Investigation

Chasing Lines: A Private Investigator’s Guide to Staying Legal in Canada

The law isn’t the enemy for private investigators. It’s the shield between you and everything that can go wrong. The heater coughed out lukewarm air against the windshield, doing little to cut the frost building along the edges. I shifted in the driver’s seat, the vinyl stiff under my legs, and trained my eyes on

Rebecca Maguire

27557

Unmasking the Harasser: How Modern Investigation Tools Crack the Code on Burner Phones

Burner phones were once a shield for anonymity. Today, they’re just another thread we can pull to unravel a hidden identity. Private investigation has always been about keen observation, deductive reasoning, and following the breadcrumbs left by folks who think they’re clever enough to evade detection. In today’s world, however, the power of technology and

Tom Caliendo

27499

The State of OSINT in 2025 <or> When Do I Lose My Job to AI?

Siri, tell me all the times AI has screwed up background checks. A year or so ago, I was interviewed by Kelly Paxton for her fraud podcast. In talking about research and fraud, AI, of course, came up. I poo-poohed it. My motto since I opened my shop in 1999 has been “Providing Vital Information

Robert Gardner

27466

Investigating Edged Weapons Cases

Understanding the Five Types of Strikes Private investigators might find themselves investigating an edged-weapon case for various reasons: They might be hired by a family seeking closure on a cold case, where an unsolved stabbing crime has lingered without resolution, prompting the PI to re-examine old evidence, interview forgotten witnesses, or uncover overlooked details. They

Clay Kahler

27414

How To Identify Unnamed Women In Historical Records

Because women’s identities have often been intertwined with men’s, it can be difficult to find their maiden names, or even their first names. A deeper dive can uncover those personal details. When I’m searching for birth parents, I often have to reach back in time to unravel complicated mysteries. Part of that unraveling typically includes

Rachele' Davis

27340

Asset Searches: Dos and Don’ts

When you’re tracing hidden assets, cutting corners may be faster. But it’ll put your case — and your career — at risk. There’s a line that every private investigator has to walk. On one side is the pursuit of truth, the kind that cracks open hidden bank accounts and unearths property deeds that weren’t meant to

Tyler Rodgers

27266

Virtual Employee Interviews: To Record or Not?

Modern tech makes it easy for corporate security pros to video-record suspect statements virtually. Should you do it? Among other takeaways from the pandemic, we learned some hard lessons about fraud — and the practical need for investigative interviews in the interest of fiscal responsibility. Tech tools such as Zoom, Webex, and Google Meets have

Bruno Pavlicek

26992

Unlocking Troves of Data from an Email Address

We know what’s in a name and a Social Security number. But what discoverable secrets does an email contain? Many investigators overlook the true value of discovering someone’s email address. It’s not merely a point of contact; rather, it serves as a gateway to a wealth of publicly available and free information. In this article,

Tom Caliendo

26964

Investigative Hacks for Investigators Who Are NOT Hacks

A veteran Miami homicide detective shares a few creative investigative maneuvers he’s learned on the job. The Urban Dictionary defines a “hack” as a “clever or elegant” tech workaround used by coders to solve problems in a new or creative way. Non-programmers repurposed the word to describe all kinds of inventive fixes, from patching a

Ramesh Nyberg