How Long Can a Private Investigator Follow You?
You anxiously peek out your window, and there he is. It’s that private investigator who has been tailing you around town, shadowing your every move, for the past week or so. What does he want? Why won’t he leave you alone? Exactly how long can a private investigator follow you?
You’ll learn the answer below, plus a few things private investigators legally can and cannot do.
How Long Can a Private Investigator Tail You?
Legally, private investigators do not have to stop following you after a certain amount of time. They can continue to follow you for as long as required to collect the necessary evidence. That means a private investigator might follow you for less than a day, several months, or anything in between.
Why Might a Private Investigator Follow You?
Private investigators can follow their targets for many reasons. Gathering evidence for a contentious divorce is one. Accident investigation is another.
If you’ve recently had an accident, the insurance company might send an investigator to see whether you’re really as injured as you claim to be. If you say you’ve hurt your back, but the investigator catches you dancing at a party, the insurance company can use that evidence to reduce your settlement.
Private investigators sometimes follow job candidates to ensure they’re not up to anything shady. This is usually only the case for high-level jobs that require adherence to strict ethical standards.
What Private Investigators Can Do
Private investigators have many options for tracking their quarry. They can access public records databases, which include information such as phone numbers, addresses, and employment. They may also check a target’s social media accounts for updates.
Technically, private investigators can access bank records, but only in a few select circumstances. Per the Right to Financial Privacy Act, banks can’t disclose customer records without a warrant, subpoena, court order, or customer consent.
Private investigators are allowed to collect information about you from family, friends, and coworkers. They can even eavesdrop on conversations without breaking the law to conduct surveillance.
Private investigators can plant tracking devices on targets’ cars in some states. Florida doesn’t allow the placement of a tracking device without the vehicle owner’s consent, but there are a couple of exceptions to the rule.
What Private Investigators Cannot Do
How long can a private investigator follow you? Theoretically, forever. However, investigators aren’t all-powerful, and they must operate within the bounds of the law.
Private investigators cannot:
- Impersonate law enforcement
- Hack into your computer
- Trespass on your property
- Take photos of you through the windows of your home or other places where you have an expectation of privacy
Private investigators must also abide by their state’s one-party or two-party consent rules for recording conversations. In two-party states, such as Florida, both parties must give consent to record a conversation.
Questions About Private Investigators? Call Us
If you’re still wondering, “How long can a private investigator follow you?” reach out to Professional Process Servers & Investigators, Inc. at (844) 530-0255 to learn more about what private investigators can and cannot do.
