Custer Agency

Thanks to books, movies and TV shows, many people have a clear mental image of the stereotypical private investigator. He works from a dimly-lit, cluttered, sometimes smoky office in a less-than-affluent part of town. There, he greets a series of walk-in clients — often women — who have been wronged in one way or another.

Usually, his job is either to find proof of wrongdoing or to make the situation right again. To do this, he gets useful information from witnesses and bystanders, sometimes with the help of false pretenses and fake identification. He tails witnesses, takes pictures, searches buildings and keeps an eye out for clues that others may have overlooked. Occasionally, his curiosity gets him into trouble, and he barely escapes being caught somewhere he isn’t supposed to be. But eventually, he returns to his distressed client, letting her know that he’s solved the case.

Lots of fictional detectives have contributed to this image, including Sherlock Holmes, Philip Marlowe and multiple film noir heroes from the 1940s and 50s. Today’s pop-culture investigators, like Adrian Monk and Veronica Mars, are often a little quirkier than their older counterparts. They don’t necessarily wear fedoras, work in questionable neighborhoods or even call themselves private investigators. However, they still appear as heroes who have a knack for digging up the right information at the right time.

But just how much of the P.I. lore is really true? How many of the events depicted in fiction are really possible — or legal? In this article, we’ll explore what it takes to become a private investigator and exactly what the job involves.

The first step to separating fact from fiction is to define precisely what a private investigator is. Essentially, private investigators are people who are paid to gather facts. Unlike police detectives or crime-scene investigators, they usually work for private citizens or businesses rather than for the government. Although they sometimes help solve crimes, they are not law-enforcement officials. Their job is to collect information, not to arrest or prosecute criminals.

Private investigators have existed for more than 150 years. The first known private detective agency opened in France in 1833. In 1850, Allan Pinkerton formed Pinkerton National Detective Agency, which grew into one of the most famous detective agencies in the United States. The Pinkerton Agency became notorious for breaking strikes, but it also made several contributions to the fields of law enforcement and investigation. The agency takes credit for the concept of the mug shot, and the term “private eye” came from the original Pinkerton logo.

Today, about a quarter of the private investigators in the United States are self-employed. Of those who are not, about a quarter work for detective agencies and security services [source: U.S. bureau of Labor Statistics]. The rest work for financial institutions, credit collection services and other businesses. Many investigators choose to focus on a specific field of investigation based on their background and training. For example, someone with a degree in business might become a corporate investigator. An investigator with a background in patents and trademarks might focus on intellectual property theft. A certified public accountant (CPA) might specialize in financial investigation.
But regardless of specialization, a P.I.’s job is to conduct thorough investigations

It’s tough to make the initial call but it’s tougher not knowing if your loved one is being unfaithful and who, when and where they are doing it with. When you need to know, call a professional private investigator in your area. Tell them all that you know or suspect. They will work with you to develop a cost-effective strategy to get the answers.

Do not suggest to the subject that you are considering hiring a private investigator. Such disclosure could negatively impact the outcome of the investigation.

Consider keeping a log with dates and times of when the subject is unaccounted for; vehicle odometer readings; suspicious phone calls and numbers; conversations with subject that relate to your personal problems; suspicious trips by subject; suspicious credit card charges etc. Always insure that the log is SECURED in a location where subject will not find it.

Insure that the initial call or communication to us can not be discovered by the subject.

Secure any evidence such as letters, notes, phone records, credit card bills that are suspicious, etc. Obviously, be sure that the subject will not miss these items. At least make a copy of them. Also, if you suspect a computer is being used to communicate with the “other person” the private investigator may be able to image the drive and recover information.

Do not reveal any information to the subject relating to the investigation until the investigation is completed.

Do not “interrogate” the subject during the investigation. If anything, your goal should be for the subject to think that you are not suspicious of their activity. You are not forcing them to have an affair. They have made that decision. Give them the opportunity to do what they choose to do.

Custer Agency, Boise, Idaho, has highly experienced private investigators, surveillance investigators and computer forensics specialists who produce superior results through the extraordinary use of innovation and technology. Call or e-mail us any time for a free consultation.

Idaho unlike Washington does not have licensing for Private Investigators therefore you need to be extra cautious. Custer Agency, Inc., is a Private Investigative Agency in Boise, Idaho you can trust. Check us out with the Better Business Bureau, we have an A+ rating. Call us for a free consultation. The following article exemplifies the need for caution in retaining a private investigator particularly an Idaho  private investigator:

Theft charge leveled against Bellevue private eye

By LEVI PULKKINEN
SEATTLEPI.COM STAFF

Looking for private eye, at least seven people looking for detective work turned to a Bellevue investigator.

Instead of John Shaft, police contend, they got shafted.

Leveling the accusations last week, King County prosecutors have charged formerly licensed private detective Jaemichael Henderson with a single count of first-degree theft.

Henderson — a 52-year-old Bellevue man also known as Michael J. Henderson — stands accused of bilking a Washington woman out of $4,050 after agreeing to help her in a custody dispute involving the orphaned children of her daughter.

In that case and six others, Bellevue Police Department detectives alleged in court documents, Henderson took payment for detective work he never completed.

According to police statements, the woman contacted Henderson in December 2008 hoping he could help her find information about another woman hoping to adopt her deceased sister’s children. Instead, she told officers, Henderson strung her along for months without any results, then used her contact information when incurring debts.

The Washington woman allegedly told detectives Henderson had offered to use a “source” with Verizon Wireless to obtain copies of text messages sent the subject of her investigation. Henderson allegedly took $1,850 in compensation for that service but delivered nothing.

Contacted by the state Department of Licensing in that case, Bellevue detectives found evidence that Henderson had conned six other people around the country, according to court documents. One man, police claim, paid Henderson $12,800 to find out if his ex-wife was living with another man but received nothing for it.

In court documents, Detective Kevin Kliewer recounted contacted the insurance firm through which Henderson claimed to have a state-mandated bond. Before he mentioned Henderson’s name, Kliewer said, the agent knew why he was calling.

“She has been receiving calls from victims all over the country making claims against him,” Kliewer said. The insurance, the woman told the detective, had lapsed due to non-payment.

The sole first-degree theft charge against Henderson filed in King County stems from his December 2008 contract with the Washington woman. According to court filings, state regulators have also suspended his private investigator’s license.

Henderson was arrested in February but has not been jailed in the case. He is scheduled to be arraigned later this month.