Is it ever OK to snoop? – Investigation during a separation
When you’re going through a separation, it can be tempting to snoop around, especially if you have a suspicion that something is going on. But beware, you can do yourself more harm than good if you try to investigate matters for yourself!
The first thing to worry about is having the situation blow up in your face. A separation is a very tense situation, and emotions can run high. If your partner catches you spying or snooping around, or even if they suspect it, they could react quite badly and call the cops, their lawyers, or both! If they file for a restraining order, you’re in particularly bad situation, as that limits the amount of work a private investigator can do for you, sometimes preventing you from being about to have someone investigate your partner at all. This limits you greatly, as a private investigator could be exactly what you need to get supporting evidence to help you in the divorce proceedings. It can also make the negotiations turn even more sour than they were. The easiest way to go through a separation is by keeping all parties involved as calm as possible. It’s hard to keep things civil if your partner feels that you’ve violated their privacy!
The other thing to worry about is the law. In most states, the law prohibits certain investigative behaviours unless they’re carried out by a licensed detective. It’s one thing you don’t want to get wrong, as being on the wrong side of the law while undergoing divorce proceedings is only going to hurt your cause. You could also land yourself with some hefty penalties for breaching privacy laws. The law has even been updated to include digital forms of privacy, so you even need to be careful when trying to snoop digitally.
Another issue is one of skill. You may have the best intentions, but unless you yourself are a private investigator, one with years of training, experience and qualifications, you may find yourself running into difficulties with your snooping (I mean, investigation!). It’s always best to have a licensed detective do the work for you, as they can help you get what you need faster, more discreetly and often be able to get information that you might never have been able to find on your own. Private investigators also have a wealth of technology and levels of access to systems that mean they can take investigations to the next level. They also have the skill and equipment to get the job done without the party under investigation ever knowing about it.
In the end, snooping can seem like a good idea at the time, but if you take the time to think it through, think about what you want to achieve and what could go wrong, you’ll see that this is definitely one of the times you want to call in the professionals!
The detectives here at Elite Investigations are ready to get you the information you need as part of a separation. We know it’s important to be discreet yet thorough, and can help you with your concerns, whatever they are. Our commitment to finding the truth, and providing you with evidence you can use, is our promise to you. If you think something is happening behind your back that you ought to know about it, give us a call on 1300 721 715 or email info@eliteinvestigations.com.au.