| A PI is trained to be very savvy with their research | | | | searching, especially for background searches. |
| methods. Despite film noir movie depictions of a PI as | | | | Investigators use some diverse and available search |
| a man sporting a fedora and a 5 o' clock shadow in | | | | sites. From Social Networking sites like MySpace to |
| smoky office with a bucksome blonde wanting their | | | | city records posted online, there is little running |
| husband spied on, they are in actuality men and | | | | around as a gumshoe anymore when the info is at |
| women who spend a good deal of their time doing | | | | the tip of the fingers. |
| the legwork from a computer. | | | | Searching Locally: An Orange County Example |
| The Bureau of Security and Investigative Services | | | | There is quite a good deal of revealing information |
| give five points to what a PI does: | | | | that is posted on local state or federal government |
| - Someone who investigates crimes | | | | sites. For instance, an Orange County private |
| - Investigates identity, whether it is a finding the | | | | investigator can visit the county's California Criminal |
| person, finding the true character of the person, their | | | | index online to view any citations or criminal court |
| occupation or business | | | | proceedings that have been logged and documented |
| - Investigates the location of property, lost or stolen | | | | as far back as 1988. This gives great material for |
| - Finds the causes of fires, losses, accidents, damage | | | | background checks or finding patterns in habits or |
| or injury | | | | criminal recidivism. Sites like these are often available |
| - Secures evidence for use in court | | | | to anyone online for free. |
| Investigators work in various sectors so the work | | | | They are not specific to government workers or |
| can be very specific according to who they do work | | | | licensed private investigators in Orange County by |
| for. For instance, detectives who work for insurance | | | | example. There are layers of search levels the |
| agencies will often look into personal claims and the | | | | investigator can peruse through: federal, state to |
| legitimacy therein. If someone is trying to defraud | | | | county records; a private investigator in Newport |
| the agency then the detective may do some | | | | Beach (within Orange County) can find information |
| surveillance on foot with a camera, or do a | | | | specific to that city within a city records search. |
| background check to see if there was any past | | | | Also, with the advent of web 2.0 and social |
| record of fraud. | | | | networking sites and blogs, the false sense of |
| There is a great deal of office work that goes into | | | | privacy is often exhibited by the public at large who |
| investigation. Aside from making frequent phone calls, | | | | daily leave a cyber trail wake that makes |
| an investigator uses a great deal of internet | | | | investigations less intensive. |