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.

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Private investigators are adept at background checks but if you’re planning to hire one, who can you ask to make a background check on them? Thankfully, such a need has been foreseen by various organizations and agencies. With their help, you’re sure to get the ideal P.I. on your case.

Government-Appointed Investigator Associations
The government has certain branches tasked to enforce requirements from private investigators. The California Department of Consumer Affairs, for instance, has the Bureau of Security and Investigative Services to ensure that all investigators in the state are of legal age, have the required educational qualifications and experience for the job, and passed the background check and requisite written examination.

Background checks are commonly performed by the FBI as well as certain state departments.

National Association of Legal Investigators
NALI was established in 1967 and its members are required to have a minimum of 24-month-employment as a legal investigator. It is the premier association in the legal investigation industry and if you’re looking for an investigator proficient in litigious cases, you’d do well to find one who’s also a NALI member.

National Council of Investigation and Security Services, Inc
NCISS, on the other hand, is the product of combined efforts of various associations and companies in the business of offering private security and investigation services to public and business sectors. The main goal of NCISS is to obtain solutions for the growing problems in the industry, including but not limited to the validity of restrictions and requirements imposed by the government on private investigators as well as the various misconceptions of the media and the public regarding PIs in general.

National Association of Fire Investigators
This association of fire investigators is particularly concerned with upholding NFPA 21. It believes in using NFPA 921 as the standard for all fire and explosion investigations brought to the court. Members of NAFI can participate in sponsored training programs, an asset for any PI and which is why NAFI membership is yet another good thing to look for in a fire investigator.

Association of Certified Fraud Examiners
If you are involved in a fraud case, you should look for a PI with ACFE membership. Members of this association have to comply with stringent qualifications and adhere to a strict professional code of ethics. The ACFE often acts as an international representative as well on behalf of all certified fraud examiners.

These are just some of the associations you can approach when searching for the best PI to hire. As such, remember that help is readily available and it’s yours when you ask for it.

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Hiring a private eye is expensive, but there are at least ways you can ensure that you don’t spend more than you should for their services.

Get someone experienced
Be patient. Search for a private investigator with extensive experience in the kind of case you want him to work on. This way, he won’t be liable to make mistakes common to beginners. Backed up by experience, expertise, and knowledge, he’s sure to wrap up your case more quickly than an amateur.

Get someone insured
If something happens, his insurance will ensure that you won’t be held liable for any injuries he incurs in the course of the investigation. Make sure you verify the proof of his insurance!

Get someone licensed
Again, getting someone licensed to work as a private investigator is a precaution you’re better off taking. Having a licensed PI working on your case reduces the chances of legal complications from arising.

Decide on your budget
It’s best to state up front how much you can afford to spend on the case. When asked, your investigator can no doubt furnish you with a general estimate on the total cost of the investigation. It will then be up to you to determine if you can afford to spend more for quicker results or the total cost is beyond your budget.

If you expect the investigation to take up a good amount of time, consider setting up a budget for each stage of the investigation. It will make accounting easier.

Get it in writing
If you and your private investigator have agreed upon a price, it’s time to put everything in writing. Make sure that all pertinent details are covered in your contract, double-check the fine print, and try to have a lawyer go through the contract before signing on the dotted line.

Be the boss
Make sure your private investigator understands that he is not permitted to take any action without seeking your approval first. If he chooses to act of his own accord and incurs expenses for it, make sure he understands that you won’t hold yourself liable for it.

Set a deadline
You are paying by the hour, after all. If you don’t set a deadline, he could procrastinate in order to charge you more money. With a deadline, however, and maybe a promise of an added bonus if he gets the results ASAP, you give your private detective the motivation he needs to work on and resolve your case immediately!

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Desperate straits call for desperate measures. When your back’s against the wall, you’ll realize that there’s no price you’re unwilling to pay for the sake of uncovering the truth. It is situations like these that you can’t afford to hire a scrupulous private investigator. If you want an answer at all costs from a PI, here are several things you can do and prepare for.

Ask around
Instead of scanning classifieds sections for private detectives, make discreet inquiries to find out which private investigator firms are willing to help you…regardless of what you’re after.

Look for fly-by-night private detectives
Private eyes such as these are rarely members of any national association for private investigators. They could have a telephone number or an email address for you to contact, but they don’t have any known or registered office for you to visit. All conversations and meetings you have with him are of the cloak-and-dagger variety. It could make you suspicious, but that’s what you get when you don’t want a scrupulous private investigator.

Be Prepared to Pay
Private detectives never come cheap. They charge you by the hour, but their rates do not include miscellaneous expenses they could incur in the course of their investigations. But be ready to spend a lot more if you’re willing or adamant to work with a private investigator somewhat lacking in scruples.

For one thing, private investigators of this ilk will not provide you with a comprehensive or detailed accounting of their expenses. They’ll simply charge you a certain fee and you’ll just have to pay it without any verification that the money was spent indeed on things related to the investigation.

They don’t ask questions
Private investigators of this kind are too smart to ask questions. They wouldn’t care what your intentions are. That way, if something goes wrong, they can say in complete honesty they had been unaware of your intentions and cannot therefore be liable for the consequences.

It’s illegal
Last but not the least, private investigators who aren’t bothered by scruples won’t limit their methods to legitimate ones. Bugging phones, using spyware on computers, and tracking subjects using GPS and bugs are just some of the illegitimate methods they could employ.

Other private investigators could even have accomplices working for the government. They could have contacts in the police department and obtain records by gaining illegal access to the police’s database.

If you’re aware of what they’re doing and you don’t voice any objection, you could be facing criminal charges as well.

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The most well-known detectives in fiction have mostly been males, notwithstanding Sherlock Holmes, who’s probably the most famous amongst them. Such discrepancy, however, shouldn’t be considered as proof that female private detectives aren’t good at their jobs. They certainly are, and in some cases, they’re the better choice, too.

Intuition
Intuition is defined in one website as an “instinctive knowing”, one that doesn’t utilize rational thinking. And more often than not, intuition is something associated with women rather than men. Intuition is a key factor during investigations; when you need to make split-second decisions, common sense and logic may not be enough. To make the best decisions for the case, you’ll need intuition as well and women certainly have that in abundance.

Deceptive Absence of Threat
Regardless of the various achievements of the female gender, women are still perceived as the weaker sex by many. While this may be a disadvantage, not to mention an annoyance and an insult, in certain situations, this simply becomes an asset for female private investigators.

With the help of clothes, disguise, and excellent acting, female private investigators can make it impossible for other people, especially the subject on hand, to perceive them as a threat. As such, people act and talk more freely around them, which consequently make it easier for them to uncover the truth.

Compassion and Empathy
Infidelity is the most common reason why marriages break up and the possibility of it is also the most common reason why people seek the help of private investigators. All-female private investigator firms, in particular, are adept at launching honey traps for spouses being suspected of infidelity.

These firms, however, are more prone to showing care and consideration for their clients. They do not push through with a case unless they’re sure the client understands the possible ramifications of discovering the truth. Women are also more capable of understanding what a wife is going through during these painful times and consequently understands the absolute need for discretion and compassion.

They’re Simply Effective
Lastly, women are always the best people to hire if you’re interested in launching a honey trap for a potential or current boyfriend, fiancé, or husband. Sure, men are more likely to confide the truth to male buddies, but they’re also more likely to be attracted to and kiss females. And when they fall for the trap, one snapshot is all it takes to provide evidence for their act of betrayal. After all, photos speak a thousand words, don’t they?

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You might think that hiring people to go undercover for you is a thing of the past, but with people finding more and more ways to hide their identities, be anonymous, and have more secrets, you can expect more and more private detectives to hone their skills in figuring out what people have to hide. As trust slowly crumbles in society, you can expect more people to hire private detectives. Take, for instance, the Indian festival of Navratri. In the past, youth frolicked and partied without the guidance of their parents, and had dancing in a feast of worship. This dancing could certainly involve a lot of untoward activities, and parents have long since started hiring detectives to spy on their children.

Indeed, the most innocent events can sometimes call for the use of a private detective. However, there are still occasions where you will need a private investigator now more than ever. For instance, if you want to watch over someone and see where they are going, what they are doing, and if they are telling you the truth about their activities, then you will need surveillance experts to tail them, do stakeouts, and install bugs and surveillance cameras.

Insurance companies also need private detectives to check on insurance claims, and to see if a claim is valid or if someone is merely faking his or her ailment or injury. Sometimes, private detectives can serve as plaintiffs or defendants when a case goes to court. In some cases, private detectives have to employ a wide variety of expertise, from physics and automotive experts when looking at boat or automobile insurance fraud, to medicine and cures when looking at general health insurance fraud.

Corporations are not immune from detectives. In fact, when auditing time comes along, a detective has already been placed in order to track the activities of the higher ups and to check for fraud, financial misconduct, and other cases. Publishers can also hire private detectives for their authors in order to check if any copyright infringement and plagiarism have occurred.

Some detectives can also go undercover in order to look at allegations of abuse, such as when they go undercover as nurses in nursing homes to see how elderly patients are being treated. They can also track significant others: they track would-be husbands or wives for their significant others to see how trustworthy they are; husbands or wives to see if they are cheating; and how husbands and wives treat their children so that they can have data to show when a custody trial comes along.

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Identity theft is running all the more rampant in today’s society. It is actually one of the most commonly reported types of fraud, and it can consist of many different activities. A person’s name may be misused, and people can find themselves buying things, selling things, recommending people that they do not know, or taking part in a crime that they did not commit. A person’s date of birth can also be involved in identity theft issues. Another important type of identity theft is misuse of a person’s social security number, which can lead to a variety of tax and payment mishaps. There are so many ways that identity theft can destroy a person’s personal, career, and family life.

People who have been victimized by identity thieves will always say that they wish they had known how to protect themselves in the first place. If you do not wish to be victimized, then you will have to be proactive. You can consult with several government agency representatives or private investigators on how you can protect yourself from identity theft. Basic techniques include avoiding giving your home phone number away through electronic means, such as email or chat. It will also involve keeping your social security number secret, avoiding carrying your social security card with you in your wallet, and sharing your social security number only with the people who need, and who you can trust.

If you are already a victim of identity theft, then you have to report your case to law enforcement officials. However, this does not mean that you should no longer seek other means to bring the perpetrators of the identity theft crime to justice. You will need to talk to private investigators, so that they will be able to assist you in finding the perpetrators and getting your life back. This will mean handing over all your bills, private information, and anything that pertains to your particular case.

How will private investigators help you? They can track down purchases that were made using your credit card number, and then they can trace it to the person who made the purchase. They can go through suspicious numbers on your phone bill to see if someone is stealing your phone line. They can even go undercover in social networks to see if anyone is preying on you or waiting to catch you again. Through a variety of means that are designed to crack down on suspects’ whereabouts, private investigators can help you get your identity back on track.

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When hiring a private investigator for a job – any job – the legitimacy of his or her practice should be considered. Performing an investigation is one thing while having the license to do so is another. To spot a legitimate PI from one who’s not, here are some things you need to check:

License
No private investigator can be considered legitimate if he doesn’t have a license to perform his duties. Licenses are issued by the state where an investigator will be working. To expand their practice and improve their business prospects, most investigators will even hold a license to practice in more than one state.

Always check if he does have the authorization to work in the area where you live. Make sure that the license is current. Licenses are usually valid for only two years. If the PI works with a firm, check the business or corporate license.

Should you require more assistance, you could get in touch with your state police or local association of private investigators. Check for complaints as well. That should give you a good clue as to how the PI works.

Experience
In some states, such as New York, for example, PIs are required to have a minimum number of years of experience. Check your local agencies for their requirements and then ask the PI how long he or she has been working.

So why the focus on experience? PIs who have sufficient background are much more familiar with the laws and the intricacies of the practice. These qualities are very important especially in serious cases that need the professionalism, tact and skills of the more experienced private eye.

Experience also determines the rate with which a PI will charge you for his services.

Specialty
Although PIs are trained to perform many different tasks related to their field, most of them have specializations. If your case requires someone with a background on a specific field, check for relevance. You wouldn’t want to hire a PI specializing in gathering evidence for divorce if your case involves searching for a missing person, right?

Insurance
Another important thing you should check for if you want to spot a legitimate PI from one who isn’t is insurance or bonding. Only PIs who are legally permitted to operate can carry insurance to cover for liabilities. Although there are others who aren’t bonded or insured, it’s often best to go with the one who offers insurance for extra protection.

References
Ask your PI for references. Legitimate ones will be more than happy to give them to you.

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There is a certain romance and myth surrounding the female detective. Tough, skilled and able to hold her own among her peers and fellow detectives, the female detective was once one of the most overlooked resources of crime fighting. These days, though, this is true no longer. Here are 4 reasons why female detectives are as good as (or even better than) male detectives:

Female detectives are not considered intimidating.
Consider some of the most famous female detectives in popular culture – from the very astute Ms. Marple to the dynamic duo Cagney & Lacey to the very capable Olivia Benson of SVU. These are women who are intelligent, resourceful, capable of defending victims and themselves, can throw a mean punch and play mind games with criminals.

However, even with all their firepower and physical capabilities, female detectives are not as intimidating as their male counterparts. It’s easier for them to approach victims and witnesses, who are less likely to run away from them or withhold information.

Most people give information more readily to female detectives.
It’s quite common to see someone offer more information to a woman inquiring about something than they would to a man. Most people won’t suspect an unfamiliar woman asking around the neighborhood. They would readily discuss what they know or have seen with a female detective.

Certain sensitive cases are best left in the hands of female detectives.
Some detective work, such as those involving women and children are often assigned to female detectives. Cases involving family, child abuse and abandonment, marital problems and violence against women are often much easier for women detectives to handle.

Female detectives are more emotionally equipped for certain sensitive work, especially those that require empathy and understanding. Child and women victims, more often than not, prefer to discuss their cases with female law enforcement officers. This is why detectives or police personnel assigned to handle cases involving abuse or sexual assault are women.

Female detectives can play certain roles for undercover work.
Quite frankly, there are certain roles that male detectives just can’t play in real life. They could, for example, pretend to be 16-year-old girls online but try as they might, they wouldn’t be able to do the same thing in real life. They leave this type of undercover work to female detectives. In the area of undercover work, female detectives can play mothers, sisters, nannies, secretaries, girlfriends, waitresses, nurses, even prostitutes, depending on the case.

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Not everyone in this world can unfortunately be considered trustworthy, and this is something you have to remember when you’re in the process of hiring private investigators. All of them may appear sympathetic and eager to help, but you need to look deeper and dig for more facts to be certain that you’re hiring the ideal investigator for your need.

Hire someone trusted by people you trust.
If you don’t know any private investigator then try to at least hire investigators trusted by people you know and trust. You may not be sure of the investigator’s characters but you can at least personally vouch for the people who referred the investigator to you. That’s almost as good, don’t you think?

Verify facts.
A private investigator will have to supply you with his business name and address, a list of clients or references, and his license details. Make sure to verify all of them. Even if the documents he has submitted to you appear to be official and authentic, there’s nothing wrong with double-checking and ensuring that they are indeed valid.

Ask about SOP.
It is your right as a client to know how the private investigator intends to proceed with the case. This is especially important when you’re dealing with personal matters and there may be certain steps the investigator might take but you’d rather not have him do.

In many cases, private investigators submit periodical reports to their clients and ask for permission before taking any kind of action. If this is not part of your investigator’s SOP then make sure to have him include it. With these terms, you can at least be assured that you won’t be shocked by the total bill of your investigation.

Get everything in writing.
Oral contracts or agreements rarely, if ever, hold up in court so it’s best to get everything you agree upon in writing. Ask whatever you need to ask and don’t be afraid to ask for additional information if something still remains clear. Private investigation is costly and you need to know how much you’ll be charged for what to estimate the total cost of your investigation.

Once all terms and conditions have been agreed to, make sure to read your contract several times before signing on the dotted line. Don’t ignore the fine print!

Last but not the least, go with your gut instincts. No matter how highly recommended a private investigator is, he still isn’t the ideal choice if you don’t feel comfortable transacting with him.

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