Posts from — April 2010

It is very important that you take your time and do your research when you hire a private investigator. In Fort Lauderdale alone, there are hundreds of private investigators, which makes choosing a good one very difficult. These are some tips to follow when deciding whether to work with a particular private investigator:

 Ask them how many investigators their hourly fee includes!

Sometimes, one private investigator is not enough. It is very difficult to follow a moving vehicle, while video tapping, and making sure that you watch for traffic at the same time. It is also impossible to be in two places at the same time (e.g. in the parking lot watching the vehicle and inside a restaurant watching the subject) without being spotted. There are certain instances when two investigators should be the norm. Many agencies choose to proceed with one investigator, which results in the loss of the subject or even worse, spotting of the PI by the subject. While you may be thinking that you are saving money by only using one PI, you end up losing more money and time in the long run.

 Ask them what happens if they lose the subject!

Do you get a refund? Do you get a credit? Do you get nothing? All agencies differ on this policy and you should be aware of this prior to hiring the company.

 Ask them if they will rotate private investigators or if they will use the same investigator every day!

This is important because many agencies are small, one-man operations and may not have the resources necessary to do a good job for you. Do you think you would spot the same person following you in the same car every day? So would the subject of the investigation! It is important to use creativity and diverse resources to ensure concealment and confidentiality.

 Ask them what their retainer fee is and what it includes!

Many agencies use a standard 8 hour or 10 hour retainer fee method. That means that once they are out on field for the day, they might charge you for 8-10 hours, even if the subject sat home and watched TV for that entire time. They don’t call you to let you know what is going on until that retainer is done. Which leads me to my next tip:

 As them how often they will communicate with you and what degree of control you will have in the investigation!

The standard private investigations agency will go out on field, finish the hours that were paid for, and report that there was “no activity”. Don’t fall for this! Make sure that the agency will communicate with you and that you have the power to call off the investigation if nothing is happening after a few hours (not 10!).

Choosing the right private investigator should not be difficult if you know what to look for.  Finding a private investigator in Miami is easy if you follow simple rules.  The private investigator in the Miami area you choose should have experience in your particular need.  This detective should be able to provide proof of how many years in the field they claim to have.  Most states regulate the Private Investigation field through various means of licensing, minimum qualifications, and current status.  A private investigator in Florida can be verified through the Florida Department of Agriculture. This link will provide someone looking for a private investigator in Florida a chance to verify that the agency selected has a current license.  The Florida Department of Agriculture can also verify the license of an individual Private Investigator as well. Therefore, when someone has found a private investigator for a South Florida case, they can confirm their agency identification number.

In the summer of 2010, Amazons Protective Services will be changing its name to Grey Ghost.  Gray Ghost will continue to provide top notch security services as well as private investigations.  Grey Ghost Security and Investigations, located in the greater Fort Lauderdale area, has a proven track record in the area of security guard services and private detective work.  The Gray Ghost Investigations office is physically located in Dania Beach.  Dania Beach, Fl private investigator service is an ideal location for any detective work required in South Florida.  Dania Beach is located south of West Palm Beach and Fort Lauderdale, north of Hollywood and Hallandale and east of Davie, Cooper City, and Pembroke Pines.

A little bit about the name Grey Ghost.   Gray Ghost is a nick name for a breed of dog known to possess exceptional qualities.  Just like the K-9 Weimaraner is loyal, so too will Grey Ghost Security and Investigations be to you!

Why did I use two methods of spelling the word Grey (Gray)?  You tell me, there seems to be no right or wrong way to spell the word grey, but it seems to depend on how close to Britain you are.  Hope your day is not gray!