I hear “Why do I need a private investigator? I can just Google it,” so often that I’m starting to think I should make it my ringtone. Many times a client will call me back a week later, shocked that their digital savvy hasn’t brought them answers. Don’t get me wrong; I’m a HUGE fan of Google for finding nearby pizza or a good haircut. But for life’s bigger questions, I’ve discovered the great paradox of the monster search engine: It brings the power of endless information to your fingertips, but you still need context. So someone has to wade through the data – preferably an expert with a knack for critical thinking. That’s where I come in. . . Read more
Month: October 2013
Case Study: Prince Charming
Girls grow up dreaming about finding their Prince Charming, but taking an adult look at our favorite fairy tales illustrates the importance of a pre-marital background check. As an investigator I need to verify (at a minimum) identity, marital status, financial information, and moral character for my client, Cinderella. How much does she know about her knight in shining armor? And what really happens to princesses after they ride off into the sunset?
Sleeping with the enemy: A PI’s take on ‘The Stepfather’
Now that I’m gearing up for Halloween, I have horror movies on almost every night. Last night was ‘The Stepfather’, the 1987 classic starring Terry O’ Quinn as the ‘too good to be true’ man with old-fashioned values who marries lonely divorcees in search of the ‘perfect family’, then inevitably kills them when things go wrong. The scariest part? There are several true-to-life scenes in every one of these movies that I see constantly as a private investigator. Read more
Catfishing 101
Criminal Minds star Thomas Gibson has reportedly become the latest victim of a ‘celebrity catfish’, according to TMZ, but I’m betting that he won’t be the last. Men may be even more likely to get sucked in to interacting with a fake person. According to the Internet Crime Complaint Center, love scams cost victims $50 million in 2011. It’s impossible to calculate how many hours of their lives were lost to dreaming, emailing, and talking to someone who doesn’t exist. Many victims don’t come forward because they are afraid that they will look stupid. They are right. Because love makes us all stupid. Think about it: Falling in love is chemically similar in the brain to doing a line of cocaine. Would you make any other major life decision while high? [. . .]