The Complete Idiot's Guide to Private Investigating, Third Edition

Book excerpt: The mystique of private investigating draws significant numbers of people to consider it as a career or side business. At the same time, individuals want to learn investigative techniques to solve their own personal and legal problems. In The Complete Idiot's Guide® to Private Investigating, Third Edition, private investigator and former FBI agent Steven Kerry Brown shares his hard-won expertise on everything you need to know to track down people and information, including: - Tapping phones and recording conversations - Interviewing and interrogating to get important information - Tricky but legal ways to get needed evidence like the pros - Performing onsite, online, and mobile surveillance without being detected - Skip tracing to find lost loves or people who owe money - Investigating backgrounds of potential employees or spouses - Searching public records online and at the courthouse - Catching a cheating spouse and gathering evidence for divorce cases - Finding runaway teenagers - Doing diligent searches connected with adoptions and estates - Tracking down burglars, thieves, pickpockets, and purse snatchers - Advanced techniques and business advice for those interested in starting their own investigative or background screening agency Along the way, Brown shares fascinating stories from his cases that highlight his clever methods for tracking down evidence and helping his clients find out what they need to know.