All posts by sydneypi
Who Hires Private Investigators?
It’s something that rarely – if ever – gets discussed in public, but you’d be surprised who is doing it. We’re talking about ordinary, everyday Australians who hire a private investigator.
Contrary to Hollywood movies and romanticised portrayals in novels, a private investigator doesn’t slink around in a black suit and fedora hat, holding a magnifying glass to look for clues. Discretion is the name of the game, and a modern-day private investigator can look like anybody or anyone.
This is one of the reasons why so many people hire us to be their eyes for a time. If you’ve asked yourself, “Should I hire a private investigator?” the answer is probably yes.
The types of people who hire private investigators
If you think you might need the help of one of our experienced private investigators, you will be joining thousands of Sydney locals who have asked us to collect information on an individual.
You’re not alone, and you’re not acting irrationally. Here are some of our most common requests:
- Unfaithful partners: A lot of our clients ask us to investigate their partners on suspicions of infidelity. We gather proof by taking photos and analysing video surveillance footage.
- Finding a missing person: Whether it’s a child who has run away from home or an individual is looking to locate their birth mother, we have the resources to find a missing person.Family Law matters: We can submit compelling, admissible evidence to the court in child custody battles or divorce cases.
- Background checks: With catfishing so common nowadays, we run background checks on current or potential partners. Often, we also run background checks on business partners or potential employees.
- Bug sweeping: We can establish if someone is investigating you. Using the latest spyware technology, we can discover whether there are any hidden cameras or recorders within your house.
Our sophisticated techniques and dedicated research staff can help gather evidence that you may have difficulty collecting on your own.
Should I hire a private investigator?
Hiring a private investigator can be a difficult decision to make. However, it’s sometimes the only legal way to get to the bottom of those burning questions. Without the training and knowledge of the laws, you may find yourself in hot water if you try the DIY route. In these situations, it’s a good idea to trust a trained professional to do the work for you.
Furthermore, private investigators are emotionally removed from the situation. As they’re objective, they will remain level-headed if evidence presents itself.
If you’re tossing up the idea of hiring a private investigator because you feel like something’s not right, trust your intuition.
Talk to Sydney’s most discreet private investigators
Our private investigators in Sydney enjoy the challenge and the thrill of uncovering clandestine information through intensive searching. We are fully licenced members of the Australian Institute of Private Detectives and the Institute of Mercantile Agents, and as such, are bound by their Code of Ethics. Our team of elite professionals will get you the answers you need using our high-quality spy equipment. Using GPS trackers, hidden cameras and USB recorders, we’ll put your mind at ease or confirm your suspicions.
Contact us now on 1300 773 293 for a private and friendly chat about your concerns about whether a private investigation is something you should consider.
I Think My Partner is Cheating on Me: What Can I Do?
Whispered phone calls late at night. Improved appearance. Unexplained expenses on credit cards. These red flags make for a great Hollywood movie plot. But when you’re living that reality, it’s the stuff of nightmares. Nobody wants to think that their partner is cheating, but sometimes you just can’t shake off that feeling deep down in the pit of your stomach.
Where they used to be warm, they’ve now turned cold. When they used to call after they finished a shift at work, they’re now unreachable by phone. You’re not going crazy – it’s possible that they may be cheating on you. So, what’s next?
Confirm your suspicions with a private investigator
When most people fear that their partner is cheating on them, they will often take the steps themselves to try to catch them in the act. However, this is almost never a good idea.
If your partner is sneaking around, they will already be on high alert – anyone within their proximity that even remotely resembles your height, build, hair colour, or even mannerisms may arouse their suspicions and scare them off. You might then never get the evidence you need to catch them in the act. Not to mention, you’ll have to disrupt your own daily schedule to follow them around. This can be incredibly time-consuming and frustrating.
However, if you really want to do your own research, there are a few spyware products you can invest in. From the secret phone tracker to our best-selling GPS tracking listening device, we’ve selected the best equipment available for your own independent research.
Discreet, experienced surveillance is just a call away
Hiring a professional to undertake a private investigation on your partner can be a difficult and emotional decision to make. But sometimes it’s the only way to get the answers you need. With years of experience in surveillance, our top private investigators in Sydney are able to get up close and personal. We can approach your partner’s place of residence, workplace, or any location that they often frequent – all without being detected.
Private investigators are still governed by privacy laws, security laws, and surveillance device laws, but we effectively have a license to stalk. This means we know all the legal loopholes around giving you what you need. We get results.
Leave it up to the experts – our agents will put your mind at ease or confirm your suspicions.
Hire a professional private eye for your peace of mind
Hiring a private investigator can alleviate your anxiety by giving you a definitive answer. We can report back with photos and footage via our recording devices in real time, so you can decide how you want to proceed before they arrive home.
Our elite and extremely discreet team of professional private investigators will get the answers you require. One phone call is all it takes to get the peace of mind and clarity you need – and deserve. You owe it to yourself.
Call Sydney Private Investigators today on 1300 773 293 for a confidential chat about your concerns.
Here is What Private Investigators Can’t Do
Discover What Private Investigators Can’t Do
A common myth is Private Investigators have access to all types of information, especially information that the public cannot access. However, the reality is that in Australia we are restricted by the Privacy Act.
Keep reading to find a summary of what we can’t access.
Background Searches
Private Investigators cannot access information on government databases. This includes, and is not limited to, records held by:
- Australian Taxation Office (employment history & taxable incomes)
- Medicare (health & medical history)
- Centrelink (government income)
- Service NSW (this includes finding details from car registrations)
- Immigration records (when people have entered or departed the country and visa status)
- Births, Deaths & Marriages NSW (marriage status – determining if someone is married or has been married.)
- Criminal Background Checks – this can only be obtained through the NSW Police with a signed consent form from the person who is being checked.
Information through private companies
In terms of private information through private companies, Private Investigators cannot obtain information in relation to:
Banks
This includes what bank accounts people have under their name, bank balances and transactions made in their accounts including credit cards.
Information gathering Private Investigators are not permitted to complete
This includes what bank accounts people have under their name, bank balances and transactions made in their accounts including credit cards.
Hacking
Private Investigators cannot access information on government databases. This includes, and is not limited to, records held by:
- Hacking Phones – There is software out there which YOU can install on people’s phones, however this is something you have to do. Private Investigators cannot hack someone’s phone remotely, especially iPhones. This includes Instant messaging such as Messenger, WhatsApp & WeChat.
- Hacking Computers – Private Investigators do not hack people’s computers.
- Hacking Emails/Social Media – we cannot hack a person’s email account or social media accounts such as Instagram and Facebook.
Missing persons
The police have better technology and resources to find missing persons. Generally Private Investigators stay away from missing persons.
Online dating
We cannot find out who people are on dating sites as they generally use an alias. We do not have access to databases of private online dating websites.
What can we do?
If you would like to know what Private Investigators can do, please see our blog on about what we’re legally able to do.
If you require anything outside of the scope of what we have outlined above, give us a call and we’ll let you know if we can help you.
What Can Private Investigators Legally Do?
Introduction to: What Can Private Investigators Legally Do
This is another question we get regularly. People seem to hold private investigators in very high regard when it comes to their powers of obtaining information. The truth is that they don’t really have much more power than the average person, apart from legally being able to investigate a person or watch someone, referred to as surveillance in the PI world. We are still governed by privacy laws, security laws and surveillance devices laws.
The Privacy Act
Since the Privacy Act was introduced in 1988, it has continually made it harder and harder to obtain information. Before then information was freely available with limited consequences on those who passed information without consent. From 1988 onwards information was generally obtained illegally with people paying off government officials or private sector employees in return for private information. As time has gone by and penalties increased, including jail time, the availability of this information has diminished. Technology advancement has also played a big part in this as everything can be traced. For example, a government official used to be able to look up on their internal system and pass on the information without anyone knowing. Now, they must use a login to access the information and it can all be traced electronically.
Government Databases
One major misconception is private investigators don’t have access to government databases like ATO, Medicare, Service NSW and Centrelink to name a few. What we do have access to as private investigators are commercial databases which we pay money to access. These databases are generally not available to the public as they have strict guidelines on who can access them. They are also usually subscription-based and cost a lot of money. The information on these databases come from various unknown sources that are generated over a long period of time.
A Licence to Stalk
In relation to what we can do physically as a private eye, we are once more restricted by the laws of the average person, except when it comes to watching someone. We effectively have a license to stalk; however, this is within reason. It must be discreet and without the person knowing. As soon as they’re aware of our presence it would be considered harassment if we were to continue. Stalking is defined under the Crimes (Domestic and personal Violence) Act 2007 as:
‘the following of a person about or the watching or frequenting of the vicinity of, or an approach to a person’s place of residence, business or work or any place that a person frequents for the purposes of any social or leisure activity’.
Recording
When it comes to visual and audio recording, we are once again hindered by rules and regulations under the Surveillance Devices Act 2007. The section that is most relevant to Private Investigators, and the everyday person, is Part 2 which regulates the installation, use and maintenance of surveillance devices.
The main thing you get from this is that we must not knowingly record or listen into someone’s private conversations. We must not also record a person if you are in a private conversation with them unless you tell them. As private detectives we can write in as much detail what we heard afterwards and produce this in a report. We just can’t record it and provide you the recording.
Filming is a bit more relaxed, however it is a grey area. We can film anyone who is visible from a public area. For example, if we are standing on the street and can see a person through a large window then we could film it. The grey area is that we can’t film them if the reasonable person would think that they are in a private space which could not be seen from the general public.
Monitoring Location
Monitoring a person’s location also falls under the Surveillance Devices Act 2007. It stipulates that you cannot monitor a person in the lawful possession or having lawful control of an object without express or implied consent. An object can be anything, including a car, a phone or even a boat.
The only act that would give you an exception to any of these rules is the Child Protection Act 2000. If it is in relation to looking out for a minor, then you may be able to get permission to do so if the child would be at harm in anyway.
Thinking Outside the Box
As private investigators we must think outside the box sometimes to achieve results. Some investigators may bend the rules to get what is needed; however, in summary all investigators in NSW are dictated by the same rules.
How Do You Become a Private Investigator in Sydney NSW?
As a private investigation company based in Sydney, we get this question a lot. We find people and clients, funnily enough, are very interested in this line of work. It certainly is a different type of job and makes a very interesting talking point over a beer at BBQs or dinner parties.
Given most people have never really heard of this profession (outside of movies and TV shows) they don’t know how to get investigator license, or where to go to find out more information. That’s why at Sydney PI, we thought we’d give share with you an overview of how to become a private investigator in NSW. As this differs from state to state, this is a guide specific to NSW.
What Qualifications Do You Need to Become a PI?
To legally follow someone around as a private investigator you’ll need to obtain an investigator’s license, which is issued by the NSW Police force under the Security Licensing & Enforcement Directorate. Before the license is issued, you must successfully complete a Certificate III in Investigative Services. This will enable you to legally do surveillance on a person and investigate a person.
Click here for more information
The best way to obtain your private investigator certification is through a fast track course. The cost ranges from around $1,600 to $2,000 and you can do it as fast or as slow as you want. The course structure is usually comprised of an online component and practical sessions.
Below are two organisations that run the short course we recommend:
How Do You Obtain Your Private Investigator Licence?
In NSW a private investigator falls under the Commercial Agents & Private Inquiry Agents Act 2004 and is categorised as Commercial Agent activities and Private Inquiry Agent activities.
The first step is to obtain a probationary licence. A Probationary Operator licence is issued subject to a condition that the licensee may only carry out the activities authorised by the licence while under the supervision of the holder of a Master Licence or the holder of an unrestricted Operator Licence.
This is reasonably easy to do. Simply follow the below steps:
- Fill out the form on this website and pay the $130 fee.
- Once your application has been processed you will be asked to go to the local police station and to give your fingerprints. Once this has been processed you will be issued your probationary license.
- You then have a maximum of two years to complete your Certificate III in Investigative services. You can then apply for a full operator’s licence.
- You can choose to pay for a 1-year licence or a 5-year licence. See costs here.
- Once your full licence has been issued you are free to sub-contract to companies as a private investigator.
If you have any questions on how long does it take to become a private investigator or how do i get my private investigator license, please contact the SLED Contact Centre directly on 1300 362 001, 8:30am to 4:30pm Monday to Friday (excluding public holidays).
Do You Need to Hire a Private Investigator in NSW?
If you are looking for Private Investigation services in Sydney NSW, contact our professional staff today on 1300 773 293. Alternatively, you can contact us online and we’ll get back in touch as soon as possible.
Additional Resources
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Learn more about the comprehensive duties of a private investigator.
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Understand what private investigators can and can’t do.
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Find out who hires private investigators.
Should I Hire a Licensed Private Investigator
So you’ve finally decided to do something about your problem and you’ve built up the courage to call a private investigator. You jump on google and there are lots of investigators advertising. You don’t know much about the industry and you’ve never done this before. How do you decide which one to use?
Well the first thing you should be checking is if the company is a licensed private investigator. This will quickly narrow down your search. All investigators must be licensed to operate in each state of Australia that they wish to operate. Just like you have to be licensed to drive a car. This means they are governed by a code of ethics and have operating procedures to abide by. Licensing for investigators was brought in to weed out the cowboys or rogue and dishonest people.
Unfortunately, there are still plenty of investigators around that are not licensed or are only licensed in other states. The risk you run by not using a licensed private investigator Sydney is it is harder to hold them liable for dishonest and misleading behaviour. If they are licensed they can be prosecuted or lose their license and be forced to stop trading.
Licensed private detectives should display their license on all advertising including their website and email signatures. If you can’t see a license number then there is a pretty good chance they are unlicensed.
A good way to check is by asking for their license number so you can check it with the local government authorities. In NSW, Private investigators are regulated by the Security Licensing & Enforcement Directorate (SLED) which is a department under the NSW Police. The license type a Private Investigator should hold is called a Commercial Agents and/or Private Inquiry Agents licence (CAPI). You can search their license number by going to the following link. Or simply google “check private investigator license NSW” to find the link.
If you want to do a full check on the company ask them to send through a ‘’company extract”. This will allow you to view the official company name and the Directors names of the company. Also ask for any trading names under that company. Run a basic search on google on the Director Names, the company name and any trading names. Make sure there isn’t any negative reviews, articles or bad publicity. Investigators should have full transparency on who they are. If they are not willing to provide this information I would suggest they have something to hide.
Unfortunately, there are unlicensed investigators operating that take full advantage of people in vulnerable situations, pulling on those emotional heart strings, extracting large amounts of money up front, promising the world and never delivering. Or they don’t disclose all their costs upfront and you end up with a huge bill at the end. This is your hard-earned money and you want to know it is being spent wisely and used effectively.
As a further check it is wise to check public reviews on the company. Google Maps is a great place for this. A lot of companies will have plenty of good reviews however check the lower rating reviews to see what peoples bad experiences are as sometimes there can be fake reviews pushing the bad ones down.
Our company is fully licensed in NSW, QLD & VIC. Our licence is displayed on our home page. https://sydneypi.com/ We are completely transparent on who we are and are happy to provide any documentation on request to prove our legitimacy.
Hiring a Private Investigator in Family Law
Hiring a Private Investigator in Family Law
Hiring a private Investigator in family law proceedings can help you gather evidence which can help you win your case. Family law proceedings can be expensive but the cost of a private investigator can be one of the most cost effective expenses you incur.
Here is some of the valuable evidence that can be obtained through engaging a private investigator.
Drug Use
Often parents believe that the other parent is either using drugs or selling them. This results in the parent exhibiting abnormal patterns of behaviour like driving to various places at odd times and meeting suspicious people in suspicious places. A private investigator can follow a person to obtain evidence which may be used to support the claim that the other parent is involved in criminal behaviour that can pose a serious risk to the children in family law proceedings.
Intoxication
It is regularly a concern of parents that the other parent may be using alcohol to excess. Engaging a private investigator can confirm if the other parent is drinking too much or visiting bars and clubs at times when they should be taking care of the children. This evidence can be put before the court to confirm that a child is at risk whilst in that parent’s care.
Employment
Sometimes parties to family law proceedings are not honest about where they are working or the amount they are earning. It is a regularly easy to task to confirm where a person is working and to prove the falsity of their declarations in court about their income. A private investigator can follow a person from their home to where they work on several occasions and provide this evidence in the form of a report to the Court.
Why Use a Private Investigator in Family Law
Ultimately you need the best evidence you can to win a family law case. However you need good evidence to support your claims and the best evidence that can sometimes be used is that of a private investigator. Once you have the evidence you need it is then up to your lawyer to use this in Court.
How much does it cost to hire a Private Investigator in Sydney?
Hiring a Private Investigator in Sydney is more affordable than you may think and it’s not a luxury just for the rich and famous. Sydney Private Investigations offers one of the most affordable solutions for a private eye to discreetly spy on a person for you. The cost of hiring a PI can vary between firms; however, you generally pay $100 to $120 per hour for a private detective. Some will be inclusive of travel and reports, yet some charge additional costs.
Our company has a fixed cost for the first 4 hours of $1000, including our travel and miscellaneous expenses like parking and tolls (capped at $30). This is great for peace of mind as there will be no nasty surprises at the end when you receive the bill. We then only charge $100 per hour for each additional hour after the first 4 hours. We do have slight surcharges for weekends and after midnight, however, they are not too onerous. Please phone or use our contact page for our latest private investigator rates.
A typical surveillance job will take 4 to 8 hours, however, sometimes they can be wrapped up in less than 1 hour if we have a result. Often, our private investigators will confirm your suspicions on our first attempt and within hours simply by following the person from their home or place of work.
Video surveillance also makes our task more efficient these days as we just film everything instead of taking photos. This allows us to obtain every detail without missing anything. Our private detectives use high-quality video cameras, dash cams, and special hidden covert spy cameras for those close-up moments. For a small additional cost, you have access to all this footage. Thanks to technology, it is emailed to you as a link which you can download so you will receive it almost immediately.
Our Private Investigators are spread throughout the Sydney metropolitan area so we can be at any location quickly. In some cases, we have had our agents onsite within an hour.
Hiring a detective is now an easy process and it isn’t as expensive as you think. Don’t delay: call us now for a friendly chat so you can get that peace of mind you need for closure, or just so you can move on with your life. Whether you’re worried about domestic issues or need professional PI services for other matters, rest assured our private investigator fees are designed to be competitive and transparent. Investigating a matter thoroughly doesn’t always mean it has to be expensive.
Investigator service charges and surveillance investigator cost can vary significantly depending on the complexity of the case and the resources required. By opting for our services, you’re not just getting affordable rates but also a guarantee of thoroughness and professionalism.
When considering the cost of hiring a PI, remember to factor in not just the hourly rate but also potential additional costs. For example, hiring a PI might incur expenses for travel, specialized equipment, or urgent weekend rates. We endeavor to keep our pricing structure clear and fair so you can budget accordingly.
If you’re looking for the cheapest private investigator in Sydney without compromising on service quality, give us a call. We offer affordable private detectives who deliver high-quality investigations across all areas, providing excellent value for money in the process.
Our investigation service pricing is tailored to meet your needs, ensuring no unnecessary costs are added. Understanding the private investigator pricing structure can help you plan better, especially when dealing with sensitive domestic matters. Whether you need someone for a short-term task or a more prolonged investigation, our professional PI costs are structured to offer you flexibility and clarity.
Exploring the domestic investigator cost will show you how our investigative services offer incredible value, ensuring you get the information you need without breaking the bank. Our confidential investigator fees are detailed upfront, so you remain informed throughout the process.
Don’t let uncertainty hold you back. Contact us to discuss your case and find the best solutions at competitive rates.
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Cheating on Hens Nights
Is your partner heading out for a hens or bucks night? Or perhaps it’s a whole weekend which means they have a leave pass over night, so you wouldn’t have a clue what they are getting up to.
Are you concerned about their integrity?
How do they behave once they have a few drinks?
Who are they going with? Is that known unfaithful or loose friend going who is a bad influence on those with partners?
Are they being very secretive about the plans for the night or weekend?
If the answer is yes, then you may want to have them followed for an evening to see how they behave. It’s quite common that after a few drinks this can lead to other things like taking drugs, flirting with the opposite sex leading to kissing and sex, going to strip clubs or ordering strippers in, and visiting brothels or even ordering them in to the hotel.
It’s common to be feeling insecure about your partner. Sometimes it’s nice to know that they are just doing the right thing, so you can trust them next time they go out.
As a private investigation firm, we send our agents out all the time for these exact circumstances. We have agents of all ages, sex and appearances to ensure they blend in perfectly. We are able to get up close and monitor these things and report back to you in real time with photos and footage, so you can make quick decisions for when they come home.
If you are feeling anxious about the night or weekend then give us a call to discuss your situation. We have a fixed price schedule, so you will know exactly what you will have to pay with no surprises.
Real Estate Agents Stealing For Sale Signs
Are you a real estate agent with a nasty and malicious competitor? Believe it or not, in the professional world of Real Estate nasty tactics like stealing sign boards is a real problem.
We have known real estate competitors to knock down sign boards, pull them out and throw them into the bushes or even remove them and take them away. Its an unfortunate fact that this really does happen. Usually, the customer has a reasonable idea of which company it is and when it happens.
In this case we have our agents sit and watch the signboards in several locations waiting for the perpetrator to come along, sometimes in broad daylight. If it is at night, we obtain this evidence on specialised camcorders to get clear footage. The advantage of using a licenced investigator is to report them objectively and from a third party.
We suggest you report them to the real estate licence board. This act would more than likely cause them to lose their licence. Furthermore, reporting them to your local police would potentially provide a crime conviction. Finally, exposing the act to shows like current affair or today tonight would have an enormous affect. These shows would have a field day exposing these dirty tricks. By exposing them publicly we believe this will not only tarnish the real estate agent’s reputation, it will likely deter other agents from doing the wrong thing through fear of being caught. It will also make the public aware of this problem and increase neighbourhood watch providing a much more difficult environment.
If this is your problem, give us a Sydney Private Investigations a call as we would love to help you catch your competitors.
Husbands Cheating on Business Trips
The husband comes home from work and announces that work is sending him away on a business trip. This is the classic scenario that enables a husband to play up while he is away from his wife and family. He is away from the watchful eye of his wife or partner and with no responsibilities and no accountability for his time this provides the perfect opportunity for cheating to take place.
There are perfectly legitimate reasons for husbands to attend work trips. Either a conference is to take place or a meeting at the Head Office or regional headquarters. But what seems like a perfectly honest reason for spending time away from home can often turn into something more sinister. The husband now has the perfect chance to get up to mischief and possibly get away with it.
Being Uncontactable
A cheating husband on a business trip will usually say they have to turn their phone off during meetings. If these meetings are extending into the evening or weekend then this should be a signal that something is wrong.
Another excuse is that he will be in transit and needs to turn his phone on airplane mode. This also means that he is uncontactable for long periods of time. This is another warning sign.
Yet another excuse is that he is feeling tired and needs to get an early night. He will make a phone-call around 8pm and say that he is turning in for the night. If he is usually up late when at home this should also send the alarm bells ringing.
The husband will usually not want their wife to know which room they are staying in at the Hotel. This means that their wife will be unable to contact him by the hotel phone.
If you are unable to contact your husband at any time on his business trip there is a chance that something is up.
What is He Up To?
Our experience as private investigators tells us that husbands can do any one of the following things during a business trip that constitutes cheating;
• Visiting a strip club
• Flirting with women at bars
• Meeting an escort
• Sleeping with a work colleague
What a Private Investigator Can Do?
A private investigator can be present at the Hotel where a husband is staying on his business trip. If booking details are known in advance the private investigator can even book a room next to, or on the same floor as the husband. This means that the private investigator can gather evidence such as;
• Whether he is actually at the business meeting or conference
• Whether he is going out to bars and clubs
• Whether he is going to dinner with a woman
• Whether a woman is visiting him in his room
The private investigator can report back via text or phone-call with pictures and video which enables the wife to know exactly what is going on. This gives the wife peace of mind or alternatively confirms her suspicions.
The Cost
The cost of a private investigation to follow a husband on a business trip can be more cost-effective if as much detail about the trip is known. The private investigator can be at a designated place and time and the whole investigation can be finished in a matter of hours. If a second agent is required this can also improve the chances of success if the Hotel is large or it is a busy conference. This means that there is a greater chance of catching the husband cheating if that is indeed what is going on.