6 Questions to Ask When Hiring a Private Investigator

If you are in need of a private investigator’s service, it probably means that you have some sort of doubts and that you want to explore them completely. You might even feel vulnerable so finding the right person to help you on this quest is of crucial importance. Depending on the services you need, they might have to go over certain aspects of your life, and that is never a nice feeling.

However, there is another problem that can arise. Generally speaking, people usually do not have a clear picture of what a PI can do for them. This is due to the representation of this profession in popular movies and TV shows, and the truth is completely different. Because of this, you have to first figure out if a PI can even help you, and then look for the one you feel comfortable with. In this article, we are going to present you with a list of questions that you should ask a private investigator during your first interview.

What kind of cases do you take?

We have already mentioned the significance of this question, but now, we are going to discuss it further. Upon hearing the words ‘private investigator’ the first thing that pops in one’s head is probably the investigation of a cheating spouse. Yes, many agencies provide this type of service since it is one of the most common reasons why people hire PIs.

Nevertheless, if you aren’t trying to catch your partner red-handed, but instead need someone who is going to conduct a corporate or insurance investigation, then you need to make sure that the agency provides that kind of service. As you can see, there is a wide diversity of these, so you should investigate them thoroughly which you can do by visiting the RCI-Process website.

How do you conduct the investigation?

People are usually misguided when it comes to the things a PI can and cannot do. You might not know this, but there is a fine line between conducting an investigation and break the law, a line that no PI will cross. Yes, they use top-notch equipment, but for example, they will not sit in front of someone’s house and take photos through the window, because that is illegal. On the other hand, they can monitor a person while they are out, in a public place. You have to know what you can expect which is why you should inquire about this process in great detail.

Are you licensed?

Once you have found a company that can provide you with the service you need, it is time to inquire about their business, and checking whether they have a license is the first question that you should ask. When it comes to PIs agencies they usually possess this certification because most states require them to. On the other hand, if you want to go with someone who works on their own, this might not be the case, which is why you have to ask this question.

Why is this important? Well, by hiring someone who has the license you can rest assured that they are reputable and also that they will follow all the protocols. Getting one of these is quite difficult, and no PI is going to risk losing it. This is very important if you want to later take your case to the court because you will be certain that there won’t be any problems in the future.

What is your background?

Inquiring about one’s experience is something that all clients do, regardless of the person they want to hire, and employing a PI is no different. You should start by asking how long they have been in the business because this answer will tell you how successful they are. In addition, the longer they work the more connections they have. This can be quite important because these connections can allow them to receive certain information quickly.

Next, ask about their education. Some private investigators have a police background, while others are self-taught. Whatever the case may be, inquiring about their past work will tell you how skillful they are. One of the most important qualities that a PI needs to possess is to be able to go through all the information and quickly understand which of those are important for their case and what leads they should follow. In addition, you should go with someone who uses the latest state-of-the-art equipment and technology. This will tell you whether they will conclude your case swiftly and efficiently.

Will my case be confidential?

Without a doubt, this is the most frequent question that PIs get asked. No one wants others to know that they have hired a professional to conduct some type of investigation, especially if it someone who is close to them. Most agencies can guarantee the safety of your data meaning that they won’t discover your identity or the details about the case is someone just asks them.

Still, remember when we mentioned that private investigators have certain protocols to follow? This means that there can be some cases when they have no other choice by disclosing all the details, for example, when they are in court. Keep in mind that you cannot find a licensed business that is going to ignore the law, so you should ask about the situations in which they would have to reveal all the information.

Will you provide me with a report?

Yes, every PI is going to give you reports on the investigation and their progress, but you should ask about what the report is going to include. Are they going to give your photographs and any document they collect during the investigation? If you want to take the case to the court, you should inquire whether you will get information that can be used during the trial. Even though this question might seem unnecessary, you should still learn what kind of report you will get, because it is the only way to be certain that you will get everything you need.