Houston Private Investigator | Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently Asked Questions

The following are questions we are frequently asked regarding our houston private investigator services:

1. What will a private investigator do for me?
2. How much will it cost?
3. Are results guaranteed?
4. How often do you lose someone you are following?
5. What kind of skills will a private investigator have?
6. Why can't I do it myself or get a friend to do it?

How Do I Hire A Private Investigator in Houston?

7. Do you use tracking devices?
8. Is it legal to tap someone's phone?
9. Can you get credit reports?
10. How do I know if a firm is licensed and bonded?
11. Can you obtain cell phone records and what is the legality of it?

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How Do I Hire a Private Investigator In Houston?
This is the most important question of all! We like to give each client that personal attention they deserve, however due to the quantity of calls that come in, combined with the fact that we are always updating our clients on the progress of their investigation, we may not be able to come to the phone at the time you choose to call. As an option, you can send us an email stating your particular needs and when you would be available to consult either over the phone or via email. We check our email all day, even when we are on the phone, and we may respond more quickly via email than via phone. We can answer any question you may have and also quote a price for the investigation. In addition, we can send you a secure email link where you can go to finalize the transaction securely with a credit card or e-check. We will then confirm your investigation request via email and begin the investigaiton. Email us pi@cfordinvestigations.com

What will a private investigator do for me?
Depending upon the nature of your situation, a private investigator may: conduct surveillance on a spouse, investigate employees suspected of theft, search for assets or hidden bank accounts, help a criminal defense attorney prepare your case for trial, serve papers for your divorce or child custody, run a background check on a future business partner, etc.. The best thing to do is give us a call, tell us about your situation, and we can make some recommendations.

How much will it cost?
Most private investigators bill hourly just like attorneys, plumbers, and other skilled laborers. Our product is our time, skill, and the information we obtain. P.I.'s will ask for a retainer to bill against, as no one in the professional world is likely to do the work first and wait for the payment. Houston private investigators will likely charge between $60 and $70 an hour plus a mileage reimbursement rate of $.40 to $.50 per mile. Most firms have at least a 2 hour minimum per case per day.

Some may quote a cheaper rate, but as a consumer, you should be thinking that a firm with more experience and skill is going to get the job done more quickly, thus saving dollars in the end. For instance, if investigator 1 offers a rate of $45 per hour and it takes him 10 hours to reach the goal, you have spent $450. If investigator 2 charges you $65 per hour but can accomplish the goal in 6 hours you have spent $390.

It has also been our experience that shopping quotes does not work because it is almost impossible to estimate the scope of an investigation in a 2 minute phone conversation.

Are results guaranteed?
While we cannot guarantee the results of the investigation or the usefullness of the information obtained, we can guarantee due diligence and ethical billing.

How often do you lose someone you are following?
As mentioned above, especially in surveillance situations, we cannot predict traffic patterns or the actions of the subject being followed. What we can guarantee is that our investigators are trained to conduct surveillance and have a better than average success rate. If we lose our mark, we stop the billing until the mark can be re-established.

What kind of skills will a private investigator have?
All licensed Texas private investigators have at least 3 years field experience and/or a police background. You should expect that your private investigator will have the ability to follow a subject for an extended period of time, produce video or photographic evidence of activity, locate assets, locate a dead beat parent, conduct a civil or criminal background search, produce a professional report, and have experience testifying on behalf of their clients.

Why can't I do it myself or get a friend to do it?
As discussed in question #5, Texas private investigators are trained to do their job. Most investigations that are handled personally are ruined from the start and only make it more difficult on the investigator and attorney at a later date. Not to mention, a person can be charged criminally and/or fined for doing the work of a private investigator without a license. Your friend or relative has no protection under the stalking laws if they are caught following someone around town!

Do you use tracking devices?
Vehicle tracking devices are expensive to own and maintain, and they are also illegal unless used with the knowledge and consent of the owner of the particular vehicle. If you are interested in tracking your fleet of delivery vehicles, we can certainly recommend some solutions. If you wish to track a child or spouse, we recommend using an investigator.

Is it legal to tap someone's phone?
Texas is a "one-party" consent state, which means, you can tape record your own conversations without informing the other party. If you are considering putting a recording device on your home phone, we would recommend talking to your attorney for advice. (Radio Shack may not instruct you as to the usage legality of their products).

Can you get credit reports?
No, not without the signed consent of the subject.

How do I know if a firm is licensed and bonded?
You can visit the following link and search by license number or company name... www.tcps.state.tx.us

Can you obtain cell phone records and what is the legality of it?
The answer is: at this time there is no law expressly preventing a private investigator from obtaining phone information, however in the light on many civil lawsuits being filed by Verizon, Cingular, Sprint, etc., there are not many firms who will continue to provide this service. Add to that the various members of congress, and now the Texas Attorney General, who says they will prosecute cell phone brokers and people who have used them to obtain cell phone records. While financial data is protected under the GLB Act, and driver's data is protected under the DPPA, those protections do not transfer to cellular phone data. The real question should be: why do you need or want to obtain a record of someone's calls? For an answer to that question, check out our cell phone white paper on our blog.