Anyone a PI or former PI?
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We have one, at least, among our membership. Trying to recall his forum name. I think it is/was P&R Fan.
He had, among his clients, one wealthy, elderly widow.
He also had a story wherein his wife found a pair of panties that were not hers in the glovebox of his car, and he successfully convinced her that there was nothing untoward about it, that it was connected to his work. He further, if improbably, insisted the same to us.
(I remain mightily impressed at his powers of persuasion. At least with his wife...)
He had, among his clients, one wealthy, elderly widow.
He also had a story wherein his wife found a pair of panties that were not hers in the glovebox of his car, and he successfully convinced her that there was nothing untoward about it, that it was connected to his work. He further, if improbably, insisted the same to us.
(I remain mightily impressed at his powers of persuasion. At least with his wife...)
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Never been one, but I'm willing to bet it's not The Maltese Falcon. More than likely chasing paper trails and waiting for someone to show so you can get pics. And for much less attractive clients.
That was P&R Fan.
I don't know any PIs...but I do know a fixer....He's Vinnie....from PhIlly...area code 215-3XX-XXXX...iIf you really need something fixed....a grand gets you the rest of the number...The fixing will probably be more but...YMMV etc etc
Erich
Member
When I was in law school, I was employed by a renowned local criminal defense attorney and my job title was "private investigator and law clerk." Being in law school and wanting to be a lawyer, the "law clerk" was the part that I was proud of. In retrospect, the "private investigator" part was what I should have been telling the ladies. 
Yes, it was a lot of fun. I got to do all manner of things and go all manner of places most people don't. I was in my early-/mid-twenties and - while I didn't think I was immortal - I probably should have been more cautious, especially with some of the service and chasing down of witnesses. It worked out fine. Got to interview all manner of interesting people: some most of you would find fascinating, some horrifying, some disgusting. Got to go to court and be on TV. Got to go weird places (jails, prisons, shelters, Native American-only bars, a Kentucky Fried Chicken with mutton stew on the menu, psych wards, cop shops and prosecutors' offices of all types) and see weird things (autopsies, all kinds of evidence, etc.).
He paid me great and I did a good job. I learned a lot and I met a lot of people. Sad to say my boss died not too long after I was really getting traction as an appellate lawyer - I got to thank him, but never really well enough.
Yes, it was a lot of fun. I got to do all manner of things and go all manner of places most people don't. I was in my early-/mid-twenties and - while I didn't think I was immortal - I probably should have been more cautious, especially with some of the service and chasing down of witnesses. It worked out fine. Got to interview all manner of interesting people: some most of you would find fascinating, some horrifying, some disgusting. Got to go to court and be on TV. Got to go weird places (jails, prisons, shelters, Native American-only bars, a Kentucky Fried Chicken with mutton stew on the menu, psych wards, cop shops and prosecutors' offices of all types) and see weird things (autopsies, all kinds of evidence, etc.).
He paid me great and I did a good job. I learned a lot and I met a lot of people. Sad to say my boss died not too long after I was really getting traction as an appellate lawyer - I got to thank him, but never really well enough.
JohnHL
Member
Two friends were changing clothes at the gym when one asked the other, "How long have you been wearing women's underwear?"
The other replied, "Ever since my wife found a pair in my glove compartment..."
John
Rpg
Member
The PIs I know primarily serve process.
These folks are nothing like the PIs we see portrayed on television or in the movies. The primary investigative activity they undertake is locating where to serve the subject: usually a computer search or two.
On the few occasions I've asked one of these PIs to do anything more complex, the results have been generally unsatisfactory.
These folks are nothing like the PIs we see portrayed on television or in the movies. The primary investigative activity they undertake is locating where to serve the subject: usually a computer search or two.
On the few occasions I've asked one of these PIs to do anything more complex, the results have been generally unsatisfactory.
GypsmJim
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My son had a friend that was a licensed PI. Nice guy. Probably in his 30's. He often came to our camp to target shoot, etc.
I always thought he had a good gig. Based on his house and the car he drove I imagine he made a good living. Plus, he seemed to be available at a moments notice to help us, so I guess he didn't work 8 days a week, like I did as a plant engineer.
He eventually moved to Florida and we lost contact.
I always thought he had a good gig. Based on his house and the car he drove I imagine he made a good living. Plus, he seemed to be available at a moments notice to help us, so I guess he didn't work 8 days a week, like I did as a plant engineer.
He eventually moved to Florida and we lost contact.
Fishinfool
Member
I worked for a private security & investigation service while I was in college. After the owner got to know me, I was often pulled off uniformed job sites to cover when he was behind in "cases". I'll tell you right now, most all are cheating spouse / insurance fraud / employee theft cases. Observe and document. Boring.
My best "case" was a manufacturing company that was experiencing breaking in / theft from the cafeteria ice cream machine. A handful of employees, and a large cleaning crew were there at night. The client wanted me to pretend I was a new man on the cleaning crew. I didn't think that was going to fly, so I scoped out the cafeteria. The only place I could figure to hide was a big, glass front walk in freezer, with mirrored glass. This was before cheap security cameras were common. Late 70's, early 80's.
Borrowed a heavy coat someone had laying around - It was summer - Then locked myself in the freezer with a stool to sit on. Had a great view of the cafeteria.
Two male cleaners came in, jimmied the ice cream cooler open, and grabbed a handful. Wrote down their descriptions. Over the next hour, maybe 7 or 8 others came in and all headed to the ice cream cooler. Then a small group came in, jimmed open another fridge, and started cooking food on one of the stoves.
I got caught when a young hispanic girl came up to the freezer, pulled the door (locked), then she peered into the freezer. She seen me, made eye contact, then screamed. Busted.
I left the freezer, went back to the security office, and contacted the owner. He came in, and called the local PD. He had the cleaning crew line up, and me identify the culprits. After about 8 or 9, the local cops said they were not arresting that many people over stolen ice cream. The business owner then fired the entire cleaning crew.
And that was my "Big Case".
Larry
My best "case" was a manufacturing company that was experiencing breaking in / theft from the cafeteria ice cream machine. A handful of employees, and a large cleaning crew were there at night. The client wanted me to pretend I was a new man on the cleaning crew. I didn't think that was going to fly, so I scoped out the cafeteria. The only place I could figure to hide was a big, glass front walk in freezer, with mirrored glass. This was before cheap security cameras were common. Late 70's, early 80's.
Borrowed a heavy coat someone had laying around - It was summer - Then locked myself in the freezer with a stool to sit on. Had a great view of the cafeteria.
Two male cleaners came in, jimmied the ice cream cooler open, and grabbed a handful. Wrote down their descriptions. Over the next hour, maybe 7 or 8 others came in and all headed to the ice cream cooler. Then a small group came in, jimmed open another fridge, and started cooking food on one of the stoves.
I got caught when a young hispanic girl came up to the freezer, pulled the door (locked), then she peered into the freezer. She seen me, made eye contact, then screamed. Busted.
I left the freezer, went back to the security office, and contacted the owner. He came in, and called the local PD. He had the cleaning crew line up, and me identify the culprits. After about 8 or 9, the local cops said they were not arresting that many people over stolen ice cream. The business owner then fired the entire cleaning crew.
And that was my "Big Case".
Larry
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A lot of would be PI work for insurance companies. They are the lowest of the low. Complete scumbags. They couldn't become a cop for whatever reason so now they do that.
Pisgah
Member
Worked for one for short time. Spent a lot of cold nights sitting in my car with a camera, peeing in empty milk jugs, waiting for some guy/woman cheating on his/her spouse to show.
No more, thank you...
No more, thank you...
DWalt
Member
The only PI that I knew (but not very well) seemed to mainly be a spy in divorce cases, husband or his divorce attorney wants errant wife spied on or vice versa. No violence or gunplay was involved. Process servers are not PIs. All they do is serve various legal papers in person. They might need to do some digging to find a location for whoever it is that they need to serve legal documents on. At least in Texas, process servers have to meet only a few minimal state requirements, no state licensing or anything like that is required. I assume state legal requirements for becoming a PI may be somewhat more stringent.
My former daughter-in-law's brother worked for a short time as an investigator for some local law firm. He was such an idiot (in his case, idiot is the only adequate description for him) that he lasted for only a few months. No idea what it was he was supposed to investigate, I guess maybe traffic accidents, etc. That is what the law firm handled. The kind you see advertising on TV.
My former daughter-in-law's brother worked for a short time as an investigator for some local law firm. He was such an idiot (in his case, idiot is the only adequate description for him) that he lasted for only a few months. No idea what it was he was supposed to investigate, I guess maybe traffic accidents, etc. That is what the law firm handled. The kind you see advertising on TV.
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I take it from your comment you, or someone you know, must have been on the wrong outcome of something.
Please elaborate on your vast knowledge.
I did PI work back in the early 90s. Worked mostly for insurance companies and the only "scumbags" I ever ran into were the ones who were ripping off the insurance companies.
And then I went into police work and retired from law enforcement afterward.
I currently have my PI license but not currently working in that field.
I made good money doing work comp cases. But it was a lot of road and car time waiting and watching. Company I worked for only did work comp cases. Up side was if companies were spending money on surveillance they had pretty good evidence claim was suspect. And from my experience they were correct.
Some people have legit injuries and then get comfortable and try to work the system. Others have injuries when not working and pull the Monday morning injury fake and others are just looking for a free ride.
The only ones I could ever say could not be confirmed as some form of fraud were the few I never saw out and about.
I think about getting back in often but not sure I want to sit in the car as much. Insurance companies always pay and you don't have to chase your paycheck down.
Definately not like TV!
The field today is wide open with all kind of specialized areas. Recent article in a PI magazine where the investigator did missing pet investigation like Ace Ventura. A lot of PIs do serve process because it can pay well if you don't have cases at the time. Also gets you in front of attornies and skip tracing programs are available to licensed investigators.
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Donna K
Member
Gonna have to disagree here. Anyone committing insurance fraud is actually the one who is the lowest of the low scumbag. They cause all of our rates to go up. I wish the PI's busting them all the luck in the world.
Ingramite
Member
A short time after I got off the PD one of my old partners opened his PI firm and I helped him get it off the ground.
One of his clients was a credit union with delinquent car loans out. They used a repo agent for the easy ones. We chased down the more creative deadbeats. Once we found their trail we found the vehicle. We could score a premium if we actually recovered the vehicle ourselves.
Another client was a bail bondsman. Yeah. At that point I came to realize that anything short of commiting crime was going to be on the table. We would joke that we needed to find a bail jumper driving a repo car for a big payday.
Later I went to work in work comp fraud. Surveillance at the airport handling luggage by guys reporting injuries so severe that they couldn't work. The employer would fly them home for treatment and we would be waiting with video rolling. Video a guy with back sprains wrestling luggage off the check baggage turnstile. We caught them roofing houses. One guy posted a video on his Facebook page of him tossing his kids around in the swimming pool.
None of this stuff was glamorous and at my level I wasn't going to get rich doing it.
One of his clients was a credit union with delinquent car loans out. They used a repo agent for the easy ones. We chased down the more creative deadbeats. Once we found their trail we found the vehicle. We could score a premium if we actually recovered the vehicle ourselves.
Another client was a bail bondsman. Yeah. At that point I came to realize that anything short of commiting crime was going to be on the table. We would joke that we needed to find a bail jumper driving a repo car for a big payday.
Later I went to work in work comp fraud. Surveillance at the airport handling luggage by guys reporting injuries so severe that they couldn't work. The employer would fly them home for treatment and we would be waiting with video rolling. Video a guy with back sprains wrestling luggage off the check baggage turnstile. We caught them roofing houses. One guy posted a video on his Facebook page of him tossing his kids around in the swimming pool.
None of this stuff was glamorous and at my level I wasn't going to get rich doing it.
I did PI work for several years back in the early 1980s. Mostly insurance company fraud cases, workman's comp and following spouses going thru nasty divorces. Compared to police work I found it boring.
My neighbor owns a PI firm and is always asking if I'm interested. He gets more work than he can handle.
My neighbor owns a PI firm and is always asking if I'm interested. He gets more work than he can handle.
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I've hired them. We had a plant in Tennessee that had a rampant workers comp problem. They don't call fraudulent disability/comp claims a "Tennessee 401k" for no reason.
He was good. A bit expensive I thought but nowhere near as expensive as the bogus claims. The fraudsters were so stupid. We had one guy claiming total disability. The PI had video of him splitting wood with an axe for hours. We had them all prosecuted for fraud and that nonsense stopped after a couple of them actually went to jail.
I'd say the cost of the PI for the cases he worked was less than one disability claim. I think he worked six or seven. Worth every penny.
He was good. A bit expensive I thought but nowhere near as expensive as the bogus claims. The fraudsters were so stupid. We had one guy claiming total disability. The PI had video of him splitting wood with an axe for hours. We had them all prosecuted for fraud and that nonsense stopped after a couple of them actually went to jail.
I'd say the cost of the PI for the cases he worked was less than one disability claim. I think he worked six or seven. Worth every penny.
The only PI I ever knew locally made most of his money installing and repairing security systems - alarms and cameras. He accepted a case now and then that he thought would be lucrative - mostly divorces and the odd bail jumper.
I worked with another guy who moonlighted repossessing cars. His line when some one asked about his other job was, "I steal cars." He eventually got tired of being threatened, attacked by dogs, and once shot at and moved on to greener pastures.
I worked with another guy who moonlighted repossessing cars. His line when some one asked about his other job was, "I steal cars." He eventually got tired of being threatened, attacked by dogs, and once shot at and moved on to greener pastures.
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