A private investigator (PI), also known as a private detective, is a professional hired to gather information, conduct investigations, or provide surveillance services—usually for private clients rather than government or police agencies.

What Private Investigators Do:

Depending on their specialization, PIs may:

• Conduct background checks (e.g., for employers or individuals)
• Investigate infidelity (often hired in divorce or relationship matters)
• Find missing persons
• Conduct surveillance (following people or monitoring activities)
• Collect evidence for court cases
• Investigate insurance fraud
• Perform digital forensics (retrieving or analyzing data from phones, computers, etc.)
• Serve legal documents (like subpoenas or summons)

Who Hires Private Investigators?

• Law firms
• Businesses (for internal investigations or due diligence)
• Insurance companies
• Individuals (for personal matters like cheating suspicions or custody disputes)

Legal Boundaries:

PIs are not law enforcement, so:

• They cannot make arrests
• They must follow local privacy laws (e.g., no wiretapping without consent)
• They need licenses in most places to operate legally

Want to know what it takes to become one?