free. They could, for example, offer certain related services at no cost. A few private investigation agencies, for example, promote their services online. As a way to extend their business and attract clients to their company, they would offer a free online resource, such as a free people search. This is an online tool that allows both active and potential clients to look for any information regarding a lost relative, friend or acquaintance.

Is this free service for real? Private investigation agencies offer free tools such as the people search as a value-added service. It helps attract people to their site, increases awareness about their services and encourages visitors to consider their company for future needs.

image credits sxc.hu

Re-Tweet This Post RSS

Most private investigators work in a specialized field. They usually focus on a particular field either through choice or circumstance. If they get exposed in certain cases frequently, for example, they become better trained and experienced at that particular practice. This is why some investigators become commercial investigators while others practice privately.

What do commercial investigators do?
Commercial investigators are those that work in the corporate or industrial setting. They are often employed by companies and private groups, either on project basis or full-time. In some cases, they may also be employed by government agencies. Their jobs usually focus on trading, finance and other aspects of the business and commerce.

How is commercial investigation different from private investigation?
Private and commercial investigators are similar in that they both have functions that are akin to those practiced by certain law enforcement officials, albeit rather limited in scope and power. Private investigators also generally work independently, although many are employed by private companies. Private investigators also assist lawyers in case of civil cases.

One significant difference in what commercial investigators do that some private investigators do not readily get involved with is in strategic corporate planning. Many companies seek the help of a commercial investigator to assist them in designing corporate standards and business policies. Companies do this to help them establish set rules to protect their businesses and control internal conflict or crimes.

In case of any problems that require an investigation, commercial investigators are then asked to perform a professional probing of the case. This will help solve any crimes or misdemeanors that may be related to commercial or corporate fraud, economy-related offenses and even computer-related crimes.

Becoming a commercial and private investigator
Commercial investigators are often required to complete Senior certificate and Basic Police Training. They must also complete the set number of hours required for training in certain courses. They should also pass certain tests and obtain the necessary security clearance.

Most of the specific training required of commercial investigators focus on detective work related to commerce, finance and economics. They are often called in to investigate cases that could point to fraud, embezzlement or related offenses.

Private investigators, on the other hand, are required to obtain basic training in detective work and have sufficient training in specific courses. After completing the number of hours required for training and assisted experience, private investigators can then obtain their license, a requirement they must meet for most states and jurisdictions. Depending on the nature of their job, they may also opt to carry a firearm.

image credits to julianrod

Re-Tweet This Post RSS

Arson is a crime that doesn’t paint a pretty picture. For one, it is, quite literally, a mess. For another, it will require sufficient proof and evidence that the reason behind the destruction of someone’s property can be attributable to human error or will. This is where the service of a private investigator can offer very valuable help.

What exactly is arson?
Arson refers to the burning of somebody else’s property and is considered as a criminal offense. It is a crime that is categorized either as felony arson or misdemeanor arson. Felony arson refers to the willful setting of fire while misdemeanor arson refers to negligent or reckless acts that lead to the burning and destruction of property, even if there is really no explicit intent or purpose to do so.

Why you might need the assistance of a private investigator
According to some researchers, about a quarter of the total number of fires that occur in the U.S. may involve arson. Curiously enough, not every suspected arson case gets prosecuted.

There are also certain regulations and guidelines that only professional investigators understand and can comply with that could help in the resolution of an arson case. Unless an individual or the firefighters and law enforcement officers find the real cause and can prove arson, it’s often best to employ the services of a private investigator.

What you can expect from a private investigator working in arson cases
During an investigation of suspected arson by a private investigator, you could expect his services to cover the following:

Vehicle, marine and structure
Most arson private investigators are trained in handling suspected arson cases involving different types of properties. Although it’s likely you’ll be hiring a PI who can work in your case, you might also want to consider someone who has extensive experience in a particular property type.

Identification of cause and origin
Cases involving fire can only be proven as arson if there is sufficient proof and evidence pointing to its real cause and origin. An arson private investigator has enough experience to know where to start looking for evidence and why. They are also more capable of locating, preserving and documenting the evidence and presenting it in a way that will hold in court.

Evidence analysis
Arson evidence can consist of any or all of the following: electrical, chemical and mechanical. A good arson private investigator can help support evidence by offering an objective analysis of the kind of evidence collected at the scene.

Expert testimony
An arson private investigator can provide sufficient support for evidence collected offering himself as an expert witness in a court. His testimony will be valuable since he has the expertise, skills and knowledge that a court of law will honor and accept.

image credits to foreversouls

Re-Tweet This Post RSS