Local NJ Private Investigation Company: Bob Cowan, Cowan Investigations

Thanks to melodramatic novels, movies and TV shows, there are lots of misconceptions about private investigators. The biggest myth is that they can break laws and fly under the radar. Nothing could be further from the truth.Most professional investigators have years of experience in law enforcement, the security sector or the military. They have encyclopedic knowledge of state law and make sure that i’s are dotted and t’s are crossed. They are excellent observers, researchers and evidence gatherers. Many specialize in certain areas like insurance fraud, home surveillance or computer forensics.

Who hires a private investigator, or PI? The first person that probably comes to mind is the husband, wife or lover who suspects a partner of cheating. They can’t get even until they get answers.

Yes, suspected infidelity is one of the most common reasons to hire a PI, but there are plenty of others.

Protecting People, Assets and Relationships

No one should hire a nanny, home health aide, or other worker in the home without having a seasoned investigator do some homework. Renters and landlords would also be wise to check each other out.

Affairs of the heart, whether promising or ill-fated, keep investigators busy. A man considering taking a relationship to the next level could use a detective’s help, especially if he is wealthy. A woman who escaped an abusive relationship naturally wants to stay updated on the whereabouts of her ex.

Children run away. People skip out on debts. Fugitives attempt to dodge the law. PIs have numerous resources in missing persons cases, and they are not always bound by the laws that govern police searches.

The digital age has posed all kinds of new risks. Identity theft is a big one, and hackers seem to get savvier every day. Scammers prey on the elderly. Singles who use online dating services could be in for a world of hurt if they don’t take precautions. A private investigator with cybersecurity skills is a hero these days.

Protecting Businesses

Private detectives also guard businesses against bad apples, theft and liability.

More and more employers request a background check on any job candidate they’re considering. They have a duty to keep their customers, shareholders and employees safe. Likewise, for anyone thinking of investing in a startup, ordering a background check on the owner makes good business sense.

No one who is collecting workers’ compensation for an injury should work out at the gym or load his truck with two-by-fours at the home improvement store. A sharp private investigator might be taking pictures.

Detectives are often hired to do background checks on accusers or witnesses in litigation; their testimonies can be impeached if necessary.

In a case of fraud, such as by a shady contractor, the victim can’t initiate legal proceedings until the crook is located. A top-notch sleuth comes in handy.

Simply put, private investigators provide answers to a wide range of questions. Every day, their reports either confirm suspicions or put them to rest. Every day, their work ensures that truth and justice prevail.

A Job for the Experts

Attempting to catch a cheater or criminal in the act is a bad idea. At best, amateurs soon realize they’re in way over their heads. At worst, they put themselves in harm’s way. Thieving business partners and misbehaving adults don’t take kindly to being watched or followed.

Take infidelity cases. Some involve hours of surveillance. They often widen in scope to include a hidden assets search or cohabitation investigation. These are complex cases involving complex laws.

For instance, alimony may be impacted if the ex-spouse collecting it cohabits with a new romantic partner. Cohabitation is tougher to prove in New Jersey than in many states because it doesn’t necessarily mean sharing an address. If the couple engages in a sustained, intimate relationship that mimics a marriage or civil union, they are cohabiting whether they live together or not.

A cohabitation investigation requires extensive, painstaking research. PIs must gather video evidence of affection and comings and goings together. Investigators scour public records for shared utilities. They capture revealing social media posts. They chat up the neighbors and interview bar and hotel employees. Once the trash is set out for collection, they can sort through it to find documentation of shared assets.

Detective work requires skill and tenacity. Professionals who have been at it for a while work quietly, efficiently and largely invisibly using proven methods. They have a maze of connections to sources of information. They know where to look and what to ask.

It’s a shame that there are so many reasons to hire a PI. Fortunately, investigators often get to tell clients that their worst fears are unfounded.