by Yorrick Pinto

If you are of a certain age, you probably remember a show called Magnum PI starring Tom Selleck. Magnum was a private investigator who drove around in a Ferrari and had a thing for ladies wearing skimpy bikinis. He always got results and made the life of a PI seem impossibly exciting, but was this an accurate portrayal of a real life private investigator?

What does a private investigator do?

If movies, TV programmes and books are anything to go by, the life of a private investigator always seems like a glamorous one, but in real life the majority of the work done by a private investigator involves grinding through paperwork and checking mindless detail. Unlike Magnum PI, a real life private investigator needs to blend into the background, so they tend not to drive Ferraris and hang around with swimwear models. It is their job to find people, investigate suspicious activities, and provide all kinds of other services. Hopefully you will never need to hire a private investigator, but if you do, here are five of the main services they carry out.

Cheating Spouse

A lot of people hire a private investigator because they suspect their spouse is being unfaithful. They may need evidence for the forthcoming divorce, or they might just want peace of mind that their suspicions are groundless. Another reason for hiring a PI is to check your other half’s fidelity levels. Some private investigators offer a ‘Honey Trap’ service whereby they place temptation in the path of a suspect spouse. If the person takes a bite of the cherry, it is safe to assume this behaviour is normal for them. & nbsp;

Missing Person

People go missing all the time. Some are never seen again whereas others eventually reappear years later. If a loved one goes missing for any reason, it can be heartbreaking for those left behind. The police will usually investigate, particularly if the missing person is classed as vulnerable, but if you feel that not enough is being done, or you are trying to trace a missing person for other reasons, a private investigator can help.

Fraud Investigation

Fraud of any kind is never a victimless crime. Corporate fraud can lead to job losses because of a loss of revenue. In the case of a smaller business, employee fraud and embezzlement can even cause a company to go bust. However, it can often be quite difficult to prove an employee is acting unlawfully, which is where a private investigator can come in very useful. They are trained to find evidence and identify the guilty parties so that steps can be taken to curtail the damage.

Surveillance Operations

There are all kinds of reasons why a surveillance operation may be required. You might want to investigate whether one of your employees is genuinely sick or just enjoying a bit of paid holiday. Or you might want to check up on the level of disability of a customer who recently sued you for an accident on your premises.

Background Checks

Are you concerned that your daughter’s new boyfriend is a shady character? Or perhaps you want some background information on a potentially lucrative customer? If so, a private investigator will definitely be able to help.

There are lots of private investigators for hire. However, for best results, always check out their references and make sure you are 100% clear on what services you are paying for.

Yorrick Pinto is a freelancer currently writing for In Depth Investigations, leading private investigators in Perth.  loves reading novels and watching movies.