Private Investigations - 101

With school starting back up this fall, students prepared mentally for the challenge. While some focus on new clothes and outward appearances, many look to rekindle relationships. Others begin the grueling practices hoping to gain a spot on the first string. Student’s minds are filled with anticipation, anxiety, expectation, identity and a host of other emotions. It’s a wonderful time of year. Everyone starts with a new slate, a fresh chance to make the grade and excel. The playing field is new each year.

Likewise each day, private investigators field questions from callers whose needs vary. It’s amazing the types of questions posed them.

For example, this morning a female asked me for a copy of a cell phone billing statement, “just one month” she said. I asked her if she was on the account, suspecting she was a victim of infidelity, and “no” she replied. Well then, I told her, that would be a felony to pursue this information and she should be aware of it. That call ended just as quickly as it came in.

Others want to know if a “loved one” or “birthparent” can be found and retain the assistance of a private investigator. To which the answer normally depends.

While another client wants help with a neighbor who troubles them. He’s a parolee that spends too much time watching them.

Lawyers engage the services of private investigators to prepare a defense and collect evidence to protect their client’s interest. These cases take shape depending upon the nature and scope of action. Those charged criminally must defend themselves and therefore a private investigator is tasked to unearth witnesses, records, documents, evidence that might change the course of a court battle.

Each assignment has an elements including risk, uncertainly and challenge.

For instance, a private investigator conducting surveillance gets confronted by a subject. This overt confrontation will be the subject of a civil case where the behavior will show a propensity toward conflict and aggressive tendency. This is a twist to that investigation and an unexpected consequence - favorable to one side and not the other.

Most people think private investigator sneak around following seedy people.

Unless someone like me, a veteran private investigator myself, with real world insight and more reliable picture, this myth might continue on without merit. Insurance companies routinely need field investigators when a claim is submitted. And in a tight financial market, disproving a claim with video evidence that controverts allegations, or facts to help deny a claim is very smart business. Too often, claims are exaggerated for monetary reasons which have been in my experience the case for many decades. Workers compensation claims that offer a “total disability” equates to a life time of paying on that one claim. Most insurance clients have no issue with justifiable claims that deserve to be paid out. It’s those individuals who seek to enjoy an “early retirement” or "free ride" that drives premiums upward.

It is not unusual to be asked to perform a service that is “outside” the realm of normal assignments. People suspect things and are willing to pay for professional help from a private investigator. Some call needing an opinion, insights or strategies to overcome a situation, while others want a letter delivered to an “old flame”.

Political parties hire private investigators to conduct backgrounds on their opponents. And of course, assignments can vary by location.

To define the complete picture of private investigations can only be summed up as “interesting and challenging.” More to follow...... Until then I am -

Bill Mitchell
Private Investigator, Author, Speaker and Infidelity Expert
Mitchell Reports Investigations, LLC
2131 Woodruff Road, Ste. 2100-299
Greenville, SC 29607
(864) 756-1828
http://www.mitchellreports.com/