/r/trueprivinv

Photograph via snooOG

For Licensed (where required by law) Private Investigators to talk shop, share strategies and resources, and be students of the game.

/r/TruePrivInv is for Track & Report, Licensed Private Investigators and the general public. We are happy to answer general questions about the industry but pleas for help will generally be removed.

VERIFICATION INSTRUCTIONS:

We encourage all licensed PIs to request verification. Send a photo of your license with personal info removed and your username visible to the mods and we can grant the verified flair.

Note:

  1. Message the mods using modmail ONLY.
  2. Upload the photo to a site like imgur or google drive and include the link in your message.
  3. Include your username in the photo.

Intern, under supervision, or other licenses types will be marked accordingly. Special arrangements may be made for states and jurisdictions that do not require licensing.

No Stalkers

We will not entertain requests to enable stalker behaviour: Please read this post on why private investigators won’t help you find that “last piece of the puzzle” you’re looking for.

"We don't want to be responsible for the fallout if you turn out to be a psycho and murder the person or something." -- /u/ColoradoPI

Podcasts:

Magazines/Blogs:

Books:

US

Canada

TV Shows:

Associations:

Lists of State Associations:

Canadian Associations:

Continuing Education:

Related subreddits

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/r/trueprivinv

6,315 Subscribers

0

Anyone not use software?

Willing to hire someone. I read a book on Skip tracing awhile back that said the real pros can extract information from people just over the phone. I need that done.

20 Comments
2024/12/01
13:52 UTC

2

What are some good evidencing softwares for forming a chronology?

1 Comment
2024/12/01
08:20 UTC

5

Can PI's work remotely?

This may be a stupid question, but don't come at me. I live in MA and I HATE driving in this state so much. I'm just starting out, and want to go out on my own maybe develop my own LLC, however, can I do remote work? or take on cases that still involve travel sans car?

16 Comments
2024/11/30
21:16 UTC

1

what tools do you use ?

what are some of the tools you use on a daily basis ?

0 Comments
2024/11/29
15:09 UTC

1

Skopenow ?

Anyone tried Skopenow? how much does it cost and is it worth the price?

1 Comment
2024/11/29
14:33 UTC

2

Find owner by VIN

I am not a PI but figured I might try here. If this kind of post isn't allowed I'm sorry please remove it. I recently sold a car with a lot of miles. I'm still getting emailed the service history for it from CarFax. I noticed an email for it after I sold for an oil change service a few states away(Maryland), and the odometer reported was over 150k less than what it had when I sold. I realize this could be an error with the shop who serviced it. However on the off chance someone rolled back the odometer I wanted to try to give the new owner a heads up if possible. Is there any way to find the owner of a VIN without paying for a report? Or if anyone has that ability and wanted to try to help, I don't even need to know their information if you can help pass the message along.

2 Comments
2024/11/27
23:31 UTC

1

Bank and Brokerage Account Search

What should I expect to pay for a bank and brokerage account search on a subject for litigation?

5 Comments
2024/11/26
14:15 UTC

1

Don’t know if boyfriend is cheating

So my boyfriend has had issues of texting exs in the past and I’ve been sent some ss of one telling me he has been to her house and they were sleeping together, he claimed they were fake, she texted me after saying they were fake (not that I believe it) and the address she gave was the same address he claimed was just buddys house when he was over there, any quick way to see if his friend lives at the complex or not?

5 Comments
2024/11/25
18:21 UTC

1

Is Skopenow worth the price?

Hi guys , does anyone know what the pricing is for Skopenow and whether or not its even worth it?

1 Comment
2024/11/22
14:54 UTC

3

Liability Insurance Recommendations

Good morning!

I'm seeing a ton of options for liability insurance and really detailed applications process'..

Any recommendations on a carrier? They need to be able to insure in Oklahoma.

Thanks in advance!

10 Comments
2024/11/21
16:13 UTC

8

how did you guys become a private investigator?

I am looking to become a private investigator. I have a BA in criminal justice, but I don't know where I would go to apply to become a private investigator. I don't want to try and start my own business with no experience, but I am unsure where one would apply to become a PI. should I start contacting insurance companies and PI companies and ask them for a job? is there some place or websites that companies use to hire? Any advice would be apprenticed.

21 Comments
2024/11/20
18:32 UTC

2

Audio/Video Editing Advice

Hi There Fellows,

I just recently started freelancing, and that means I'm editing stuff on my own for the first time. I order to fulfill my client's requirements I need to do things like remove audio, add visual timestamps, and stitch together clips.

Do you folks have recommendations on what program to use to accomplish these things? Any general advice regarding editing video? I appreciate it.

3 Comments
2024/11/20
17:29 UTC

2

FL Pi exam question?

If I have prior law enforcement experience and already licensed PI in GA do I have to take exam for FL PI?

2 Comments
2024/11/20
01:18 UTC

6

When reviewing footage from an unmanned camera, is there an app out there that detects specific images?

For example, I’m looking for a specific color, make, and model vehicle to drive by in the video. Any programs that assist with detecting when it was recorded passing by?

5 Comments
2024/11/18
19:07 UTC

10

What is the professional process for hiring a PI?

Personally, I cannot go out to meet a PI in person, but I want to make sure i hire a PI right so I don’t get screwed over or give personal info and money to randos What should I do to professionally hire a PI without being able to meet in person?

13 Comments
2024/11/15
14:50 UTC

3

Hi, any PIs from Australia?

4 Comments
2024/11/15
03:25 UTC

0

Would a 2019 Mini Cooper Countryman be too conspicuous?

I am in the market for a new car and I want something that not only works for surveillance but something I will actually like, obviously. So, I am absolutely in love with this charcoal gray Mini Cooper. Someone tell me I should get it. 😆

Pic for reference. Also imagine it with tinted windows.

17 Comments
2024/11/12
16:38 UTC

3

Does any one know how many questions is on the Florida exam and what kind of questions are on it ?

5 Comments
2024/11/08
18:42 UTC

1

Missouri/St Louis PIs

Hi everyone,

Any PIs in here from the St Louis area? I have a question that I’d like to DM about.

Thank you!

1 Comment
2024/11/03
18:32 UTC

0

Time stamp Sony handycam surveillance

So there's really no way to get time stamp on this camcorder without extra paid software/website?

Not just in playback on the camera itself but even when transferred to computer or emailed to client?

12 Comments
2024/11/01
23:35 UTC

2

Plate Search

Why would a license plate number pull up nothing in Tracers and Delvepoint even though it's clearly the plate number?

6 Comments
2024/10/28
16:26 UTC

3

Sony a7iii for surveillance?

Hey y'all, I have a Sony a7iii I use for my personal hobbies and was wondering, has anyone used something like this for surveillance? It does take much better video than my video recorder so besides the form and weight factor, it should be good. I just never heard/saw anyone using a DSLR for this.

Any opinions or experience?

6 Comments
2024/10/27
13:04 UTC

3

Video Editor

I have found an alternative to IVE for surveillance video editing. The software is called V3 Video Editor from a company called V3 Investigative Solutions. It is quite a bit faster and has some very unique and cool features. I was curious to what you folks are using. IVE, V3 or some other alternative. Not really sure what is out there. They also have a pretty cool digital forensics tool for grabbing metadata and GEO locations.

12 Comments
2024/10/26
15:25 UTC

4

Do you use a mobile phone or camcorder more often for surveillance?

Just curious on how many people use their mobile phone more often than their camcorder. I was speaking to a few Pi's and they often spoke about how they simply just use their iPhone or Samsung during surveillance. So I was curious what people here use the most?

23 Comments
2024/10/26
07:49 UTC

10

Career specialties and prospects

Hello,

I’m a current federal investigator who has been curious about the PI field for awhile. I generally deal with employee misconduct and fraud. I see lots of posts about surveillance work and insurance investigations but I’m wondering about the availability of other types of work that might be more aligned with my experience, whether free lance or for a company.

Curious to hear people’s stories, especially as it relates to the going rates of different types of investigative work.

7 Comments
2024/10/25
00:15 UTC

5

Am i starting out right?

I've only managed $1000/mo so far with part time SIU work. No surveillance yet.

So I'm juggling legal running, just got licensed to process serve and going back to night security to make ends meet.

Hopefully social media investigations that I'm training for soon will give a little extra but if not any veteran advice on how to most quickly advance pay/P.i skills/find work? Thanks!

~A Rookie

11 Comments
2024/10/16
04:08 UTC

2

Nevada PIs

I am a licensed PI in CA and just moved to Nevada. I was wondering if there were any PIs who could answer a couple of questions for me? Licensing, employment investigations, good firms, etc. Thanks!

3 Comments
2024/10/15
15:50 UTC

6

Should I expand to social media investigations?

Rookie here -

Is this a good part time gig to supplement other work?

From the sounds of things it barely pays above minimum wage. For those of you who do it, does it pay by the hour or like I've read elsewhere is it more common to pay by the task/completion rate? Which is better?

Is it good/interesting work that will add a new skill for the future or should i skip it and focus on just getting more field work?

Thanks vets!

22 Comments
2024/10/15
15:13 UTC

2

Is it unethical to hire a PI to check in on a friend?

A very close friend of mine has mental health issues, sometimes disappearing for weeks at a time due to mental blackouts because of these issues, and they cannot remember anything of what happened after they come back to consciousness

They have disappeared for months now, and while I have considered they may not want to be found, evidence doesn't really point that way. They always told me they would never suddenly leave, and if anything happens for a long time they are just in a black out, but they never mentioned anything about being gone for months

I want to make sure they're ok, but unfortunately I am in the US and they are in Australia. Is there any way I could hire a PI and is it ethical in this case? I understand it is also a possibility I could lose this friend because of this (I don't think it would happen but just in case), but I am just worried about my friend and do miss them

11 Comments
2024/10/15
03:12 UTC

10

Trying to apply for a PI License

Hello, I have worked for a private investigator in California for about 5 years now and he is a licensed investigator. My boss would like to retire and have me take over his investigation firm. I have been having trouble understanding if there is some other process for me to get my license and add my license to the business so that he can retire and it is under me. Do I need to apply to become a qualified manager as well as private investigator? If so, do I provide my proposed business names for no reason and then just switch my license number onto the existing business? Is my boss my qualified manager? I understand that my boss is the declarant and I am the applicant. Is he meant to fill out a majority of this application or just the majority of the private investigator qualified manager qualifying experience form? Any advice or assistance is greatly appreciated. Thank you for taking the time to read this long post.

10 Comments
2024/10/14
20:04 UTC

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