It is important to note that there are many private investigation agencies in Miami that have been around for many years and they only employ trained and experienced investigators. These agencies are to be commended for their standards of excellence and recognized for their commitment to this field. Yet, you as the consumer, have to be able to differentiate between quality agencies and run-of-the-mill agencies, which is not an easy task. The burden is on you to decide who you will do business with. Therefore, it is suggested that before doing business with any agency, you should take the time to do your research. First and foremost, try going to the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services website and running the agency’s name through their database to make sure that they are licensed. If you would like to take it one step further, you may even contact this department by telephone and inquire about any previous license complaints for the particular agency. Lastly, ask the agency to provide references for you. Although the cases that private investigators work are confidential, most agencies are able to provide a few references of prior
clients who have signed confidentiality waivers. Although this process is tedious, it will surely pay off in the long run.

But what about surveillance? Some individuals think that they can  follow others or put GPS on their vehicles without a problem. Well, actually, this is a BIG problem. Please be aware of the fact that if you’re following someone and you are not a licensed private investigator, you can be accused of stalking. If you put GPS on someone’s vehicle without their permission, you will also be violating major privacy laws and you will be looking at some jail time. It is important that you are familiar with state and federal laws prior to investigating anyone. This  is why hiring a private investigator is so convenient. Every licensed investigator is trained in privacy laws and they know how to handle each particular case in a lawful manner. Therefore, it is imperative that you let a licensed professional handle delicate issues for you. Yes, it does cost more than if you were to investigate the case on your own, but just think how much money you would be spending if you had to defend yourself against a stalking charge. When you weigh the risks versus benefits, it is evident that hiring a private investigator is the smarter thing to do.

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!).

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!

Now, here is my question to you: How do you know that the State will do a thorough job collecting all the information about your loved one?  This is not to say that all PSI’s done by the State are incomplete, but they most likely will not be as comprehensive and neutral as the ones done by us! How can we claim all this? We used to work for the State. We’ve been there and done that! We know how the process works and our main priority is to gather all the relevant information about your loved one, to get his/her side of the story, and to ensure that the judge has all the available information in order to make a fair decision. Most likely, the PSI will be last piece of information that the judge will receive regarding the defendant. Why not make sure that this investigation is done properly, completely, and without bias?