What is Surveillance?

Surveillance is the close monitoring or observation of a person or places to gather information. It is conducted by investigators who use video, audio recording, and other surveillance tools to gather evidence.

Anyone can conduct surveillance. However, a professional investigator should perform background checks, acquire video surveillance of fraudulent activity, document findings, and upload them to a data management database.

How Much Do Cheaters Charge for an Investigation?

Spying on a cheating spouse is not cheap as you might think. Personal investigators charge up to $35,000 per investigation. Investigators use two main ways to charge their clients; hourly rates and retainers.

Cost to Hire a Private Investigator for a Cheating Spouse

Hourly rates for hiring a private investigator fall between $30-$100 depending on your needs, location, and investigator’s policy. The majority of personal investigators offer reduced prices on a large number of hours. If you hire a private investigator for a Cheating Spouse, ensure they offer a reduced rate. A retainer is another term for a down payment. Charges can vary from $2,000 to as high as $10,000, depending on the technicality of the investigation.

How Do Private Investigators Do Surveillance?

Once a personal investigator accepts your case, the next step will be to provide them with the necessary information about the subject and your needs. You will need to provide information about where they work, the type of car they drive, where they live, their typical routine, and their description.

After getting the information, they plan your surveillance schedule based on your desired days and hours. Notably, being honest and open with your communication will make a significant difference in the success or failure of the investigation.

Private Investigator Surveillance Techniques

Almost every private investigator has a unique method of conducting an electronic surveillance investigation. Here are some of the most common types of tactics:

• Start Online

This is the best investigation starting point. Many people today have migrated into the online world, which makes it much easier to gather information available to the public. Some of the platforms an investigator can use include social media, public profiles, and other digital databases.

• Blend In

Ever seen those Hollywood scenes where private investigators climb over fences, break into buildings, and illegally gain access to private property? It could not be far from the truth. Personal investigators are required to blend in to help them get the desired information.

• Keep Distance

This tactic ensures the target is close enough to raise suspicion. If the subject uses a vehicle, the investigator must follow the person of interest in a respectable position to avoid drawing attention to their car.

• Anticipate Your Responses

In case of a change of events, many people need time to process and react. That is not the case for private investigators. They need to know how to respond and anticipate responses. It helps them make quicker and better quality surveillance decisions.

• Take Note of the Observations

Even the tiny details can be helpful in the investigation’s success. For instance, noting how the subject dressed or whether a vehicle was in a driveway or the garage can make a huge difference. The tactic helps the investigator to leave no stone unturned.

Why Conduct Surveillance?

Law enforcement primarily uses surveillance to detect or prevent crime and cheating spouses. However, organizations also use it to gather information and data to improve service delivery. For instance, hospitals use surveillance to control and prevent deceases using data from tobacco use, excessive alcohol usage, and many more.

Private Investigator Surveillance Cost

Every case is different, and charges will depend on the complexity of the investigation. The majority of private investigators charge on an hourly basis. Some investigators will set as low as $30 and as high as $100 to conduct surveillance on a person, building, or subject of interest.

Who Should Conduct Surveillance?

Anyone interested in gathering information or evidence on a particular subject can conduct surveillance. In most cases, it is used by law enforcement agencies to prevent a crime or catch a criminal. Nonetheless, organizations and companies in different industries also use the technique to gather information to help them deliver better services.

Types of Surveillance

Surveillance can either be active or passive. The active investigation involves physical monitoring of a place or person, while the passive involves evaluating documents or reports. It can further be divided into four main types, as shown below:

· Physical surveillance-The approach encompasses everything that falls under the definition of surveillance, such as pursuing the person of interest on foot, pinning a location, and recording the person’s regular activities.

· Digital Surveillance– This includes monitoring the person’s online activity. It includes monitoring social media and other public forum activities.

· Technical Surveillance- This encompasses all the passive and active surveillance activities that involve tools such as video, audio, and other technical methods for recording information.

· Interview Surveillance includes interviews with witnesses, suspects, family, coworkers, and friends.

Ethics of Surveillance

Usually, it is a crime to break into another personal private property. Private investigators are also not allowed to hack into online accounts or secretly bug their laptops or mobile phone. Understanding the dos and don’ts will significantly work on ensuring they avoid getting on the wrong side of the law.

Good private investigators should understand the Fair Credit Reporting Act, Grimm-Leach-Bliley Act, and other essential laws governing private investigators.

What are Your Primary Purposes for Surveillance Investigation?

Many people or organizations conduct surveillance investigations for numerous reasons. Are you conducting surveillance on people, buildings, animals, or plants? Knowing the primary purpose of your surveillance investigation will help you determine how to research. Regardless of the goal, surveillance is critical to help you collect data and set priorities such as identifying the attributes, representativeness, timeliness, sensitivity, the area affected, and many more.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What Do Surveillance Investigators Do?

The main aim of a surveillance investigator is to locate, research, and investigate a person or subject. They may work as an individual contractor to help you gather information and find evidence. Private surveillance investigators use cameras and audio recorders to gather and document information required to complete an investigation.

Investigators can perform a myriad of surveillance depending on your specifics and the amount of pay. The higher your payment, the better and quicker you will get results. Some investigators use advanced equipment to deliver real-time results.

How Do You Run Surveillance on Someone?

There are four methods you can use to run surveillance on someone. You can start by monitoring their online activity on social media, public forums online, and other digital activity they are involved. And then you can perform physical surveillance by following them on foot or by vehicle.

You can also interview people closest to them or under your surveillance scope. They can be coworkers, suspects, family, witnesses, or friends. Finally, you can use technical surveillance tools such as video, audio, and other technical methods to record information.

What are Examples of Surveillance?

Typically, surveillance is electronic. It can be videotaping, bugging, social media mapping, wiretapping, or monitoring of traffic on the internet. Besides, it can be carried out for a myriad of reasons. For instance, surveillance can be used by pathologists to monitor the extent of the spread of disease.

It can also be used to control pests or catch a criminal. All you need to do is understand the purpose of surveillance before hiring an investigator to conduct surveillance. There are also different types of investigators. Choose a professional with a specialty on your case.

Final Thoughts

Surveillance investigators ensure you have the required data to act accordingly, whether you are looking for surveillance on a cheating spouse, disease, or pest control. Personal investigators are uniquely different, which makes it necessary to choose wisely before hiring them to handle your case.

Are you looking for a personal investigator? Our investigators are Former Federal agents. We have a network of private investigators that are former FBI, IRS, DEA, and Secret Service agents. Feel free to call us at 1-800-577-1080, and let us ensure you get quality services.