Here are step by step instructions on how to successfully find someone. And in fairness to those who need their privacy we have included this section.

Meet your new best friend.

•  Hire a professional. Most pros will be able to find someone relatively quickly and sometimes for less than $100. Professionals have a wide range of research sources that they have cultivated over the years, including investigative databases, other investigators, and countless other sources of information. But, if you don’t want to pay a professional or pay for an investigative information database AND if you have A LOT of time your hands and some good common sense, read on.
• Gather as much information on the person you wish to locate.
• Start a file. Almost all professionals begin with a file in some form.
• Write down all of the person’s identifying information: Full name and any aliases, date of birth (DOB), previous addresses, Social Security number, driver’s license number, automobiles, license plates, telephone numbers, places of employment and those telephone numbers, note occupation (most states require licensing for certain professions), names of friends and relatives, places the person likes to socialize, and anything else you come up with.
• Begin with the phone book or directory assistance. I’ve been paid well to dial 411.
• Write down all the persons with the same surname as your subject; e.g., if you are trying to locate John Doe in Anytowne, USA, write down all the Does, they could be relatives.
• Call those people. Here’s where we get into some interesting stuff. Say you won a small claims judgment and are trying to locate your debtor. Your debtor may very well be attempting to hide. Now, you can’t very well call up any one of those Does and say,”This stinkin’ guy with your same last name owes me money! Now tell me where the no good looser lives!” In a scenario like this one, not only have you scared the bejesus out of some poor Doe who may or may not be related to your debtor, but you potentially have scared off your debtor, making him skip town. There’s a technique that professionals use. Investigative Journalists are very familiar with it, too. It’s called the “ruse“, or “pretext“. It’s our First Amendment right to lie. A little pretext goes along way. Let’s replay the above scenario again, but this time we use the “ruse“, or “pretext“: “Hi! This may sound strange to you. But I’m trying to find John Doe . . . Oh, my name is Whatever . . . yeah, me and John go way back. School, ball games . . . (You have to be careful what you say here ,for obvious reasons) , worked together in the construction business. Haven’t seen him in ages! What’s he been up to? Hey, do you have his number by any chance? Where’d I get your number. Directory assistance. Yeah, he spoke about you last year when we went fishing. I’d love to get a hold of him. Thanks a lot. Now you take care.” You have to be creative, but not outrageous. Assume the person you are calling is intelligent and cautious; they could also very well be rude. Keep this in mind, too, “You can attract more flies with honey than you can with vinegar”. Ask yourself what you would believe if someone called you asking for the same information. Write what you are going to say down on paper. Read it back aloud to yourself until you get it right. Then make your call.
•   
• DANGER, WILL ROBINSON! DANGER!: There are laws in most states that forbid a person from representing themselves as the following: law enforcement, any government official or employee, and legal counsel. I would go as far as to not recommend the use of an established business such as AT&T, Microsoft, NBC, Planet Hollywood, Hard Copy . . . Get the idea? There may or may not be criminal ramifications, depending where you live, but there may very well be civil ramifications. These guys can have attorneys crawling in every crevice of your life!
• What if I don’t know what city the person lives in? Or state? Have you contacted all friends and relatives that you know? Are you sure? Are you positive you didn’t overlook one possibility? Okay, this where we start getting into the research part of the gig. Ask yourself about your subject. What kind of person is this? Does this person have to have a license to run a particular kind of business in a state? Where would this persons parents live? Where might this person live?
• end of part one . . .

Tip:

When you call directory assistance always ask for the persons’s address, whether you need it or not. Why? This buys you more time with the operator. If you don’t, you’ll just hear the familiar,”Hold for the number please . . .”. This is very helpful if you are searching a common name like John Smith – and there will be many John Smiths. Directory assistance is required to give you up to 3 names, addresses, and telephone numbers per call. Take advantage of this. It will save you time and money. Also, if your operator is not performing well, ask for a supervisor. Supervisors are a little better at searching the directory. by infoguys

Spy Center .com – Miami Private investigators and Private Detective Services

Video Surveillance Services  ( posted in Miami Florida )

Most people assume that using a van is the best vehicle for video surveillance. This is not always true. The aim is to blend in as much as possible, and a van can be conspicuous. Instead, use a four door sedan that is dark blue in color. Blue is the most popular color for a car, followed by green.
 
 

Imagine being an outfielder in a baseball game where your pitcher is pitching a no-hitter for the 8th straight inning. You just sit there and wait, but there is a chance that a fly ball will come your way. You can’t dose off, read a book, or do your nails; you HAVE to keep watching and waiting.

That’s video surveillance. A lot of waiting. It takes a special kind of person to be proficient at it. You have to remain alert and ready for action after sitting in your car waiting for hours on end. And you cannot rightly drive off to McDonalds to get some more fries and a coke and relieve yourself, because you risk the chance of losing your subject.

Dealing with the boredom and tedium of video surveillance is the easy part. You can always rent books on tape from Blockbuster, or listen to the radio, or learn how to count backwards in Russian.

TIP: 
If it is within your budget, rent your vehicles. This will enable you to use a variety of vehicles and minimize your chances of being spotted. 
 

Let’s try this common scenario: You need to find out if John Doe is working at the same time he is collecting disability.

Unfortunately, the best way to perform video surveillance is impractical. Example: In this scenario, it would be best to have a team of investigators with cars and vans, scrambled radio communications capabilities, long range telephoto lenses for their Nikon F3′s, telescopes, various apartments and houses rented out for vantage points, and a relief team to back them up when they get a little sleepy. Let’s get real, shall we?

If you’re lucky your client will have enough in their budget to be able to pay for a two person team to watch a subject. Most of the time it will be just you, your car and your tapes. Hopefully you will have some binoculars, a still camera, a video camera, and a small tape recorder to record the path you are taking when following your subject.

First off, survey the neighborhood. Find several points where you can see all the exits of John Doe’s house, and yet be far away enough, where it would be difficult for him to see you. Study a detailed map of the area. Become familiar with the streets, alleys, shortcuts, and alternative routes. Plan to be there early in the morning depending on what you suspect Mr.Doe might do. Example: If he is a carpenter, you will want to be there before sunrise; if he works retail, be there an hour or two before the stores open.

You do not want to alarm neighbors! They will be the demise of your case if you are not prepared. Call the local police department and explain that you are an Investigator and are conducting video surveillance in a given area. Describe yourself, your vehicle, the approximate location of where you will be, and the times you will be there. Go down to the station, if possible, and speak with a detective or sergeant. Leave them your business card and be friendly and professional. Try to convince the persons you speak with to notify the neighbors that you are working in cooperation with the police. It may be a little misleading, but if a neighbor calls the police they will hopefully put that neighbor at ease, making him or her believe that this is a police matter. If a neighbor spots you, smile. If the neighbor approaches you, be friendly, polite, and professional. Explain that you are an Investigator and are working in cooperation with the local police department. But apologize that , by law, you cannot share any details about what you are doing. By all means, subdue any panic the neighbor may exhibit regarding “Criminal Activity” in the neighborhood. Say that none of the neighbors are suspected in any wrong doing and assure them there will NOT be a swat team there. If you think it will not compromise your case, show them ID and give them your business card. Also offer to keep an eye out on their place, saying you will let them know if anything suspicious goes on.

As in any case requiring surveillance, there is the possibility of the neighbor telling everyone in the neighborhood. Then your cover is blown.

IMPORTANT: 
Carry a small tape recorder for recording your path when following a subject. Example: “Subject made a left turn on Elm (south), then a right turn on Main (West), and stopped at the Burger King drive thru. at 123 North Main.” This way you can easily retrace your steps and you can focus on driving and not writing while driving. It is also a strong tool for writing your report when the case is complete. It can also be used as evidence, so DO NOT erase it. Keep in a safe place like an evidence locker or safe. 
 

Surveillance Techniques:

The most common is to follow your subject in a car. Use common sense. Try to keep as much distance between you and your subject as possible, while still maintaining a close tail. Try to keep at least one vehicle between you and your subject. Chances are you will lose your subject in traffic. This is better than having him suspect you are following him and speeding off to places unknown. If you lose your subject you will just have to start over the next day. But there is an optional technique . . .
People are creatures of habit. Think about it. How long have YOU worked at your job? Now, how many different routes do you take to drive to work? I would bet you answered “One” to the last question. This is true for most people. Although I’m sure there are people who use multiple routes to get to and from work, but I would wager that even if they do use multiple routes, they are very similar and close to one another.
Try this: If you lose him at 123 North Main St. at 8:38 AM during the work week, there is a very good chance that he will be passing by there the next day at 8:38 AM. So be there. If he’s there the next day and you lose him again, be where you lost him the next day, and so on until you reach your goal.
Multiple Vehicle for video surveillance. This technique is much the same, except you have much more flexibility. You can both follow your subject and change places as you see fit. Example: Car #1 could remain behind the subject while car #2 could be closely in front of him. Car #2 could radio when and where the subject has turned. At this point car#1 could pick up the “close” position, and eventually pass the subject and take a position ahead of the subject, and so on. Of course, the more vehicle and investigators you have the more efficient you will be.
Surveillance on foot. Again, use common sense. If you have to follow someone during a lunch hour, dress as your subject would dress. He might go into a nice restaurant for lunch. You will want to be able to get into the restaurant, too, and maybe sit at the bar or at a table where you can see your subject. It’s also a good idea to carry some disguises. Disguises?! Yup. Nothing elaborate is needed. Just a change of a shirt, pants, or shoes, a hat or two, a couple pair of sunglasses or prescription glasses, and yes a fake mustache. If you are not going to get face to face with your subject, these few items will take you a long long way. Just think of how many people you encounter on a daily basis. Can you remember what they all look like? If you could, you probably wouldn’t be reading this. by infoguys

Spy Center .com is a miami Private Investigation Agency with Miami Private Investigators and detectives who perform private detective services in miami, Florida Fort lauderdale , Broward County , miami dade , Palm beach County , martin County ,  Fort pierce , port Saint Lucie , Hialeah , Miami lakes , South beach , Aventura , Hallandale beach , pinecrest , Pembroke Pines , North miami , Coral Gables and Investigation Services South Florida

Background Investigation Techniques Part I ( posted in Miami Florida )

Background investigation is a very basic and essential technique in investigations. It is actually the crux of all investigation. It’s values are indispensable and a well performed background investigation can make or break a case.

Why perform Background Investigation Services ?
Simply, because you need to know something or some things about an individual, a business, or another entity.

Here are a few examples:

You need to know if your new nanny has had a record of child abuse or abduction.
You need to know if your potential new employee has been truthful about everything on his or her application.
You need to know if your client is on the level.
You need to know if the plaintiff is being fraudulent.
You need to know if your witness can be impeached.
You need to know if your opposition’s star witness has a “usable dark spot” in his past
You need to know if that business you are considering purchasing is being sued or has been sued and has liens against it.
You need to know if your business partner is involved in other things.
You need to know if your opposing attorney is going to use the exact same closing arguments he or she used at the last trial.
You need to know the presiding judge’s biases.
You need to know the jury members political affiliations.
The list goes on and on . . .

What can I learn from Background Investigation Services ?
You can learn many, many things about your subject, including, but not limited to:

A correct name and any aliases used.
A correct company name and any subsidiaries, etc.
Correct addresses, telephone numbers, social security numbers, tax i.d.’s, etc.
Correct current and previous employers.
Criminal convictions.
Civil litigation history.
Assets and Liabilities, including banking and property info.
Judgments and liens, etc.
Automobile/vehicle ownership information.
Automobile driving records.
Personal Property Tax information.
Real Estate Tax Information.
Neighbors, friends, relatives.
Credit history (with a written consent).
Spouse, relatives, friends, associates, business partners, businesses, etc
In short, you can even find out what kind of deodorant someone uses, as well as other things you may not care to know. But maybe we should save that for another section . . .

WHY ALL THIS STUFF ABOUT CORRECTNESS?
That’s because so many errors occur in the real world, that you have to verify what is correct to prevent yourself from spinning your wheels trying to chase some red herring. For example: Say you were hired to perform a background search on me, William Shelton. Your initial assignment from one of the many attorneys or paralegals at Big & Bigger Attorneys at Law said they needed to find all the dirt on this Bill Sheldon, an investigator located in Northern Virginia, and we need it yesterday. If you went about trying to find the Bill Sheldon, you might not have much luck. And on your report to the client, whom you just charged $1000, might have said there was no such person. The client responds, “We know there is! He used to work for us!” What’s the problem here? The problem is that you spent your client’s money looking for the wrong person. You should have been looking for a ‘Shelton’ and not a ‘Sheldon’. Chances are you would have seen this mistake, but this is just an illustration of how correctness plays a roll in our business. Granted it is ultimately the client’s responsibility to provide you with the correct information to begin with, but GET REAL! Take it from a seasoned pro, THIS DOES NOT HAPPEN OFTEN! Here’s another example, just a few weeks before the writing of this, I was given three subpoenas to serve. They were drop dead, HAVE-to serve-them-NOW, and I-don’t-care-what-you-charge subpoenas. Each of the three subpoenas had incorrect addresses. I could have called the attorney and said,”Uh, the addresses on those subpoenas were bogus. What do you want me to do?” Which would have made the attorneys sweat bullets. Instead, I got to a pay phone called directory assistance and a few other places, also spoke with a Federal Express courier, and within the very short time allotted I had each one of those subpoenas correctly served. And the attorney were none the wiser until they received the report and the bill, which they have graciously paid and were grateful to have had the subpoenas served. They have also called back and refereed our services. The point is that you have to be as accurate as possible in order to do a good job, and you have be even better to run a successful business.
What do I need to perform Background Investigation Services ?

How about enough money to pay a professional?
Okay, enough of the plugs . . .
Time, telephone, pen , paper, car, and some money. These are the basic necessities. Other very helpful items include a computer, information databases, internet access, and directories of private investigators around the country from associates like InfoGuys, NALI, CII, WAD, etc..
Good common sense and some street smarts. The key is not necessarily knowing where the information is, but it’s knowing who to ask. Most investigations are conducted in this manner. It is impossible in today’s age of information to know where every little snippet of information is, but it is not impossible to know how to find it, and finding it simply requires tenacious inquiry – OR ask around until you find the answer.

Tip:
The key is not necessarily knowing where the information is, but it’s knowing who to ask. Honestly, most Private investigations are conducted in this manner. It is impossible in today’s age of information for any one person to know where every little snippet of information is, but it is not impossible to know how to find it. Finding the information simply requires tenacious inquiry – OR keep asking around until you find the answer.”

NOTE:
Please know that most states forbid persons from looking into the reputation or activities of other persons or business as an ordinary course in their business, UNLESS that person is a licensed private investigator, attorney or their employees, or law enforcement. Even if you do it occasionally to check out your nanny or a renter, there may be restrictions. AND if you do violate any laws, aside from obvious repercussions, any information you have retrieved about that person may be deemed inadmissible in a court of law. Please consult the laws in your state. by infoguys

Spy Center .com providing background investigations in miami by licensed Miami Private Investigators and Miami detectives. Call our Miami Detective Agency today for private detective services and Investigation services in miami, Florida, Fort Lauderdale , Pinecrest , homestead , Miami lakes , Doral Florida , Weston , Pembroke Pines , Miami Beach , Broward County , martin County , Miami-Dade , South Beach , Hialeah , Coral gables , Hollywood Beach , Wilton manors , North Miami Beach , Medley , Aventura , Bal harbor , Florida City , Cutler bay , Cutler Ridge , Perrine , Hollywood Beach , key West , Islamorada , Fort Pierce , Miami Shores , Port Saint lucie , West Palm beach and Background investigation Services in Miami and south Florida. Hire a miami Private investigator for criminal record searches and background searches online now.

Skip Tracing 101 – Part II  ( posted in miami Florida ) 

Most people have the following traceable items: Automobile, telephone and other utilities, mailbox, credit card. A good number also own property. Keeping this in mind, you should exhaust all resources and trails to your subject’s items.

Tip:

If you know your subject’s last address, do this: Mail an empty envelope with the subject’s address and a return address. On the envelope write,”DO NOT FORWARD. ADDRESS CORRECTION REQUESTED.” After a week or so, you will receive the envelope back to the return address you specified with a yellow sticker on the envelope containing the forwarding address your subject filed with the post office. Of course, there is always the possibility that your subject did not file a change of address.
W A R N I N G ! Only perform this technique when you are sure that your subject has moved, or else he may receive the letter and you might be made.

Okay. So, what if your subject lives in another state?

• Again, begin with Directory Assistance and Telephone Directories that cover the state you wish to search. Call your local library and ask if they have out of state telephone directories and what years. If they do not have the directories you are looking for ask which library would have those. You can also call most state capitals to locate their respective state’s telephone directories. Most state capitals have there respective state’s telephone directories dating back for years.
• What if you have NO idea whatsoever where your subject may be?
  Begin looking for the subject’s relatives.
• What if there are no leads for relatives?
  Hire a professional to conduct some simple Nationwide searches for you. You should be able to get a listing of persons with the same name as your subject for $40.00 to $100.00. But please be aware that a large number of professional investigators are not too crazy about working for such little money, but then again you may get lucky and find someone who would be happy to help out. Note that if you’re searching for a judgment debtor, in most states you can attach the fee’s incurred from collecting the judgment onto the principal amount of the judgment.
• What if you can’t afford a professional?
  You are really going to do a lot of legwork. This is often the case with judgment debtors who have skipped. Contact the subject’s former employers, co-workers, or employees. If you’re lucky, these folks will have a grudge against your subject, too. Note that people are creatures of habit. A person who is likely to commit improprieties in one instance may very well do the same elsewhere. This means that there may be a good chance that one of the people you contact could have a similar experience to yours. They may or may not be willing to share the information they have. But, there is always a good chance that your contact will say, “Yeah, I heard John Doe moved to Alabama or somewhere.” Okay, that’s a good start. Ask your contact where he heard this. Try to validate his statement without insulting him. Then follow up on his lead. It could very well be nothing. Maybe it was Arkansas and not Alabama. Continue to dig. You may have to exhaust all your contacts. But that’s part of the game. Unless the guy is a complete loser or in jail, then you stand a good chance of finding him. Even if he is total loser you can find him, but he probably won’t have anything worth levying to satisfy your judgment.
• Search court records.
  There can be a wealth of information in civil, criminal, and bankruptcy records. If you’re searching bankruptcy files you will be able to find out if he has claimed bankruptcy, and whether or not you can make a claim against his estate, or simply whether or not it is worthwhile pursuing. You can also find his social security number, DOB, spouse, other persons involved, and list of assets and liabilities at the time of filing bankruptcy. We have also seen copies of Federal Tax returns, divorce settlements, and abstracts from other civil cases. If you search criminal and civil records, you may also find additional identifying information, such as spouse, addresses, aliases, etc. Add these to your list and follow up on them.
• Search Vital Records.
  Vital Records (Vitals, Vitals Statistics, Vital Stats, etc.) are birth, death, and marriage records. Say you feel that knowing your subject’s parents would be helpful. If you can locate his birth certificate, his parents will be listed on the certificate. Say you feel that your debtor has vested all his assets in his wife’s name, but you don’t know the spouse’s name: search the marriage records. For this reason you may also find it necessary to know your subject’s spouse’s or ex-spouse name.
• Search Department of Motor Vehicle Records.
  Note that many states have restrictions on DMV searching and some states forbid the general public from accessing those records. However, you could very possibly locate an address, vehicles registrations, or a driving record. The search criteria for DMV records varies. Some states require full name and date of birth, others require a social security number, and others require an arbitrary driver’s license number. You may also be able to search using your subject’s license plate, so always take plate numbers down.
• Search Voter Registration Records.
  These are still public in most places, but note that a lot of people do not vote. However, if you do not find your subject listed you may find his parents, brother or sister. Also, you will have to call around to see which city or county would have the records for your subject’s address – voter registration, like other matters, is jurisdictional.
• Search Tax Roll Records.
  See the city or county office that has jurisdiction over your subject’s address, and search for property tax bills, personal property tax bills, and excise tax bills.
• Search for Business License Records.
  You may have to dig to see which agency controls this. It may be the state, the county, or the city in which your subject’s business OR residence lies in. It may also be in one, all, or any combination of the three. And they may all conatain different information.
• Contact the appropriate Better Business Bureau.
  They may be able to help.
• Search real estate records.
  Most states have several County Recorder’s Offices which record all real estate transactions in the given county. Go to the county recorder’s office in the county in which your subject resides or has resided. The records will usually be indexed alphabetically, by date, and by grantor (seller) and grantee (buyer). Search both indices. Search by your subject’s name, aliases, spouse’s name, and all possible spelling combinations of his name. Again, know that information has to be passed through many hands before it reaches an index. Keep in mind that it is very easy to create a typographical error in that process. So it is paramount that when searching you have to exhaust all possibilities. Also keep in mind that people will use their initials in their names. So locate where this will be in the index. For example, Z. Doe might be listed in the Z’s OR he might be listed at the very beginning of the index. Look at both.

Note:

Public information is free! However, compiling it and making it available is costly. Keep in mind that investigators pay well for their information databases and would probably not be able to compete without them. They pay for the ease of access of the information and for the time their vendors have taken to compile it and make it available.

Tip:

When Searching public records like the ones listed to the right, you will be asked to use an index that will list persons and businesses by name. If you are looking for a person, search for the last name, then find the first name and ANY similar spellings of either first or last names. This is very important, because oftentimes typographical errors occur when the data is processed. Also, be aware that someone’s initials can be used in the index. Once you have found some possible “hits”, there will be a corresponding file number. Record the file number and ask the clerk to retrieve the file for you, or ask how to retrieve it if the files are self serve. by infoguys

Spy Center .com – Miami Private Investigators - Miami Florida detective Services

Skip Tracing 101 – Part III  ( posted in Miami Florida ) 

Laws in most states forbid persons from representing themselves as investigators if they are not. As a matter of fact most state laws forbid persons from looking into the whereabouts or reputation of persons and entities as part of their normal course of business; if not licensed as a private investigator. Please read the laws in your state’s appropriate Rules and Regulations, and Statutes.
How to locate neighbors. If you plan to canvass a neighborhood, get a map. When you are in the neighborhood pay close attention to all adjacent properties to your subject’s house or apartment. You will want to talk with at least several persons on each side of your target, as well as behind the TARGET and across the street. If you plan to use a telephone here’s what you will have to do. Go to a library (or call first) near the target. At the reference desk ask for the Reverse Directory for the area. A Reverse Directory is like a telephone book but backwards. Instead of looking up someone’s to get an address and number, you look up the address or telephone number first. Like a telephone directory, they will not be complete. Make sure you are looking at the most current one as well as the one dated to when your subject lived at the target. Some of the names for the reverse directories are The Blue Book and Haine’s Directory. They are used mostly by people and companies who produce mailing lists for mail solicitation. Remember to photocopy all appropriate pages or take careful notes.
Contacting Neighbors in an apartment building.This can be difficult, but maybe necessary. If you plan to canvass the building, you first have to get inside. This can get you in trouble if you go about it in the wrong way. How you gain access will be dependent on the trespassing laws in your state. Most states trespassing laws state that any area commonly accessible to the general public is not considered trespassing unless otherwise noted. And by all means DO NOT BREAK THE LAW TO GAIN ACCESS INTO AN APARTMENT BUILDING! Not only can you get arrested, but it is possible that it may be brought up in court as it pertains to your manner of collecting your judgment. The judge or jury may not be happy with your behavior and hence find against you. It is best to get permission to enter the building. If you can sweet talk your way into the building via the building’s manager, you probably will be safe. Remember to note the name and physical description of the person who let you in. If there is a security guard on duty you might be out of luck. These guys, in general, are very difficult to deal with. They seem to get pleasure out of making things difficult or unpleasant for people. Again, here’s where a professional would have the advantage. A security guard might very well be a P.I. wanna-be and would love nothing more than to aid in the investigation of one of the previous ”bad tenants” tenants.
Last words of advice: Be discreet, Be professional, Be thorough. Good Luck!
Click here for a printable skip tracing form and checklist.

Tip:
Always look your best. Be clean and neat. You will be judged constantly. If you look like a looser, you probably will be treated as such. Also, dress appropriately or dress in a style that the neighbors can identify with. If you plan to canvas a “Blue Collar” neighborhood, don’t dress like like an attorney; forgo the gray suit with a white shirt, and opt for a more casual look. If the neighborhood you are canvassing is upper middle class a suit may be more appropriate. Use your best judgment. will also want to contact the persons living in your subject’s old home or the owner of the home. If your subject rented the property you will certainly want to contact his landlord. First, find out who owns the property. This can be done by contacting the appropriate county tax assessor. Provide the clerk (either by mail or in person; they rarely give info over the telephone) with the address of the property. They will, in turn, provide you with the NAME and billing address of the person responsible for paying the tax bill. This, presumably, is the owner. If it is the subject’s previous landlord, ask if he or she will kindly provide you with any information of the subject. This may include an application, which hopefully will show his SS#, DOB, employment, previous addresses, references, spouse, etc. *If the subject was the owner of the property, or better yet, IS the owner, you may get some information from the current owner, or if you speak with the tenant ask the tenant where they send the rent check. But again be careful, you do not want to spook you subject into hiding. Use a ruse if you’re speaking with your subject’s tenants. by infoguys

Spy Center .com – Miami Private Investigators - Miami Florida

Background Investigations  Part II

 ( posted in Miami Florida )

Okay. Let’s get started. Let’s use the ‘Potential Nanny’ as an example. But first let’s go over a few very important issues:
IMPORTANT!
Simply because someone has a clean background is no guarantee they will not commit improprieties. The reason that background checks are known to work is that people are creatures of habit. A person who has been convicted of a crime may very well have a tendency to commit crimes. Or someone who has sued another may have a tendency to sue. When we find information on people and the like, we focus in on patterns of behavior as our driving force in making a decision. Again, a clean background check is no guarantee that your nanny will do the right thing. For better security we recommend installing surveillance equipment to periodically monitor your nanny.

IMPORTANT!
Please consult the laws in your state or seek the advice of an attorney, regarding hiring of employees and what information you may or may not ask of a potential employee. An example of this would be what ‘race’ or ‘age’ is the potential employee. If you ask these types of questions you may liable for discrimination, So, please read the law!

Please remember that all the techniques can be applied to performing a background check on a person, business, or entity.

There is one important difference between this type of background investigation (Pre-employment) and most of the other types, and that is that the subject, in this case the nanny knows the investigation is taking place and will sign a release of information so that you may obtain privileged or confidential information, such as a credit report or scholastic records. Other types of investigations may be considered ‘surreptitious’, or without the person’s knowledge.

First have your potential nanny fill out and sign an employment application. You can find an application for employment at you local library or law library, or stationary mega-mart, or you can search for it here on the Net. The application should contain fields that ask for their full name and aliases and maiden name, date of birth (DOB), social security number (SSN), previous employment for ten years, education background (names and addresses of institutions), previous addresses for ten years, full names of spouse and/or children, names and addresses and telephone numbers of at least three references, whether or not the applicant has been convicted of a crime or is in any kind of litigation, or is being treated for mental illness, what kind of medications they are taking, and if there are any restrictions that may impede their performance, and a name and address and telephone number of the closest living relative not living with the applicant, and a contact in case of emergency. Please tell the applicant that you wish to have the entire application filled out and that you will not accept blank fields without an explanation. Also, Please read the laws in your state regarding hiring, or consult an attorney.

Tip:
To save some time and legwork: When doing court research, or any other agency research for that matter, call the clerk’s office first. Tell them you want to order copies of a case file. Tell them you don’t have a case number but you only have the name of the defendant (or plaintiff). Many clerk’s offices are automated, so they can simply enter the name into their computer system to see whether or not there is even a case by that name. If there is a ‘hit’, try to determine whether or not this is your subject. Also, ask how large the file is. At that point it will be up to you whether or not you need to make the trip to the agency to view the file or whether or not you want them to make copies for you and mail them to you. Copies range from 10¢ to 50¢ per page.

Next have the Nanny sign a release of information form. Click here for an example. NOTE: This is just an example. You will probably want to tone it down a bit else you might scare away a good nanny. FYI: This for was taken from the Maryland State Private Investigator’s License Application Packet. This gives you an idea of the scrutiny many of us Private Eyes undergo.
 

Now you will have to verify all the information stated on the application. For the most part, this will entail making many telephone calls and doing a little leg work. There is no order in which you have to perform the research. However, if you find that your applicant has been convicted of a child abuse, you may opt to discontinue further investigation. So, below is a general guideline of the order in which to perform the background. Also, to save time, you will want to coincide various aspect of your research together if they apply. For example, most governments (including local governments), oftentimes locate all there offices in a single location. So you should plan to do your civil and criminal records searches at the same time, because the civil and criminal clerks office may be just across the hall from one another. Also, if you have more than one applicant you are researching, try to orchestrate the research so you are not going back to the same agency several times.

The single most important and most challenging aspect of this procedure is verifying whether or not the information you are viewing is about your applicant OR about someone else with the same name. What you have to do is simply play a little matching game with the information provided to you by your applicant. Try to find and match the following information: DOB, SSN, middle name or initial, addresses, telephone numbers, aliases, etc., from the information provided to you with the record you are viewing. If there is a positive match somewhere in your document, you have probably found a hit. If there is NO match, do not rule this record out until you can verify it. If there is a negative match, such as a VERY different SSN, DOB, etc., then you should rule that record out. The information has to be very different, meaning that you have to take into consideration Human Error. Examples: a police officer at 3AM writing a report on his fifth drunk driving case of the night, amongst other things, may very well spell the name Gonzalez like G-O-N-Z-A-L-E-S, or a clerk may enter a middle initial of ‘K.’ when she meant to enter in the letter ‘L.’, which is next to ‘K’ on the keyboard.
Tip:
“The information has to be very different, meaning that you have to take into consideration Human Error. Examples: a police officer at 3AM writing a report on his fifth drunk driving case of the night, amongst other things, may very well spell the name Gonzalez like G-O-N-Z-A-L-E-S, or a clerk may enter a middle initial of ‘K.’ when she meant to enter in the letter ‘L.’, which is next to K on the keyboard. ” by infoguys

Background Investigations Miami

Spy Center is a Private Detective Agency with Miami Private Investigators and detectives who provide background Investigation Services , Video Surveillance and Private detective Services in miami, Florida, Fort lauderdale, Miami Dade , Broward County , Martin County , Palm Beach County , West Palm Beach , Hialeah , Coral Gables , Aventura , South beach , Miramar , Pembroke Pines , pinecrest , north miami , Homestead , Boca raton and South Florida . Call our Miami Private Investigators   

Background Investigation Techniques Part III   ( posted in Miami Florida )

With the importance of accuracy and verification permanently ingrained in you, you should now be ready to to do some investigating.

C O U R T R E C O R D S

You will want to search federal, state, and local court records.
Depending on your subject’s name and where you live , this may be the most confusing aspect of background investigation. Note that these records are open to the public and in no way should you be restricted from seeing them and you should not have to divulge why you are requesting to see the records.

FAQ: Can I get someone’s “rap sheet”? No! Only after a person has been convicted will the information become public. Why? The U.S. Constitution provides that we are innocent until proven guilty. If you were innocent and got arrested because of mistaken identity, would you allow those arrest records to be used in making a decision about your employability or reputation?

A little legal lesson: State courts in the U.S. have two ‘levels’: an upper court and a lower court. Depending on where you live, they may be referred to as Superior Court and Municipal Court, Circuit Court and District Court, or Supreme Court and Municipal Court, etc.. The ‘Upper Court” handles bigger matters and matters that originate within the County’s jurisdiction. The ‘Lower Courts’ handle cases that are smaller in nature and originate within a city’s corporate limits. The important thing to remember is that there are at least two courts that you will want to search. Oftentimes they are located in the same building, but are just down the hall from each other. Now each court has a number of divisions, a civil division and a criminal division, a traffic division and a small claims division, and possibly a family or domestic division. A criminal court handles all cases involving ‘crimes against the public’. Civil courts handle disputes between citizens, companies, and governments. Traffic court handles ‘ most’ traffic violations – MOST, meaning that serious traffic offense (repeated drunk driving, vehicular homicide) will be handled by another court’s criminal division.

TIP: 
Here’s an example of some notes you might take:
Today’s Date: 11/13/97
Source: US District Court, Criminal Filings.
Range: 1/1/88 to present
Search Criteria:
Nanny, Sweet L.
Records found:
No records found

Records Found:
Nanny, S. – case# CR-123-96
Nanny, Sweet – case# CR-123-96

Then take notes on the case file:

Nature of case: Nanny was convicted for wire fraud involving unsuspecting family. Served 3 years in Federal Pen.
You will want to take as many notes as are appropriate here. You may also opt to have copies made.
 

Federal Courts will have civil and criminal files, AND bankruptcy filings. Bankruptcy filings may be a very important link in your background investigation. If your nanny is in financial trouble AND has a couple of law suits pending against previous employers, you may want to consider other nannies. Bankruptcy filings also have a wealth of other information: bank accounts, a list of creditors, and other persons involved – divorced spouses, etc.. Make sure you are thorough; check all sources.

RED FLAGS: 
You should take notice of the following situations if you encounter them, especially if you encounter more than one:
· Any Criminal Conviction
· Repeated suing
· Currently involved in a major law suite.
· Very high debts
· Bankruptcy
· Psychiatric Treatment
· Treatment for Alcoholism or Drug Abuse.
· Drunk driving convictions.
· Has estranged spouse
· Has lied about any information on an application
· Telephone numbers on applications are disconnected OR you cannot get in touch with employers, previous employers, references, etc.

NOTE: The above RED FLAGS are only guidelines. There are many possible reasons if your subjects falls under those. Please speak with them about it before your hire them. There may be a good excuse. Use your own best judgment.
 
 
In short, for each jurisdiction you plan to search, you will want to search approximately eight different indices. Indices? What in the !@#&\ is that? It’s plural for index. Courts, and most other public records, are stored on shelves and in boxes and each case or record has a file number and the names of the parties involved. An index is created to provide easy reference and access to these records. Click here for an example of an index.

The index or indices are located in the clerk’s office. When you go to a court, ask where the civil, criminal, or traffic clerk’s office is. Nowadays, a very large number of courts have indexed there cases and stored them on a computer data base. There are usually hard copies lying around, too. Oftentimes, the clerk will perform the search for you on their computer terminal. But be careful when someone else is doing the search: Clearly spell the name you want to search.

There will be at least several different indices for you to choose from. Since you are researching a name you will want to use the alphabetical index. There will most likely be several indexes, ‘A-L’ and ‘M-S’ and ‘T-Z’, or something like that. Choose the appropriate one that matches with your subject’s last name.

TIP: 
Take copious notes! Paper is cheap. Use it. On each sheet of paper write a heading that shows the specific source of the info (Civil Court Records, etc.), the date you did the research, the range of dates of the records you searched, the records you found and if no records were found, note that. Do not try to combine subjects together OR try to combine sources together. This will get very confusing. If you are performing a background on just two persons, after a few hours you will know exactly what I mean. Take notes and take you time! 
 

IMPORTANT: Make sure you check the range of dates in the indices! Why? You might be wasting your time. If your nanny lived in Silverado, CA between 1995 and 1996 and you are viewing an index from 1990, most likely your nanny will not turn up, unless she has some other history there.

Simply search the indices for names that match your nanny’s name. Write the file numbers down and ask the clerk to pull those files for you. Once you receive the file(s), look for any identifying information in the file. Look for SSN, DOB, full name, middle name or initial, addresses, relatives, etc.. You should be able to verify pretty quickly whether or not the file you are viewing matches you nanny. If it doesn’t, move on. If it does, make copies, and make a decision. If the records shows that there is a positive ID on your nanny, and if the records shows a serious criminal or civil infraction, you will have to decide whether or not this can affect the nanny’s employment qualifications. This may be a legal matter, so please read the laws in your state regarding hiring. You may or may not be able to consider certain types of information in making an employment decision. You surely do not want to be sued.

IMPORTANT: You will want to search the courts in each of the jurisdictions that your applicant claimed to have lived for the last ten years. This could be as little as one and a many as ten or more. It all depends on how many addresses your applicant claimed on the application. You will want to be as thorough as possible.
C R E D I T H I S T O R Y

With your signed release of information you legally obtain credit reports. There are many sources for this. You can contact the major credit reporting agencies (TRW, Equifax, TransUnion), or you can contact information service providers. Please be aware that credit reports can be very difficult to read and interpret. Ask your info broker if they can guide you.

What can I find in a credit report?
You can find many things, including but limited to: Name of spouse, employer, previous addresses, bank accounts, credit card accounts and balances, mortgages, other loans and balances, defaults, judgments, liens, other aliases, other SSN’s used, other people who use the same SSN.

S C H O O L S

With your signed release of information you legally obtain scholastic records. This can take a while. You may just want to verify whether or not your nanny attended the schools she said she did.

M E D I C A L R E C O R D S

With your signed release of information you legally obtain medical records. Simply contact the institution that has your applicant’s records and ask what the procedure is for obtaining the records. Chances are you will have to go through a lot of red tape. You will most likely have submit a request in writing along with an original letter of release and your intentions for the use of the records. Depending on where you live and where the medical institution is located, you may not be able to receive an records at all.
R E F E R E N C E S

This part is easy, but not simple. You will have to contact all previous employers, references, relatives, etc.. Speak with them in a friendly and direct manner. Tell them why you are calling them and tell them you are simply verifying information stated on an application. Do not ask them for their opinion on the applicant! This may not be considered a legal method in your area. Instead, engage them in conversation. Say something flattering about the nanny – how cute she is or that she seems very caring, etc. Your reference will most likely respond with something truthful. Thank them for their time and go on. REMEMBER to take copious notes!

TIP: 
” [When speaking with references] Do not ask them for their opinion of the applicant! This may not be considered a legal method in your area. Instead, engage them in conversation. Say something flattering about the nanny – how cute she is or that she seems very caring, etc. Your reference will most likely respond with something truthful. Thank them for their time and go on. REMEMBER to take copious notes!” 
 
P R O F E S S I O N A L L I C E N S E S

If your applicant has had another profession that required a license. Call the Secretary of State in your state to verify the existence of the license and whether or not there had been any complaints filed, whether or not the license is in good standing, etc.. You may also want to check the County’s FBN or DBA files. Huh? FBN is an abbreviation for Fictitious Business Name; DBA is an abbreviation for Doing Business As. It is a requirement in most jurisdictions that someone conducting a business under any name that there given name has to file that name with the county. NOTE: This my not be enforced in your community. The form usually lists all the interested parties and there addresses. Use this information to conduct the same kinds of investigations stated above. Contact the other parties, if you see fit.

D M V

Department of Motor Vehicles records can provide some very pertinent information, if you can get it. Many states’ DMV’s now restrict access to their records, and they also restrict what information they can provide to those who have legal access. Simply make a telephone call to your local DMV and ask what restrictions, if any, they have for public access to information.

If you are lucky you may be able to obtain your subjects driving record, list of all vehicles registered in their name, other names attached to their vehicle, social security number (some states use your SSN as a driver’s license number), correct address, insurance company, etc..

A LITTLE SURVEILLANCE NEVER HURTS

Before you go snooping around your applicant’s home, please read the laws in your state. This may be illegal. Drive by where the applicant lives and hang around for a while. See what goes on. Most likely you will get bored and go home. But you may see some valuable things going on. Pick a license plate or two; you may need it in the future. by infoguys

Miami Private Detectives and Investigators 

Spy Center .com Miami Private Investigators – A Miami Detective Agency with licensed Private Detectives in Miami , Fort lauderdale , Broward County , Wet Palm Beach , Martin County , Palm Beach County , Hialeah , Miramar , Wilton manors , hollywood beach , hallandale beach , Miami lakes , Coral gables , Port Saint Lucie , Miami Beach , Aventura Florida , Doral Florida , Miami Dade , South Beach , Homestead , pinecrest , Pembroke Pines , Boca raton , Bal Harbor and Private Investigators south Florida.

Infidelity and Cheating Spouses - ( posted in Miami Florida )

Infidelity Investigation Services: Do you suspect signs of Infidelity. Suspect that your spouse, girlfriend , boyfriend, lover or someone you care about is being unfaithful to you or cheating on you ? Sometimes not knowing the truth is more painfull than knowing the truth about cheating spouses . Stop the pain and allow our Infidelity private investigators and marital infidelity Detectives to conduct discreet investigation services and confirm infidelity and investigate your spouse. Verify infidelity , adultery , marital affairs, cheating spouses and spousal infidelity with our Infidelity investigation Services and spousal surveillance services. …Investigate marital infidelity and cheaters with our Investigation Services in Miami , Florida and nationwide.

All investigation Services are conducted by licensed Private Investigators who are experts in marital infidelity investigation and adultery and master the art od video surveillance and due dilligence. Do you think your spouse or significant other is cheating on you, meeting someone else while you think he or she is at work and meeting for a clandestine rendezvous ? A licensed private investigator from our Miami detective agency can conduct covert video surveillance services by following your spouse and obtaining video documentation – video taping or photographing your cheater spouse in the act. Our Miami PI’s will provide a complete report of your spouse’s activities and the proof you need to confirm infidelity and stop the pain with our Infidelity detective services.

Marital Infidelity Statistics say that approximately 80% of women who feel their spouse or lover is cheating are right and approximately 55% of men who feel their spouse or lover is cheating are correct.

Infidelity Investigations Services

Private Investigators are able to use Surveillance equipment, GPS tracking Devices, GPS vehicle trackers and personal trackers to track and monitor your vehicle or personal property online.  Our GPS Trackers can track anyone and anything in real time over the internet. Verify Infidelity today and stop the affair and the pain of a cheating spouse with our spousal surveillance services and investigation services. 

Here are a few of the common signs of infidelity, cheaters or of a cheating spouse:

Spouse is too tired to be intimate or decreased sexual interest with you.
Spouse wants to be intimate with you every night- and has new sexual behavior or moves never seen.
Spouse no longer wears wedding ring or says it was lost.
Cheating Spouse begins working out or wants to lose weight.
Cheating Spouse turns his cell phone on silent when he is at home and doesn’t bother to look at it when it rings at home.
Husband or wife starts working late a lot.
Cellular phone bills contain calls with very long duration
Cheating spouse has suspicious voice-mail messages
Spouse whispers and then hangs up the phone when you enter the room.
Cheating husband or wife has suspicious cell phone numbers stored or dialed
Cheating spouse is often “unreachable” while at work or away on the road.
Has email accounts you didn’t know about- and changed his passwords to the ones you do know about
Cheater spouse is suddenly deleting his e-mail messages
Cheating Husband or Cheating Wife spouse has more cash on than ever before without accountability
Husband starts having a boys’ night out and never has before.
Sudden increase in time away from home
Cheating spouse exits house or goes to other rooms to talk on his cellular phone
Spouse buys new clothes… or comes home with new clothes and you’re not sure who bought them
Cheater spouse wants to attend new work related functions and wants to go alone
Cheating Spouses are often day dreaming and distracted
He blows up at you for the slightest thing and then leaves the house for hours.
Cheater Spouse does not return your cell phone calls are not returned in timely fashion
You get hang-up calls at home.

Verify Infidelity today with an Infidelity investigation conducted by our Miami private investigators. Hire Private Detective Services now and stop the cheaters !

Confirm your Infidelity doubts today by investigating infidelity, investigating adultery, and investigate unfaithful spouses or spouse having an affair with the services of an expert infidelity private investigator in Miami Florida or nationwide . All Infidelity detectives are licensed to conduct infidelity investigation services in Miami Florida , video spousal surveillance and domestic investigations in miami Florida or nationwide with our affiliate detectives.

Spy Center .com is a Miami Private Investigation Agency with Private Investigators in miami and detectives who perform Infidelity investigations, private detective services in miami, Florida Fort lauderdale , Broward County , miami dade , Palm beach County , martin County , Cutler bay , Boca raton , North Miami, Fort pierce , port Saint Lucie , Hialeah , Miami lakes , South beach , Aventura , Hallandale beach , pinecrest , Pembroke Pines , North miami , Coral Gables and Investigation Services South Florida

Infidelity Investigation Services