🕵️ How to Work with a Private Investigator
Complete Guide to Hiring, Communicating With, and Getting Maximum Results from a Private Investigator or Skip Tracing Service — 2025
📑 What This Guide Covers
🔎 When Do You Need a Private Investigator?
Private investigators and professional skip tracers serve a critical role in the legal, financial, and business worlds — they find information that is not accessible through ordinary means, locate people who do not want to be found, and document evidence that supports legal proceedings. Knowing when to engage a professional investigator versus handling something yourself is the first decision you need to make. 🔎
You typically need an investigator when the stakes are high enough that getting the wrong information — or no information — would cost you more than the investigation itself. A $50,000 judgment is worth investing in a professional skip trace to find the debtor. A multi-million-dollar lawsuit justifies a thorough background investigation of the opposing party. A custody dispute warrants professional surveillance when a child’s safety is in question. 💰
The common thread in all of these scenarios is that the information gap is preventing you from taking action — and a professional investigator is the fastest, most reliable, and most legally defensible way to close that gap. Whether you need to find someone to serve a lawsuit, investigate a business before suing, or collect a judgment from an evasive debtor, the right investigator makes the difference between success and frustration. ⚖️
📊 Types of Investigative Services — Choosing the Right Specialist
Not all investigators offer the same services, and choosing the right type of professional for your specific need saves time and money: 📊
Skip Tracing Services
Specialize in locating people — finding current addresses, phone numbers, employers, and assets using databases and investigative research. Best for: service of process, judgment collection, debt recovery, heir location. Fastest and most cost-effective for straightforward people-location needs. Results in 24 hours or less.
Full-Service Private Investigators
Offer comprehensive investigation services including surveillance, witness interviews, undercover operations, fraud investigations, social media investigations, and complex research. Best for: cases requiring fieldwork, documentation of behavior, or testimony in court.
Asset Investigation Specialists
Focus on identifying and documenting assets — real property, vehicles, business interests, and financial indicators. Best for: pre-litigation assessment, judgment collection planning, divorce asset discovery, and fraudulent transfer investigations.
Background Screening Companies
Provide FCRA-compliant background checks for employment, tenant screening, and due diligence purposes. Best for: pre-employment screening, tenant background checks, and business partner vetting.
✅ Match the Service to the Need
🟢 Need to find someone’s current address for service? → Skip tracing service (fastest, most affordable).
🟢 Need to document a spouse’s behavior in a custody case? → Full-service PI with surveillance capability.
🟢 Need to identify what assets a debtor owns before levying? → Asset investigation specialist.
🟢 Need a background check on a new employee or tenant? → Background screening company.
🟢 Not sure what you need? → Start with a skip tracing service — they can advise whether your situation requires additional investigative services.
✅ How to Choose the Right Investigator
Verify Licensing and Credentials
Most states require private investigators to be licensed. Verify the investigator’s license through your state’s regulatory agency. For skip tracing services, confirm they maintain proper data access agreements and comply with federal privacy laws including the GLBA, DPPA, and FCRA.
Look for Relevant Experience
An investigator who specializes in your type of case will produce better results faster. Ask about their experience with your specific situation — judgment collection, service of process, fraud investigation, or whatever your case requires. Over 20 years of experience in a particular area means the investigator has encountered and solved virtually every scenario.
Ask About Turnaround Time
For skip tracing and database-driven investigations, quality providers deliver results in 24 hours or less. For fieldwork (surveillance, witness interviews), timelines depend on the scope and complexity. Get a realistic estimate upfront — and be skeptical of providers who cannot give you any timeline at all.
Get Clear Pricing Upfront
Understand the billing structure before engaging. Skip tracing services typically charge flat fees per search. Full-service PIs often bill hourly plus expenses. Get a written estimate or retainer agreement that specifies the scope, deliverables, timeline, and total cost.
Check References and Reviews
Ask for references from clients in similar situations. Check online reviews and Better Business Bureau ratings. For skip tracing services, ask attorneys and process servers in your area who they use — the legal community quickly identifies the reliable providers.
📋 What Information to Provide Your Investigator
The quality and speed of your investigation depends heavily on what information you provide at the outset. The more complete your starting information, the faster and more accurate the results: 📋
| Information Type | Why It Matters | How Critical |
|---|---|---|
| Full Legal Name | The single most important identifier — everything starts here | 🔴 Essential |
| Date of Birth | Distinguishes your subject from others with the same name — critical for common names | 🔴 Very Important |
| Social Security Number | The most precise identifier — eliminates all ambiguity and produces the most accurate results | 🟡 Extremely Helpful |
| Last Known Address | Provides a geographic starting point and helps confirm identity even if the address is outdated | 🟡 Very Helpful |
| Last Known Employer | Employment records connect to current addresses and income information | 🟡 Helpful |
| Phone Numbers (Even Old) | Phone records link to current addresses through carrier data and associated accounts | 🟢 Useful |
| Email Addresses | Digital footprint analysis can reveal current location and associated accounts | 🟢 Useful |
| Known Associates/Relatives | People in the subject’s circle often lead to current location | 🟢 Useful |
| Vehicle Information | License plates and VINs connect to registration addresses | 🟢 Useful |
| Case Background | Understanding why you are looking helps the investigator prioritize the right information and avoid wasted effort | 🔴 Essential |
📊 Setting Realistic Expectations
Understanding what investigators can and cannot do prevents frustration and helps you get maximum value from the engagement: 📊
What Investigators CAN Do
Locate current addresses and phone numbers. Identify employers for wage garnishment. Find assets through public records. Conduct social media investigations. Perform surveillance and document behavior. Investigate fraud. Research businesses and their owners. Provide reports that support legal proceedings.
What Investigators CANNOT Do
Access bank account balances or transactions (illegal pretexting). Wiretap phones or hack email accounts. Trespass on private property. Impersonate law enforcement. Guarantee 100% success on every case. Provide legal advice (they are investigators, not attorneys). Access sealed or classified government records.
⚠️ Beware of Investigators Who Promise Too Much
Any investigator who claims they can access bank account details, guarantees they can find every person, or suggests using methods that sound questionable should be avoided. Legitimate investigators are transparent about their capabilities and limitations. They explain what they can legally do, how they do it, and what results you can realistically expect. If something sounds too good to be true, it probably involves illegal methods that put both the investigator and you at legal risk.
💬 Communication Best Practices
How you communicate with your investigator directly affects the quality and efficiency of the investigation: 💬
📌 Be completely honest about your situation. Your investigator needs the full picture to do their job effectively. Withholding information — even details you think are embarrassing or irrelevant — can send the investigation down the wrong path. Everything you share with your investigator is confidential.
📌 Explain your end goal, not just the task. Instead of “I need John Smith’s address,” explain “I need John Smith’s address because I have a $45,000 judgment against him and I need to serve a writ of execution.” When the investigator understands the end goal, they can tailor their search to provide everything you need — not just an address, but also employer information for garnishment, vehicle registrations for levy, and property records for liens.
📌 Provide information in writing. Send subject details, case numbers, and specific requests in writing (email is fine). This prevents miscommunication and gives the investigator a reference document. Verbal instructions lead to misspelled names, transposed numbers, and wasted effort.
📌 Ask about updates and reporting. Establish upfront how and when you will receive updates. For skip tracing, results typically come in a single delivery within 24 hours. For ongoing investigations (surveillance, complex fraud), agree on a reporting schedule — weekly updates, milestone reports, or as-needed communication.
📌 Respond promptly to questions. When your investigator reaches out with questions or preliminary findings, respond quickly. Investigations lose momentum when the investigator is waiting for client input. A 24-hour delay in your response can turn into a week-long delay in results.
⚖️ Legal Boundaries — What You Should Know
Legitimate investigators operate within strict legal boundaries. Understanding these boundaries protects you as the client: ⚖️
🔒 Privacy laws govern data access. The GLBA prohibits pretexting for financial information. The DPPA restricts access to motor vehicle records to permissible uses. The FCRA requires permissible purposes for consumer reports. State privacy laws add additional restrictions. Your investigator must comply with all of these — and so must you as the person who engaged them.
🔒 You share responsibility. If you knowingly hire an investigator who uses illegal methods, you can share in the legal liability. This is why it matters to use reputable, licensed investigators who can explain their methods and demonstrate compliance. The GLBA specifically makes it illegal to knowingly receive information obtained through pretexting.
🔒 Privileged communications. If you hire an investigator through your attorney, the investigation may be protected by attorney-client privilege and work product doctrine. This can be important in litigation — having your attorney engage the investigator provides an additional layer of protection for the investigative findings.
🔒 Admissibility of evidence. If investigative findings may be used in court, the investigator’s methods and documentation matter. Evidence obtained through illegal means is inadmissible. Evidence that is poorly documented or breaks chain of custody may be challenged. Professional investigators maintain documentation standards that support admissibility.
🔍 Professional Investigation Services You Can Trust
Over 20 years of skip tracing, asset searches, and background investigations — fully compliant with all federal and state privacy laws. Trusted by attorneys, process servers, and debt collectors nationwide. Results in 24 hours or less.
Order Investigation Now →💲 Cost and Billing Structures
Investigation costs vary by service type, complexity, and provider. Understanding common billing structures helps you budget appropriately: 💲
| Service Type | Typical Billing | What to Expect |
|---|---|---|
| 🔍 Skip Tracing | Flat fee per search | Most affordable option. Pay per search with results in 24 hours or less. Volume discounts for batch searches. |
| 💰 Asset Search | Flat fee by scope | Priced by search type — property, vehicles, business entities. Comprehensive packages available. |
| 📋 Background Check | Flat fee per report | Priced by scope — basic criminal check vs comprehensive multi-jurisdictional report. |
| 🕵️ Surveillance | Hourly + expenses | Typically $75-$200/hour depending on location and complexity. Mileage, equipment, and other expenses additional. |
| 📊 Complex Investigation | Retainer + hourly | Upfront retainer with hourly billing against it. Regular accounting of time and expenses. |
🏆 Maximizing Your Results
Start with Skip Tracing Before Fieldwork
Database searches are fast and affordable. Start with a skip trace to establish the subject’s current location and basic information before investing in expensive fieldwork. A $100 skip trace that finds the subject’s current address saves thousands in surveillance costs at wrong locations.
Provide Everything You Have — Even If It Seems Irrelevant
That old phone number, the friend’s name they mentioned once, the car they used to drive — any detail can be the key that unlocks the investigation. Let the investigator decide what is relevant. Information you think is useless may be the missing link in a cross-reference search.
Act Quickly on Results
When your investigator delivers results, act on them promptly. People move, change jobs, and transfer assets. A current address that is valid today may be obsolete in 60 days. Send the process server immediately. File the garnishment right away. Record the lien today.
Build an Ongoing Relationship
If you regularly need investigative services — as many attorneys, collection agencies, and property managers do — building a relationship with a trusted provider improves results over time. The investigator learns your preferences, understands your cases, and can prioritize your requests.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
📚 Related Resources
📋 Disclaimer
This guide is for educational and informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Investigation and skip tracing services must be used for lawful purposes. People Locator Skip Tracing provides professional investigation services — we do not provide legal advice or legal representation. Information current as of 2025.
