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There are a lot of myths that people believe about private investigators. In the movies, private eyes may break into buildings to get information, follow people and take photos of what’s happening inside a home, or perform other acts that real private investigators aren’t allowed to do. If you are hiring a private investigator, or you believe you’re being investigated, knowing what a PI can and cannot do is important.

Why are Private Investigators hired and who hires them?

Private investigators are professionals who are good at finding information and can use it to help anyone who needs more information about a person or a business. They must act within the confines of the law to gather the information needed, but they can help with a variety of tasks. This can include looking for birth parents, checking the security of a business for the owner, looking for a missing person, or finding out if a spouse is cheating. A private investigator can work on a variety of different types of cases and can find quite a bit of information without needing to break the law.

Can a private investigator arrest someone?

In most circumstances, a private investigator is not able to arrest someone, even if they see them committing a crime. The private investigator does have the ability to document the crime occurring, as long as they don’t break any laws to do so and can contact law enforcement to let them know about the crime. This could lead to the person’s arrest, but the private investigator would not be the one arresting them, as they are not police officers. A private investigator can sometimes make a citizen’s arrest if it’s legal in their jurisdiction. Some states allow this while others forbid it. However, a citizen’s arrest isn’t actually an arrest, and the private investigator cannot take the person to jail. Instead, they can detain someone until the police arrive and arrest them.

Information from a Private Investigator Can Lead to a Person’s Arrest

Private investigators are able to gather evidence when they’re conducting surveillance, with restrictions that vary from state to state. When they are gathering evidence, if they do find evidence of a crime, they can contact the police department to alert them to the crime. They can then document as much as possible about the crime while they wait for law enforcement officers to arrive. The private investigator can then hand over any evidence they might have to the police officers who arrive at the scene. The information gained by the private investigator can then be used against the arrested person in court to secure a conviction. All evidence that is handed over to law enforcement needs to be gained legally, but private investigators do have a lot of ways to gather evidence before speaking with the police about a crime.

Can private investigators carry a badge?

A private investigator is not a law enforcement officer and, therefore, cannot impersonate one, even accidentally. This is something that law enforcement agencies take very seriously. For this reason, most states do not allow private investigators to wear a uniform or carry a badge. If a private investigator has a badge or uniform and someone mistakenly believes they’re a police officer, they can get in trouble and can be arrested. In places where a badge is required, licensed private investigators are generally careful to avoid the misconception that they are working for local, state, or federal law enforcement officers.

Can private investigators trespass?

Though private investigators can go anywhere that is public, they are not allowed to trespass. They cannot enter a property, house or building that they do not have permission to enter. If the owner of a home gives them permission, they may enter the home to look for information that is needed. However, they cannot break into a home, they cannot pick locks to gain entry, and they cannot use force to enter any building or property. If a private investigator is permitted to enter a building and the owner changes their mind, the private investigator must leave the property immediately.

Laws Prohibit Private Investigators from Wiretapping

Private investigators can gain a lot of information by listening in to a conversation, but they need to be very careful when doing so. The ability to record audio varies between states, so private investigators must understand the laws for the location they’re in. States will require one or two-party consent. One party consent means the private investigator can record a conversation they are part of without the other person known.

For two-party consent, both the private investigator and the person they’re talking to must be aware of the recording. If the private investigator is listening to two people talk and is not involved in the conversation, they cannot record what the people are saying. They can take photos of the two people talking and write down any information they get from the conversation, but they cannot use a recording device without the consent of the people having the conversation.

Photos Can’t be Taken Through Windows into a Home

Many movies show a private eye following their subject, taking lots of photos as the subject walks around or after they enter a house. Private investigators in real life do take a lot of photos, but they must take place in public. Inside a home, the person has an expectation of privacy, so private investigators cannot take photos through the windows into the home. They also, in many places, cannot take photos of someone in their backyard or in any other place where they could reasonably expect to have privacy. If the person exits the home, the private investigator can begin taking photos again as the person is outside, in public, where there is not an expectation of privacy. Penalties can be severe for private investigators who are found to violate laws relating to the expectation of privacy, so they must understand the local laws and what they can and cannot do.

Private Investigators Can’t Hack into Online Accounts

Private investigators today do a ton of their work online. With public directories and other information freely available, a private investigator can get a lot of information without leaving their office. However, there are limits to the information they can obtain online. A private investigator can check social media accounts to see what is publicly posted. They cannot hack into the social media account to see what has been posted privately or to gain private information about someone. They also cannot hack into email accounts, mobile phones, tablets, personal computers, or other private accounts online to get information about their subject.

Protected Information Can’t be Obtained Without Consent

There is information that a private investigator cannot obtain without consent. This information includes bank accounts, financial records, or phone records. The private investigator may be able to find out where someone has a bank account, for instance, but they cannot find information about how much money the person has in the account. If they have consent, they can view phone records that might be relevant to their case, but without consent, they cannot see the phone records at all. They also can’t get other information that may be protected, though this can vary based on state laws.

So what can a Private Investigator do?

With all of the things that a private investigator cannot do, it’s important to understand that there is still a lot a private investigator can do to get information on the subject of their case.

When the private investigator is seeking information on a person, they can gather a lot of different records, do surveillance, and monitor someone’s movements to determine more about their character and their activities. The information they can gain can include any aliases, their current and previous addresses or phone numbers, whether they own any properties, if they have any professional licenses, if they are married, and what their social media profiles are.

Private investigators can conduct stakeouts and follow individuals to learn more about their movements and what they might be doing. They can search through various databases online to get information on criminal records, marriages and divorces, mortgage records, and voter’s registrations. They may be able to look through the trash if it is legal in that location and not on private property. They can also interview friends, family members, associates, and neighbors to learn more about the person or to find out where they might be. Any of this information can be used to build a case and to find out as much as possible about the subject they’re keeping an eye on. They can gather the information over some time and then report back to the person who hired them with all of the information they have found.

Private investigators can do quite a bit to get more information about people they are hired to learn about. However, they are required to follow local and federal laws, which means there are certain things that private investigators cannot do, such as arresting someone. When hiring a private investigator, it’s important to work with a PI in who is licensed in your local area so that you can have confidence that they will work within the laws that are specific to that jurisdiction. A licensed private investigator will understand what they can and cannot do to get the information needed to build a strong case, which means that if your case goes to court, you can be confident that the evidence will stand up to legal scrutiny.

If you have more questions about what a private investigator can and cannot do, call the professionals at John Cutter Investigations at (877) 528-8837 and speak with a licensed PI today.

Are you trying to find the truth behind something? It could be a missing person or you could be trying to prove a case of infidelity for your partner. There are various kinds of investigations that we might be in need of in our course of life. But all these investigations cannot always be handled by your own. That is why you should resort to professional help whenever you need them. We, at John Cutter Investigations, can be the right choice for you. We are an established and reliable private investigation agency which deals with all kinds of personal as well as corporate investigations. Right from missing persons, domestic spousal cases, and litigation support to all other kinds of investigation, we can help you with everything. We are known for our 25 years of experience along with our client-focused services. So, if you belong to areas such as New York City, NYC, Brooklyn, Bergen County, or Manhattan, then you can opt for us.

Here, we have put together a few factors to keep in mind while choosing your private investigation agency. Take a look.

• Experience

One of the first and foremost things that you should be looking out for is the experience of the company. They should have spent a number of years in this field to be able to provide you with immaculate service. Experience means credibility and that is why you must check the number of years they have been in this field.

• Reputation

The next thing that you should keep in mind is the reputation of the company. You have to make sure that the company you’re choosing has received good reviews, ratings, and feedback from its former clients. This will help you make a more reliable choice and give you an understanding of the kind of service you can expect.

So, if you are interested in hiring us, contact us now.

A common question that the general public has for law enforcement is, “What’s the difference between an investigator and a detective?” While the terms are often used interchangeably in pop culture, the roles are not identical.

Investigators and detectives do share commonalities, since they both solve crimes in similar ways, including:

• collecting evidence
• interviewing witnesses
• observing suspects

So it is true there are similarities, but they are distinctly different professions.

Here are four key differences between investigators and detectives:

1. Types of cases

Investigators are hired by a client. They tend to investigate financial issues, matrimonial cases, civil suits, or background checks. Investigators can also specialize in corporate or financial investigations. Detectives, on the other hand, are employed by a police department or law enforcement agency. They serve a community by investigating criminal activity in order to figure out why it happened and who did it so that the perpetrators will be brought to justice.Since the investigator works directly for the client, the client has more control over the direction of things, and the investigation is more geared toward results.

2. Training

Detectives must be in law enforcement on active patrol duty for at least 3 years before . To become a police officer, typically departments require a high school diploma and training at a police academy. Degrees in criminal justice are encouraged. Investigators can have backgrounds in law enforcement or security, and can have a degree in criminal justice as well. They could also have degrees in forensics, psychology, or sociology. With a private investigator, you get the best of both worlds because investigators tend to have backgrounds in law enforcement. The investigators at John Cutter Investigations have extensive backgrounds in both private investigation and law enforcement.

3. Licensing

In most states, private investigators must be licensed to practice. At this time, only 5 states in the US don’t require investigators to be licensed at the state level: Alaska, Idaho, Mississippi, South Dakota and Wyoming. Generally, PIs are required to be at least 21, have a high school diploma or equivalent, and must be a US citizen. Licensing varies from state to state and can require a clean criminal background or include experience requirements, similar to the experience requirements of a detective. Because they have already been trained, vetted, and hired by law enforcement officials, detectives don’t need to be licensed.

4. Career Path

While investigators have similar backgrounds to members of law enforcement, their career trajectory is very different. Detective is a career advancement opportunity that tends to only be offered internally to current law enforcement officials within a department. Investigators tend to be freelancers who work for themselves. So they are paid on a case by case basis, as opposed to detectives who receive a regular salaried check every week. While being a detective is more steady pay, it’s possible to make much higher than the detective median salary as an investigator, depending on the clients. As an investigator there is the freedom to pick your clients and shape your career in a way that isn’t possible as a detective.

Conclusion

Investigators and detectives have a similar way of going about their jobs, but they serve very different purposes in the community. If you have been a victim of a crime, you should absolutely contact a police detective as opposed to a private investigator. But if you are in need of surveillance, background checks, employment screenings, litigation support or any other type of general investigation, an experienced private investigator like those at John Cutter Investigations is exactly what you need. Still unsure if you need a private investigator? Check out our FAQs and contact us today.

What is due diligence?

Due diligence is the process of looking for any hidden liabilities before you enter into a contract with another individual or company. A professional due diligence investigation ensures that you have the information you need regarding the benefits and risks of a transaction before making a major decision.

When Is Due Diligence Needed?

Due diligence is called for whenever an individual or company enters into a high-stakes transaction.

For example, if your company is considering acquiring a piece of real estate, purchasing another business, or hiring a job candidate to fill a top position, a due diligence investigation can uncover information that might not be readily available. Companies may also benefit from investigating potential clients, overseas business partners, and intellectual property.

What does A Due Diligence Investigation Uncover?

A due diligence investigation probes deeply into the history of a business, property, individual, or other subject. An investigation can uncover any illegal or improper activity that has been suppressed. It can reveal a history of litigation that the subject was involved in in the past. It can also provide in-depth information regarding a subject’s finances, past performance, client history, reputation, and anything else that could be a liability.

Some specific examples of liabilities that an investigation might reveal include:

• A history of financial problems, such as bankruptcies and foreclosures
• A history of litigation or accusations of fraud
• An undisclosed affiliation with an associate with a poor reputation
• A history of overseas human rights violations
• An individual’s criminal history

What Does The Process Of A Due Diligence Investigation Involve?

The process of a due diligence investigation has three stages:

1. The process begins with a discussion of the goals of the investigation. It’s important to begin with a clear understanding of what the client hopes to accomplish and what types of risks could pose the greatest liability.
2. Once goals are established, the investigator will conduct the necessary research, investigation and analysis.
3. Finally, he or she will present a report detailing all the information that was uncovered and highlighting any potential areas of concern.

What Kind Of Research Is Involved?

The methods of research will depend on the subject and the objective of the investigation.

Investigators who are looking into the trustworthiness of a company, for example, will research the company’s background by looking at public records and audit reports, interviewing employees and clients, performing asset searches, doing mystery shopping, and even conducting surveillance.

If the subject of the investigation is an individual, the investigator will research public records and interview associates.

The following are some of the things an investigator may look at during due diligence research:

• Employee data
• Company history, including media research
• History of sales and acquisitions
• Debt and equity
• Assets, including real and intellectual properties
• Inventory
• Professional licenses
• Information systems, marketing, and compliance audits
• Litigation history
• Sex offender registries
• Bankruptcy records
• Political contribution records

What Are The possible objects Of Investigation?

Due diligence investigations can be grouped into a number of different categories, depending on their purpose. The following are just a few of the most common types of investigations:

A Business

A business background investigation is important if you’re planning to acquire that business, invest in it, or enter into a relationship with that business as a buyer, vendor, client, or partner. It’s essential to know how well the business is performing, who its leaders are, and whether there have been any past issues with debt, taxes, regulatory compliance, or litigation, to name a few examples. A due diligence investigation can uncover details that a business may not have disclosed.

A Prospective Client

Businesses that serve clients need to know that their prospective clients are reliable and honest. Accountants, financial services providers, recruiters, law firms, and others risk not only income but a loss of reputation if they work with clients who are dishonest or involved in illicit activities. A due diligence investigation can serve to vet a prospective client and minimize potential liabilities.

A Potential Employee

Due diligence can be an important part of the hiring process, especially when filling key leadership positions within a company. Due diligence takes the extra step to verify that a job candidate will in fact be a good fit for the company’s needs and will not bring any undisclosed past history that could affect the company’s reputation or the candidate’s ability to do the job. In addition, doing due diligence helps to ensure that the job candidate will fit into the company’s culture.

A Real Estate Property

Before purchasing commercial real estate, you need to know exactly what you’re getting and make sure that the property will fulfill your needs. A due diligence investigation of a real estate property will look for potential environmental concerns, such as the presence of hazardous substances or the location of a building on a flood plain. An investigation will also include detailed location research, a thorough building inspection, and verification of code compliance.

Who Performs Due Diligence Investigations?

In theory, anyone can perform a due diligence investigation. However, the process is time consuming and requires access to a wide range of data sources. Most companies hire professional investigators who have the time and the expertise to do in-depth due diligence research properly and legally and to provide an informed analysis of potential risks. If you do choose to hire a private investigator, make sure to choose a firm that specializes in due diligence investigations like John Cutter Investigations.

A company’s reputation is one of its greatest assets and should be protected at all costs. Unfortunately, one dishonest associate or poor choice of investment can do a lot of damage to a company’s image as well as to its bottom line. A proper due diligence investigation can protect you and your business from bad investments, unpleasant surprises, and even legal troubles. Getting a more complete picture of a situation through due diligence can help you make better, more profitable decisions. If you’re ready to perform a due diligence investigation but don’t know where to start, contact John Cutter Investigations today.

Deputy Chief of the NYC Terrorism Unit, John Cutter, and First Responder, Ronald Lowe, of John Cutter Investigations, Share Their Experiences on 9/11, 20 Years Ago

Are you hiring new employees? When your business grows, it is quite natural that you will need more work power. But you should always hire your employees carefully. Given the kind of criminal activities that we come across these days, it is natural that you will have to be a little careful about who you are working with. That is why you should carry out a pre-employment background investigation. We, at John Cutter Investigations, can be the right choice for you.  We are one of the most established and reliable companies which have a combined experience of more than 100 years. We bring you all kinds of investigation services, starting from corporate, matrimonial, executive support, litigation support, and asset searches to even intellectual property, missing persons, and so on. We are known for our experienced, smart, and prompt investigators along with our ability to maintain the confidentiality of all our client cases. So, if you belong to areas such as Boca Raton, West Palm Beach, or Jupiter, then you can opt for us.

Here, we have put together a few questions to ask a company offering you pre-employment background investigation services. Take a look.

• How much time will it take to complete the investigation process?

 You might be in a hurry to complete the employment process. You might have an urgent requirement of laborers for which you need to clear the background investigation quickly. That is why you should ask the company to provide you with an estimated duration within which the investigation process will be completed and you can go ahead with the other employment formalities.

• Can you provide free quotes?

 You should make sure that the company is choosing for such investigation services provides you with an estimated quote. This will help you understand if the company is affordable for you or not. You should take quotes in advance and compare them with others to make a wise choice.

 So, if you are interested in hiring us after getting these answers, contact us today.