The Business

AI for Private Investigators: Applications, Limitations & Ethical Considerations

It’s time for investigators to adopt artificial intelligence. But it’s important to do it intelligently — with a mind to ethics, privacy, and transparency. For professional investigators, AI is now a tool we should be adding to our toolbox — along with the search engines, calendars, invoicing, transcription, and investigative databases we already use. It’s

Dean and Karen Beers

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Understanding the 3 Main Types of Abductions: A Guide for Private Investigators

Abductions demand rapid classification and tailored response. Private investigators can bridge gaps in resources and expertise. The abduction of Nancy Guthrie, the 84-year-old mother of TODAY show co-anchor Savannah Guthrie, has dominated headlines: Guthrie disappeared from her Tucson, Arizona home on or around January 31, 2026. Surveillance footage showed a masked intruder tampering with her

Clay Kahler

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The Worst States for Public Records Researchers

All opinions are mine, fervently held, vigorously defended, and backed up by supremely frustrating experiences. In response to something I recently posted on LinkedIn, fellow OSINT maven Brian Willingham noted that Florida is an all you can eat buffet when it comes to public records. Damn, as a person known for his eating prowess and

Robert Gardner

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Public Records: The Most Powerful Tool in a PI’s Kit

Tips from a reporter-turned-private investigator to make your public records requests more likely to succeed. The Bandidos’ lawyer had a problem. He was defending several members of the motorcycle club and needed a list of police officers who’d been decertified over a specific period. A routine public records request wasn’t going to cut it. At the

Steve Miller

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Tools of the Trade

Covert surveillance gadgets don’t crack cases. Grit does. The spy gear just makes the job slightly less impossible. Whenever I mention that I’m a private investigator, I usually get the same reaction: the look of excitement, followed by the obligatory “Got any cool stories?” Yes. Yes, I do. Allow me to relay them for the

Rebecca Maguire

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The Digital Detective: How to Evaluate Online News Sources and Spot Bad Information

Searching online news can fill in the gaps of a background investigation. A little media literacy can help you sort good information from bad.

Marcy Phelps

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The Digital Detective: How Online Research Strengthens Asset Investigations

Online research can play a crucial role in asset investigations, from identifying leads, getting to know your subject, and even collecting evidence of their lifestyle and expenditures. Asset investigations are complex. Every investigation is different, but most involve gathering intelligence through several different avenues: analysis of financial records, interviews, surveillance, and online research. This article

Marcy Phelps

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The Real Talk About Corporate Security Assessments: Why Convenience Is Your Biggest Enemy

How do you keep your company secure without making everyone’s job miserable? The Bottom Line Up Front: The biggest threat to corporate security isn’t sophisticated hackers or elaborate heists. It’s the human desire for convenience. After conducting dozens of security assessments for C-suite executives and corporate facilities, we’ve seen the same pattern everywhere: people know

Eric Davis and Greg Forest

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All the New Tricks Aren’t AI Generated

The Case of the Missing Divorce Files, the Second Source, and the Specter of Unknown Knowns I’ve already confessed I’m an AI convert. Since my confession back in March, I’ve become more enamored with my assistant. However — and this is important — using AI to do background research works. Using AI as your background