Why would a private investigator want to talk to you?
October 25, 2023 - Reading time: 7 minutes
Private investigators are often associated with monitoring people by hiding in bushes and from behind tinted windows, but it is sometimes helpful to interview people and reveal the true nature of an investigation while making inquiries. Chances are, if a private investigator is trying to reach you, you might know something which could be helpful to them. A PI may want to contact you with the consent of their client for a variety of different reasons.
It isn't necessarily bad to have a private investigator contact you. You might be able to help someone else if you cooperate, or even help yourself. Let's go through some of the most common motives for a private investigator to contact you:
1. You are getting a divorce, being sued, or are involved in a child custody dispute
An independent third party may personally deliver certain legal documents such as claim forms, statutory demands, bankruptcy petitions and documents relating to family court proceedings. Restraining orders are also served on a regular basis.
Many private investigators offer process serving. A private investigator who asks to enter your home or workplace and then leaves with papers is likely to be one of them. If a private investigator approaches you and asks you to identify yourself in public, they're likely there to hand you papers.
You can choose to avoid being served. You can temporarily stop the process server from delivering legal papers by hiding in a private property. It is important to realize that doing this will serve as a complete waste of your time. You will be contacted by the PI in person and the papers can be left at your feet.
2. Someone you might know is missing
Certain cases require more discretion than others... We don't need to be as discreet when looking for a lost person as we would in an investigation into a husband or wife that is cheating on their partner, for example. It can be beneficial to let others know that we are searching for someone, especially as many people are missing and don't know it.
In order to find a missing person, it may be necessary to search public records, as well as, depending on the permissions granted, joint bank accounts, email accounts, and any other personal information. Though the information gathered through these sources is rarely enough to reveal the exact location of a missing person, it can still be used to link people to those we might want to interview.
You should cooperate if a private detective asks to speak with you about a missing person, as doing so could help someone to locate a lost friend or family member.
3. You owe someone cash (or someone you know does)
Tracing debtors is an important part of our work as investigators. A private investigator may call you if their client provided them with your number to get more information. If you do not want to, then there is no need to identify yourself or cooperate.
As in the case of process serving, being on the heels of a PI is not an advantage. In these situations, we might be biased but recommend accepting defeat graciously. Alternatively, know that the only effective defence against one good private investigator is hiring another to conduct counter-surveillance.
4. You previously expressed interest in hiring a private investigator
Private investigators operate the same as any other business. To keep the business moving, we need to follow-up on leads from clients. Don't be surprised when a private detective tries to contact you if you have contacted them via social networking, or their online contact form.
Before they begin working on your case, a private investigator might want to talk with you in depth. Often the key is in the details and a PI is likely to request as much information as possible about your situation.
You should discuss your goals with the investigator to make sure that they can assist you in achieving them. You can get a free consultation and quote from a quality PI before you pay any money.
5. You are the subject of background screening
You may have had an interview for a new job and not heard anything back. A private investigator is now trying to contact you. A detective may be trying to conduct a background check, and this might cause a delay. Many PIs include this service in their investigative services. You have nothing to fear by cooperating if you don't have anything to hide. If it's for a background investigation then you may even gain by complying with the investigator.
6. You work in law enforcement
As private investigators, we sometimes uncover illegal activities, even though criminal investigations don't typically fall under our jurisdiction. We are always accountable and report any relevant information to police. They may have information on ongoing crimes if they are trying to contact you as a police officer.
7. You have inherited money
If you are named in the will of a deceased person, then the executor or administrator will need to track you down in order to make sure you are given your share as allocated. In such cases a private investigator may be called in to track down any beneficiaries. As private investigators, we are often instructed by our clients to locate individuals, and if beneficiaries need to be found then we can offer a fast and cost effective solution in most cases.
You have only two options when a private investigator contacts you: either cooperate with them or hire your own investigator. It's possible to try and avoid them but this is unlikely to be successful in the long run.
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