Everybody has seen at least one movie or television show involving a private investigator. Usually, on these shows or in these movies, the private investigator works in a shady office and spends his (or her) day crouching in the bushes next to some seedy motel hoping for a “money shot.” A real private investigator, however, is much more diverse.
Often private investigators are hired by defence attorneys or insurance companies. While it is true that private investigators can also be hired to look into private matters, they can also be hired to work as process servers, tracing delinquent debtors, and work on corporate matters like anti-fraud and anti-piracy cases.
Most areas require private investigators to obtain a professional private investigation license. Some are allowed to carry firearms. Some are ex-police officers, though this is not a requirement. We know them for their keen observation skills and their knowledge of the laws that govern the jurisdiction in which they work.