![5 Ways a Private Investigator Can Help with Your Child Custody Case]()
by admin_lauth | Jun 15, 2015 | Tips & Facts
Few situations in life are more tumultuous and emotionally charged than that of a child custody battle. It can be even more upsetting when one parent lacks the capacity to provide a safe, healthy environment for the child or children in question. Unfortunately, scenarios such as these can be difficult to prove on your own. That’s when the help of a qualified, experienced private investigator can help. Here’s how.
In-Depth Background Investigation – In many cases, it’s not only the other parent that is potentially placing the child or children in danger, but those with whom he or she associates or resides. A private investigator can conduct comprehensive background investigations on every party in question to uncover any potential evidence of a problem.
Video/Photographic Evidence – You may be confident that your former partner is not acting appropriately or lacks the responsibility to adequately care for your children, but convincing a judge of this can be challenging. Unless, of course, you have evidence. A skilled private investigator can gather the pictures and videos necessary to demonstrate that your concerns are legitimate.
Examining Documents – As much as you suspect certain events in your ex’s life may make him or her an unfit parent, you can’t go into court without the proper documentation. Unfortunately, snooping around to dig up information on your own will probably not produce much viable data. Private investigators, on the other hand, have access to documentation that you may not even realize exists.
On-Site Residential Evaluation – If you suspect that the other parent is neglecting, abusing or placing your child or children in harm’s way at home, chances are you won’t be invited in to check things out for yourself. A private investigator, however, can conduct a thorough on-site assessment of the other party’s home environment to evaluate cleanliness and look for signs of neglect and/or abuse.
Court Testimony – Once you’ve gathered all the proof you need, you’ll likely have to present your case to a judge. An experienced child custody investigator can provide you with a confidential report that details all photo, video and documented evidence obtained during the investigation. If necessary, he or she can also provide testimony as an expert witness during the case.
As a parent, you want to do everything within your power to keep your children safe, healthy and happy. If you suspect that your former partner is not providing an adequate level of care to your kids, you’ll have a much better chance of winning your case if you hire a professional.
For more information or to get the ball rolling on your own child custody investigation, call us at 800-889-3463.
by admin_lauth | Oct 16, 2014 | Tips & Facts
(Source: inter.com)
Vetting is a process most often spoken of when it comes to political candidates. A potential candidate can go through extreme forms of background checks and research into anything from family matters to finances. Because they are backed by political parties and face media scrutiny, this process remains essential and goes unchallenged.
Why then do people of similar position in the private sector often go through the hiring process unchecked? In 2012 Yahoo CEO Scott Thompson was one such case when he was found to have lied about his educational history when he added a dual major for a degree that didn’t exist at his alma mater. After this information was made public, he was fired, others in charge of hiring forcibly resigned, and thus became a monster headache for the struggling corporation.
Former Yahoo CEO Scott Thompson (Source Cnet)
This is just one example in long line of upper management being improperly hired, leading to scandals down the line: impacting the company, the brand, and the bottom line. In order to avoid such public pratfalls, a thorough vetting process would be wise to implement for the most influential positions of a company.
Proper Vetting Techniques, Facts, and Myths
1. Make sure the right employees are involved in the hiring process. Especially in large organizations, certain members can do more harm than good. For instance, in Yahoo’s case board members were heavily involved in major hiring decisions, causing strife with the HR department (aka people who are trained to hire others). This led to some obviously poor decisions including informal interviews without HR knowledge and/or going through proper vetting channels.
2. The higher the position, the more detailed and stringent the hiring process should be. Makes sense right? You’d be surprised at how this can often be reversed. Some suggested this occurs from not wanted to upset your potential CEO who might find it undignified. An HR exec at Pepsi-Co Suggests that the “more senior you are, the more its about relationships and less about filling out an application.” Whatever the case may be, this backwards thinking has lead to many a company’s PR department having endless migraines.
3. Vetting process isn’t just for the companies benefit. Being properly vetted helps the potential hire and not only through avoiding embarrassing public scrutiny. By having certain exaggerations or falsities come up through vetting, it allows the candidate the chance to correct the error and move on before it can scar them for life.
4. Utilizing a third party for this process can avoid in-house biases. Hiring objective, experienced investigators can produce the best results without leaving hiring or HR department of the company in compromised positions. However, said department should still work closely with the investigators in order to receive the necessary information.
5. Trying to understand the candidates psychology. Just because they passed a background check and have the necessary credentials doesn’t mean they should become the face for your organization. Trying to suss out cases of candidates too consumed with power or narcissism can be tricky, but there are options available. Going beyond a person’s references can stem from asking a reference particular questions or interviewing the potential hires previous employee underlings. Taking the time to go through such measures can help determine if he/she would be proper fit for your company.
6. Not just CEOs. Vetting techniques can and should be used for candidates of many industries. From the coach of professional sports organizations to higher ups in various form of academia, if you can be hired in a position of power, then the organization should take the time and due diligence to make sure you won’t come back to haunt them.
(Source HRonline)
by admin_lauth | Oct 2, 2014 | Tips & Facts
Private investigators, eyes, and detectives may seem like a profession that’s been around forever, but this is not the case. Perhaps because their famous fictional counterparts have been around nearly as long, but in reality private detectives have been in use for around 150 years.
First documented in France in the first half of the 19th century, the first known private detective was a former criminal and inspiration for writers like Victor Hugo. Eugene Francois VIdocq spent decades stealing, robbing, and escaping jails before turning his life around and using his skill set for good. After years of working with the police he eventually founded Le Bureau des Renseignements, which is considered the first private detective agency and was primarily staffed by ex-convicts.
Because he introduced modern practices such as updated record keeping, ballistic reports, and going undercover, he is considered the father of modern criminology.
The first well known agency was founded by Allan Pinkerton in 1850. So influential was Pinkerton’s National Detective Agency in fact, their logo was how the term “private eye” came about.
The “eyes” have it. (Public Domain)
The Pinkerton agency is said to be responsible for the mug shot, and contributions to law enforcement. At this time the agency was often used to mediate strikes and provide security, with Pinkerton himself saying they singlehandedly foiled an assassination attempt against Abraham Lincoln. By the end of the century PNDA became one of largest firms of its sort in the world, and is still around today as a subsidiary to Swedish security company Securitas AB.
At this formative time for private detectives, they often filled the role of law enforcement, acting as police when their clients felt the police were too ill-equipped to handle a need or situation. Agencies were rarely hired by average citizens at this time, perhaps to due the pre-modernization of America thus the lack of excess funds for such hires.
Agencies were also hired to find the most infamous criminals of the time, such as Jesse James, Butch Cassidy, and the Sundance Kidd. Not until the roaring 20’s was it possible for everyday people to seek the assistance of a PI, which was in part due to the expansion of the middle class.
The uses for private detectives often changes with the eras as peoples needs are altered and technology evolves. In the past 20 years, strides have been made to require more licensing and certification to become a PI, perhaps in an effort to authenticate the industry from it’s looser, less reputable past (or at least that what the movies make it out to be). Even the term “private detective” is less en vogue then the current “private investigator” or LPI’s for similar reasons.
What’s for certain, PI work is an industry that responds to the problems of today, and shall continue to do so, always around the help control the chaos.
by admin_lauth | Sep 5, 2014 | Tips & Facts
Myth-busting “Private Eyes”
When one conjures up images of a private investigator or “PI”, what are some commonalities? Perhaps a long tan coat, a notebook, mustache, and of course your handy dandy – magnifying glass?
Somehow this is the universal image for a profession where you use facts and reasoning to find information. Most people use magnifiers to look at ants.
Detective stories have long altered the perception of what private investigators do so here now lies some basic PI 101 information.
Private investigators are hired by individuals, business, and organizations to seek out the truth. This can take many forms, which is why you have various kinds of PI’s like those who specialize in forensics, lost assets, surveillance, or background checks.
Though certain fictional representations may focus on a PI’s eccentric personality, the job itself is more grounded and based in logic, details, and deductions. Some other private investigator myths are as follows:
1. Private investigators basically have carte blanche when is comes to solving a case.
Couldn’t be farther from the truth. One of several distinctions of a PI from a Craigslist ad offering similar services is their vast knowledge of legal and ethic implications. They work within the system, often with backgrounds in law or law enforcement. Which means several examples you’d see on television aren’t relevant. Pretexting to gain access to phone records, breaking and entering, and important documents (like certain financial information) wouldn’t be accessible to private investigators due to legality and regulations such as the The Gramm-Leach Bliley Act.
2. Private Investigators are the same as police detectives right?
A surprisingly common question, with a simple answer. Police work for the government, while private investigators are hired by people or groups. Because of this, the kinds of work differs, as the police work on more crime matters while PI’s find answers without prosecution.
3. PI’s are just former disgruntled police detectives.
With the multiple kinds of private investigators, their backgrounds come from all sorts. From forensic accounting to computer science, the plethora of backgrounds give PI skills for their particular type of investigation. Depending on the state you may require formal license, or need to pass exams. With each state differing in requirements, sometimes reciprocity agreements are issued to work in several states. LII is licensed in Iowa, Florida, Indiana, and Arizona.
4. Their client base is 1940’s blondes.
Kinds of client depend on the area of investigation, but companies and organizations make up a significant part of PI’s business, often for reasons you wouldn’t expect. For instance, a larger company may hire a private eye to look into corruption from within the organization. By doing their due diligence, it allows for handling of smaller scenarios now in order to avoid a PR/stock price disaster later on.
Private investigation is a detailed process, and though not as heavily based on intuition or donning the look of an action movie star, private investigators can be a great asset in your corner.
Media’s representation of Private Investigators (Source: PInow)
by admin_lauth | Sep 5, 2014 | Tips & Facts
Today’s digital age has allowed people to be more interconnected, share more information, and stretched our capabilities for innovation in ways dystopian literature couldn’t even have imagined. You think Aldous Huxley could have predicted the advent of Yelping the best tasting empanadas within a ten mile radius? (Okay fine he probably did). Well, as increasingly dependent we’ve been when it comes to our relationship with various technologies, devices, clouds, and screens, a couple cyber hacker stories this week have caused many to second guess the information that’s exchanged over the once thought even playing field of internet and data storage.
This past Sunday, Hollywood and celebrity culture was rocked with a photo scandal that is now considered the biggest celebrity hacking incident of all-time. Over 100 actresses, including Jennifer Lawrence and Kirsten Dunst have been reported having personal photos and information made public on sites such as 4Chan, known to some as the “the darkest corner of the web“. One such actress, Mary Elizabeth Winstead was quoted as saying the private pictures she took with her husband were “deleted from her account years ago”. She also brought up the question of whether anything can truly be scrubbed from the cloud or internet.
Even if your the biggest star on the planet, it doesn’t mean you are any less venerable when it comes to cyber crimes. (Source: Wikipedia Commons)
For those of us who aren’t featured on the covers of glossy magazines or have people dressing like them for Halloween, it doesn’t seem to impact us. We may just chalk this up to celebrity culture and the continued lack of privacy this digital age and news cycle has allowed them to have. However, another recent cyber crime can be much more concerning for “normal” folks.
Home Depot may be the latest large-cap company to “pull a Target” or become victim of credit card breach. In the last week, thousands of credit cards have cropped up on “carding sites”. This is thought to be the work of eastern European hackers, the same group that infiltrated Target’s security system last year.
Cyber hackers may have had credit card access for months. Source: AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki
Both stories directly impact different target markets, but offer a glimpse into how easy it is in this age to bring down any person or corporation with just a few clicks.
These hackers could be called anti-investigators for their deductive approach in getting the information they desire, though for obvious nefarious and highly illegal purposes.
(Source: Experience Project)
Getting access to such information is much more simplistic then one may presume. In the case of card breaches, it usually consists of a basic malware programs that store and forward information, according to private investigation experts.
In terms of how such programs were attached to the systems in the first place, the celebrity scandal can provide one such example of how this occurs. Investigators believe hackers access to information was based on methodically deducing the actresses passcode information, and not a complete infiltration of ICloud.
Private investigators offer solutions in both scenarios, including two-step passwords, making unique, “back-up” answers, and using chip cards without the magnetic strip.
Fraud investigators are attempting to catch individuals by gathering facts and working backwards. Though not easy to find these virtual criminals, whether your a corporation, an A-list celebrity or someone with a stolen identity, private investigators will use continuously evolving and innovative methods in catching these criminals.
by admin_lauth | Mar 21, 2014 | Tips & Facts
Photo courtesy of Wally Gobetz
The court has made a decision, but the most difficult part of a small claims case is far from over. Even if the court rules in a client’s favor, there is no guaranteeing that the judgment will be paid. Typically the court’s participation is done once the case is over and the creditor is on their own to retrieve their money. Attorneys have the option to hire a licensed private investigator to perform an asset search if their client is at risk of not receiving their full judgment.
Why is an Asset Search Necessary?
Although it’s beneficial to conduct pre-litigation investigation, this does not always happen. Post-litigation investigations can determine if the debtor will be able to pay up. There are several reasons as to why a creditor will not receive payment. In some cases the debtor might not have the funds available at the time or are filing for bankruptcy. However, some people will go great lengths to avoid paying in full. They may hide an asset in its entirety or be dishonest about the value of their property. Court-ordered examinations on assets often do not go deep enough. Typically, an exam will try to uncover information about things such as:
- Vehicles
- Employment Wages
- Property
- Bank Accounts
While not everyone will have all of these items, most people will have one or two. A bank account and employment wages are the most common. Since most people have some form of employment, wage garnishment is a popular method of collection. However, there are restrictions on how much one can take out based on income and state laws. Some states also have laws protecting certain property owned by debtors. Vehicles, private property, and personal items such as jewelry are most often protected. If a debtor is able to get an exemption for these types of assets, it can be even harder to obtain a judgment. As a result, it is essential that every possible asset is investigated.
Why Hire a Private Investigator?
As mentioned earlier, the court does not get too involved once a judgment has been made. Even though the creditor is legally entitled to their money, many will never see it. According to one judgment recovery provider, around 80% of judgments go unclaimed. Another important factor is time. As time passes, the likelihood of a creditor receiving their judgment decreases. In most states, the process of receiving a judgment can last up to ten years.
A private investigator will perform an in-depth search of assets that a court will not. Some may think that information on employment and bank accounts can simply be discovered online, but this is not true. In these situations, it’s important that a thorough due diligence investigation takes place by legal means.
Types of Services that Can Assist Attorneys in Due Diligence Asset Searches
Licensed private investigators can provide valuable assistance to attorneys and their clients. These services include locating the following:
- Current addresses, telephone numbers, relatives, and associates of subject for service.
- Residential and business property, deed and mortgage information, vehicles, boats, bank accounts, mobile homes, and aircraft.
- Employers, type of positions held, and information on location and dates of employment.
- Federal and state tax liens or judgments, bankruptcy, and UCC filings.
The recovery of these items does not always occur, and even if it does, it can take several years. In these situations, a qualified private investigator has the means and experience to legally conduct a thorough asset search and assist a client in receiving their judgment.
Few situations in life are more tumultuous and emotionally charged than that of a child custody battle. It can be even more upsetting when one parent lacks the capacity to provide a safe, healthy environment for the child or children in question. Unfortunately, scenarios such as these can be difficult to prove on your own. That’s when the help of a qualified, experienced private investigator can help. Here’s how.
