Thieves masquerading as private investigators in California
- NEW SCAM - Thieves Masquerading as private investigators in California
I am a licensed private investigator in Orange County. For the last 16 years I have worked in the investigative industry, and for the past 13 years I was employed as senior staff. In 2000 I received my private investigator license and started my own PI business. Subsequently, I have invested the time to learn the legal and business aspects of this industry. I know my competitors... there is a healthy competition between us, but that’s business. Aside from that most of us are friends. As a business owner and investigator, I embrace an intense personal responsibility to provide ethical and professional services to my clients as well as monitor my market area.
Recently our industry (Private Investigators) has had the dubious honor of being linked by professional name only, to individuals that crawled out from under their rock to commit serious crimes. Luckily they were scooped up by law enforcement and reassigned to new living accommodations away from the public.
However, our industry is quickly becoming plagued with a new kind of vermin. Individuals that represent themselves as private investigators whom throw up web sites and market on the internet. A venue that that is world wide, published and marketed by a blind corporate conglomerate with very little over-site. These new kind of vermin say that their private investigators and insured. They say everyone on their staff are retired cops. But there is one legal detail missing. There is no PI license number posted anywhere on the web site. The State of California requires all PIs advertising in a public forum, to post their license number on all advertisements and in their office.
The State of California BSIS (California Bureau of Security and Investigative Services) requires including but not limited to, 6000 thousand hours of on the job training or POST certified (Peace Officer Standards and Training) to be eligible to apply for a private investigator license. Then applicants are finger-printed by a local PD, the prints are submitted to the Department of Justice for a background check. After that is completed applicants have to pass a written examination, which is proctored by a designated state official. (The examination has an 85% failure rate.) http://www.post.ca.gov/Training/cptn/certified.asp
The scam is this… There are individuals marketing as private investigators or private investigation agencies that have failed to obtain a license as a private investigator. They market on the world wide web. The site look professional enough except for one detail; there is no license number posted any where on their site. Again, the state requires all PI to post their license number on advertisements.
Simply put... Their not licensed private investigators and consumers are truly at the mercy of a heartless thief, taking their money leaving customers limited recourse to collect on bad services. Unfortunately, bad services is the least of your problems should this unlicensed investigator break the law and drag you into court.
As consumers if you are considering hiring a private investigator "Caveat Emptor, buyer beware," please check the license of any investigation agency or detective your considering, verify their license and insurance. If your request for restitution falls on deaf ears, take them to small claims court. Second, file a complaint with BSIS and your call local police department, they might have a criminal record and you’ll be doing everyone a favor.
Bureau of Security and Investigative Services - BSIS - 2420 Del Paso Road, Suite 270 Sacramento, CA 95834
- (916) 322-4000 FAX (916) 575-7290
- http://www.bsis.ca.gov/online_services/verify_license.shtml
- Federal Bureau of Investigation - FBI
- Internet Crime Complaint Center http://www.ic3.gov/default.aspx
- Local field office locator: http://www.fbi.gov/contact/fo/fo.htm
