Q: Are the private detectives trained?
A: Detective works
involved combination of various unique skills. Many see that detective
works is merely making inquiries or spending time following someone.
This myth can be misleading and is an understatement to the actual work
of a detective.
Detective works actually require a lot of analytical skills. It
requires the detectives to be well versed with the law, guidelines and
practices. They should be able to advise the clients on the legitimacy
of the evidence and the clients’ legal rights.
The detectives should also be observant for details and possess good
communication skills. The detectives are required to make inquiries and
verification of certain representations. A streetwise detective should
be able to perform that task with the lowest risk of alerting the
target.
The detective should also be trained to use devices and equipments to
enhance their performance. It cannot be denied that technology
can enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of the detective works.
The devices and equipments used by the detectives have direct effect on
the quality of evidences gathered. Devices and equipments commonly used
are cameras, cam-recorders, surveillance and tracking devices.
Q: How do private detectives cheat?
A1: They
intentionally cheating by asking for deposit money for nothing in
progress, not even thinking of any action, but instead trying to sell
information to the targets, or blackmail the clients.
A2: Unintentionally
cheating but they are incapable of fulfilling the assignment because of
lack of knowledge, incompetence, lack of good equipment; thus they lie
to their clients until the clients get tired and give up finally.
Q: I would like to hire a private detective but am afraid of cheating and blackmailing. How should I do?
Basically, you should:
A1: Try to hire a
detective firm who has a formal form of business entity is registered
with the Accounting And Corporate Regulatory Authority (ACRA) with a
precise business objective statement of doing detective business. In
Singapore, Private Investigators are also to be licensed by the
Security Industry Regulatory Department.
A2: Check if the firm has long track of doing this business; should be at least 3-5 years.
A3: Check if the firm has good credit, a proven success record, including the managements experience.
A4: Talk to their
employees or a responsible person to find out the conceptual advice.
For example, they may grant 100% guarantee, etc. (There is no
investigation in the world that can give a hundred percent guarantee.).
A5: Try to meet
your detective agent at his office. He may wants to meet you outside
and claims to be granting you convenience, unless you would want them
to see you at your place.
A6: Do not hire a
detective agent at the lowest price. Detective jobs involve unique
aspects. They may offer a low price because they may have no intention
of fulfilling the job after receiving your deposit.
Q: Will the target be aware of the investigation which would have a bad effect on the client?
A: The chance that the target may be aware depends on different aspects:
Some kinds of investigation like surveillance on difficult location require much time and continuation.
Some experienced targets may be easily aware of the investigation
because there is no other way to get the information except by taking
the risky option, which would easily enable the target to be aware.
Target's behavior is so unique that the detective may have to choose
observable and unusual practices, such as driving at unusual speed, etc.
Clients show some indication to the targets verbally and non-verbally; in some cases even threaten the target.
In all cases, detectives will never tell or admit anything unless the
target has suspicion. Thus, bad results may possibly be a consequence
of different surrounding aspects. For example, relationship between
Clients & Targets, targets discerning and/or behaviors, of how much
the information is affect to the targets.
Q: How would I know if the detective I hire is capable of the task?
A: It is not too
difficult to monitor. For example, in some behavioral observation
investigation of a target that you see everyday, you may try your
detective of the dressing style and color the target was wearing in
each day or the vehicle that the target rides. For other types of
investigation, like manufacturing of fake goods or copy-write
violation, you could possibly analyze from the job progress report
given to you with other evidences e.g. videotape, cassette tape, etc.
Q: When
the client hires a detective because of suspicion in the targets
behavior, or because of the having been affected by target behavior,
does the result of the investigation always turn out as suspected?
A1: In the case of
observing behavior of a person in both personal matters and
professional matters, 95% turns out as suspected but information may be
different.
A2: For the case of
copy-write violation and corruption in the organization, it turns
out100% as suspected because the employee has found the sign of damage
before hiring detective.
Q: What is your success rate?
A1: Clients
understand and identify the definition of success with their detective.
For example, when the result turns out different from the
clients’ suspicion, the client might feel that he had spent money
for nothing even though evidence shows the track of investigation, but
for the detective, this is success. This is to say that detectives are
responsible for finding facts for client, not the information that
suits the clients’ suspicion.
A2: However, our
success rate is approaching 100%. This is because before we commit the
assignment from clients, we always analyze the chance of success. We do
not commit to 'Mission Impossible'.
Q: What is GPS Enhanced Tracking?
A: The
Global Positioning System (GPS)
is the only fully functional Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS).
Utilizing a constellation of at least 24 medium Earth orbit satellites
that transmit precise microwave signals, the system enables a GPS
receiver to determine its location, speed, direction, and time.
GPS Enhanced Tracking is the making use of the GPS and a GPS Receiver
to track the location of a target. This method of tracking is 100%
accurate most of the time.
The method allows detectives to keep a safer distance from the target
hence minimize the risk of alerting the target. It also minimizes the
detectives’ risk of losing the target.
The system however should only be view as a tracking method and not to
treated as a substitution of actual surveillance services.
Q: Is tracking someone legal in Singapore?
A: Tracking a
person without his knowledge is not against the law in Singapore.
However how the devices are installed might violate certain laws, for
example The Misuse of Computer Act. It is best to your benefit to seek
an experience detective’s advice on the legal implications.