How Do Private Investigators Find People?

When most people think of private investigators, they think of professionals who locate missing persons. Oftentimes, missing persons can be incredibly difficult to trace, but this is not the only reason why you should consult or hire a private detective. 

That said, solicitors, landlords, and government agencies usually hire private investigators to assist them in locating an individual who has run away or has rent arrears. Some investigators specialize in finding people, and they use the proper legal channels to give their clients the best results. 

But, how do private investigators find someone? 

Technology 

Currently, almost everyone is on social media. Moreover, people are relying on technology more and more for other activities like banking, and even shopping. This makes it more difficult for people to go off the radar completely. They tend to leave a digital footprint, which the PI will trace and use other relevant tools like databases to pinpoint their exact location. 

So, which technology do they use? 

High-tech Forensics

If need be, private detectives can perform computer and smartphone forensics to recover hidden or deleted details. This is especially handy when trying to find a person who dumped their laptop or phone.

Electronic Surveillance

A competent private investigator should have the latest surveillance technology so that they can track and monitor the subject from a distance. With the right legal access, a PI can also get all the audio and video recordings they need to track down the subject. 

Background Checks 

Oftentimes, a detailed background check is vital to finding a missing person. Private detectives have access to public records including court documents, criminal records, and other databases that the general public might have a hard time accessing. 

Even though private documents like credit card information can be viewed only via permission from the owner, public documents will at times offer the needed details to allow the PI to do an exhaustive background check, and help locate the subject. 

Government Repositories 

Documents like state government records, military & lobbyists records, federal governments, and security & exchange commission records are among the many record types available in different federal and state agencies. 

Also, if the information isn’t easily available online, a private investigator can request it thanks to the Freedom of information clause or other related state legislation. 

Garbage 

In most states, garbage isn’t seen as your personal property after you dispose of it. For this reason, consider shredding all your documents properly before throwing them out including your phone bills, credit card bills, and medical bills. Hence, if you don’t have a shredder, you should consider investing in one.

Human Intelligence 

Human intelligence is one of the most useful and old-fashioned sources of information, and it includes contacting different sources, interviewing them, and surveillance. These sources include close friends and relatives, neighbors, and workmates of the missing person. 

The Internet

Minus social media, the internet is yet another avenue private investigators use to find people. It has over 1.3 million domains and is flooded with useful information about individuals, businesses, and other interesting topics. 

The challenging thing about using the internet to locate someone is sieving out the non-useful, from the useful information. However, if a PI knows what they are looking for, they can easily filter this information. 

Motor Vehicle

The other place private investigators go to locate someone is the state motor vehicle department. This will offer information about an individual’s traffic violation, date of birth, height & weight, and they will also know whether the person has ever been on the wrong side of the law in terms of their driving. 

Additionally, there is also information on the driving license like whether it’s suspended. However, this is only in New York and a few other states. 

How Much Does It Cost to Hire a Private Investigator to Find Someone?

The cost of hiring a PI to locate someone will differ. There are a handful of factors that determine the final cost including the PIs' experience, the duration it takes to find the person, and the complexity of the situation. It would be best to contact a PI, for specific information on rates. 

Also, how long does it take for a private investigator to find someone? This will mostly be determined by the complexity of the case, and whether or not they are aware they are being looked for. 

For instance, a minor who travels at night with friends without notifying their parents might not know there is a search party looking for them. On the other hand, a person who owes money to people or is running from the police is aware they are being looked for, so they are careful to cover their tracks. 

In Conclusion

Now that you know how private investigators find people, let’s briefly talk about the type of persons PIs are paid to find. 

It can be challenging to locate someone who’s working hard to dodge you and cover their tracks. However, this is what private investigators are best at; they’ll do all the heavy lifting and find the subject. 

Some clients hire PIs to locate former friends or associates that they’d like to reconnect with. Also, some are looking for their lost family members, and for those who unfortunately never knew their parents, they hire PIs to find them. 

When it comes to businessmen, they might hire private investigators to find someone who owes them money or has defaulted on specific payments. 

Evidently, there are numerous reasons why people might hire a private investigator to find someone, but if you hire a proficient private investigator, you’ll find them on time.