When you think of a Private Investigator, you may conjure up an image of a man dressed in an ill-fitting suit that he bought in 1952. Like a vampire, he only comes out at night and always carries a flashlight, a little notebook, and a cigarette lighter with a blindingly reflective surface.

In real life, today’s Private Investigators work around the clock, even during daylight hours. They wear moisture-wicking clothing that allows them to work odourless and comfortably, and they carry up-to-date electronics that make them efficient and effective at their jobs.

So what do modern Private Investigators do all day now that they don’t have to shuffle through disorganized stacks of paper looking for a number they scribbled on a napkin ten years ago? Here are the most common services they offer:

  • Finding out if your spouse is cheating: Private Investigators are often called on to figure out where someone is going and who they’re meeting when there. They can even uncover cyber-cheating; this doesn’t involve physical contact, but it may still be a deal-breaker for you.
  • Getting evidence to prove insurance fraud: Does your company have an employee on long-term disability who just posted their triathlon completion pics on Insta? If you need to prove that they’re capable of returning to work, a Private Investigator will get solid proof that they’ve recovered from their injury or illness.
  • Locating a missing person: Whether it’s a family member who’s disappeared or someone who owes you money, Private Investigators use online databases, social media searches, and on-the-ground surveillance to find whomever you’re looking for.
  • Helping you get what you deserve in your divorce: If you’re getting divorced, you want to be sure that you’re not leaving any money on the table. Private Investigators are skilled at finding assets your partner may be hiding or even assets they’ve forgotten about.
  • Ensuring your children are safe when they’re not with you. Shared custody agreements are great when both parents have the child’s best interests in mind, but what if you suspect that your former partner is neglecting your children or exposing them to dangerous situations? A Private Investigations team can conduct surveillance on them, see who they associate with and what they do, get photos and video of them engaging in questionable behaviour, and interview any relevant witnesses.
  • Doing background checks: Whether you’re hiring someone, considering a new business partnership, or making sure your romantic partner is everything they claim to be, you can get a lot more information on someone’s personal, professional, and financial affairs by having a Private Investigator do the legwork for you. Knowledge helps you minimize your risk, so the more quality information you have, the better.
  • Protecting your company from privacy breaches: Modern technology is making it easier and easier for bad actors to steal company secrets, access and leak your confidential documents, and appropriate your intellectual property. Technical Surveillance Countermeasures (TSCM) are designed to keep you one step ahead of people who mean to harm you and your business.
  • Checking on the wellbeing of teen children: Raising teens has never been more challenging: between the isolation of the pandemic, the proliferation of cybercrime and other dangerous online activity, and the normal developmental issues that teens struggle with, parents are having a tough time balancing protecting their children with giving them the independence they need. A Private Investigator can look into your teen’s online and offline activity, run background checks on any questionable new acquaintances they have, and locate them if they run away from home.

There are many situations that don’t fit neatly into one of these categories, so if you’re dealing with a problem that you think a Private Investigator can help with, let’s talk. The Star Quality Private Investigations professionals have decades of experience handling matters both simple and complex. Our expertise is unmatched in the GTA, and we have helped hundreds of individuals, companies, and entrepreneurs find the answers they need to move forward confidently. Is it your time to take this important step?