Private investigators in Greenville, SC are equipped with the necessary skill set to find the information to solve a case or establish evidence of criminal activity. When considering hiring a private investigator or searching for an investigative agency, many people will wonder how an investigator can get the required information in an industry currently unregulated.
Besides making sure any investigation is done legally and all evidence collected is admissible in court, you might also be concerned about the ethics of gathering personal information, as well as the boundaries that a PI must abide by.
To properly proceed with an investigation, it is essential to understand the methods that private investigators can use. The advancement of technology now allows private investigators to use innovative methods to conduct investigations discretely, legally, and in compliance with a moral and ethical code of conduct.
According to State Law Enforcement Division, obtaining a license as a private investigator in South Carolina requires a minimum age of 21. P.I.s need to maintain their licenses with SLED and post a $10,000 bond.
Electronic Surveillance:
The best private investigators in Greenville, SC will usually be able to collect and monitor data from a variety of media channels by using the most recent technologies. To find out the facts of your case, they may legally access video and audio recordings and computer activity. You can use this to protect your property, stalk and monitor your employee’s activity if they commit theft, are absent, or spy on your company.
Mobile and Static Surveillance:
Private investigators often use covert methods to follow or monitor people of interest in a case for crime, including secretly following them by car, on foot, or even abroad, should the investigation indicate this is necessary. Public property must be used and this must not violate someone’s right to freedom or harass them. It is always important to ensure that your private investigator possesses the required discretion and skills to conduct missions like these so that the person of interest will not know they are being watched.
The term static surveillance refers to a private investigator’s covert monitoring of a specific location. An investigative company can provide a detailed, thorough report about the location in question, including photos, videos, vehicle details, timings, and audio recordings. The location in question can be either a house, a company, or a parking lot, and may require constant 24 hours monitoring or just specific times. Proving actions such as fly-tipping, subletting, violating custody arrangements, and benefit fraud can be easily proven with the help of static surveillance.
Background Checks:
An investigation needs to run a comprehensive background check, as private investigators can access all public records, including criminal records and unsealed court documents, as well as databases that may not be publicly accessible. A private investigator cannot access private documents, such as credit reports, without the permission of the owner. However, public documents and records may reveal the necessary information for conducting a thorough background check, and may even assist with identifying the suspect.
Technological Forensics:
A private investigator can recover deleted information from mobile phones or computers if that is needed and under certain conditions. This is especially useful when investigating fraud or corporate espionage.
Counter Surveillance:
A good private investigator will often use counter-surveillance techniques such as blockers, electronic sweeps, and bug detectors to detect the use of unlawful bugging and recordings, whether personally or professionally if you believe you are being targeted.
Which Method Will Apply to My Case?
To assist you effectively, a competent private investigator will take steps to understand your situation as well as determine which of the above methodologies is most appropriate for your situation. Since every case is different, a private investigator has to be flexible and work within the law at all times.
Private investigators that will go beyond what has been outlined above and break the law to obtain the results should not be hired. Furthermore, you may hurt your chances of getting a satisfactory resolution if you are complicit with breaking the law. It is always better to take up an approach within the boundaries of the law.
What our Private Investigators in Greenville, SC Can Offer for Your Case:
Private investigations are especially sensitive to the trust factor when the matter is personal. To ensure compliance with data protection laws, private investigators in Greenville, SC are required to register with the Information Commissioner’s Office to collect information regarding a person’s identity.