Movies and criminal shows are often full of scenes depicting private investigators as either heroes with will-bending powers or sleazy detectives with a secret contact list full of shady characters owing them “illicit favors”. While that’s great for movie-goers and A-list celebrities, it’s far from reality for those looking to locate a missing person. Read on for five things a private investigator will do for you.
A Chicago Private Investigator Will Run Professional Background Checks
There are dozens of background check companies online and most requests regurgitate commonly sought-after information for a fee. While that may work for basic needs to find an old high school pal, check on a potential lover’s marital status, or clear a potential employee of dangerous criminal activity, you won’t get a lot more from most of them. Private investigators have access to special databases to dig deeper so those background checks are far more thorough and effective.
A Private Investigator Will Get Most of Their Information Online
Approximately 57% of the world, or over 4.33 billion people, are actively connected to the internet. Most of those people also use and maintain at least one social media account. The number of social media users is actually expected to reach almost 4.5 billion by 2025. Finding the right information online can be a relatively quick and painless procedure if you know what you’re doing. Whether running checks, conducting interviews, or accessing the right public records, a private investigator will get most of their information online–or at least exhaust that option first.
A Private Investigator Will Work with Lawyers and Police As Warranted and Needed
A private investigator will never do anything that can interfere with or compromise a legal case or police investigation. However, they are sometimes called upon to offer a professional opinion or help lawyers serve or assist with paperwork. Most of the time, a Chicago private investigator will be working diligently on your case from their office or via surveillance. However, if their expertise can help move the case along through other legal channels, they’ll often pitch in.
A Private Investigator Will Conduct Interviews, Surveillance, and Stakeouts
Confirming deception is sneaky business, and a good private investigator will do some serious research to find the truth for their clients. This often involves physical offline work including personal interviews, surveillance, and stakeouts. This may take the majority of the investigation time as the PI discovers essential details from contacts, may follow targets and even put in long hours tailing individuals or capturing important pictures or video while avoiding being discovered in turn.
Your Chicago Private Investigator Will Always Follow the Law
Private investigators work on a wide variety of cases including business fraud or embezzlement, criminal containment, spousal abuse and cheating, child support, and missing persons. Each case may require special handling and a completely different type of investigation. However, they all follow the same protocol regarding legal practices. The right Chicago private investigator will know how and when they can cut through some red tape to get the answers you need as quickly as possible. But they will always do so legally.