A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.  That first step in the PI business was taken by me in 1980 when I left the prairies of South Dakota and moved to California with a few thousand dollars and all my personal effects which fit in my car.  A college degree in [...]

Over the years, the background check of an individual and/or entity has often included a loss history to deter- mine   whether the subject of the investigation has experience in  filing  prior  insurance claims.  This  could include prior homeowner’s losses, fire losses, prior auto accidents, workers’ comp claims, slip and  fall   accidents, to  name  only a [...]

THE ART of surveillance or sub rosa as it is also commonly known) can best be described as comparing the difference between a Picasso painting with that of a local artist who paints primarily as a hobby. Many would argue that the difference between two artists may be in the eye of the beholder. However, [...]

Over the years, our firm has conducted countless background checks for a wide variety of investigations, ranging from suspected insurance fraud, corporate malfeasance, civil litigation, domestic matters, to name only a few.  There have been many examples where the information proved to be invaluable to the resolution of the case.  However, there have also been [...]

  Investigative techniques have dramatically changed in the past 15 years with the introduction of computer databases and technology.  However, databases and technology alone cannot take the place of good “old fashioned” investigative techniques that have been utilized for many years.  One example of “old school” investigative techniques is the “cold call.”   “Cold calls” [...]

Dick Tracy would be proud if he were alive today!! The advances in “Detective” (surveillance) technology have exceeded the fictional imaginations of yesteryear. In fact, a watch cell phone/camera/video camera is now on the market. Even Dick Tracy’s watch did not shoot video!! Over the past 25 years, surveillance equipment and technology has significantly improved [...]

The Bubble Equals Fraud Trouble. In reading the papers and following the news, it seems that real estate is a hot topic right now.  Real estate prices have fallen sharply in many parts of the country, particularly in California and Nevada.  Foreclosures are at an all-time high, and projected to continue climbing. Many home buyers [...]

Cost vs. return.   There have been countless cases during my career where criminal background checks have produced some very significant results.  Whether it be a background check on a suspicious insurance claim, current employee, prospective employee, prospective tenant, claimant, to name only a few, a simple criminal background check has saved clients a substantial [...]