Is the cost of hiring a private investigation agency worth the price? Nowadays you can do your own Google search, look up a business or individual online, or simply track your spouse’s behavior through social media or spyware. There are online services for such background checks as tenant screening, but even here some cases can require deeper investigation that only an agency can provide.
Why would you want to hire a private investigator? And what are the real costs of using a private eye? More to the point, what are the costs of NOT using a professional investigator? It doesn’t matter if you are tracking a missing person, tracing an outstanding debt, or need to know more about an employee, a private eye can find it for you.
It will cost you from perhaps $40 to $200 per hour to hire a private investigator. It can vary depending on where in the country you live and what the task involves. For forensic or document search, a skilled investigator can accomplish a lot in one hour. For “gumshoe” work such as surveillance or interviews, this can take more hours. You may be able to get a quote for the job, or flat rates for specific tasks. Private investigators don’t make an exorbitant amount of money, and it certainly takes work to earn it.
Using a professional private investigation agency is paramount if any of the following is a concern:
· Suspect your spouse is cheating on you
· Investigate crimes such as theft or home invasions
· Find a lost friend or family member
· Conduct a background check for employees or individuals
· Find lost or stolen property if the police can’t
Perhaps you suspect that your spouse is cheating on you. Maybe you need to hire a new employee and want to run a background check on your potential applicants. Yes, you can do these things yourself at little or no cost…follow your spouse and hide when he or she turns around…call the references listed on an application…but there is only so much you can do yourself. A little knowledge could satisfy a huge ignorance whether it’s regarding a marriage or a potential employee but just be aware that things can go horribly wrong if you DIY something as important as a straying spouse, or a case of employee theft or fraud – which costs US businesses around $50 Billion each year. Here are some strong arguments in favor of using a private investigation agency:
You are paying for their expertise. Are you aware of the specific laws about surveillance in your state? What happens if your spouse catches you following them and claims you are a stalker in divorce court? These are the things that make hiring a professional a better idea and one that will save you money in the long run. Private investigators will know your state’s laws and rules intimately because of experience and because many of them are former law enforcement themselves. They can gather evidence legally, safely, and information that is guaranteed to be admissible in court if necessary.
Depending on the state, you are assured of a licensed investigator. Out of 50 states, 43 require a private eye to be fully licensed. Detectives in training must meet different standards to practice in each individual state. For example, according to New York private investigator Darrin Giglio of North American Investigations, private eyes must have three years and several thousands of hours of fieldwork to get licensed in New York State. They require a two-hour test that covers everything from state and federal laws to how to handle evidence properly. A federal background check is always mandatory, as well as ongoing certification to keep a license current.
If it’s a delicate or complicated issue, experience counts more than cost. If you are looking for services such as professional surveillance or help with a delicate custody case, you definitely will want to hire someone with a demonstrated record of accomplishment in that particular area. The more knowledge an investigator has, the more likely they can track down the information you need quickly and efficiently.
Know what a professional investigator can and cannot do. Not all knowledge is evidence, and knowing what constitutes a strong case in court is half the battle. Just because you want to hack into your employee’s personal computer to see if they are stealing from the company doesn’t mean that it’s legal, moral, or even justified to do so. A professional investigator can help you decide on a legitimate plan of action that will work within the ethical and legal guidelines of the investigation and of the state. They may have different techniques from what you see in the movies but let them do their jobs so you get the evidence you want and need legally.
Investigators do specialize, so hire a PI accordingly. There are as many kinds of investigators as there are people. You have general investigators, forensic investigators, insurance fraud investigators, government investigators, legal investigators, financial fraud investigators, investigators who specialize in custody cases, and investigators who only find missing people to name a few. Be sure you do your research and hire a PI who can actually help you with your particular problem.
To sum up, an ounce of prevention may indeed be worth a pound of cure when it comes to the cost of finding out important information. Spending money on a professional at the outset may ultimately prevent a disaster.
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