Is it OK to Hire a Private Investigator?

Do you have suspicions that your partner is cheating on you? Are you a business owner who suspects fraud may be taking place within your company? Has somebody important to you run away or gone missing and the police have run out of resources? If you’re looking for a private investigator, chances are you’re dealing with at least one of these issues. Private investigators act independently from traditional law enforcement and have the skills, equipment, and technology available to deal with both domestic and professional problems. 

However, with the nature that comes with private investigation, you may be wondering if it’s ok to hire a private investigator. Both legally and morally yes, it is ok to hire a private investigator to help you get to the bottom of problems you may be experiencing in your life. It may seem invasive or even a breach of privacy to have your partner, employee, or even child surveyed, but any information gathered during the course of private investigations is kept strictly confidential between the investigator and the person who hired them. 

Here at Surelock, we are experts when it comes to providing private investigator services to our clients in London and the surrounding areas. We strive to maintain a professional approach with each and every investigation we conduct and guarantee to conduct a thorough and unshakable surveillance each and every time. As we are professionals in the industry with years of experience providing our services, we’re here to share with you everything a private investigator can offer you, and why it’s undoubtedly ok to hire one. 

What Can a Private Investigator Do?

There are a variety of situations where you may require information on a person or even a group of people, which is where private investigators come in. Private investigation services can provide answers, closure, and put your mind at ease when you need a situation looked into but you aren’t sure where to start. 

Private investigators can help you with a variety of issues, whether this is to assist in criminal investigations, catch a cheating partner, or gather evidence of fraud. Our team at Surelock have come together to create a list of some of the main reasons why our clients come to us for our private investigation services. 

Fraud Investigations

Both individuals and businesses can benefit from private investigation services where fraud may have occurred, being able to conduct surveillance and review documents to see whether fraud has indeed been committed. This can include credit card fraud, insurance fraud, and fraud that could be taking place within your business. 

For businesses, private investigators can conduct background checks on potential employees to minimise the risk of issues occurring later should they have a history of fraud, and can be used to investigate embezzlement claims or theft. 

People Tracing

Tracing a person could be for locating a missing person, such as a runaway child, or for finding lost relatives. This process can be difficult, even impossible without the right level of training. Most people are limited to social media or the internet whereas private investigators have the tools necessary to conduct an in depth investigation to trace a person. 

There may be times when the person who is being traced does not want to get in touch with the person looking for them, but private investigation services can track them down and provide you with peace of mind that they are safe. 

Sweeping for Bugs

Whether you own a business and you’re worried about competitors and rivals using recording devices to listen in on your conduct, or you’re worried about a person accessing your home and planting devices, a private investigator can provide you with a thorough sweep of an area to make sure that your conversations are secure.

While listening devices and bugs may seem like something that’s only found in films or fiction, we have found them in various hotel rooms, conference halls, and even homes across London and the surrounding areas. Private information can be used as blackmail or can provide business competitors with information on how you are succeeding with your business. By hiring a private investigator to conduct a bug sweep, you can guarantee that your information will remain private and can’t be used in negative ways.

Background Checks

Background checks are a great way to look into suspicious activity and provide you with ease about a person in your life, whether you are a business owner conducting a background check on a potential new hire, or an individual seeking to look out for a vulnerable person in the family. 

Almost everybody has an online trail that can be found through Google or social media, however the information you may find won’t be hugely informative and most people can use social media to create an image of themselves that may not be entirely accurate. Private investigators have access to tools and equipment required to conduct a thorough search of the person you want checked, whether you want to look into fraud allegations, criminal convictions, or inconsistencies in claimed qualifications. 

Process Serving

Many law firms that require legal documents delivered to a defendant or client use a private investigator for this, otherwise known as process serving. The main purpose of this is to inform a person that they are involved in a legal case and these people may occasionally need tracking down, which a private investigator is equipped and qualified to do in an efficient and professional way.

Though it can differ from firm to firm, process serving should be performed by a private investigator who has an understanding of the procedure chain and legal knowledge. Our private investigators at Surelock are experts at what they do and have all the skills and knowledge required to provide reliable process serving services. 

Tracking a Person

Sometimes you may want to track somebody to make sure they are safe, such as a child or vulnerable relative, while other times you may suspect your partner of infidelity and wish to confirm your suspicions. Additionally, businesses who have company vehicles frequently use our services if they suspect their vehicles are being used outside of their intended purposes. 

No matter your reasons, a private investigator can help you with tracking a person without them knowing about it. Using a variety of methods, from GPS tracking that are incredibly useful and provide real-time tracking via Google and Apple Maps, or simple on foot trailing to confirm or deny whether a person is doing what they claim to be. 

There are many reasons why you may consider using a private investigator. We could go on all day about the services you can receive and the outcomes they offer, but if you would like to know more, check out the services we here at Surelock provide both for domestic and commercial purposes, including brand protection and security survey assessments. 

What Can’t a Private Investigator Do?

We’ve already covered some of the services a private investigator can provide in the UK, but if you’re interested in hiring a private investigator, it’s important to know what they aren’t allowed to do. It’s important to keep in mind that private investigators are independent from traditional law enforcement and also have to follow the laws of the UK while conducting their investigations, and some of the limits we have include: 

Carrying Firearms: Due to the laws in the UK surrounding firearms, only specially trained police officers are able to carry a firearm, and these are typically only utilised in extreme situations. However, private investigators also cannot carry pepper spray, batons, or tasers as this is a breach of UK laws and legislation. 

Access Private Communications: Rifling through private messages, emails, or physical letters is illegal in the UK, so as private investigators, we aren’t able to access this information for any reason. This doesn’t stop us from conducting our information however, and items that belong to clients and businesses can still be reviewed. 

Mishandle Data: The Data Protection act is in place in the UK to protect confidential information and ensure that data gathered by private investigators is not mishandled. This means that our clients can rest assured that any data gathered during the course of our investigations is truthful, accurate, and has been gathered with a reasonable expectation of privacy. 

Arrest Somebody: Even if a private investigator were to have sure fire evidence that a crime has taken place, they have no legal right to arrest somebody. While they can assist in criminal investigations, all information gathered can only result in an arrest when police are involved. 

Trespass: Private property cannot be accessed or surveyed without the property owner’s permission, meaning that a private investigator will not be able to enter somebody’s home or continue to track them once away from a public space. 

Looking for more information? Contact Surelock today! 

If you would like to know more about what a private investigator can or cannot do, or if you’re still on the fence about the legality and morality of hiring an investigator, our team can help! Get in touch today for more information or to arrange your investigation services! We’re only a phone call away and can’t wait to hear from you.