When is the Right Time to Hire a Private Investigator?

From cheating spouses to hard criminal cases, the private investigator has been the stuff of crime fiction and drama alike. But could they also be applicable to your personal life?

Most people may never find the need to hire an investigator to confirm their darkest suspicions. However, those who have tried it find the results compellingly accurate. The trick may just be to find out when to draw the line and dial your local PI’s number.

Oftentimes, the cases for hiring a PI aren’t what people usually think. They can actually be useful sources of information that get overlooked in the day-to-day.

Here’s when you’ll know it’s time to phone that investigator:

1. Background Check

Whether it’s going out on a simple date with someone, or hiring for business, some form of investigation has to be done. This is not so much paranoia as it is a way of ensuring that the person you’re hiring or meeting with will be trustworthy. It could be in terms of their work ethic, their previous relationships, and even their family background.

In any case, a background check is one of the practical reasons to hire a private investigator. While you can sometimes do the research on your own, it’s best to hire a professional when it comes to matters with larger stakes at hand.

For example, you could be hiring a manager into your company and need to know how valid their credentials are.

2. Child Custody Investigations

Another practical cause for investigation involves child custody. There have been many cases throughout the years of reported child maltreatment. Some have been due to the mishandling of child custody cases, where the child has been handed over to irresponsible guardians.

Similar to the background check, child custody investigations involve an assessment of one or more persons’ capabilities. Investigators look into the potential guardians’ family, financial capability, and relationship with the child, if any.

3. Surveillance

Businesses are often in danger of all levels and forms of theft. From petty pickpocketing to major heists and robberies, your establishment could be put at risk by simple oversight. And it’s not just for stores and stalls either.

Even homeowners are vulnerable to an unguarded house. Setting up cameras and getting the surveillance services of professionals will ease the burden and help you sleep with peace of mind. It’s a minor safety precaution that won’t even cost you much time or worry.

4. Missing Persons Tracking

Coming across a missing person’s poster has become a common sight for most of us. It could just be a runaway teenager or a lost child who will soon be found a few hours later. More severe cases, however, will definitely require a private investigator to step in and do the job for you.

If the missing person hasn’t been found for more than two weeks, then it’s definitely cause for alarm. A private investigator is trained to find clues, follow potential leads, and interview concerned persons.

5. Infidelity Investigations

This final scenario is a common favorite of TV plot lines and popular culture. Hiring a PI to investigate on your spouse’s possible infidelity may sound like a breach of space, but extreme cases will call for some intervention.

If your wife or husband hasn’t been home in months, or if your own suspicions are getting in the way of your private life, it’s time to call in a PI. There’s no shame in confirming – or disproving – your suspicions, and more often than not, it’s better to be safe than sorry.