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Tips for Hiring a P.I.

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TIP #1:  Insider Tips & Pitfalls | Article on How to Hire a Private Investigator by Bear Witness



Before you hire any Private Investigator, make sure they are licensed and have actual experience.  Use the free online resource we provide to weed out the dishonest ones. 

Ensure that the Private Investigator or Private Detective agency is State Licensed to legally perform investigations in your desired location.  In California (for example), if they are not licensed, it is illegal for them to work for you.

In California, you can verify all State issued Private Investigator Licenses on the Department of Consumer Affairs website.  This simple check will tell you if the company holds a valid private investigator's license.  And it will also, just as importantly, reveal exactly when that P.I. license was issued.     

Be weary of “newly” licensed investigators who often exaggerate their levels of experience on their websites or advertisements.  They do this simply to boost their credibility in the hopes of gaining your business. 

Let's face it; competition is fierce in Southern California.  Many pray these little “white lies” go unnoticed.  Some boldly claim or advertise that they have been a licensed private investigator for 5, 10, 15, or 20+ years....or whatever sounds good to them at the time.  But, when you check them out, you may find their actual experience as a licensed private investigator to be quite minimal. 

Verify their credentials (using the provided link below) and you will not be fooled by those deceitful and unsavory practices designed to put money in their pockets by tricking you. 

You already have a problem and you seek professional help.  Therefore, experience and honesty should be a top priority for you!  Do yourself a favor and check them out before your hire.  It's quick, really simple, and free to use. 

If you encounter any problems using the B.S.I.S. (Bureau of Security and Investigative Services) site below, just give us a call anytime and we'll walk you through it.  All you will need to do is input either the private investigation company name or their P.I. License number to get the results.

Here's the link to verify all Private Investigator licenses in the State of California: http://www.bsis.ca.gov/online_services/verify_license.shtml


Summary

To summarize Tip #1, always remember, if a private investigator is trying to deceive you from the start, just how do you think they will treat you later?  If they cannot tell you the simple truth about how long they have been a licensed Private Investigator, then walk away with a smile on your face and be thankful you did not hire them. 


Click to continue to Tip 2.