Private Investigator Terminology 101

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Ever wonder what your private investigator (PI) is talking about when they use terms like “coldline” or “garbology”? Don’t feel bad! Private investigators typically use their own terminology and slang that may be confusing to those that aren’t in the investigative or legal fields. This article will cover some common private investigative terms, so you can better understand what your PI is talking about.

Adultery

Adultery refers to voluntary sexual relations involving a married individual and someone who is not their spouse. Keep in mind that this legal definition varies by state, much like other terms. In New York, an adulterer is a person who has sexual intercourse with another person when they have a living spouse or the other person has a living spouse. In Florida, adultery refers to voluntary sexual relations between a married person and another who is not their spouse. This is considered a crime in Florida. It’s recommended that you look up the legal definition of this term for your specific state.

Affidavit

An affidavit is a written statement sworn to be accurate before someone that is legally authorized to give an oath, such as a commissioner of oath or notary public. This word stems from the Latin meaning, for “he/she has declared upon oath.” Affidavits can be written in either the first or third person.

Asset

When a PI mentions assets, they are referring to any item of value. This can include a wide range of valuables, such as a home, business, real estate properties, bank accounts, stocks and bonds, mutual or trust funds, and much more.

Bail enforcement

This is more commonly called bounty hunting, which involves locating and arresting bail-secured defendants that have jumped bail or broken an agreement with a bail bond person to show up in court for their accused crimes.

Burned

When a PI is burned, it means that the person they are conducting surveillance on is aware of the investigator’s presence. Thus, the investigator’s surveillance is compromised.

Canvassing

Canvassing is when a PI carefully examines or discusses something thoroughly. An example would be a PI looking for a subject after they lose them while conducting phone surveillance.

Class action

Also called a class suit or representative action, this is a type of lawsuit involving one group of people that are represented by one member of their group.

Coldline

Private investigators utilize some handy resources on the job. A coldline refers to a phone service designed to hide the caller ID date, which is the outbound caller’s phone number.

Confidentiality

This is a crucial term to know. Confidentiality refers to a set of rules or promises that restrict access to specific types of information and prevents them from being revealed. Examples of confidential information includes a client’s proprietary information and other sensitive information that can affect a client’s case, reputation, or job.

Conflict of interest

This term involves a situation where a PI has a duty to more than one individual or party, but both parties’ interests make it difficult to act equally for either of them. A good example would be when a claimant and defendant from the same civil lawsuit hire the same PI.

Felony

A felony is a violent crime that is more serious than a misdemeanor and is typically punishable by incarceration for over a year, or death in certain territories that allow it.

Garbology

This is another term for “dumpster diving,” which involves searching through a target’s trash for evidence.

Heated

This term has various meanings. When a PI is conducting neighborhood surveillance, it can become heated when residents become suspicious of an investigator’s presence. This can then affect the surveillance investigation.

Intelligence

Intelligence is the collection, analysis, and interpretation of information, which can be used as evidence for a case.

Misdemeanor

A misdemeanor is a less serious criminal offense compared to a felony.

Pretext

A tactic typically used to gain information from a person.

Skiptracing

Skiptracing refers to the process of finding someone who has gone missing, is lost, or is hiding. The goal of locating a person varies, but usually is one of the following scenarios: to collect a debt, to find a subject who is running from the law, or to locate a missing loved one.

Testimony

This refers to evidence given by a witness under oath. The evidence is usually collected during a legal proceeding.

Undercover

This is the act of disguising one’s identity. PI’s go undercover to help them gather information from people. This tactic also help gain the trust of a target and not stand out while conducting an investigation (i.e. street clothes instead of a work suit).

Warrant

A warrant is a document issued by a local official that permits law enforcement or other entities to make an arrest, search someone’s premises, and other actions dealing with the administration of justice.

Now that we’ve discussed some common terminology, hopefully it will be easier to understand the terms that PI’s use when discussing your case. Contact PATRIOT Backgrounds and Investigations for all of your investigative needs, including background checks, fingerprinting, tenant screening, pre-employment screening, and much more.

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