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How To Hire a Private Investigator in Melbourne

Hiring the right private detective for your job is what many people need, yet can struggle to do. So let us help out. Here are some tips for first-timers and savvy employers on how to hire a private investigator in Sydney/Melbourne.

1. Know What You Need

While this seems obvious, this first step is not as easy as it sounds. There’s a difference between knowing what you need, and knowing how to get it done. Any salesman pretending to be a Sydney/Melbourne private investigator could spin you a story to explain how an investigation will cost you a fortune.

For example, you want to know if your partner or spouse is cheating on you, so you call a private detective from Sydney/Melbourne to ask for a quote. While a cheating spouse investigation does require professional surveillance, you do not have to install equipment yourself, nor do you ever need to give an investigator access to your financial accounts. If someone asks for this kind of information or suggests unnecessary extras, hang up and call another agency.

Better yet, call Elite Investigations. How can we guarantee honesty? Because we are trained to detect when people are lying, and we constantly see people getting caught out by their own deception and infidelity. Smart detectives are never dishonest to their clients – it’s as simple as that. But as with anything, it’s not always easy to tell if someone is being truthful to you. Thus, step two.

2. Your Private Investigator Must Be Licenced

If you need a private detective in Sydney/Melbourne then they must be licensed by the Victorian Government. Again this seems obvious, but it is an easy element to forget, especially if it’s your first time hiring investigators in Sydney/Melbourne.

Being licensed means that this individual has been vetted by the police and their background is clean.

Some people think it’s enough to check an investigator’s website to see that they say they are licensed, however given the kind of commitment you could be making, our Sydney/Melbourne Investigators recommend that when you first make contact with a potential PI, ask for their private investigation license number, write it down, then call the Licensing & Regulation Division of Victoria Police to check that the license is valid.

Given that any investigation, even a simply one, could lead to a court case, it is vital that you hire licensed Sydney/Melbourne investigators who are able and willing to appear in court.

3. Check Their Experience, Qualifications and References

This step towards hiring a private investigator can start with good old Google. It doesn’t have to be rigorous, just 10 minutes of Googling to make sure they have good reviews and experience.

However, it can be hard to judge what counts as experience, given that good private investigators will not give you the names of their clients. One tip to get around this is to look at their qualifications. Of course we want you to use us, so let’s use our company director Steve as an example: check out his list of qualifications. They are from reputable institutions, and cover the full range of investigative services.

Another way to verify a detective’s experience is to ask for references, because experienced private investigators will have built up a list of references. Having references means a private detective has happy AND reputable existing clients.

4. Make Sure They Right for the Job

Some Sydney/Melbourne investigators specialise on specific detective services, such as infidelity and cheating spouses or fraud investigation. Check that whatever agency you are thinking of using offers the right specialities.

If you’re having difficulty working out an agency’s detective specialities because their website uses terms you are unfamiliar with, return to step one and give them a call. It’s easy to skip step 1 and assume you know what you need, but this isn’t always the case!

Call and explain what you need and make sure you are using the right name for the service. For example, given that the majority of people aren’t professional investigators, it’s easy to mix up scam protection with fraud investigation, or think that a private background check is the same as a corporate background check. And that’s okay! Call around and find a detective who is willing to explain their services. Or, call us.

Calling a detective you are thinking of hiring is another good way to make sure they are right for your job. Hiring a private investigator is like any relationship; if you find them easy to talk to, and if they understand what you need, that’s a great indication that they are right for you. A good private detective will also be a good person, so trust your instincts when you suss them out before hiring them.

There it is: our guide to hiring the right private detective from Sydney/Melbourne. Feel free to call us to ask questions, and of course, to get a free quote.

So, when you are ready, call Elite Investigations for a free and confidential conversation.