Carrying out a private investigation by oneself can be appealing for various reasons. First, the costs of hiring a professional to do the work are avoided. Second, many find a good deal of personal satisfaction or even excitement when performing an investigation.
The Internet has made it much less difficult to attain details on another person’s life, while a formal education or training is not required to investigate on an individual level. Locating family members, uncovering details on a boyfriend or girlfriend, or finding criminal or military records can be accomplished without much effort, whether it is done the right or wrong way.
If you choose to conduct a private investigation yourself, however, you put yourself at risk for some serious consequences.
Legal
Each state in the U.S. and local districts of most foreign countries have laws and customs related to privacy. An investigator with training and experience, while having more resources at hand to avoid breaking the law, still runs the risk of violating local regulations.
The information uncovered may be exactly what was intended to be found, but if the means to get it are illegal, then it will have little value to law enforcement or in court. Fines, summonses or even incarceration are real possibilities if you do not know the local privacy laws.
Safety
Searching public records, provided you have the permission to do so, does not carry as much risk to personal safety as, say, surveillance operations. When experienced private investigators go on such missions, there is always the risk of being discovered. Such unforeseen outcomes are inherently unpredictable.
On top of the adrenaline rush and lack of experience, novice investigators are also at a higher risk of being ambushed or getting into a traffic accident. Taking a criminal, marital or surveillance investigation into your own hands instead of hiring a professional is inherently dangerous; your life may be at risk should things go wrong.
Ability to Uncover the Truth
Private investigators tend to specialize in a specific area, like criminal, stolen property or accident cases, and they often have the ability to present evidence in court. Legal investigators have the means to collect evidence, interview witnesses and store all of the information in a safe and organized way. Professionals who work undercover are enlisted to locate people or property, or investigate divorces or fraud. They are trained in their field and know how to get to the facts.
Aside from risking legal violations that nullify any evidence uncovered, you may be wasting time looking for information that requires expert knowledge to find.
Reputation
Private investigators are required to be licensed in most states in the U.S. For instance, a UK private investigator could not practice within the United States. Many people start by themselves with the intent of beginning a career in private investigation. Doing so without the proper training can risk safety and legality, and also ruin your chances of ever getting licensed.
If your name comes up in police investigation or Better Business Bureau searches, then it can mark your reputation and limit career success. The risks of conducting private investigations, without training or experience, are risky in a various ways.
After reading about background checks, you’re probably interested in learning more about how an outsourced India background check may differ from one completed in the U.S. This guest post was written by Mary.