Top 5 Private Investigator Tips for Finding the Truth

## What Separates Effective Investigations from Wasted Time and Money Most people who hire a private investigator have never done it before. They come in with a mix of expectations shaped by television, genuine anxiety about their situation, and uncertainty about how the process works. Some of those expectations are accurate. Many aren't. The difference between an investigation that produces useful, actionable results and one that produces nothing — or worse, produces evidence that can't be used — often comes down to a handful of principles. These aren't secrets. They're the things experienced investigators wish every client understood before the work begins. Here are the five most important. ## Tip 1: Start With a Clear, Specific Objective The most common mistake clients make is starting an investigation without a clear, specific goal. "I want to know what my spouse is doing" is not an objective. "I need documented evidence of my spouse's activities on Tuesday and Thursday evenings between 6 PM and midnight" is an objective. The difference matters enormously. A vague objective leads to unfocused surveillance, inefficient use of investigative time, and findings that may not actually be useful for the purpose the client has in mind. A specific objective shapes the investigation strategy, controls costs, and determines what kind of evidence will actually be useful. **How to define a clear objective:** Start with the end in mind. What are you going to do with the findings? If the answer is "use them in a divorce proceeding," the objective should be defined in terms of what a family law attorney needs. If the answer is "present them to an insurance carrier," the objective should be defined in terms of what the carrier's claims process requires. If the answer is "make a personal decision," the objective should be defined in terms of what information would actually change your decision. Work backward from the end use to define what evidence is needed, then define the investigation around producing that evidence. **Common objective mistakes:** - **Too broad** — "Find out everything about this person" produces a lot of information but may not produce the specific evidence needed for any particular purpose - **Too vague** — "See if my partner is cheating" doesn't define what documentation would constitute useful evidence - **Outcome-focused rather than evidence-focused** — "Prove that my business partner is stealing" assumes a conclusion; "document my business partner's activities and financial transactions" is an evidence-focused objective - **Legally problematic** — Some objectives require methods that aren't legal; a good investigator will identify these early and help reframe the objective around what's achievable The initial consultation is the right time to work through the objective with your investigator. A skilled investigator will ask clarifying questions that help you define what you actually need — and will be honest if the investigation you're describing isn't likely to produce it. ## Tip 2: Provide Everything You Know — Don't Filter Investigators work faster, more accurately, and more cost-effectively when they have complete information. The instinct to filter — to hold back details that seem embarrassing, irrelevant, or potentially damaging to your own position — is understandable but counterproductive. Everything you know about the subject is potentially useful. The investigator will decide what's relevant. Your job is to provide it. **What to share:** - Full legal name and any known aliases, nicknames, or name variations - Current and previous addresses (as many as you know) - Vehicle description, make, model, color, and license plate if known - Employer, work address, and work schedule - Known daily routines — where they go, when, how often - Physical description including distinguishing features - Known associates, friends, family members who might be relevant - Social media profiles and usernames - Phone numbers and email addresses - Any relevant history — prior investigations, legal proceedings, known deceptions - Your own history with the subject — how long you've known them, the nature of the relationship, what changed **Why people filter — and why it's a mistake:** Clients sometimes hold back information because they're embarrassed about the circumstances, because they're worried the investigator will judge them, or because they think certain details might make the investigator less sympathetic to their situation. None of these concerns are well-founded. Investigators are not there to judge. They've heard everything. The only thing that matters is getting accurate information so the investigation can be conducted efficiently. Clients also sometimes hold back information because they think it might undermine their case. This is a more serious mistake. If there's information that complicates your situation, your investigator needs to know about it — both to avoid being blindsided in the field and to help you understand how it might affect the usefulness of the findings. **The information you provide is confidential:** Everything you share with a licensed investigator is held in strict confidence. It is not shared with third parties, not used for any purpose other than the investigation, and not disclosed without your consent. The confidentiality of the client relationship is a professional and legal obligation. ## Tip 3: Trust the Process — Don't Interfere One of the most damaging things a client can do is conduct their own parallel investigation while a professional is working the case. It happens more often than you might expect, and the consequences can be severe. **Why clients interfere:** Anxiety is the primary driver. When you're waiting for results and the situation feels urgent, the impulse to do something — to check your partner's phone, to drive by the location where surveillance is happening, to confront the subject — is powerful. It feels like action. It isn't. **What interference looks like:** - Conducting your own surveillance of the subject - Confronting the subject about suspected behavior before the investigation is complete - Sharing information about the investigation with friends, family, or attorneys before findings are documented - Accessing the subject's phone, email, or accounts (which is also illegal in most circumstances) - Tipping off the subject — directly or indirectly — that they're being investigated - Changing your own behavior in ways that alter the subject's routine **Why interference is so damaging:** A subject who suspects they're being investigated changes their behavior. They become more careful, more evasive, and harder to document. Surveillance that would have produced clear evidence in a normal routine produces nothing against a subject who is actively watching for surveillance. Worse, interference can compromise the legal admissibility of evidence. If a client accesses a subject's private accounts or communications, that evidence is inadmissible — and the client may face criminal charges for unauthorized access. If a client confronts the subject and the confrontation becomes physical, the entire investigation may be derailed. The professional investigation is designed to produce evidence that is legally obtained, properly documented, and admissible. Parallel amateur investigation undermines all of that. **What to do instead:** Stay in communication with your investigator. If you're feeling anxious about the pace of the investigation, call and ask for an update. If something changes in your situation that might be relevant, tell your investigator immediately. If you're tempted to take action, talk to your investigator first. The investigation is working even when it doesn't feel like it. Trust the process. ## Tip 4: Understand What Evidence Is Admissible — Before You Need It Not all evidence is created equal in a legal context. The difference between evidence that wins a case and evidence that gets thrown out — or worse, evidence that exposes you to criminal liability — often comes down to how it was gathered. **The basic rule:** Evidence gathered in public spaces, through legal means, and properly documented is generally admissible. Evidence gathered through unauthorized access to private accounts, illegal surveillance, or other illegal methods is inadmissible and can expose you to criminal charges. **What this means in practice:** - Photographs and video taken from a public street or public space: admissible - Photographs taken through a window into a private space: not admissible, and potentially criminal - Social media posts that are publicly visible: admissible - Social media posts accessed by hacking or unauthorized access: not admissible, criminal - GPS tracking on a vehicle owned by the client: legal in appropriate circumstances - GPS tracking on a vehicle owned by the subject: illegal without authorization - Recorded phone calls with the subject's knowledge (in NH, one-party consent applies): legal - Recorded phone calls without the subject's knowledge in a two-party consent state: illegal **Why this matters before you hire:** Understanding the admissibility framework helps you evaluate what an investigator is offering. If an investigator claims they can access private accounts, intercept communications, or gather evidence through methods that sound legally questionable, that's a serious red flag. Evidence gathered through illegal means isn't just inadmissible — it can expose you to civil and criminal liability. A licensed investigator knows the legal boundaries and documents everything to court-admissible standards. If your case may end up in litigation — and many do — this distinction matters enormously. **New Hampshire-specific considerations:** New Hampshire is a one-party consent state for recorded communications, meaning a party to a conversation can record it without the other party's knowledge. This applies to phone calls and in-person conversations where you are a participant. It does not apply to conversations you are not a party to. New Hampshire's wiretapping statute (RSA 570-A) has specific provisions that affect what investigators can and cannot do. A licensed NH investigator understands these provisions and operates within them. ## Tip 5: Choose an Investigator With Court Experience Many investigations eventually support legal proceedings — divorce, custody, fraud, civil litigation, insurance disputes. An investigator who has testified in court understands how to build a case file that holds up under cross-examination. Our [legal and litigation support service](/services/legal-litigation-support) is built around exactly this standard. **Why court experience matters:** The evidentiary standards for court proceedings are specific and demanding. Evidence must be authenticated — someone must be able to testify to what it is and how it was obtained. Chain of custody must be documented. The investigator's methodology must be defensible under cross-examination. An investigator who has never testified in court may produce findings that are accurate but documented in a way that makes them difficult to use in legal proceedings. An investigator with court experience builds the case file with testimony in mind from the beginning. **What court experience looks like:** - Experience testifying in family court, civil court, or other relevant proceedings - Familiarity with the evidentiary standards of the relevant court - Understanding of how opposing counsel will challenge investigative evidence - Ability to present findings clearly and credibly under cross-examination - Relationships with attorneys who can speak to the quality of their work **How to assess court experience:** Ask directly. A qualified investigator will be able to describe their court experience specifically — what types of cases, what courts, how often. They should be able to explain how they document their work to meet evidentiary standards and how they prepare for testimony. Ask for references from attorneys who have used their work in court. An investigator with a strong track record will have attorneys who can speak to the quality of their documentation and testimony. **The relationship between court experience and documentation quality:** Court experience improves documentation quality even in cases that never go to court. An investigator who knows their work might be cross-examined documents everything more carefully, maintains chain of custody more rigorously, and writes reports more precisely. The discipline of court-ready documentation produces better work product across the board. ## Putting It Together: The Client's Role in a Successful Investigation These five principles share a common thread: the client's role in a successful investigation is active, not passive. You're not just writing a check and waiting for results. You're a participant in the process. Your job is to: - Define a clear, specific objective - Provide complete, unfiltered information - Stay out of the field and let the investigator work - Understand the legal framework so you can evaluate what you're being offered - Choose an investigator whose experience matches the demands of your case The investigator's job is to take that foundation and produce accurate, legally obtained, properly documented findings that actually move your situation forward. When both sides do their jobs well, investigations produce results. When clients undermine the process — through vague objectives, withheld information, parallel interference, or unrealistic expectations — even the best investigator can't compensate. The good news is that most of what makes an investigation successful is within the client's control. These five principles are the starting point. --- Kreymer Investigative is a licensed private investigation firm serving New Hampshire — including [Manchester](/private-investigator-manchester-nh), [Nashua](/private-investigator-nashua-nh), [Concord](/private-investigator-concord-nh), [Dover](/private-investigator-dover-nh), and [Laconia](/private-investigator-laconia-nh) — and Massachusetts. [Contact us](/services) for a confidential consultation.