Hiring a PI
What to know before hiring a private investigator
Questions to ask about scope, reporting, communication, privacy, and realistic outcomes before an engagement begins.
Read the guideInvestigation knowledge base
Understand the process before you share sensitive information.
These guides explain what professional investigation work should accomplish, where raw online searching falls short, and how to prepare for a focused first conversation.
Start here
Three practical guides for better first decisions.
Each guide helps define the objective, protect sensitive information, and separate raw search results from useful investigative findings.
Skip tracing
Skip tracing vs. a people-search website
Why identity resolution, source context, recency, and verification matter more than a long list of possible addresses.
Read the guidePrivacy
How to prepare for a private-investigator consultation
What information helps at first contact—and what passwords, identifiers, records, and evidence should stay out of a public form.
Read the guideWhat should I bring to a first consultation?
Your name, a reliable contact method, the general matter type, city or county, meaningful deadline, and the decision or problem you need help resolving are usually enough for first contact.
How are professional findings different from search results?
A result becomes useful only after it is connected to the correct person, place, event, or organization and evaluated for source, date, relevance, and limitations.
Why does lawful purpose matter?
Investigative tools and public records can be misused. Purpose and context help determine whether work can be accepted and what restrictions or procedures apply.