Private Investigator Blog
News, Tips, and Insights from Chicago’s Top Private Investigation Firm.
How Does a PI Conduct an Infringement Investigation
PIs can Help Businesses Conduct Infringement Investigations Infringement investigators usually focus on trademark and brand violations of a company. Finding evidence that proves infringements is …
How to Locate a Person: A Real Investigation
Discover How To Locate An Individual Locating an individual is one of the most challenging missions a private investigator takes on. Especially when the individual …
How to find hidden surveillance cameras in an Airbnb rental?
More and more alarming reports regarding Airbnb hosts who have installed hidden cameras in their properties have surfaced recently. In March 2019, Andrew Barker and …
A Step by Step Guide on Reporting Financial Fraud
Financial fraud crimes are one of those things you hear about all the time but don’t think can happen to you. It’s a severe issue, …
What Is The Cost Of Hiring A Private Investigator?
One of the first questions that follow when you decide to engage a private investigator is how much are private investigator fees. As you can …
Using Tech to Catch Your Cheating Spouse
Are you seeing behavioral signs of a cheating spouse, or do you suspect that your significant other is cheating but have no actual proof? What …
Private Investigator’s Guide to Nanny Background Checks
Table of Contents What is a nanny background check? What information is included in a background check? What do you need to know before hiring …
What Is Digital Forensics and How It Can Solve a Case
Being a digital forensic investigator doesn’t require you to be an eccentric cybersecurity genius. You don’t need to be a programmer or a hacker. It …
How to Find a Listening Device in Your Car
We live in an era where anyone has access to listening equipment and spy devices, such as spy cameras. Technology has made them available to …
Best Options for a Cell Phone Records Investigations
Cell phone records are an extensive list that includes a person’s incoming and outgoing calls, usually accompanied by details such as the call’s duration and …
How to Find Hidden Cameras
The chances of someone spying on you using hidden cameras are low. Despite reports on popular sites like The Atlantic, of people finding hidden cameras …
Illinois Background Check: Everything You Need to Know for Best Results
Background checks are an important piece of the puzzle of an applicant’s identity. They help an employer avoid negligent hiring, defamation lawsuits, workplace violence, theft, …
How Private Investigators Work
All You Need to Know About Private Investigators Any first encounter with a contemporary private investigator is never as thrilling as one might expect. This …
Step-by-Step Case Study Of Asset Search Investigations
Does someone owe you money? Did you receive a judgment in your favor? Want to know if your new investor owns the assets they’re offering? …
Cheating Wife Surveillance: What Not to Do
Cheating spouses are sadly more common than you would think. According to Compare Camp, 20% of married couples in the United States have encountered infidelity. That number …
Steps to find my biological father, you have never met
Paternal absence is more common than you might think. According to The Fatherhood Organization, the United States is suffering an absentee father crisis. Over 18 …
Terminating Spousal Support due to Cohabitation
Divorce is not as simple as signing a legal document. This legal process leads to other sets of agreements, child support, legal responsibilities, and other …
Advanced Background Checks: What You Need To Know
Editors Note: This article was originally published on May 17, 2017, and has been completely revamped and updated for accuracy and comprehensiveness. When most people …
How to Perform a Dating Background Check
Editor’s Note: This article was originally published on July 12, 2018, and has been completely revamped and updated for accuracy and comprehensiveness. According to the …
How to Find Out if Your Spouse is on Dating Sites
Editor’s Note: This article was originally published on September 13th, 2018, and has been completely revamped and updated for accuracy and comprehensiveness. Find Out if …
What a Private Investigator Cannot Do
Editor’s Note: This article was originally published on May 15th, 2017, and has been completely revamped and updated for accuracy and comprehensiveness. Private detectives’ and …
How to Prove Cohabitation in Illinois
According to a study by the Pew Research Center, the percentage of cohabitation has increased. Throughout the years, it has become more and more common …
What is a Process Server and Why are They Important?
For 40 years, Lawrence Ryan Investigations has been offering a variety of investigation services, including missing persons, corporate investigations, asset searches, and background checks, among …
Background Check Websites: Is Instant Checkmate legit?
Technology has brought up a lot of options through the internet to people who have access to it. The amount of choices makes people come …
Why Do Lawyers Hire Private Investigators?
Editor’s Note: This article was originally published on January 17th, 2019, and has been completely revamped and updated for accuracy and comprehensiveness. Many lawyers and …
Detective’s Guide to Find Hidden Apps on Your Cell Phone
You’ll probably already familiar with hidden cameras and hidden bugs, but hidden apps?! That’s certainly something new. And why would anyone need to hide their …
Is TruthFinder legit or should you avoid it?
With so many background check websites luring users with false promises and useless search reports. It’s only natural to ask yourself if TruthFinder is legit, …
What is the Role of a Computer Forensics Investigator?
A relatively new field, digital forensics is the answer to the progress of technology and the crime determined by this progress. Digital crime is correlated …
10 Tips on How to Protect Your Money in a Divorce
Divorces are emotional and complicated matters, and no one ever seems to be entirely prepared for them. However, protecting your money and assets in case …
How do private detectives get background information?
If there is one thing private detectives are known for is being very good at gathering information. It’s basically their primary mission, regardless of their …
How to Use Child Custody Investigations in Divorce Cases
A private investigator can play a pivotal role in a divorce case, especially if it involves a child custody battle. In these circumstances, people hire …
How to Serve Papers to Someone You Can’t Find
When a plaintiff files legal action against a defendant, they must serve them a copy of the claim to notify them of the legal proceedings. …
Types of Lawsuits and What It Means If You Take Part in One
Discover 7 Types of Lawsuits And What Your Involvement Means Lawsuits are a part of life. Nobody actually likes to be a part in a …
How to Know Someone Is Married or Divorced
Discover If Someone Is Married Or Divorced With These Tips Love is indeed a matter of the heart but smart people always rely on their …
How to Keep Your Smartphone Safe from Being Hacked?
Keep Your Smartphone Safe From Being Hacked The digital world is a wonderland for hackers. A hacker can be defined as an individual who searches …
What Is Judgment Recovery And Why Is It Important?
What Is Judgment Recovery and How To Use It In Your Favor Not many “civilians” know what is a judgment recovery and, unfortunately for them, …
What Are Social Media Investigations?
In the age of social media, when people choose to expose their lives on online social channels, they are providing vital data points for a …
How to Sweep for Bugs?
Tips To Help You Sweep For Bugs Without Expensive Technology Although we keep saying the life of a private investigator is not exactly what the …
How cell phone data extraction works?
How Cell Data Extraction Works and How It Can Help Your Case Your mobile devices can be an infinite source of information for those working …
What Is Digital Forensics and How It Can Solve a Case
Pretty much every detective show on TV includes digital forensics in the script. Whether the digital forensic expert is a nerd or an extravagant genius, …
What Information Is Considered By a Judge in a Divorce Case
Judges are a critical player in any divorce case. It’s vital to prepare yourself when appearing in court to present your case. Many times, a …
How to Protect Yourself Offline
7 Ways You Can Protect Yourself Offline Your security depends on how aware you are of the risks you’re exposing yourself daily. The two major …
3 Private Investigator Tools for Divorce Investigations
Learn All About Divorce Investigations With This Case Study Our company deals with many aspects of divorce investigations, so we have the resources to provide …
How Private Investigators Use GPS Devices and Tracking
How Important Are GPS Devices For Private Investigators? The private investigation industry has been around since the 1800s, when Allan Pinkerton founded the Pinkerton’s National …
What is Workers Compensation Fraud
Private Investigators Uncover Worker’s Compensation Fraud Insurance fraud investigation is a common mission for private investigators. People get very creative when committing fraud, so private …
Insurance Fraud Investigations and Six Ways They Can Happen
Learn All About What Is A Fraud Investigation Insurance fraud happens more often than you might think. As a matter of fact, insurance fraud is …
How To Skip Trace Someone to Learn their Location
Learn How To Skip Trace Someone Are you looking for someone? Need a current, accurate address? What are your options, and do they work? If …
Most Common Types of Fraud We Investigate
Find Out The Most Common Types of Fraud Our PI’s Investigate Our private investigators are often hired to conduct fraud investigations. Fraud happens more often …
5 Reasons Free Background Checks Are Useless
Five Reasons Criminal Background Checks Are Useless Have you ever wondered why some websites provide free background checks but there are still people who prefer …
What is a skip trace and how are they used?
Article Summary Skip Traces What is a Skip Trace What Skip Traces Involve What can a Skip Trace Find Background Checks What is a background …
How To Find Out If Your New Partner Is Legally Married
You Can Find Out If Your New Partner Is Legally Married Finding out if someone is legally married is not as easy as it may …
Serving Papers – 5 Ways We Can Get the Job Done For You
You’ve been SERVED! Relax. You’re not being sued, this was just to get your attention. But it doesn’t feel good thinking you have to defend yourself …
5 Custody Battle Tips for When Fighting Is Your Only Option
Are you about to enter into a messy custody battle? You’re not alone. About 40% – 50% of marriages in the U.S. end in divorce which means …
4 Reasons Why You Need to Run a Background Check On Someone
Ever Considered Running a Background Check On Someone? Have you started dating someone new? Are you looking for new people to join your company? Whatever …
What to Look for In a Legal Process Server
There are around 15,000 to 20,000 process servers in the United States, working full and part-time. And each of these servers charges anywhere between $20 to $80. …
How to Root Out Employee Fraud In Your Own Company
The biggest business frauds in U.S. history, Enron, and Bernie Madoff’s Ponzi scheme, cost their businesses and shareholders 60 billion dollars each. If it’s possible …
5 Tips on How to Hire a Private Investigator
Do you have a sinking suspicion that your lover is cheating on you? Do you have a business partner who may not be completely honest …
How to Do a Background Check on Prospective Employees
| BY SETH RYAN Finding the right employee to fill a need at your company can be a time-consuming, challenging process. And though many candidates …
5 Tips on How to Find Birth Parents
Everyone loves a good origin story. In 2017, DNA ancestry tests exploded in popularity. Moreover, three million people are currently subscribed to the genealogy website, Ancestry.com. But for …
Your Guide to Child Custody Laws
Learn about child custody laws and your rights as a parent In the United States, about 13.4 million parents were taking care of approximately 22.1 million minor …
How to Cope When Your Husband Cheats
Useful tips for dealing with a cheating husband If you suspect that your husband is cheating on you, you’re not alone. In fact, it’s estimated …
3 Ways Private Investigating Firms Help Attorneys
Learn what private investigators can do for attorneys. In 2017, attorneys nationwide processed over 300,000 cases. The crime rate continues to soar in many cities. …
Three Corporate Crimes That Can Ruin Your Business
Corporate scandals are constantly in the news. Bribery, fraud, negligence and sexual harassment were some of the biggest corporate crimes in the news last year. …
How To Handle Travel During A Custody Dispute
Do you want to take your kids on vacation while still battling an ongoing legal battle with your ex? There are certain precautions you need …
Process Serving In Illinois: What You Need To Know
Many people go out of their way to avoid being served legal documents. This is why it is important to hire a professional process server. …
What are the Surveillance Laws In Illinois?
For people who are unfamiliar with the nuances of the law, it can be shocking to see how difficult it is to prove something that’s …
5 Reasons You May Need to Hire a Fraud Investigator
When and why you need to hire a Fraud Investigator Many people think of a private investigator as a gumshoe searching for clues like Sherlock …
How Infidelity Surveillance Can Affect Your Divorce
How Infidelity Surveillance Can Affect Your Divorce Case Are you going through a divorce and suspect your spouse is cheating? Divorces can be a tough …
What to Know About Child Custody Investigations
Divorce can be tough on the whole family, particularly your children. Splitting with your spouse likely causes you pain, but there’s nothing as painful as …
4 Divorce Causes You Wouldn’t Expect
Everyone knows a couple that seemed perfect but ended up getting divorced. Unfortunately, divorce statistics in the United States remain high. There are many reasons …
How Machine Learning Helps with Fraud Detection
Fraud cost U.S. businesses close to $50 billion in 2016 alone. Even worse, fraud is often difficult to identify. Concerns about in-house fraud erode trust …
Protect Your Privacy with these 4 Secure Messaging Apps
As we move towards the end of the second decade of the twenty-first century, technology is constantly evolving. This is true for technology held by …
5 Tips to Keep Your Divorce Cost Low
The emotional toll a separation and divorce takes on a family can be devastating. It can also place a huge amount of financial burden on …
How Technology Is Changing How to Find a Missing Person
The Transformative Effect of Technology on Investigations Technology has transformed practically every aspect of life from how we communicate with each other to the way …
Fraud Case Study: Kickback Scheme Defrauds Company
Hundreds of Thousands in Kickbacks Defrauds Company Elaborate kickback scheme defrauds multi-national of hundreds of thousands of dollars. An Asian multi-national manufacturer contacted us regarding …
How Can a Father Get Full Custody of His Child?
If you’re a man going through a divorce, you have a lot of things on your mind. Dividing up possessions and figuring out who gets …
Is Facebook Stalking a Good Idea?
Few technological innovations have proven to be quite as revolutionary as social media. Now, people are no longer confined to communicating with those in their …
How to Find an Estranged Spouse
While 90% of people in the US get married before the age of 50, about 50% of those marriages eventually fail. Marriages fail for a …
What NOT to Do When Catching a Cheater
If you suspect that your spouse is cheating, you might feel the urge to do something. You’re not sure what you should do, how you …
PI Shares 4 Tell-Tale Signs That Your Husband Is Cheating
If you suspect your spouse is cheating, he probably is. This unfortunate truth can be chalked up to woman’s intuition or just following your gut, …
Avoid Being Catfished: How to Identify a Person’s Identity
Developing friendships and relationships online can be risky business. The effortlessness of creating social media handles, new email accounts, and dating profiles, makes it easier …
Employment Screening Trends for Both Employers and Employees
Employment Screening Trends Have Changed Gone are the days when employers simply took employees for their word regarding skill and background when making hiring decisions. …
Child Custody Case: 4 Ways Social Media Could Cost You Big
Social media has changed the way that many people communicate, for better, or for worse. All too often, people use social media accounts to communicate …
Risk Management 101: Protecting Your Business
Risk is an intricate part of every business and thankfully, it does not always lead down a path to failure. But when a business fails …
Fast Facts: Phishing Fraud and How to Avoid Being Scammed
156 million. This is the number of phishing emails that are sent out every single day. Promising tech support, alerting customers of unusual sign-in activity, …
Top Divorce Articles You Need to Read
Below is a curated list of top divorce articles to help you on your journey through what could be the most difficult part of your …
[Infographic] How Asset Searches Work
A common service we provide to an investigation is asset searches. People tend to have the same questions; how does it work and what can …
Top Chicago Law Conferences & Events in 2017/2018
With the legal industry in constant flux, it’s critical to understand the latest changes and trends, and how to stay ahead of them. Attending the …
Critical Steps to Protect Yourself on Social Media
Follow these steps to protect your privacy on social media. What if someone hacked your Facebook, Twitter, or any of your social media accounts? The …
11 Easy Ways to Protect Your Privacy
The world has become a small village with all these interconnections, social media, and other new technologies that have made privacy become just a word. …
Law Firm Investigator provides these 50 Solutions
Behind every case is a person gathering relative information that gives a lawyer a competitive advantage. Many times that person is a law firm investigator, …
How do you know if business partner is stealing?
The business world can be extremely cut-throat and competitive. You should be careful who you do business with. Wouldn’t you want to know if a …
How to Win a Child Custody Case in Chicago
Going through a separation is hard enough, let alone having to fight for custody of your children. Not only is it stressful for you, but …
How to Find a Missing Person in Chicago, Il
Let’s face it, Chicago is a HUGE city. According to Wikipedia, the entire Chicago area has over 9,500,000 people. Whether you live in Oak Lawn …
How to Find Hidden Bank Accounts & Assets Nationwide
Learn how to find hidden bank accounts and more. Assets, typically, are a good thing. Hidden assets often have a ring of hope or criminal suspicion …
Process Server Companies and What To Look For
Key points for reviewing process server companies. When you need to serve court papers on someone to appear in court, there are several options. The …
3 Things That Result In A Successful Investigation
Before you hire a private investigator to help with your case, it is important that you know three things that will help in a successful …
Custody Case: 3 Essentials to Winning
In a custody battle who usually wins? This is a common question when people start on their journey to win a custody case. Follow these …