You may find yourself in a spot where you have questions or worries in your personal life that you need answered. While there are several benefits, there are certainly risks to hiring a private investigator. It may be extremely difficult to obtain certain facts and information without the proficiency of an experienced professional. Being cautious during the process puts you in the advantage seat. In this article, we’ll go over the risks of hiring a private investigator you maybe haven’t thought about before as well as some of the advantages to hiring one.
Tips On Catching A Cheating SpouseIs it Legal to Hire a Private Investigator?
Anyone has the legal right to seek out and hire a private investigator. Because hiring a private investigator isn’t an everyday, common occurrence, you might feel intimidated to start the process or that you’re crossing a boundary you shouldn’t. This isn’t true. You have the right to hire a professional to help uncover the truth. It’s important to keep in mind that when conducting comprehensive background checks or asset searches, you cannot hire a PI to investigate a conspiracy theory or out of simple curiosity.
Are Private Investigators Worth it?
Many of us are entrenched in stressful and downright traumatic situations. As if life wasn’t hard enough already, you add the worries of a cheating spouse or corrupt business partner to the list and life becomes totally overwhelming. When you’re in these predicaments, hiring a private investigator can provide a timely resolution to your problem.
PI’s offer a wide variety of professional services depending on your specific situation and needs. If you’re looking to hire a private investigator, you probably have a very good reason. Maybe you need closure to move on from a specific relationship or have deep concerns about your financial future. For a private investigator to be worth it, your motive will need to outweigh or justify the cost in your mind. Going with an honest, reputable agency is never a bad choice if you need answers. If you’re a private citizen who needs to obtain knowledge or gather evidence, hiring a private investigator is usually a great option.
Signs You're Being Lied ToRisks of Hiring a Private Investigator
PI’s must work within the confines of the law. This doesn’t necessarily mean that there isn’t room for caution when hiring a private investigator. Below is a list of risks that are associated with hiring a PI.
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You Hire the Wrong Private Investigator
A good private investigator is someone who only operates within the law, sets realistic expectations, has a strong moral code, and produces evidence that will hold up in court. Be leary of investigators who operate within a gray area or that makes promises that won’t be of benefit in the long run. Remember that not all private investigators are created equal. If something feels off during your initial consultation, listen to your gut.
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Getting Your Money’s Worth
If your number one criteria in choosing a PI is low-cost, don’t be surprised if you only get low-cost results. The cost of hiring a private investigator varies widely depending on the scale of the investigation and services required. Some firms require a retainer for and then bill against the retainer at an hourly rate. Others are fee-based and charge a flat fee for services rendered.
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Refine Your Scope
Having a defined scope of work at the beginning of an investigation is important to keep things from getting out of control. You need to understand and convey to a PI what it is exactly that you are looking for and what your purpose is for acquiring evidence. This will also be more cost-effective as you won’t be paying for services that won’t help your cause.
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Telling You What You Want to Hear
Some clients are seeking a PI for very unrealistic reasons that will get them nowhere with an empty wallet. Not every private investigator will be upfront with you in these situations and are happy to waste your time while taking your money. Be cautious if it seems they are telling you exactly what you want to hear, knowing you won’t be happy with the results.
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No Guarantees
When you hire a plumber to fix your leaking faucet, you expect it to not leak anymore. With a private investigator, you aren’t guaranteed to get the answers you want or maybe you won’t get any answers at all. There are no guarantees in this industry. You need to be aware of this fact before handing over payment. You may pay a $1000 retainer to an investigator and get nothing of real value in return.
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Isn’t Licensed in Your State
Anyone can claim to be a private investigator but that doesn’t mean they are in fact licensed in your state. A license means they take their job seriously and are simply more reputable. If they aren’t licensed, you never know what other affairs they may be involved in that aren’t above ground.
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Not Dependable
Obviously, it won’t do you any good to hire a PI who isn’t dependable. Plenty will lead you to believe they are working on your behalf behind the scenes when in reality, nothing is being done.
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Illegal Actions
It’s fairly common for investigators to provide illegal information to their clients. This could be in the form of false records or manipulated audio or video footage. This always ends badly for both the client and PI.
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Lack of Evidence
Be prepared that the evidence you’re seeking might not always pan out. You’ll need to be ready to accept the evidence that is placed before you or the lack of evidence in some situations.
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Getting Caught Red-Handed
If you’ve gone through the trouble to hire a private investigator, odds are you want to keep things as discreet as possible. An investigation involves surveillance and other secret methods. Even with the best PI’s out there, there’s always a chance the investigator could get caught in the act of “spying”. Even when making quiet inquiries about a person can get back to them and ruffle feathers. Just know that getting caught needs to be a risk you’re willing to make.
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Lack of Expertise
An experienced private investigator will have acquired many useful skills over his or her career. However, it’s highly unlikely that any one person is an expert in everything. Do your best to find out what your PI’s expertise is and be mindful of someone who can do everything better than everyone else.
Risks of Hiring a Private Investigator Conclusion
While a reputable private investigator can help you find information that would be difficult to uncover on your own, taking caution and knowing what to expect throughout the process can be very helpful. At North American Investigations, our skilled professionals know what you’re going through. We are a licensed and bonded private investigator firm that has been conducting professional investigations and surveillance worldwide for over 45 years. Our private investigators have the credentials and expertise needed to solve your case. We serve all of New York City and nearby New Jersey. We also serve Long Island! Click here to get your free consultation.
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