FAQs about Private Investigators

What is investigative intelligence?

Investigative intelligence is the collection, analysis, and interpretation of information from multiple sources to support decision-making when facts are incomplete, contradictory, or intentionally concealed.

How is investigative intelligence different from a traditional investigation?

Traditional investigations often focus on gathering evidence regarding a specific event. Investigative intelligence focuses on identifying patterns, relationships, identities, activities, and contextual information to support legal, compliance, risk management, and business decisions.

What is identity resolution?

Identity resolution is the process of determining whether multiple records, accounts, online activities, identifiers, or references relate to the same individual or entity.

What is open-source intelligence (OSINT)?

OSINT involves the lawful collection and analysis of publicly available information from online, public record, commercial, and other accessible sources.

Can investigative intelligence help locate difficult-to-find individuals?

Yes. Analytical research, digital footprint reconstruction, association analysis, and identity resolution techniques may assist in identifying leads when traditional methods have been unsuccessful.

Who uses investigative intelligence services?

Attorneys, corporations, compliance professionals, fiduciaries, investigators, insurers, financial institutions, and organizations facing complex information challenges.

Do you provide surveillance services?

Where appropriate, traditional investigative services may be available. However, many engagements are resolved through analytical research, intelligence gathering, and information correlation without field surveillance.

What types of problems are best suited for investigative intelligence?

Matters involving unidentified individuals, hidden affiliations, digital attribution, fraud indicators, due diligence, asset research, online activity analysis, and complex information environments.

What is a private investigator?

A private investigator is a licensed professional authorized to conduct investigations, gather information, and support legal, business, risk management, and personal matters. Modern investigators often combine traditional investigative techniques with analytical research, digital investigations, open-source intelligence (OSINT), and information analysis.

Who hires private investigators?

Private investigators are engaged by attorneys, corporations, insurance carriers, fiduciaries, government entities, and private individuals seeking information, verification, due diligence, investigative intelligence, or evidentiary support.

How do I verify that someone is a licensed investigator in New York State?

Investigators may gather information from public records, open-source intelligence, commercial databases, interviews, digital research, field inquiries, surveillance, and other lawful investigative methods. The techniques used depend on the objectives and circumstances of each engagement.

What is required to be a private investigator in New York State?

In order to get a license, you must have (3) years or more of investigative work in law enforcement or worked for another licensed private investigator. Additionally, you must pass the state test, have your fingerprints taken for a background investigation conducted by DCJS and obtain a bond. Although not required, insurance is a good idea.

What information can a private investigator gather?

Tripi Detective Agency utilizes multiple databases with millions of records to uncover information about an individual or business.

Our investigators can monitor an individual’s movements to give you a better sense of their character by seeing who they associate with and where they spend time.

We conduct interviews of family, friends, associates and neighbors to learn the character, habits, behavior, movements, affiliations, reputation and associations.