The blog has moved!

Thank you for stopping by to read my blog.  I have moved to a new location to have a bit more flexibility.    You can get more free information at http://www.privateinvestigatoradvicehq.com/.  I will see you there.

Andrew

A Successful Surveillance

Hey everyone,

The past month has been very busy but I have been inspired to talk about surveillance because I think it is the least talked about subject in the private investigation field.

Many Private Investigators believe surveillance to be part Art and part Science.  I believe this to be true as well.  To truly understand why this comment is true, you have to conduct surveillance for quite awhile. 

I will write a series of blogs related to this topic as there is too much information to cover in one blog.

The first key to a successful surveillance is to have as much information about the individual you are watching as possible.  If the surveillance is related to infidelity, the spouse will usually be the best source of information.  If this is related to an insurance investigation, your preliminary investigation along with any information from the insurance adjuster will be the best possible beginning to your surveillance.

A check list that I have been very successful with using is the following:

11.)    Run a comprehensive search of the individual.

 IRBsearch.com and TLO.com are considered the best resources for the following information:

a.)    Covering address summary/history

b.)    Phone numbers

c.)     Vehicle information

d.)    Court related cases

e.)    Know associates or relatives

f.)     Vehicle information

g.)    Property information

*Remember that the one with the most information going into a surveillance is the most  

prepared!

An address summary will tell you how long someone has reported an address for.  This is a great indicator as to whether they currently live at the address or not.  This is a tool like all of the other information.

IRB Search has a function called Phones Plus. This function allows for you to determine an address related to a cell phone.  This information is captured when an individual uses a cell phone number on a credit application.  Just another resource to check when you are having a difficult time locating individuals

Vehicle information for insurance cases can help you not only locate the individual but helps to identify their identity as well.  The tricky thing about vehicle information is that not all states provide it for Private Investigators.  Some data base sources do however provide it like Accurint, http://www.accurint.com/. 

Court case information can sometimes help you develop an idea about the character of an individual.  Additionally if you are having a difficult time locating the individual, the area of the court case might help you to link the person to a specific location.

Knowing the addresses of relatives in the area of the individual might help you locate them if you lose them.  There have been many times that I have lost sight of an individual only to find them at a relative’s home.  This does not happen frequently but it might save you on a case.

I love property information!  The aforementioned paid websites like IRB Search and TLO tell you what properties are owned by the individual.  But this is not solid information in determining whether someone lives in an address.  All address need to be verified through the county assessors website.  

BIG Trick of the Trade

If the tax payer’s address of the residence is different from the physical address, the owner most likely does not live there.  This will save you quite a bit of time.

****More on the check list on the next blog installment!****

Come Say Hi on Facebook

Renter Screening Advice from a Private Investigator's Perspective

A friend of mine recently decided to rent out his home and he asked me what information he should consider looking for a renter.  I gave him some quick suggestions in a text and carried on with my day.  I thought about it more the following morning. It occurred to me it was an important topic to explore.  The previous article I posted regarding free searches is a great place to being your screening when looking for potential tenants. 

Important information for future tenants may be the following (but not limited to):

1.)    Credit report

2.)    Landlord referrals

3.)    Employment verification

4.)    Criminal record

5.)    Previous evictions

6.)    Social Media (Facebook, Myspace)

7.)    The accuracy of information provided on an application

8.)    Pets

9,)   Residence History

The more you know about your tenants, the better you will feel with them renting your home.

There are many existing website services that are more than capable of taking care of your needs with tenant screening. These services can cost anywhere between 20 dollars and 40 dollars per person screened.  While these are very useful, it might be in your best interest to screen the tenants as much as possible before doing final checks. Doing this will save you some money.

Credit reports can be done by you, however you need the prospective tenant to agree to it in writing as well as indicating  what the credit report is for.  You could also have a company like http://www.advantagetenant.com/ do it for you.

Landlord referrals are a great way to determine the type of tenant someone might be.  However take what they say at face value.  Positive feedback from a previous landlord does not indicate the tenant will be good for you.

Conduct employment verification.  You need to make sure your tenants have money coming in to pay the rent. 

Criminal records should also be checked not only for yourself but your neighbors.  Check court records online in the counties an applicant has lived in.  In Washington State I search names at http://dw.courts.wa.gov/.  Previous evictions would also be found in court records along with Bankruptcies.

SOCIAL MEDIA- I can’t say it enough.  Search social media.  There is always something to be learned about the character of an individual in social media. 

Residence History is important as this may determine whether someone has a history of staying in places for a short time.  If you are looking for a long term lease, someone with a stable residence history might be the right tenant for you.

I do not claim to be an expert landlord but I felt these were some helpful suggestions if you plan on renting your home future. 

Some other companies I located that appeared to be one stop shops for tenant screening were the following:

1.)    E-Renter   http://www.e-renter.com/

2.)    Tenant Verification Services  http://www.tenantverification.com/

3.)    Land Lord Station  http://www.landlordstation.com/

I cannot vouch for these services nor do I endorse them.  They are listed to show the varying services that are out there to help you.  Also search for Landlord and Tenant laws in your state to stay informed of your rights as well as your tenants rights. 

As always you can find more information about me at Fortified Investigative Services  www.FortifiedIS.com

Or connect with us on Facebook

FREE Searches #2

So after my first blog you are probably thinking my information is pretty much common knowledge.  This is true but I would make the point that different avenues of searching is not common knowledge.

So let’s move on to some more sites with a little bit more power.  Again it is important to understand that these sources typically don’t point directly to information you are looking for but many times is just one piece that leads to another.

A very broad search engine is Zabasearch, www.zabasearch.com.  You can search names, find out how many people have search your name and conduct reverse searches of phone numbers. 

A great website that I use every day is PIPL, www.pipl.com. The website searches the deep web for people or businesses that you are looking for.  You can search for people by name, city, state and country.  It has been quite effective for me.  Search your name and see how much information is out there about you.

The last one I use is KGB PEOPLE, http://www.kgbpeople.com/.  KGB searches broadly across the United States for the name you are looking for in social networks and search engines.  It shows photos and any personal information located as well. I have had some luck with this site. 

As always I can be found at Fortified Investigative Services, www.fortifiedis.com             

Or find me on Facebook at Fortified Investigative Services

Thanks for reading,

Andrew

Where to find quality information without paying for it

There are many reasons people want to find information information on a individual.  It may be because we just started dating someone new or maybe you want to learn more about an individual.  Many times we call upon a private investigator to use special resources that are unavailable to the everyday public. But when we don't have the money for a private investigator where can you look for information?

I have compiled some information that I use on a daily basis when searching for information. This information is free.

When searching these sites you must remember that not all information is up to date and maybe old however it is a good place to start your research.  

When searching for an individual through a directory assistance service I begin my search through two basic webistes: Whitepages.com and http://www.addresses.com/ . I have found addresses.com to be of help when whitepages.com fails me.  You can search names, phone numbers,  addresses and business information.  Have you ever received a phone call and you didn't recognize the number? Just jump on to one of those websites and it may help you figure out who is calling you.

If you are not having any luck with those sites you can always search and address or phone number in Google.  Many times the phone number or address is associated with an individual or the address has been on the market.  

Social media has grown so rapidly that you can most likely find the person you are looking for through Facebook.com or Myspace.com.  If you search a name though facebook and do not get the results you are looking for try searching for an associate of the that person (friend, sister, mother, etc..).  Once you find the associate, search their friends for the person you are looking for.  I have found many individuals by piecing information together about known associates.

Myspace in opinion is no longer a forum that is used as much as Facebook but it is always worth a look.  After searching for a name you can always narrow down your results by age, city, and gender.  Even if people don't use their account anymore there is still old information present that may be useful.  

These people searching techniques are to be used in a responsible manner. 

Please visit us at http://www.fortifiedis.com/

or on Facebook at : Fortified Investigative Services Facebook page.