Types of investigation cases a private investigator might handle?
When the term “private investigator” is mentioned, you might instantly think about someone lurking in the shadows and tracking unfaithful spouse’s. Although that does happen, the realm of private investigations is vast, multifaceted and certainly not restricted to infidelity investigations. In this article, we’ll dive deep into the types of cases that a PI might handle, revealing this intriguing profession.
Lets talk about the history
The history of private investigators, often referred to as PIs or private detectives, can be traced back to the 19th century. Obviously, the role of such has evolved over the years but ultimately it’s their job to gather information and solve cases. In the early
beginnings, ancient civilisations used spies and informers to covertly gather information about other rulers and emperors. One of the most famous private detective agencies founded in 1850, was The Pinkerton National Detective Agency, founded by Allan Pinkerton. They were involved in a variety of assignments, from chasing outlaws like Jesse James to thwarting assassination plots against President Abraham Lincoln.
In the late 19th century and early 20th century, we saw a surge in the popularity of detective fiction. Fictional detectives like Sherlock Holmes and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle became global icons and really influenced the public perception and awareness of real world PIs. As the industry grew, so did concerns about the practices of some PIs. This is where licensing and regulation became implemented. This was done to ensure ethical practices, confidentiality and to provide a standard of profession.
The modern day private investigator
Today, private investigators across the globe offer a wide range of services. They may specialise in areas like Mobile Phone Forensics where they can forensically scan for malicious spyware that might be monitoring your private activities on your mobile device, or conduct forensic data recovery to gather evidence. They may also conduct surveillance, online background checks, child custody investigations, corporate investigations and more.