Has anyone here in the group ever hired a virtual detective to investigate how their partner behaves online?

My wife has never met her half brother. Her father abandoned her when she was a baby and the half brother is from the family he started after she was born. She has very limited contact with the father and no contact with the rest of the family. She only has his first and last name - and its a super common name at that. Tragically, she just heard that the half brother passed away. Its quite awkward to reach out for information, so we are trying to investigate what we can. Any suggestions about where to start? Simple Google searches/ancestry.com turn up nothing. He lives in Mexico but died in Canada...

Hi there!

I'm an aspiring journalist in Austria. Recently I read that the Austrian intelligence bureau is conducting an investigation into a taekwondo club in Vienna which has links to the North Korean regime and is accused of spying for it. No results have been published yet, but it seems like the intelligence agency is sure that there is spying happening. The taekwondo club is internationally active, but has its headquarters in Vienna – probably because the city is known for its lax anti-spying laws. The two biggest figures in the organization are North Korean and have roots in the North Korean military.

I am very new to OSINT or investigative journalism in general. I was wondering if anyone can give me their input. One idea I had was to look at publicly available phone location data and see where people from their headquarters went. But I'm not sure how that would help me. And I think this is not a normal investigation, since the North Korean regime puts a premium on secrecy and I don't expect North Korean agents to use their phones normally.

Thanks for the help!

Does anyone have any advice on how to clear up a blurry license plate photo? A friend of mine's car got hit and the driver drove off. I have a blurry photo. I can make out the last 4 digits are 1674. First three letters, I am unsure of. Thanks in advance for any advice and help.

You could be help solving a cold case where a sexual predator got free. Please anything will help.

My boss is toxic. He berates and insults employees, but it's always quick and out of nowhere. We'd like to go to the owner, but want some actual examples so it doesn't just sound like normal workers just bitching about the boss.

Is there anything like a dash-cam or body-cam, that records audio continuously? Something that overwrites old files, so the last hour or couple of hours is recorded?

I have dreamed of becoming a criminal investigator, but I don't know what to study to become a good investigator. Please provide me with subjects to study and seek knowledge in the area, and continue to evolve. Thank you, God Bless.

I had a private investigator call me in regards to my kids dad & he asked me these 3 questions, Do I know his address? Do I know if he’s employed? How often does he have my son?

I’m assuming they’re investigating him for food stamp fraud maybe, that’s my theory but honestly idk..has this happened to anyone else?? Or what do yall think it could be about?? He wouldn’t tell me why 😭

Very recently there was a pollution that caused the death of many fish in a canal in France. I was wondering if you had any ideas for listing the companies that could have been the cause of the pollution?
a video of the pollution

Hi, This is a throwaway account.

I would like to ask if anybody here is working or used to work at Pinkerton as a Investigator. If so, can you share more details on the company because there is not much that I can find on the internet (i.e. work-life balance, career progression, general scope of work responsibilities). I heard they are quite a big firm with many connections to MNCs.

I am currently working as a investigator for my country police force and I am looking to expand my repertoire and looking for an out because my current working condition is not very favorable for my current stage of life lol.

Cheers!

Not sure if this is the right spot, but I don't know much about how to go about this the right way. Been going to a new Laundromat lately and I've been investigating the bathroom there. The bathroom is a universal one that requires you to call a phone number to get the passcode for and my concern is the mirror. It faces the toilet and I noticed the first time that while it was screwed into the wall there is a gap large enough to see there's a large panel of the drywall cut out directly behind the mirror. The mirror itself seems to be a normal mirror, but since then I've tried looking into it further, going so far as to get my hands on a small inspection mirror (gap's still too small to actually see anything). It feels suspicious as anything else, and I hope its something more innocuous. Does anyone know if there's resources I can find to try and figure out the owner of the property/previous owners? Either that, or should I just drop it alltogether? I appreciate any advice/criticism I can get.

There’s a theory, though highly speculative, that the famous Fannie May Chocolate company wasn’t just the product of entrepreneurial innovation, but instead stemmed from a disturbing family saga of manipulation and theft, led by its namesake—a grandmother with a dark agenda. The story suggests that the origins of Fannie May lie not in honest craftsmanship but in an elaborate scheme orchestrated by Fannie May herself, a woman who exerted tremendous control over her children, using tactics that would border on coercion and outright blackmail.

According to this theory, Fannie May wasn’t just a chocolate enthusiast; she was a master manipulator. She had a particular obsession with outperforming local chocolatiers, but rather than relying on quality ingredients or innovative recipes, she pressured her own children—and reportedly, even other neighborhood kids—to steal chocolate from competitors. The children, often as young as ten, would sneak into rival shops or storage facilities under the guise of running innocent errands, returning with boxes of stolen sweets.

Fannie May would then repackage the stolen chocolate under her own brand, with no one suspecting that these “handcrafted” treats were, in reality, swiped from competitors. But it wasn’t just the theft that was alarming; it was the psychological pressure she placed on these children. According to some accounts, she would remind her own children that their financial future depended on the success of her business. “Do you want to end up like the rest of them?” she would reportedly say, pointing to families struggling during the post-Depression era. The implication was clear: their only way to survive and thrive was to obey her commands, no matter the ethical cost.

But the manipulation didn’t end with guilt. Fannie May allegedly collected damaging information on the children involved—whether it was catching them in minor childhood misdeeds or finding out about their private, innocent secrets. She would hold this information over their heads, subtly reminding them that if they refused to help her, she could ruin their standing within the family or the community. For example, one story claims that she caught one of her children sneaking candy from her own stock. Instead of confronting the child immediately, she waited until she needed a favor, then hinted that she could reveal this “theft” to the father, who would have been furious. With that leverage, she coerced the child into becoming her inside man at a competitor’s shop.

Some who subscribe to this theory even suggest that the company’s relentless expansion in its early years can be attributed to Fannie May’s underground network of child “agents,” who would continue pilfering from chocolate shops as the business grew. The children reportedly lived in constant fear—fear of losing their family’s support, fear of being exposed, and fear of disappointing the grandmother who had made them complicit in her illicit scheme. Over time, the children became so accustomed to their roles that they hardly questioned the morality of what they were doing, instead focusing on the rewards—occasional free chocolates, extra pocket money, or simply the relief of not being exposed.

The theory also points to the way Fannie May controlled the narrative surrounding her brand. She was always depicted as a sweet, benevolent figure, the archetypal grandmother everyone could trust. But those close to her knew the darker side. She managed to suppress any rumors or accusations that arose, using her influence within the community and a carefully constructed public image to protect herself. In many ways, she weaponized her role as the family matriarch to ensure loyalty and obedience.

Critics of this theory might argue that it’s too far-fetched, but supporters insist that it explains the rapid rise of the company and the unusual secrecy surrounding its early years. After all, it’s not uncommon for family businesses to have skeletons in the closet, and Fannie May’s alleged methods, while ruthless, were undeniably effective.

Ultimately, whether this theory holds any water or not, it serves as a chilling reminder of how easily familial ties can be manipulated for personal gain. Fannie May, in this version of events, was less the loving grandmother and more a shrewd, manipulative operator, whose empire was built on the backs of frightened children and stolen goods. What looks like a sweet success story might, in fact, have been a bitter lesson in the darker side of ambition.

Created a burner account here as I do not want to jeopardize my lawsuit. I will be as specific as possible without giving away identifying information.

TL;DR: seeking any of the following (1) news stories about times when someone’s ride share showed up and both the plate didn’t match the app and the driver didn’t match the account. (2) case law in which a for hire vehicle is identified by gps data rather than name/account # (3) really great data people willing to help me sift through Open NYC to see if I can narrow things down.

Very brief incident summary: hit by drunk driver as pedestrian, had right of way, driver stopped and gave some info but not all (no insurance, license, etc). Said he had to drop off his passengers. I asked who he was driving for, he said (one of the two major for hire vehicle companies—if the specific name matters here lmk and I’ll give it!). Then he got back in his car and drove away. We have a plate # and blurry security video in which passengers are seen leaving the vehicle and walking away.

Subsequently discovered the following: car leased by driver’s ex. Ex had FHV account. Driver did not. Driver has serious criminal history incl aggravated vehicular manslaughter. There is no record of usage of ex’s FHV account in recent history incl accident date or of any account linked to plate #. I suspect the driver was driving under an account that was not linked either to the plate # of the car or to himself.

Really struggling here bc my attorney is reasonably doing what he can but has said for a variety of reasons this is one of his hardest cases ever. I like and trust him but also understand I’m not his only client so I’m trying to do some footwork myself.

Jarvis Ramon Butts, aged 41, faces charges for the murder of 13-year-old Na'Ziyah Harris, whom he allegedly impregnated.

Harris was last seen on January 9, 2024, exiting a school bus in Detroit, after which she disappeared. Her body remains missing.

Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy announced these charges, noting that Butts had a familial connection with Harris through her aunt, with whom he had children.

Worthy described Butts as a "classic and expert groomer and pedophile."

Evidence presented includes text messages from September 2023 where Harris informed Butts about missing her period, and by November, it was evident that Butts was aware of her pregnancy.

Prosecutor Worthy detailed that Butts' phone records revealed searches related to abortions, abortion pills, and alarmingly, drinking red antifreeze.

Worthy also accused Butts of a pattern where he would target and befriend women with young daughters, aiming to sexually exploit the children.

Investigators tracked Butts' movements to the Rouge River in Detroit the day following Harris's disappearance.

In 1983, during his execution in a Mississippi gas chamber, Jimmy Lee Gray died after repeatedly bashing his head against a metal pole behind his chair.

The gas had failed to kill him quickly, leaving him in agony and gasping for eight minutes.

Gray had been sentenced to death for the 1976 kidnapping, se*ual assault, and murder of three-year-old Deressa Jean Scales.

At the time of this crime, he was on parole, having served just seven years of a 20-year-to-life sentence for the 1968 murder of his 16-year-old girlfriend, Elda Louise Prince, in Parker, Arizona.

Has anyone come across cases involving crimes that were documented on Palm Pilots? I know the Long Island serial killer’s PP had been a huge source of information but I’m curious about other criminals who have used them.

Hey everyone! I was in a group on Facebook that helps investigate family history to help you find info, only issue is it’s for the states only. Anyone have any leads on Canadian groups that can help? Tia

On February 14, 2000, 9 year old Asha Degree disappeared from her home in Shelby, North Carolina. Motorists reported seeing her walking down Highway NC 18 at approximately 4 am that evening. One motorist attempted to make contact with her and offer help. But when he did,he reported that Asha ran off the road and into the woods.

The following morning, Asha’s parents discovered she was missing. Police searched the highway and the area the motorist reported seeing her run into the woods. A few yards back was a shed. When the shed was searched, items were discovered that were believed to be Asha’s. With these items was a small photo of this girl- “the girl in the photo”.

Police asked the public to help identify the girl, but to this day she remains unidentified. And Asha remains missing.

The purpose of this subreddit is to identify her, in the hopes that her identity could help police be one step closer to finding Asha Degree.

Someone knows who this girl is. This is someone's daughter. This is someone's friend.

Please join our community subreddit and help us find r/THEGIRLINTHEPHOTO !

Could someone find me irl based only on my Reddit footprint or have u stayed relatively anonymous?

More than 4 years, in truth I have learned to live with it but it is exhausting. The problem started with anonymous messages on Instagram (before there were not as many message filters as there are now and it was easier to create fake accounts), those messages were directed at me and my partner at that time, misusing my image and they also reached me nude photos or offering to “sell me” for some money(?), that lasted approximately two years until I closed my account and changed it, in 2022 this person found me again and the story repeated itself, this time he got my number phone and there were easily more than 3,000 messages I had about recovering my accounts (Instagram, WhatsApp, etc.) and so I changed my number anyway. Currently, this person continues with his harassment, he found my number again and also already webs me on TikTok and has created accounts with my photos, videos, even, he even sent a photo of a nude that is not mine, saying it was me. Currently, every day I wake up and I have recovery messages and emails from all my networks, even those I don't have, like Telegram or DiDi, and this is already something sick. If you're wondering, yes, I went to the authorities (I'm from Chile), I went to the PDI and the prosecutor's office where they always stressed to me that as long as there was no harm to my physical integrity they couldn't do anything and in the prosecutor's office the case has been stalled for more than two years :) I also paid for research, which didn't work and ended up being a scam. Has anyone gone through something similar? I also need to know who to go to or if there is a researcher who can do this work or who wants to do it. I read them!

Is there a site or database out there that has compiled a list of businesses and the court cases they’ve been involved in/settled/won/lost/etc.? I’m trying to find if one has been made for manufacturing places like Castle Printing, Inland, among others.