Most people who contact a PI firm have never done it before. They’re not sure what the process looks like, what’s realistic, or even whether their situation is something an investigator can actually help with. If you’ve never hired a PI before, here’s what the process looks like.
The First Call Is Lower-Stakes Than You Think
The most common thing people say when they finally reach out is some version of “I didn’t know if I should call.” If you’re not certain but have suspicions, you should call. The first consultation at True Investigations is free, completely confidential, and carries no obligation to move forward. It’s purely a consultation to determine if we can help you, and what that would entail in your case.
It’s simple and non-threatening. You describe your situation, we tell you honestly what’s realistic, and you decide whether hiring a PI makes sense for you. Nothing about that call commits you to anything, and nothing you share during the call goes anywhere.
What Happens During the Consultation
Don’t worry that you’re walking into a sales pitch; that’s not what a good consultation is when working with professionals. It’s a working conversation where you explain what you’re dealing with, what you know, what you suspect, and what you’re hoping to find out. From there, we can tell you whether surveillance is the right tool, what a realistic investigation looks like for your specific situation, roughly how long it might take, and what the findings will look like when the work is done.
If your situation isn’t something we can help with, we’ll tell you that too. There’s no benefit to taking on a case we can’t work effectively, and we’d rather point you in the right direction than take your money on something that won’t get you what you need.
How an Investigation Actually Works
The process varies depending on the case type, but here’s what it generally looks like for the most common scenarios.
Surveillance cases (infidelity, workers’ compensation fraud, custody-related activity) typically involve a licensed investigator observing and documenting a subject’s activities over one or more sessions. The investigator maintains a detailed activity log throughout, and everything is documented in real time.
Background and locate cases involve records research, database searches, and verification of information. These are often faster than surveillance work and don’t require field time, which also affects cost.
Corporate and insurance cases follow a similar framework to surveillance but are structured from the start around the documentation standards required for legal and insurance proceedings. If findings need to hold up in a deposition or courtroom, that shapes how the investigation is conducted and how the final report is written.
In all cases, True Investigations is licensed under Nevada PI License #1960 and operates within Nevada law. That’s not a technicality. It’s what makes the findings usable when it matters.
What the Final Report Includes
At the conclusion of an investigation, you receive a written report of findings. For surveillance cases, this includes a chronological activity log, documentation of observed activity, and any photographic or video evidence collected. The report is written to be clear and factual, documenting what was observed, when, and under what circumstances, without editorializing or speculating beyond what was documented.
If you’re working with an attorney or need findings for a legal or insurance proceeding, we can discuss format and documentation standards during the consultation so the final product is structured for your specific use.
What Confidentiality Actually Means Here
Confidentiality isn’t a selling point at True Investigations. It’s how the work is done. From the first phone call through delivery of the final report, your case is handled privately. We do not discuss case details with anyone outside the investigation, we do not share client information, and we do not use client situations in any form of marketing or public content.
The nature of this work requires discretion, and we take that seriously on every case regardless of size or complexity.
A Few Things Worth Knowing Before You Call
You don’t need to have everything figured out.
Clients who contact us often feel like they need to present a complete picture before they’re “allowed” to ask for help. You don’t. Bring what you have, and we’ll work from there.
Investigations take the time they take.
Some cases resolve quickly. Others require patience. We’ll give you an honest read on timeline during the consultation and keep you updated as the work progresses.
Not every situation requires surveillance.
Depending on what you need to know, a records search or background investigation may be faster, more appropriate, and less expensive than field work. We’ll tell you which approach fits your situation during the consultation.
True Investigations handles both domestic and corporate cases. Individual clients navigating personal matters, and corporate clients including attorneys, HR directors, and insurance adjusters, work with the same licensed investigators and receive the same standard of documentation.
Ready to Talk Through Your Situation?
The first consultation is free, confidential, and available by phone. No commitment required.
True Investigations, Inc.
Licensed Private Investigators, Las Vegas, Nevada
NV PI License #1960
702-902-2730
trueinvestigations.net