This page is about lawful methods on a live file, not about how to pick a firm and not about what to bring on day one. Hiring steps live on how to select the right private investigator. Intake notes live on what to tell a private investigator.
Licensed investigators gather evidence that can be explained later: who did what, when, where, and how the fact was obtained. The method follows the objective. A locate, a workplace file, and a cheating-partner file do not use the same week of work.
What “gather evidence” actually means
It means building a record another professional can test. Counsel, an insurer, HR, or a court should be able to see the source, the date, and the limit of what was observed. A rumor repeated with confidence is not evidence.
- Observations with time, place, and photographs or video where lawful
- Documents and records the client can lawfully provide or that are open to the public
- Interviews with people who agree to speak, noted as statements, not as proof by themselves
- Open-source material with the URL and capture date saved
If the need is a defined employment or tenant screen, that is closer to background checks. If the need is a new person entering a household, see family background investigations. Those products start from databases and interviews. They are not a substitute for field surveillance.
Surveillance and field work
When the question is where someone goes and who they meet, the tool is usually tracking and surveillance. The investigator documents public activity. They do not enter a home, plant a device in a car you do not own, or follow into a place where the public is not allowed.
Good field notes include start and stop times, vehicle details, and what could not be seen. Gaps matter. A report that pretends the subject was watched for eight straight hours without a break is a problem, not a strength.
Records, databases, and open sources
Many files start at a desk. Corporate filings, property clues, published court items, and public social posts can confirm identity before anyone sits in a car. Structured open-source programs sit under OSINT investigations. Device-level work, if needed later, sits under digital investigations.
Investigators cannot invent bank data, hack email, or guess a password. If a client arrives with screenshots, those stay as the client found them. Do not crop timestamps or “clean up” a chat before you hand it over.
Interviews and pretext limits
Some facts come from people: a neighbor, a former coworker, a building staff member. The interviewer says who they are when the law and the file require it. Pretending to be police, a bank, or a government office is not a method. It is a liability.
A useful interview note separates what the person saw from what they believe. “I saw the van at 7:10” is one kind of line. “I think they are stealing” is another.
What is out of bounds
Illegal methods taint the file and can expose the client. That includes trespass, unlawful recording in a private space, installing spyware, and taking mail. If a firm offers those as shortcuts, stop. See red flags when hiring.
How evidence is delivered
A proper file should produce a written report, exhibits (photos, video stills, copies), and a clear statement of what was not done. Duration still depends on scope; how long an investigation takes is a scheduling question, not a methods question.
Counsel who need field support on a defined order can start from investigation support for law firms.
Frequently asked questions
Will the other party know?
Not from discreet records and open-source work. Field work raises exposure. Say at intake whether surprise would harm a case or a job.
Can you use a tracking device?
Only where the law and ownership allow it. A device on a car you do not control is usually not an option. Ask before you assume.
Is social media enough?
Sometimes for identity. Rarely for a conduct pattern you must prove in the physical world. Mixing a social scroll with a surveillance mandate without saying so wastes the first days.
Need methods scoped to a file?
Investigation Hotline has documented lawful evidence since 1988. Call (416) 205-9114 or use the contact page. Bring the decision you need and the facts you already have. We will tell you which methods apply and which do not.
To learn more, contact Investigation Hotline at
