Private investigators are often associated with covert surveillance in movies and novels, but in real life, their actions are governed by strict ethical and legal guidelines.
So, when do private investigators follow you? At King Investigators, owner Jacques Botha and his team follow a code of conduct that ensures investigations are conducted with integrity, respect for privacy, and adherence to the law.
In this blog post, we’ll explore the circumstances under which private investigators may engage in surveillance, based on over a decade spent in the field by this team of professional, registered private investigators.
When do Private Investigators Follow You?
There are a variety of reasons that may lead someone to hire a private investigator to follow you, however, if you’ve got nothing to hide, there won’t be any reason to be concerned about a subject like this.
Here are some of the reasons a client may hire a private investigator to conduct surveillance on an individual:
1. Legal Investigations: Conducting Legal Surveillance
Private investigators such as Jacques and his team may follow individuals as part of legal investigations. These investigations can encompass a wide range of scenarios, including:
- Criminal Cases: Private investigators may be hired to gather evidence related to criminal activities. This could involve following a suspect or observing their activities to provide critical information to law enforcement or legal professionals, in order to build a strong enough case to present in court.
- Civil Cases: In civil litigation, private investigators may be tasked with tracking down evidence to support a client’s case, which is why King Investigators often work hand in hand with law firms. This could involve following an individual involved in a personal injury case, a dispute over child custody, a divorce case or a business dispute.
2. Infidelity Investigations
One of the most common reasons people hire private investigators is to investigate suspicions of infidelity in relationships, so if you’re facing this dreadful experience, you aren’t alone. If a spouse or partner suspects that their significant other is being unfaithful, they may hire a private investigator to gather evidence.
However, it’s essential to note that this surveillance must be conducted legally and ethically, respecting the privacy rights of all parties involved, for the evidence to have any validity.
3. Child Custody Disputes
Child custody disputes can be emotionally charged and complicated, which leads to private investigators being hired to see to it that the living conditions are safe and healthy for the children, and that they are not in danger of neglect or abuse.
The goal is to ensure the child’s welfare and provide unbiased information to courts when making custody decisions. Because these are generally cases in which emotions run high, it’s best left to the professionals to provide the proof necessary to protect the rights of any child in a custody dispute.
4. Background Checks & Verification of Facts
The team at King Investigators also conducts surveillance as part of background checks and verification processes. This may include observing an individual’s activities to confirm details provided in a job application, a legal case, or a financial investigation.
This surveillance is conducted legally, with respect to privacy rights, since the bottom line for Jacques and his team is to bring integrity and honesty to a profession that is often maligned in the movies, and by fraudsters posing as investigators.
5. Missing Persons Investigations
Private investigators are often called upon to locate missing persons. This may involve following leads and conducting surveillance to trace the whereabouts of missing individuals. The ultimate goal is to reunite families and ensure the safe return of the missing person.
6. Business Intelligence & Due Diligence Services
Businesses may hire private investigators to protect their interests on every front, from within and outside of the business. This could involve investigating employee misconduct, employee theft, uncovering fraud or embezzlement, or identifying security vulnerabilities.
Surveillance in corporate investigations is conducted within the boundaries of the law to safeguard business interests and to provide clients with a true reflection of what is going on in their businesses.
Private investigators, like those at King Investigators, engage in surveillance activities under specific circumstances, always adhering to ethical and legal standards.
Whether it’s for legal investigations, relationship concerns, child custody disputes, background checks, missing person’s cases, or corporate matters, the team at King Investigators ensure that their actions are conducted with integrity and respect for privacy rights.
If you have decided to hire a private investigator you can trust to deliver guaranteed results, contact Jacques at King Investigators today for a free, confidential consultation.
This consultation will arm you with all the information you may need to move forward with an investigation, knowing that you’ll be dealing with a team that operates within the bounds of the law and prioritises ethical conduct, providing you with accurate and reliable information that is invaluable.
As a full-service private investigative firm in South Africa, you’ll find that there is no case off-limits for this highly trained, skilled and experienced team that works throughout Southern African countries and as far afield as South America.