How to Start a Private Investigation Business: A Proven Blueprint for Success shows you a way into the world of private investigation, the types of investigations to target, employee and independent contractor management, finding and dealing with clients, some common misconceptions in the field, and all the nuts and bolts of starting your investigation business.

Observe someone without being observed. Dig up long-buried dirt. Catch a cheating spouse. The Everything Private Investigation Book shows you the basic research techniques and tricks the pros use. You'll learn how to get background information using a wide range of sources, including newspapers, court records, military files, and even the DMV. Written by experienced investigators, this guide helps you to: Use the Internet to get information on anyone and anything Conduct background checks for prospective employees or tenants Uncover hidden identities and assets Manage a physical or electronic surveillance Protect privacy and avoid identity theft Whether you're a journalist, an amateur genealogist, a business owner, a landlord, or just curious, you'll find essential information in this guide. In addition to being a valuable resource, The Everything Private Investigation Book is also a fascinating read. Even "armchair detectives" will enjoy reading about famous real-life and fictional PIs and the little-known secrets professionals use to crack the case. Sheila L. Stephens was the first female Alcohol, Tobacco & Firearms (ATF) special agent in the state of Alabama and one of the first in the nation. She recently graduated from Boston University with a master's degree in criminal justice. After leaving the ATF due to injury, Ms. Stephens opened a private investigation/security business. She is a criminal justice professor at Andrew Jackson University and a contributing writer and associate editor of The Agent, the newsletter of the National Association of Federal Agents (NAFA). Ms. Stephens lives in Bessemer, AL.

An updated and revised edition of the most highly recommended guide to learning to be a private investigator-or just using the tools PIs do to understand what goes on in your local courthouse, find information in public records, and perform searches to save you time and money. Among the changes for this edition- Completely new chapters on skip tracing Up-to-date information on how to make money by understanding your local courthouse and finding not-so-hidden gems in public records Under-the-radar databases you need to know about Completely new-and hot-chapters on due diligence searches, including pre-employment and tenant screening investigations and adoption searches

From the Back Cover: Today's private investigator comes from two primary sources: (1) law enforcement agencies and (2) from academic environments. To be successful as a profession, these groups must be melded to a common group of values and objectives. The purpose of this book is to provide the private investigator, regardless of experience, with information that will result in business and personal success. The book is divided into two parts. Part I discusses basic business organization and management subjects applicable to those who desire to be a successful business owner. It covers material for those just starting a business as well as provides information that is of value to those who want to better organize and manage their current business. Part II discusses basic investigative skills applicable to all levels of experiences and areas of personal interest. This information comes from experienced private investigators and takes a step beyond the traditional "school solution." These are the skill sets normally considered as general investigative skills which serve as a foundation for more specialized experiences. The authors of this book are a very unique group of professionals. Each author has a minimum of ten years of investigative experience and many have at least thirty-five years of experience. The majority of the authors have investigative experience with large law enforcement agencies, in military service or at all levels of government. Topics covered include: private investigation as a second career, developing markets and partnerships for profit; professionalism and ethics; financial dispute prevention and resolution; interviews, interpreters, and statements; producing a professional report; conducting investigation in China and in Europe; the complexities of international investigations; investigator liability; foot and vehicle surveillance; effective surveillance techniques; and employing a competent subcontractor.

* So you want to be a private investigator?* Little or no law enforcement or related experience?* Sick of sending resumes and calling companies only to hear 'no'?* Want to start your own business?* Want to know what it's really like being a P.I.? A few years ago I was in exactly the same position. Find out how I went from a standard corporate marketing job, to fulfilling my dream of becoming a private investigator - with almost no experience. From spreadsheets and office politics to stakeouts and car tailing. If you're in this position then this is the place to start. This book explains the exact steps I took to make it as a P.I. It's a combination of my own experiences, as well as the 20 plus books and countless articles I read during the process. Relevant for the US, UK, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. It is the definitive guide. Find out: * The top 3 mistakes people make when looking for a job as a P.I.* How to provide value to an organization, even without investigative experience* A day in the life of a private investigator - truth and fiction* 14 typical cases you may be involved in* Reviews and links to dozens of books, articles and websites for further information This is not about the tools and techniques of a private investigator (e.g. surveillance, tailing, tracing, interviewing etc.), there are many other books and online resources for this. It is not a manual for the job itself; it is a guide on how to get into the industry in the first place. It is specifically for people with little or no experience who want to break into the exciting world of private investigation. Having read this book you'll come away knowing the first steps you need to take, some further reading or resources, or maybe you'll realize that private investigation is not really for you. Either way, this book can save you months of frustration sending out resumes and facing rejection after rejection. No more going round in circles. Don't waste any more time. Before doing anything else, start with this book.

There's two objectives in writing this book. The first objective is to help readers build a foundation of knowledge in the private and legal investigations field. A strong foundation will help the reader pass the Bureau of Security and Investigative Services (BSIS), California Private Investigator (PI) Exam. The second objective is to assist current private investigators/detectives and the responsible citizen, to negotiate the often confusing maze of private investigations in California. The reader will learn about trial prep, surveillance techniques, ethics, reporting procedures, evidence code, penal code, code of civil procedures, business & professions code, civil code, client intake procedures, skip tracing, Fair Credit and Reporting Act, background investigations, criminal defense procedures, private and public record retrieval and much more! Most importantly, this book is based on California codes and procedures! This book also contains 150 Final Exam questions!

A fascinating examination of the world of private investigators by a 21st-century private eye. Today's world is complicated: companies are becoming more powerful than nations, the lines between public and corporate institutions grow murkier, and the internet is shredding our privacy. To combat these onslaughts, people everywhere -- rich and not so rich, in business and in their personal lives -- are turning away from traditional police, lawyers, and government regulators toward a new champion: the private investigator. As a private investigator, Tyler Maroney has traveled the globe, overseeing sensitive investigations and untying complicated cases for a wide array of clients. In his new book, he shows that it's private eyes who today are being called upon to catch corrupt politicians, track down international embezzlers, and mine reams of data to reveal which CEOs are lying. The tools Maroney and other private investigators use are a mix of the traditional and the cutting edge, from old phone records to computer forensics to solid (and often inspired) street-level investigative work. The most useful assets private investigators have, Maroney has found, are their resourcefulness and their creativity. Each of the investigations Maroney explores in this book highlights an individual case and the people involved in it, and in each account he explains how the transgressors were caught and what lessons can be learned from it. Whether the clients are a Middle Eastern billionaire whose employees stole millions from him, the director of a private equity firm wanting a background check on a potential hire (a known convicted felon), or creditors of a wealthy American investor trying to recoup their money after he fled the country to avoid bankruptcy, all of them hired private investigators to solve problems the authorities either can't or won't touch. In an era when it's both easier and more difficult than ever to disappear after a crime is committed, it's the modern detective people are turning to for help, for revenge, and for justice.