FAQ
Q: Are your private detectives trained?
Q: How do private detectives cheat?
Q: I would like to hire a private detective but I'm afraid of cheating and blackmailing. What should I do?
Q: Will the target be aware of the investigation which would have a bad effect on the client?
Q: How would I know if the detective I hire is capable of the task?
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?
Q: What is your success rate?
Q: What is GPS enhanced tracking?
Q: Is tracking someone legal in Singapore?
Q: Are your 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?A: 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.
Alternatively, they are 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 I'm afraid of cheating and blackmailing. What should I do?A: Basically, you should:
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.
Check if the firm has long track of doing this business; should be at least 3-5 years.
Check if the firm has good credit, a proven success record, including the managements experience.
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.).
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.
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?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.
For the case of copy-write violation and corruption in the organization, it turns out 100% as suspected because the employee has found the sign of damage before hiring detective.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.
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?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?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.
