Most state's statutes require private investigative agencies to include its agency license number in any advertisement, in any print medium or directory, and must include its agency license number in any written bid or offer to provide services.
A quick perusal of the Yellow Pages confirms that compliance with this provision seems to be, with rare exception, universal. Agency owners and managers all seem to be aware of this requirement. However, agencies are now advertising in another medium, and it may not be clear to everyone that the requirement cited above applies to this medium as well.
Licensed agencies both large and small are now publishing web pages to market their services in an increasingly technology savvy marketplace.
Agency web sites allow owners and managers to disseminate information about their services in innovative and creative ways that far exceed the limitations of the printed page.
What is being overlooked, however, is that just like a classified ad or a telephone book listing an agency web site constitutes a form of advertisement. ALL advertising must include agency license numbers, regardless of the content or format of the advertisement, or the MEDIUM in which it is published.
Just a reminder: if your agency has a web page and you have not included your agency number on that site, a quick telephone call to your webmaster would be a good idea.
Wednesday, January 31, 2007
Tuesday, January 30, 2007
Private Investigator Continuing Education
PIEducation.com is about the best I have found for private investigator continuing education. It's online so I can take care of my CEU requirements anywhere I have a little "down time." The prices are FAR BETTER than any other continuing ed. provider I have come across. The online courses are absolutely packed with information so even someone like me with 10+ years in the business can still learn a lot, which is what I suppose the idea behind CE is anyways.
I took a course from the Learning Shop last year and was pretty disappointed- the information was pretty basic and I ended up spending near $200 and had to take 5 different courses to complete my requirements. PIEducation.com was only $89.95 and I only had to take 1 course to be done for the year.
Taking care of this from home and at the hours of my choosing is really convenient. I printed out my course material and read it while I was on surveillance a couple of nights ago and then again yesterday while waiting to take the stand in a court case I am testifying in. I took the test today and received confirmation I passed the exam a couple of hours later- OUTSTANDING customer service!
The following links are geared for information on specific state education requirements. I hope that this will have some value for you.
Private Investigator Continuing Education Texas
Private Investigator Continuing Education Louisiana
Private Investigator Continuing Education Tennessee
Private Investigator Continuing Education Iowa
Private Investigator Continuing Education Kansas
Private Investigator Continuing Education South Carolina
Private Investigator Continuing Education Oregon
Private Investigator Continuing Education Georgia
Hope this helps any of you out there that need continuing education!
I took a course from the Learning Shop last year and was pretty disappointed- the information was pretty basic and I ended up spending near $200 and had to take 5 different courses to complete my requirements. PIEducation.com was only $89.95 and I only had to take 1 course to be done for the year.
Taking care of this from home and at the hours of my choosing is really convenient. I printed out my course material and read it while I was on surveillance a couple of nights ago and then again yesterday while waiting to take the stand in a court case I am testifying in. I took the test today and received confirmation I passed the exam a couple of hours later- OUTSTANDING customer service!
The following links are geared for information on specific state education requirements. I hope that this will have some value for you.
Private Investigator Continuing Education Texas
Private Investigator Continuing Education Louisiana
Private Investigator Continuing Education Tennessee
Private Investigator Continuing Education Iowa
Private Investigator Continuing Education Kansas
Private Investigator Continuing Education South Carolina
Private Investigator Continuing Education Oregon
Private Investigator Continuing Education Georgia
Hope this helps any of you out there that need continuing education!
Friday, January 26, 2007
How can i tell if someone is investigating me?
Top 6 clues that you are being investigated by a private investigator:
1. You've filed an insurance claim, are a fugitive or are involved in litigation.
2. Friends, family, co-workers and neighbors indicate that they had a call or visitor asking about you.
3. Your credit report shows an unfamiliar query.
4. You see unfamiliar cars in the neighborhood. They often appear before you leave for work. Someone is sitting in the car or it is parked in an unusual location (i.e. a vehicle may be parked curbside even though there is plenty of driveway parking space at adjacent residences). The vehicle has unusually dark tinted windows and, while it may appear that no one is in the car, you can see or hear that the engine is running. You observe a car following you.
5. You get frequent calls indicating the caller has the wrong number or the caller hangs up after you answer- especially in the morning if you are a "late riser."
6. You find an unusual black box attached to the underside of your car, in the fender wells or hidden in the bumpers.
Now, if you are a private investigator who is extremely upset that I have just posted this article- you shouldn't be asking me why I would write this, you should be asking yourself how you can do a better job at not getting caught.
1. You've filed an insurance claim, are a fugitive or are involved in litigation.
2. Friends, family, co-workers and neighbors indicate that they had a call or visitor asking about you.
3. Your credit report shows an unfamiliar query.
4. You see unfamiliar cars in the neighborhood. They often appear before you leave for work. Someone is sitting in the car or it is parked in an unusual location (i.e. a vehicle may be parked curbside even though there is plenty of driveway parking space at adjacent residences). The vehicle has unusually dark tinted windows and, while it may appear that no one is in the car, you can see or hear that the engine is running. You observe a car following you.
5. You get frequent calls indicating the caller has the wrong number or the caller hangs up after you answer- especially in the morning if you are a "late riser."
6. You find an unusual black box attached to the underside of your car, in the fender wells or hidden in the bumpers.
Now, if you are a private investigator who is extremely upset that I have just posted this article- you shouldn't be asking me why I would write this, you should be asking yourself how you can do a better job at not getting caught.
Wednesday, January 24, 2007
GPS Tracking and Installation Advice for Private Investigators
A few tidbits about GPS Tracking...
We tested Nextel's gps tracking feature. hopefully this will save someone the $113 it cost us for R&D....
It would work to a point if the user had the phone on their hip, or in a position with a clear view of the sky, with absolutely no obstructions. It is useless in vehicles. The only good thing is that Nextel allows a user to see the closest cell tower that the phone hit while in use via polling. This can be useful to verify the vicinity of an individual, but not the precise location, only the location of the tower. The unit we tested would show it being close to a tower almost a mile away from our office. This would not be too bad for highway tracking but is pretty much useless in an urban environment. Having a unit show up intermittently on a screen may be better than nothing, I'd rather have nothing knowing there are devices that work better.
The biggest hurdle most covert gps installers/user's face is proper gps antenna placement. The antenna must be placed so it will be able to receive the gps signals. This is where the installer must get creative as antenna placement is important for any gps tracking device.
The second hurdle is power. With a temp install, a battery pack will typically last for 2 weeks. Longer monitoring periods may require hardwiring, (which is illegal on a unwilling subjects vehicle), which also requires preliminary research to run a fast install.
We tested several other manufacturers' devices while conducting corporate investigations. The "tracking products" line worked well, and seemed to deliver good bang for the buck. Some of the least expensive devices did not fair well, as the antennas were integral and required more installation trickery to obtain an unobstructed view of the sky to collect gps data. There are a handful of high ends units that do work extremely well, (non government models) but again you get what you pay for and some of these units cost well over $2k plus monthly fees.
Something else one may consider is looking closely at a vehicle similar, or identical to the target vehicle before attempting installation. This will help allow one to avoid any potential installation problems when arriving on site. Internet car sites and car dealers are an excellent resource to help make this happen.
This site offers some photos that may instill creativity with regard to antenna placement http://gps-applications.com/gps%20placement.htm
Basically they say that its challenging to conceal a tracking system on a truck.. Cars on the other hand are simpler since they typically have a rubber or fiberglass bumper cover. The systems can be placed under the bumper skin which is transparent to a GPS antenna. Metal that blocks the sky view will block the GPS signals.
Its best to place the antenna at the rear of the vehicle since most shopping mall parking spaces are nose to nose or nose to the building side of angled parking. The rear of the vehicle offers better satellite views.
It is your responsibility to obey the laws governing placement of a tracking system on any vehicle.
The primary purpose of a GPS tracking system is for theft recovery, navigation, tracking and recording travel information for personal records, Taxes. etc.
We tested Nextel's gps tracking feature. hopefully this will save someone the $113 it cost us for R&D....
It would work to a point if the user had the phone on their hip, or in a position with a clear view of the sky, with absolutely no obstructions. It is useless in vehicles. The only good thing is that Nextel allows a user to see the closest cell tower that the phone hit while in use via polling. This can be useful to verify the vicinity of an individual, but not the precise location, only the location of the tower. The unit we tested would show it being close to a tower almost a mile away from our office. This would not be too bad for highway tracking but is pretty much useless in an urban environment. Having a unit show up intermittently on a screen may be better than nothing, I'd rather have nothing knowing there are devices that work better.
The biggest hurdle most covert gps installers/user's face is proper gps antenna placement. The antenna must be placed so it will be able to receive the gps signals. This is where the installer must get creative as antenna placement is important for any gps tracking device.
The second hurdle is power. With a temp install, a battery pack will typically last for 2 weeks. Longer monitoring periods may require hardwiring, (which is illegal on a unwilling subjects vehicle), which also requires preliminary research to run a fast install.
We tested several other manufacturers' devices while conducting corporate investigations. The "tracking products" line worked well, and seemed to deliver good bang for the buck. Some of the least expensive devices did not fair well, as the antennas were integral and required more installation trickery to obtain an unobstructed view of the sky to collect gps data. There are a handful of high ends units that do work extremely well, (non government models) but again you get what you pay for and some of these units cost well over $2k plus monthly fees.
Something else one may consider is looking closely at a vehicle similar, or identical to the target vehicle before attempting installation. This will help allow one to avoid any potential installation problems when arriving on site. Internet car sites and car dealers are an excellent resource to help make this happen.
This site offers some photos that may instill creativity with regard to antenna placement http://gps-applications.com/gps%20placement.htm
Basically they say that its challenging to conceal a tracking system on a truck.. Cars on the other hand are simpler since they typically have a rubber or fiberglass bumper cover. The systems can be placed under the bumper skin which is transparent to a GPS antenna. Metal that blocks the sky view will block the GPS signals.
Its best to place the antenna at the rear of the vehicle since most shopping mall parking spaces are nose to nose or nose to the building side of angled parking. The rear of the vehicle offers better satellite views.
It is your responsibility to obey the laws governing placement of a tracking system on any vehicle.
The primary purpose of a GPS tracking system is for theft recovery, navigation, tracking and recording travel information for personal records, Taxes. etc.
Sunday, January 21, 2007
Finding an Email Address from an IP Address?
Is it possible to get an e-mail address by researching a known IP address? -JJ
++++
Generally, no.
In some circumstances, the IP address may be assigned to a company, in which case you will be able to trace it back to the company it's assigned to. Other IP addresses may lead you to the mailserver of a specific web site.
Failing that, if you have an IP address, exact date and time a message was sent, and your case warrants a subpoena, you will usually be able to get the actual person who was assigned that IP address at that particular time from the ISP.
But as for reversing an IP address to an email address, except in rare circumstances, it can't be done. -SA
++++
Let me add a comment to the last informative post.
IP addresses are not assigned to an individuals or businesses on a permanent basis, unless you purchase a static (does not change) IP address. Generally speaking an IP address say from an ISP like Comcast or Bellsouth, rotates occasionally, so you never maintain the same IP address.
This is why when you have a complaint about an address, you need the exact date and time of the incident, to lock down who or what company was using a particular address at that date and time. -PD
++++
If the origin of the email was from a company which operates a network, the IP address for that network will either (a) have been registered with NIC - in the case of the company having an Internet website, or (b) will have been provided by the company's ISP (Internet Service Provider). If it's a company which operates an intranet which has web & email access, it will probably also be a static IP address. Some individuals, or small businesses, also pay extra for static IP addresses if their work warrants it - but they're not cheap. Other than that, the IP address would be 'dynamic' - would change every time the subject logged onto the Internet. But their ISP's router would have a log showing who logged on and when, and what IP address was assigned to that particular session. It is also possible that the session would not only show the username, etc. for that session but also the MAC (hardware address) for the particular computer from which the session originated. But, depending on how cooperative the ISP is, as has been said, a subpeona would be needed.
Now, what I'm not certain about is this. If a user has a broadband connection, and leaves the computer turned on and connected to the Web 24/7 it's possible that the IP address with which their session began could remain static for the length of the session - until the computer is powered off, or until the broadband network connection is broken. I don't know that an ISP would 'refresh' the connection with a new IP address in the middle of the session - even if the session lasted for days. But even so, for most private, non-registered corporate users, the closest one could trace the IP address is to the node, or hop of the ISP - since it's through that ISP that the Internet, email, etc., connection is established. The ISP's router would then direct network traffic to the individual computer via "subnet masks." So, an examination of the ISP's logs would still robably be required.
I hope that helps, for what it's worth. -KG
++++
I need more information than you've provided to be able to give you an answer for your specific situation.
However, please understand that a person's IP address is not necessarily the same all the time. For example, dial-up users share a pool of IP addresses. Say a user has a dial-up account with AT&T. Each time he logs in, he will be assigned an IP address from that pool - it will vary each time. Now, AT&T does keep logs to know which user is associated with an IP address on a specific date and time. These logs can be subpoenaed if there is a lawsuit, for example. There are laws like the ECPA that govern what information may be obtained from ISPs about someone.
Also, please remember that it is entirely possible to use methods to falsify e-mail routing information. I have demonstrated on some of these mailing lists how easy it is to make it appear that an e-mail came from Peru, Chile or Uganda, merely by using a proxy. These types of e-mail messages are much more difficult to trace when you have jurisdictional issues to contend with, and you simply cannot just go ringing up foreign ISPs and demanding assistance. There are rules that must be observed. My book will also cover this.
Sometimes, it is just not possible to easily trace an e-mail using the routing information. In these cases, you must rely on what computer forensics expert Eoghan Casey refers to as "rough edges." For example, in once case an e-mail sender was caught because even though he didn't sign his name on his posts, he always used a particular signature at the bottom of his e-mail. A Usenet post was found with this same signature which also had an affiliate id in it. This man was then tracked using his affiliate id. (Now, bear in mind that it is also possible for people to masquerade as someone else by imitating signatures and such.) All of this will be discussed in my upcoming book.
Be very cautious about hiring someone to trace an e-mail. There are people offering this service who have no more idea what they are doing than the man in the moon. They may quote some huge figure without even looking at the e-mail in question. Be careful - ask for references from lawyers. -MA
++++
Generally, no.
In some circumstances, the IP address may be assigned to a company, in which case you will be able to trace it back to the company it's assigned to. Other IP addresses may lead you to the mailserver of a specific web site.
Failing that, if you have an IP address, exact date and time a message was sent, and your case warrants a subpoena, you will usually be able to get the actual person who was assigned that IP address at that particular time from the ISP.
But as for reversing an IP address to an email address, except in rare circumstances, it can't be done. -SA
++++
Let me add a comment to the last informative post.
IP addresses are not assigned to an individuals or businesses on a permanent basis, unless you purchase a static (does not change) IP address. Generally speaking an IP address say from an ISP like Comcast or Bellsouth, rotates occasionally, so you never maintain the same IP address.
This is why when you have a complaint about an address, you need the exact date and time of the incident, to lock down who or what company was using a particular address at that date and time. -PD
++++
If the origin of the email was from a company which operates a network, the IP address for that network will either (a) have been registered with NIC - in the case of the company having an Internet website, or (b) will have been provided by the company's ISP (Internet Service Provider). If it's a company which operates an intranet which has web & email access, it will probably also be a static IP address. Some individuals, or small businesses, also pay extra for static IP addresses if their work warrants it - but they're not cheap. Other than that, the IP address would be 'dynamic' - would change every time the subject logged onto the Internet. But their ISP's router would have a log showing who logged on and when, and what IP address was assigned to that particular session. It is also possible that the session would not only show the username, etc. for that session but also the MAC (hardware address) for the particular computer from which the session originated. But, depending on how cooperative the ISP is, as has been said, a subpeona would be needed.
Now, what I'm not certain about is this. If a user has a broadband connection, and leaves the computer turned on and connected to the Web 24/7 it's possible that the IP address with which their session began could remain static for the length of the session - until the computer is powered off, or until the broadband network connection is broken. I don't know that an ISP would 'refresh' the connection with a new IP address in the middle of the session - even if the session lasted for days. But even so, for most private, non-registered corporate users, the closest one could trace the IP address is to the node, or hop of the ISP - since it's through that ISP that the Internet, email, etc., connection is established. The ISP's router would then direct network traffic to the individual computer via "subnet masks." So, an examination of the ISP's logs would still robably be required.
I hope that helps, for what it's worth. -KG
++++
I need more information than you've provided to be able to give you an answer for your specific situation.
However, please understand that a person's IP address is not necessarily the same all the time. For example, dial-up users share a pool of IP addresses. Say a user has a dial-up account with AT&T. Each time he logs in, he will be assigned an IP address from that pool - it will vary each time. Now, AT&T does keep logs to know which user is associated with an IP address on a specific date and time. These logs can be subpoenaed if there is a lawsuit, for example. There are laws like the ECPA that govern what information may be obtained from ISPs about someone.
Also, please remember that it is entirely possible to use methods to falsify e-mail routing information. I have demonstrated on some of these mailing lists how easy it is to make it appear that an e-mail came from Peru, Chile or Uganda, merely by using a proxy. These types of e-mail messages are much more difficult to trace when you have jurisdictional issues to contend with, and you simply cannot just go ringing up foreign ISPs and demanding assistance. There are rules that must be observed. My book will also cover this.
Sometimes, it is just not possible to easily trace an e-mail using the routing information. In these cases, you must rely on what computer forensics expert Eoghan Casey refers to as "rough edges." For example, in once case an e-mail sender was caught because even though he didn't sign his name on his posts, he always used a particular signature at the bottom of his e-mail. A Usenet post was found with this same signature which also had an affiliate id in it. This man was then tracked using his affiliate id. (Now, bear in mind that it is also possible for people to masquerade as someone else by imitating signatures and such.) All of this will be discussed in my upcoming book.
Be very cautious about hiring someone to trace an e-mail. There are people offering this service who have no more idea what they are doing than the man in the moon. They may quote some huge figure without even looking at the e-mail in question. Be careful - ask for references from lawyers. -MA
Friday, January 19, 2007
Setting Up Surveillance- Is the Claimant Home?
I am doing a surveillance job for a workers' compensation case. (I'm fairly new to the business)
The objective is to observe/record the subject's activity level. I have a few small problems, though. First of all, after a day and a half of watching the residence, I have yet to see him come or go. When I had someone call the home tosee if he was there, they said he wasn't there "right now." The subject is not supposed to be working.
Is there a shortcut I might be missing? Is there a better pretext I could use?
I just don't want to go back to my client with an invoice for three days of surveillance without even knowing if the subject was even there. Any direction would be welcome and appreciated. -PB
+++
Brother, I know how it is, but if you have been faithfully out there, then there is not much more you can do. Some ideas are:
1.Put a "disabled" vehicle out there with a time lapse recorder.2. If don't have time lapse recorder, go at different times during the day and evening to document that you have attempted at all costs to locate him at home.3. Tell the Client you need more time. Surveillance is a touch and go business and he should understand.4. Try to retrieve his trash to establish this as a "residence".
Hope these help, if I can be of any further help, just holler. -ST
+++
First let me say that we do not do many WC investigations and in many cases were prohibited from pretexting. However, if you have some idea of who all lives in that residence, that will help you get a handle on if he is there. Example: if he lives alone or is not married and the phone is answered by a male he is home, if it is answered by a female chances are he is home.
What time you are setting up on him is also important. We at one point hade some surveillance and found that very early and very late didnt work. A check of the neighbors said that they lived there. We then found that mid-day was the time of activity and finally caught the subject going to work at 3.... she simply was working a 3-11 shift.
The pretext used is important and there are some on the list here who are phenomenal at pretexts.
Since this is a WC you are probably prohibited from doing a neighborhood survey and door knocking but I would put my mind to traps that can be used. Is there a car setting out. Go buy a cheap watch etc.
Just some thoughts. I am sure that some of the list members will have much better solutions. Best of luck. -BG
+++
We have done a lot of worker's compensation surveillance work. I've found one of the most effective ways to catch a SUBJECT is to get there early in the morning so you're sure he/she doesn't leave before you arrive4.. If he does, you can follow and find out if he's working somewhere else. A pretext I've often found to be very effective is the "oops, wrong number" pretext. just to find out if there is someone at the house. Of course you might not find out if your SUBJECT is there, but at least you won't be sitting on and "empty hole" from which the rabbit has already fled. -GG
+++
Never fun not knowing if they are home. If doing a worker's comp, Call the adjuster and find out when the next Doctor's appointment is; and do surveillance there to catch him. ALso, if doing a pretext call, make it someone they would want to talk to. My personal favorite is as a document courier with a package that must be signed by your claimant. Surprisingly it works. If all else fails, and this is a one time shot W/ NO CAMERA. go buy some candy cheap, gift, restaurant certificate and put on a pullover shirt with docker' and a clipboard with fictitious signatures and knock on the door and have a delivery to the claimant. Do not allow anyone else to sign for it. tell them you are new and the boss said the person listed has to sign. Greed ia a wonderful thing in our business, they will probably make him appear or tell you exactly when he will be there. If it is against the rules of your client....what they don't know won't hurt 'em, if no documented evidence occurs. -VC
+++
Everyone has really great ideas, but alas, I find fault with all of them, not completely but my two cents are as follows.Use an untraceable phone, call and ask for the person, IF he does answer, you know he's home. If you call and ask for him and anyone else answers that does not necessarily mean he is home (or even lives there) Hey, he might be on vacation or took a trip. If he answers the phone himself and you ask for him,her/ say something like "This is Mary White?" When your subjects name is Mary Trujillo. Oops, got the wrong Mary. Excuse the ring!
I found going out early does not always work.
I found that packages don't always work (but second choice though.)
The phone is elusive in that you can simply hang up.
Trash doesn't help, he shreds everything.
Time lapse takes to much time.
He gets his check at the address you believe he lives, BUT actually lives elsewhere........
Don't waste you time going back and forth several times during the day to document he was there or not. Like I said, he may not even live there. -BG
The objective is to observe/record the subject's activity level. I have a few small problems, though. First of all, after a day and a half of watching the residence, I have yet to see him come or go. When I had someone call the home tosee if he was there, they said he wasn't there "right now." The subject is not supposed to be working.
Is there a shortcut I might be missing? Is there a better pretext I could use?
I just don't want to go back to my client with an invoice for three days of surveillance without even knowing if the subject was even there. Any direction would be welcome and appreciated. -PB
+++
Brother, I know how it is, but if you have been faithfully out there, then there is not much more you can do. Some ideas are:
1.Put a "disabled" vehicle out there with a time lapse recorder.2. If don't have time lapse recorder, go at different times during the day and evening to document that you have attempted at all costs to locate him at home.3. Tell the Client you need more time. Surveillance is a touch and go business and he should understand.4. Try to retrieve his trash to establish this as a "residence".
Hope these help, if I can be of any further help, just holler. -ST
+++
First let me say that we do not do many WC investigations and in many cases were prohibited from pretexting. However, if you have some idea of who all lives in that residence, that will help you get a handle on if he is there. Example: if he lives alone or is not married and the phone is answered by a male he is home, if it is answered by a female chances are he is home.
What time you are setting up on him is also important. We at one point hade some surveillance and found that very early and very late didnt work. A check of the neighbors said that they lived there. We then found that mid-day was the time of activity and finally caught the subject going to work at 3.... she simply was working a 3-11 shift.
The pretext used is important and there are some on the list here who are phenomenal at pretexts.
Since this is a WC you are probably prohibited from doing a neighborhood survey and door knocking but I would put my mind to traps that can be used. Is there a car setting out. Go buy a cheap watch etc.
Just some thoughts. I am sure that some of the list members will have much better solutions. Best of luck. -BG
+++
We have done a lot of worker's compensation surveillance work. I've found one of the most effective ways to catch a SUBJECT is to get there early in the morning so you're sure he/she doesn't leave before you arrive4.. If he does, you can follow and find out if he's working somewhere else. A pretext I've often found to be very effective is the "oops, wrong number" pretext. just to find out if there is someone at the house. Of course you might not find out if your SUBJECT is there, but at least you won't be sitting on and "empty hole" from which the rabbit has already fled. -GG
+++
Never fun not knowing if they are home. If doing a worker's comp, Call the adjuster and find out when the next Doctor's appointment is; and do surveillance there to catch him. ALso, if doing a pretext call, make it someone they would want to talk to. My personal favorite is as a document courier with a package that must be signed by your claimant. Surprisingly it works. If all else fails, and this is a one time shot W/ NO CAMERA. go buy some candy cheap, gift, restaurant certificate and put on a pullover shirt with docker' and a clipboard with fictitious signatures and knock on the door and have a delivery to the claimant. Do not allow anyone else to sign for it. tell them you are new and the boss said the person listed has to sign. Greed ia a wonderful thing in our business, they will probably make him appear or tell you exactly when he will be there. If it is against the rules of your client....what they don't know won't hurt 'em, if no documented evidence occurs. -VC
+++
Everyone has really great ideas, but alas, I find fault with all of them, not completely but my two cents are as follows.Use an untraceable phone, call and ask for the person, IF he does answer, you know he's home. If you call and ask for him and anyone else answers that does not necessarily mean he is home (or even lives there) Hey, he might be on vacation or took a trip. If he answers the phone himself and you ask for him,her/ say something like "This is Mary White?" When your subjects name is Mary Trujillo. Oops, got the wrong Mary. Excuse the ring!
I found going out early does not always work.
I found that packages don't always work (but second choice though.)
The phone is elusive in that you can simply hang up.
Trash doesn't help, he shreds everything.
Time lapse takes to much time.
He gets his check at the address you believe he lives, BUT actually lives elsewhere........
Don't waste you time going back and forth several times during the day to document he was there or not. Like I said, he may not even live there. -BG
Thursday, January 18, 2007
Questions About Video Cameras for Private Investigators
Ok, I promise, last video camera question for all of the private investigators out there (but not individuals...LOL).
Are most PI's using the Amatuer type camcorders or the Prosumer videocameras for surveillance investigation?
Is it worth sticking a couple thousand in the top of the line or is a simple camcorder what other private detectives use with success? I won't mind paying the money (will find it somehow ) but since I make my living with surveillance videos of claimants I am wondering how far to go with this purchase.
So much studying....so much confusion!!! -ST
+++
I use the OTC (amateur) TRV-340 NTSC. I have had no complaints on video quality yet. If you want to spend a couple of thousand on a private investigation video camera that will be thrown into a bag hooked to a pager cam, or held while climbing a 12 foot cinder block wall, or sitting under wet bushes while taking video w/ a camera that costs what the professional grades do knock yourself out. I just want a picture of the expression on your face the first time that expensive camera rolls onto your floor board going around a corner fast to keep up with your subject or insurance claimant. :) -TP
+++
I been using a Panasonic VHSC made for consumer use and bought on the internet for the past several months, replacing an earlier Panasonic VHSC before that.
I can zoom in on anything from anywhere, timestamp and date with a clock that does not drift and buy battery packs over the counter and hold it all in one hand.
Sure, if I were to compare my VHSC and an RCA Professional recorded on 1/2" tape, I would see a difference. Would it be enough to convince a jury the difference in winning a case that
Joe's wife is the person coming out of the hotel room with Fred? Not any better than the consumer Panasonic for getting cheating spouse video evidence.
Just my humble opinion,try a less costly system and if it doesn't do the job, then purchase a bigger system. I have seen many aspiring PI's go broke purchasing equipment that they never used and then starved while their equipment gathered dust because they couldn't find out basic information to wrap up cases.
(I'm not referring to your situation, just putting my vision of equipment into perspective.) -DR
+++
Can you hook up a pager-cam to a trv-340? -ST
+++
Absolutely. -TP
Are most PI's using the Amatuer type camcorders or the Prosumer videocameras for surveillance investigation?
Is it worth sticking a couple thousand in the top of the line or is a simple camcorder what other private detectives use with success? I won't mind paying the money (will find it somehow ) but since I make my living with surveillance videos of claimants I am wondering how far to go with this purchase.
So much studying....so much confusion!!! -ST
+++
I use the OTC (amateur) TRV-340 NTSC. I have had no complaints on video quality yet. If you want to spend a couple of thousand on a private investigation video camera that will be thrown into a bag hooked to a pager cam, or held while climbing a 12 foot cinder block wall, or sitting under wet bushes while taking video w/ a camera that costs what the professional grades do knock yourself out. I just want a picture of the expression on your face the first time that expensive camera rolls onto your floor board going around a corner fast to keep up with your subject or insurance claimant. :) -TP
+++
I been using a Panasonic VHSC made for consumer use and bought on the internet for the past several months, replacing an earlier Panasonic VHSC before that.
I can zoom in on anything from anywhere, timestamp and date with a clock that does not drift and buy battery packs over the counter and hold it all in one hand.
Sure, if I were to compare my VHSC and an RCA Professional recorded on 1/2" tape, I would see a difference. Would it be enough to convince a jury the difference in winning a case that
Joe's wife is the person coming out of the hotel room with Fred? Not any better than the consumer Panasonic for getting cheating spouse video evidence.
Just my humble opinion,try a less costly system and if it doesn't do the job, then purchase a bigger system. I have seen many aspiring PI's go broke purchasing equipment that they never used and then starved while their equipment gathered dust because they couldn't find out basic information to wrap up cases.
(I'm not referring to your situation, just putting my vision of equipment into perspective.) -DR
+++
Can you hook up a pager-cam to a trv-340? -ST
+++
Absolutely. -TP
Friday, January 12, 2007
Workers Compensation Claims Question
"Bill" submits this question:
I am doing a sub contract job for a Private Investigator who has a client who is a business owner and has hired this P.I. to investigate some of his employee's workers compensation claims that the insurance company will not do. The goal is to get enough evidence for a criminal filing for insurance fraud if enough evidence can be found. The Private eye has been asked to act as a safety consultant" in order to have a pretext to talk to these employees about their cases. This PI has asked me for advice.
Although I told him I didn't feel this sounded either legal or ethical I've been in the business only a couple of years and there may be some information out there I'm not aware of. I'm not asking for legal advice but was hoping someone out there may have had a similar situation and could pass on some information.
Any advice or past experiences would be appreciated.
Here are some answers which were provided:
I don't know the legalities of it; but ethically it is the employer that gets the hit on his disability premium when the employees go out. It seems to me he has the right to get them checked out himself. If all else fails as "Safety Consultant", if your friend finds some blatant safety problems for the owner of the business and it helps him reduce the hazards all the better. -D.H.
You may want to have your friend read what the California Labor Code says about this. Insurance companies have an obligation to investigate fraudulent claims. The problem is that when an examiner has 800 open cases (that's not an exaggeration) sitting on his desk, the only way he learns of the fraud many times is when he gets a tip from the employer. Each insurance company is different. Some may take the information obtained from the employer and run with it. Others will not touch it because the chain of custody may be tainted. The insurance company is supposed to be looking out for the employer but everyone knows that in the end,....they're looking out for themselves and their exposure. Evidence obtained by the employer (or employer's PI) and given to a good worker's comp defense attorney will go a long way in getting the insurance carrier to step up to the plate and do the right thing. When looking at a large exposure, this may be well worth the effort. A few years ago a study was conducted that found for every $1.00 spent on investigations, $38.00 was saved on fraudulent/exaggerated workers' compensation insurance benefits. -B. V.
There wouldn't be a problem, unless the Claimants are represented by legal counsel. Your friend would also have to follow the insurance laws in your state; I would suggest he talk to a couple of local adjustors and risk managers. -S.H.
I am doing a sub contract job for a Private Investigator who has a client who is a business owner and has hired this P.I. to investigate some of his employee's workers compensation claims that the insurance company will not do. The goal is to get enough evidence for a criminal filing for insurance fraud if enough evidence can be found. The Private eye has been asked to act as a safety consultant" in order to have a pretext to talk to these employees about their cases. This PI has asked me for advice.
Although I told him I didn't feel this sounded either legal or ethical I've been in the business only a couple of years and there may be some information out there I'm not aware of. I'm not asking for legal advice but was hoping someone out there may have had a similar situation and could pass on some information.
Any advice or past experiences would be appreciated.
Here are some answers which were provided:
I don't know the legalities of it; but ethically it is the employer that gets the hit on his disability premium when the employees go out. It seems to me he has the right to get them checked out himself. If all else fails as "Safety Consultant", if your friend finds some blatant safety problems for the owner of the business and it helps him reduce the hazards all the better. -D.H.
You may want to have your friend read what the California Labor Code says about this. Insurance companies have an obligation to investigate fraudulent claims. The problem is that when an examiner has 800 open cases (that's not an exaggeration) sitting on his desk, the only way he learns of the fraud many times is when he gets a tip from the employer. Each insurance company is different. Some may take the information obtained from the employer and run with it. Others will not touch it because the chain of custody may be tainted. The insurance company is supposed to be looking out for the employer but everyone knows that in the end,....they're looking out for themselves and their exposure. Evidence obtained by the employer (or employer's PI) and given to a good worker's comp defense attorney will go a long way in getting the insurance carrier to step up to the plate and do the right thing. When looking at a large exposure, this may be well worth the effort. A few years ago a study was conducted that found for every $1.00 spent on investigations, $38.00 was saved on fraudulent/exaggerated workers' compensation insurance benefits. -B. V.
There wouldn't be a problem, unless the Claimants are represented by legal counsel. Your friend would also have to follow the insurance laws in your state; I would suggest he talk to a couple of local adjustors and risk managers. -S.H.
Thursday, January 11, 2007
I'm gonna get into some trouble here...
I am quite sure that when this blog starts making the rounds, I am going to get into some trouble. With that said, I have to tell you- I really don't care. I have long detested the secrecy of the private investigation business and its various specializations and subindustries; information should be shared and not horded.
How else are we to improve or update that information?
Information and technology are changing so quickly that to remain stagnant and stale in our own thinking will ultimately be our own demise. So I plan to lay bare here many of the secrets of PIs that I think are silly or upon which can be improved by those who are new to the private investigation business.
Am I going to damage the profession? Most certainly not but I will piss off the old guard along the way. I hope you enjoy what there is to offer here.
PS... A word about the links on the right side of this blog; they are reperesentative examples of what I am talking about- a ton of information and great training products. Scott Harrell was my mentor and has given much to the investigation and bail enforcement communities despite the fact that he often "upset the apple cart" along the way. It was he who inspired me to also give information to those who are seeking a new career path as I once was and not worry too much about what those who were control of the paradigm at that time may have thought. The links to his sites are out of my respect for him. Thanks, Scott.
How else are we to improve or update that information?
Information and technology are changing so quickly that to remain stagnant and stale in our own thinking will ultimately be our own demise. So I plan to lay bare here many of the secrets of PIs that I think are silly or upon which can be improved by those who are new to the private investigation business.
Am I going to damage the profession? Most certainly not but I will piss off the old guard along the way. I hope you enjoy what there is to offer here.
PS... A word about the links on the right side of this blog; they are reperesentative examples of what I am talking about- a ton of information and great training products. Scott Harrell was my mentor and has given much to the investigation and bail enforcement communities despite the fact that he often "upset the apple cart" along the way. It was he who inspired me to also give information to those who are seeking a new career path as I once was and not worry too much about what those who were control of the paradigm at that time may have thought. The links to his sites are out of my respect for him. Thanks, Scott.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)