Enhancing control over detective services

[Детективное агентство. Украина. Харьков. Львов.]

The end of 2008 - the beginning of 2009 was particularly fruitful for the adoption of a variety of laws and regulations. The legislator is not in earnest. He did not ignore detective activity. So, in particular, on December 22, 2008, Federal Law of the Russian Federation No. 272-FZ “On Amending Certain Legislative Acts of the Russian Federation in connection with the Improvement of State Control in the Field of Private Security and Detective Activities” was adopted. This legal act entered into force on January 1, 2010.

About what changes were made to the legislation on detective activities, and will be discussed in this article.
1). I would like to start, as expected, from the beginning. So, changes were made to the first part of the law under discussion. It was supplemented by a paragraph regulating the procedure for the participation of foreign citizens in activities to provide detective services. Immediately after the introduction of this norm, they started talking about discrimination against foreign detectives.

In fact, the need for regulation of the activities of foreign detective organizations has ripened long ago. Foreign detective agencies opened their branches and representative offices in Russia in many. And, unfortunately, it’s not always just to carry out the activities provided for in the charter. So, in close quarters it is well known that often foreign detectives engaged in industrial and political espionage, collecting analytical information of a different nature and so on. Now the situation will have to change for the better. In any case, the stringent requirements for foreign investigators wishing to work in the territory of the Russian Federation should contribute to this.

2). Some amendments were also made to article three. In particular, the legislator changed its name (earlier: “Types of private detective and security activities”, today: “Types of security and detective services”), as well as the part regarding the activities of security agencies has changed significantly. As for detective organizations, their changes in this article were almost not affected. And this is by no means accidental. The fact is that the activities of security organizations have long needed a serious review. The whiteness and inconsistency of Russian legislation led to the fact that completely different, not always legal organizations were often hidden behind the sign of private security companies. To streamline their activities, to take them under strict state control - this is the main task that the legislator pursued by making these amendments. As for the detective activity, there were no special changes. Yes, they were not required.

3). The validity period of the license for detective work is established. Previously, it was unlimited, now it must be renewed every five years. The legislator took this step by no means accidentally. According to his plan, this should help strengthen control over the activities of detective agencies and private detectives, and, as a result, improve the quality of their services.

Regular license updates for conscientious detectives are no problem. But it will be screened out "random" people who give out the data of outdated illegal bases for the results of their own investigation.
4). Article number six was supplemented by a reference to gross violations of private detective work. Such, in particular, are violations of the constitutional rights of citizens. Including: the inviolability of the home, the secrecy of correspondence, mail and so on. It is also unacceptable to use prohibited technical means.
At the same time, it is impossible to say that the new edition is somehow radically different from the previous one. And before, these rights should not be violated. Just today the degree of punishment for these actions has been increased.

By the way, it was this norm that made a lot of noise in the media at one time. Journalists fanned the news to the point of sensation. Say, finally, private detectives were forbidden to use illegal special equipment and so on. In fact, this was previously prohibited. The amendments did not radically change the situation; they only clarified the previously existing norms and eliminated the existing contradictions and gaps.

When can a private investigator be needed?

What do we know about the activities of a private detective? As a rule, in the view of ordinary people, which has developed mainly due to works of art, a private detective investigates complex, intricate murders, intricate thefts and other exotic crimes.

From foreign films, we also learned other information: a private detective is an entity that helps expose unfaithful husbands and wives so that later the deceived half gets a large part of the common property during a divorce.

Hence the conclusion: the activity of a private detective is something completely special and exotic.

In fact, the field of activity of a private detective is so wide that practically every person needs his services, one way or another. It's just that not everyone knows about it. Judge for yourself: have you never thought about finding your childhood friend or classmate, whose connection with it was lost for any reason. How to act in such cases? In fact, everything is very simple: contact a private detective and he will quickly find the wanted subject.

Or another, very common situation: I liked a girl in a club / bar and so on, but they did not manage to take the phone. Or they took, but immediately lost. Yes, you never know. In this case, a private detective may also come to your aid.

The famous actor Daniil Spivakovsky found his wife in ... an airplane. The girl worked there as a stewardess. The star liked her so much that he could not forget her for a long time. And although he knew both the flight number and the name of his lover, finding her was not an easy task. It took him a lot of time and effort to carry out the search. Of course, the actor’s connections also helped.
But what if there are no connections or the situation is much more complicated: little is known about the girl?

In such cases, only a professional can help. In almost all cases, a private detective will quickly be able to find a random fellow traveler, an interlocutor in a club, and so on.
These cases, of course, are not the only ones where the services of a private detective may be required.

Do you know how many businessmen fell victim to various scammers? How many went broke for this reason? But they just needed to turn to the services of a private detective, who in a very short time can find out all the details not only about the future transaction, but also about the alleged business partner.

Or here is another, very serious and widespread problem that has affected many of our compatriots. A successful and wealthy acquaintance or friend asks to act as a guarantor under a loan agreement. It is not convenient to refuse, and there is no reason for this: the acquaintance has a successful business, a luxurious apartment and a car. And only later it turns out that all the property of a successful friend and his business have long been mortgaged. That loans are taken to them regularly: some to repay others. And he has nothing to give back the loan taken under your guarantee, and he is not going to do it. What this means for the guarantor, I think it is not necessary to explain.
And the most annoying in such a situation is that it could have been avoided. All that was needed was to turn to a private detective. He always easily finds out the true state of affairs of your friend, will assess your risks.

Thus, as we see, there are a lot of cases when citizens may need the help of a private detective. And they are all ordinary, typical, often found. Based on this, it can be said that the services of a private detective should become as widespread as the services of lawyers, doctors, entertainment services, and so on and so forth.


Information gathering as one of the main types of detective services

According to the apt expression of William Churchill, the one who owns the information, owns the whole world. That is why it is so important for any businessman to collect the most complete and detailed information about his business partner. For these purposes, they simply need the services of a private detective.

But who is this mysterious person? An amazing subject who constantly gets into a different series of alterations and masterfully gets out of them? In fact, the cinematic image of a private investigator is very far from real, because private investigators do not swing a gun in front of every scoundrel and do not arrange a shootout in crowded places. They act exclusively within the framework of the law and in strict accordance with it.

In this case, it is primarily about Federal Law No. 2487-1 of March 11, 1992, "On Private Detective and Security Activities in the Russian Federation." This regulatory act severely limits the powers of private investigators. According to article 7 of the federal law, private detectives cannot:

1). Hide from law enforcement agencies information about a crime committed or preparing to be committed. This must be taken into account by anyone who plans to turn to a private detective. If during the investigation he finds a criminal episode in your biography or the biography of your partner, he will certainly report this “where to”. No matter how well the detective treats his client, to act differently means for him to lose his license or even become an involuntary accomplice in a crime.

2). Presented by law enforcement officials. It’s only the heroines of women’s detectives who, having acquired fake ksiva in the underpass, imagine themselves being either officers of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the FSB, or even the FBI. In life, such actions are severely punished. Therefore, no self-respecting private investigator will not do this.

3). Gather information about the private lives of individuals, as well as their political and religious beliefs. Therefore, it is better not to count on the help of a private investigator in collecting incriminating evidence on their competitors. A detective can very well verify all of their “economic ins and outs,” but lovers, drugs, and alcohol are not his competence.

4). Alas, a private investigator simply does not have the right to carry out video and audio recordings, as well as photographing and filming in office or other premises. Unless only with the consent of the owner of the premises or the relevant official. Moreover, the paradox: journalists have the right to record with a hidden camera, police officers, of course, and even private individuals can carry out such events. But the private investigator is deprived of this right by law. And this must be taken into account. On the other hand, if you are eager to expose the bribe on your own, a private detective can help you with technical advice.

five). To carry out activities during which the secrecy of correspondence, telephone conversations and telegraphic communications will be violated. It is also strictly forbidden by law to carry out detective actions that are related to violation of guarantees of inviolability of the person or home. Responsibility for such violations is provided for very substantial, so that wiretapping of telephone conversations of a wife or competitor threatens serious troubles.

6). It is also forbidden for a private detective to carry out any actions that infringe on the rights and freedoms of citizens or endanger them. Also, any threat to the honor, dignity and property of citizens by a private detective is simply unacceptable! The use of special equipment by a private detective is possible only in self-defense. And this should be remembered.

7). Of course, the private investigator does not have the right to deceive his client. He cannot falsify the materials or otherwise mislead him. It is also very important that all the information that the detective collects on behalf of the client, he must also give him. But to disclose it or use other images contrary to the interests of the principal, the private investigator has no right.

8). Transfer the license to third parties for use.

So, as we see, the list of legislative restrictions is quite wide. And probably after reading them, many will have a completely legitimate question about how, in general, how a private detective manages to fulfill his obligations to a client. And that is impossible, and this.

In fact, a true professional will be able to collect the necessary information without bugs, cameras and wiretapping of the phone. This is the skill and talent of a private investigator. In addition, the law endowed him with a host of other opportunities that, of course, help in his difficult task. So, in accordance with the already mentioned federal law, a private investigator has the right:
1). Verbally interview citizens and officials. Of course, such a survey can only be carried out with their consent. This detective owns all the intricacies of interrogation. He will be able to learn a lot in ordinary conversation. To talk to the person you are talking to, to analyze the information on the fly and to direct the conversation in the right direction - this, if you like, is a special talent, a gift that only real professionals possess.
2). Inquire about a particular object, study objects and documents (with the written consent of their owners), conduct an external inspection of the premises, and also monitor individual subjects. All this helps a private investigator to find out the necessary information, to find out a lot of interesting and useful information.
3). About the technology. You can use it. The restrictions apply only to recordings in the room without the consent of its owner. In other cases, the use of video and audio recordings, film and photography, technical and other means is quite acceptable. The only requirement is that “other means” do not harm the life and health of citizens, as well as the environment. Private detectives can also use means of operational radio and telephone communications.

Our list does not reveal all the professional secrets of private investigators. In their work, they use other techniques and methods that allow them to collect the information necessary for the client. This is the use of various databases, and confidential sources, and the help of colleagues in uniform, and much, much more.

Another important issue is the use of information collected by a private detective. Of course, often the client simply takes note of it. Having learned about the dubious past of his future business partner, he breaks the deal, learning about the unfaithfulness of his wife - he filed for divorce. In such cases, the official status of the information collected does not matter. But there are other situations. Often, the client plans to use the information received during the detective investigation in court.

In such cases, the law allows you to collect information on civil and criminal cases on the basis of an agreement concluded with one of the participants in the process.
If we are talking about criminal proceedings, then within a day from the moment of signing such a contract, the detective must notify the inquiry officer, investigator or judge.
As for the detective’s participation in the civil process, the collection of additional information here is the most important guarantee of the adversarial principle. It provides a comprehensive and complete study of all circumstances relevant to the case.

Thus, to conclude an agreement on the provision of appropriate services with a private detective is quite logical. Moreover, the evidence collected by him after an assessment by the court may well be the basis for the decision.
Moreover, it is also allowed to attract a detective subsequently as a witness.
As for the legal status of the information that a private detective collected, although it does not have special procedural power and is assessed by the court on a par with other witness testimonies, it is often the information from the detective that is key. As they say, to whom the information belongs, the world belongs to it.


Private life through the eyes of a private detective

Hearing the phrase "private detective", each of us presents his own image of this subject. But many people believe that this citizen is only doing what he is filming adultery, hiding under a bed in a cheap motel room.

In fact, this vulgar picture has nothing to do with reality. A private investigator is often a guarantor of family peace and well-being.
Especially when it comes to the relationship of "fathers and children."

Transitional age is a special period in the life of every person and his loved ones. Even calm, controlled children turn into real "monsters." At the same time, parents want to help their children overcome this time, but they do not seek to let them into their personal lives.

Persistent inquiries will not bring results. Rather, they will take the exact opposite effect. Suspicions, accusations, reproaches - unfortunately, parents often use completely different methods that are necessary to find a way to the child’s heart.

Often, mothers and fathers behave allegedly "correctly." Secretly from a child, they search his room, study his electronic correspondence and so on. But, as a rule, the result of such actions is deplorable. A son or daughter easily tracks all the manipulations of inexperienced parents, whose suspicions further increase the abyss of alienation.

In addition, children can deftly hide evidence of their sins. So, to find them without the proper experience and skills is simply impossible.

That is why in all cases it is better to seek the help and support of a private detective.
The main problems that modern parents face are the following:
- Drugs. A common misconception by many parents is that they will always immediately understand whether their children are taking drugs or not. In fact, numerous life examples suggest otherwise. Unfortunately, mothers and fathers understand that their child is addicted to drugs only when he begins to take out more or less valuable property from home. As a rule, it is almost impossible to correct this situation. That is why it is so important to learn about existing problems as early as possible. A private detective will not only find out if the child is taking drugs, but also will find out from whom he receives them.
- Sects and totalitarian organizations. Another very common and very scary problem. The most paradoxical thing is that, as a rule, there are no disturbing symptoms here. Moreover, your child may even begin to study better, behave better, and so on. True, at the same time, you may notice some alienation, distance. Unfortunately, many parents do not at first see this as a big problem, attributing everything to age. In fact, sects are one of the most serious problems of Russian reality. Proven recruitment schemes, “zombies” - all this is so easy to apply to the fragile children's psyche. In order to avoid serious problems, at the first suspicion, you should turn to a private detective. He will find out everything about exactly where your child spends time, and also provide information about the sect that recruited him.

We will also develop key recommendations for further action.
- First love often ends tragically. Of course, parents should always know what happens to their children. Only in this case they can help their children, save them from a rash step. And in this case, you can’t do without the help of a private detective. You will not only learn everything about your child’s affection, but also find out how far his relationship with his lover / lover has gone and how serious it is. Sometimes the timely appeal of parents to a private investigator can even save the life of your child.

 

[Детективное агентство. Украина. Харьков. Львов.]

Enhancing control over detective services 2

Beware of the marriage speculator
How many times have the world been told about marriage con men, but all in vain. Love really is blind. Still, many gullible ladies and gentlemen become victims of all kinds of scammers. Unfortunately, a person blinded by love will never notice even obvious inconsistencies in the biography of his chosen one. Therefore, beware of being relatives of a romantic person. They should be vigilant and turn to a private detective.
He will always be able to find out the ins and outs of the “suspect,” and it is he who can be charged with a conversation with a swindler. After such a conversation, he usually disappears and no longer bothers your loved ones.

Babysitters are different
One of the most important missions of a private detective is to collect information about a person whom you trust the most precious thing you have - the life of your own child. That is why, before letting a stranger into your house, we recommend that you contact a detective agency. A private investigator will find out everything about the newly made Mary Poppins, check whether her recommendations are genuine, and also observe the behavior of the nanny during your absence. Shots from a hidden video camera are sometimes so frightening that such precautions to parents no longer seem unnecessary.

Burglary-free
Situations when money suddenly disappears in a house are very common. At the same time, a small child can often prove to be a thief by the opinion of whom he is not given enough money for small expenses. But at the same time, it may turn out to be his friend, and any other stranger who is at your place. In order not to offend anyone with suspicions, we advise you to turn to a private detective who will quickly and without noise establish the identity of a thief.

When the police do not want or cannot help
Everything happens in life. And there are situations when a person simply does not know whom to turn to. For example, an ex-husband or lover is stalking you, poisoning your life with threats and bullying. The police, of course, will not understand. And although there is clearly a corpus delicti in the actions of such entities, no one will open a criminal case. They usually say this: "there will be harm to health or even murder, then come." But the words, they say, you can’t get to the point.

In fact, "people in uniform", of course, are cunning. Threats are a good reason to initiate criminal prosecution. It is another matter that proving such a composition is very problematic, but this is their problem. Unfortunately, even if you succeed, and the case is still opened, very soon it will be closed for lack of evidence. After all, the police will not be very actively involved in it and will not seek evidence of guilt of the pursuer.

Another thing, private detective. He will not only find out the seriousness of the intentions of the former young man, not only collect evidence of his guilt, but also develop a set of recommendations aimed at eliminating the problem.

By the way, not only girls resort to his services. Often young people become the object of blackmail. As a rule, they are threatened by former lovers, who suddenly appeared on the horizon with a child conceived ostensibly from a former lover. In this case, the help of a detective will also be indispensable. He will find out whether there really is some truth in her words, help to develop a single model of behavior, and so on.

Jungle Business
It is no secret to anyone that in our country many successful entrepreneurs come from criminal structures. In the nineties they still "roofed" commercial tents, and today very successful businessmen. Everything would be fine, but they often transfer the skills acquired in a gangster environment to their current activities.
Moreover, we are not even talking about any obvious threats on their part. As a rule, this is a skillful pressure on the psyche. The threats here are hidden; For example, you may have a sympathetic tone to inquire about the health of relatives, while demonstrating a strange awareness of their lifestyle (they will tell you what kind of kindergarten your child attends or what hairdresser your wife goes to).

In this case, you have a more direct road to the detective agency. Here they will find out whether the competitor or business partner is as cool as he wants to seem, and also will develop a set of further measures to ensure your safety and the safety of your loved ones.

As for clarifying the facts of adultery, the private investigator also provides a similar service. But it is clearly not dominant in the range of activities it implements.

Private detective and privacy

The scope of the private detective is quite wide. In particular, they often resort to his help to solve a variety of family problems. This includes, for example, adultery, counseling for those who are just planning to get married, as well as numerous and varied problems with minors.

A private detective, of course, is not omnipotent, and he certainly will not solve all your problems. And this should be understood. He can find out that the child is using drugs. He can "hand over" his passwords and appearances to you: where and from whom does he acquire a dangerous potion. He can even recommend clinics where they are especially successfully cured of drug addiction (although such recommendations will be of a private nature, since they are not included in the scope of the detective's activity). But he will not cure the teenager of dependence, will not be able to influence him in the right way. In all cases, this is the task of the parents.

The same goes for the rest of the problems. Therefore, turning to a private detective, it is very important to correctly fill out the request.

Unfortunately, often a lot of unnecessary information falls out on the head of a poor detective. In this case, the main thing is missed.

I'll go to detectives. Let me be taught

What does it take to become a private investigator? Formally, the list of requirements for a private detective is not large. Today, in order to obtain such a status, it is enough just to have a higher legal education. Previously, a mandatory requirement was also relevant experience in law enforcement, but today this rule has been canceled. Although, in our opinion, it is completely in vain, since for a private detective, work experience is simply invaluable.

On the other hand, today almost all of them have such experience. For example, Andrei Volkov also began his career in law enforcement. And it worked very successfully, it should be noted. The change of activity was determined by the desire to get more freedom, to improve their professional skills. At the previous place of work, he received invaluable experience necessary for the work of a private investigator, but, unfortunately, there was nowhere to grow further in the professional plan. Growth was possible along the career ladder, but in qualitative terms this would not have yielded anything. That is why Andrei Volkov left the law enforcement agencies and engaged in a private investigation.

After all, it is no secret to anyone that work in the police involves observing many unnecessary rituals: implementing a plan for disclosure, compiling numerous reports. Even if the case is interesting, you can not spend a lot of time on it, since there are terms and standards and so on.

In a word, work in law enforcement agencies does not give the opportunity to give in to detective activities as a whole. That is why Andrei Volkov preferred private detective work.
But, of course, that experience cannot be called unnecessary. It became for Andrey Volkov a certain base, without which it is also nowhere. Of course, the law enforcement structure has its own characteristics, which are not always applicable in the activities of a private investigation. For example, the police have great powers, which the private investigator is deprived of. Therefore, the latter has to come up with their own schemes and combinations to achieve their goals. But it is even interesting! This is a creative process for which law enforcement officers simply do not have time.
And although a private investigator is deprived of many opportunities that are available not only to every employee of the Ministry of Internal Affairs or the prosecutor's office, but even to ordinary citizens, he solves the assigned tasks no worse, or even better than many of his "official" colleagues.

The work of a private investigator is, first of all, analysis. Analysis of information received from the client and collected independently. Of course, the practical component is very important. Here and surveillance, and search, and a survey of witnesses. Without this, too, nowhere. In a word, a private investigator must know and be able to do a lot: with whom to negotiate, where to look, how to build a conversation - certain abilities and skills are needed here. Of course, not everyone has those. But that is the peculiarity of this profession. That is why people and their problems go to a private detective, and do not solve them on their own.
Often, a private detective in the imagination of many citizens is portrayed as a kind of superman, armed to the teeth. Such a person has chases and skirmishes every day. In fact, the detective’s work is rather a routine: polls, meetings, observations, analysis.

A private detective works quite closely with law enforcement officials. This cooperation is mutually beneficial. The detective receives from the police the necessary information for him, and in case of detecting signs of a crime, transfers the case to his official colleagues. Often already disclosed. But most often, after all, a private detective deals with non-criminal subjects: to find a former classmate, old love, childhood friend, and so on. Often they come to him with situations that it’s simply ridiculous to contact the police: to find out everything about a teenager, about his hobbies, interests, check his wife, potential business partner, and so on and so forth.

Of course, if in the course of his work a private detective receives information about a crime being prepared or, moreover, a committed crime, he will simply be required to submit it to law enforcement agencies - this is the law.
In general, information collected by a private investigator can be submitted to the court on a common basis. They are equated with witness testimony. They use the help of a detective both in civil and in criminal proceedings. In the latter case, his help is simply invaluable when one of the participants in the process is sure that the investigation is biased.
Of course, it is necessary to understand that the testimony of a private detective is not equivalent to the legal data of the investigation, but sometimes they play a key role.

A few words about a private detective

Licenses for private search activities today are issued a lot. It is enough to type the necessary query in the search engine, as it will immediately give you a lot of advertisements about citizens providing such services. And although this sector of the market is developing rapidly, as before, most potential customers know very little about the private investigator. The main information they draw from television series, fiction books, speculation and rumors.

In accordance with the Federal Law of the Russian Federation “On Private Detective and Security Activities”, a private detective is a person who, in the manner prescribed by law, has received an appropriate license and provides the services listed in the law.

Their list, therefore, is standard and uniform among all detectives. But the methods, of course, each uses his own. That is why the result is different for everyone. In this regard, there are extra-class detectives, and there are detectives and simpler.

But how to distinguish them? As a rule, citizens search for a detective through Internet sites. And the working methods are not painted on them. But this is impossible. Each case is individual and unique, therefore different methods will be used. Therefore, when choosing a private detective, we advise you to be guided by your own intuition, as well as feedback from previous customers.
Choosing a private investigator, it is very important to correctly present his problem to him. Unfortunately, many customers make one common mistake: they do not present the situation, but talk about methods for solving it. Leave this to the detective, he knows best what to do. Moreover, many of the methods offered by customers to conduct investigations are simply illegal. But the responsibility for their use can threaten not only the detective, as the performer, but also to themselves, as customers.

Despite the fact that the market for private investigations is no longer young, the awareness of the population among it is minimal. Although in recent times, the media began to pay more attention to the profession of private investigator. Interviews with them appeared, television programs of the corresponding profile began to be filmed, and so on. However, unfortunately, such materials are not explanatory in nature, but more entertaining. Journalists are more interested not in the methods of work of a private investigator, but in “fried facts”, juicy details. All this causes a detective reaction in detectives. They refuse to make contact with the media, as they know in advance exactly what questions they will be asked. Moreover, often journalists do not even see the difference between detectives and security guards. For many, these concepts are identical. And this is only the simplest primitive example of misconceptions about the work of a detective. In fact, there are many more. A lot of them are also associated with the scope of the private detective.

In this article, we will conduct a small educational program, and tell you what private detectives actually do.

So, these entities have the right:
1). Collect information on civil and criminal matters. To do this, they must conclude an agreement with the participant in the process. As for criminal cases, there is one immutable rule. A private investigator must notify the inquiry officer, investigator or other person conducting the investigation within 24 hours from the moment of conclusion of the relevant contract.
2). To study the market, as well as collect information necessary for business negotiations. Detectives can also identify insolvent or unreliable counterparties.
3). To establish cases when the trademarks and names of customers are used by third citizens illegally in business activities. To establish cases of unfair competition, as well as disclosure of trade secrets.
4). Find out biographical information, as well as other data about citizens. As a rule, this is necessary when concluding an employment contract. True, a detective can find out such information only with the consent of the respondents.
five). Search for missing citizens.
6). Search for lost property.

How to avoid becoming a victim of a fraud detective

It is not difficult to deceive some citizens: they are glad to deceive themselves. As a rule, these are the so-called "freebie lovers". They see that the matter is unclean, but the prospect of “slipping through” is painfully tempting. An example of such entities are investors of various financial pyramids, housing cooperatives, and so on. Such citizens seem to understand the whole deceitfulness of the event, but they hope that they are just lucky.
There are other cases. Often the victims of scammers are those who simply do not understand the topic and rush, as they say, "into the pool with their heads." Such entities may include, for example, amateurs to sign papers without looking. Like, I still can’t figure it out, so why waste time in vain. At the same time, it does not occur to such entities for some reason to seek the help of professionals: lawyers, financiers, and so on.
And it is precisely these two categories of citizens that most often become victims of "detective" scammers. And today they also divorced a lot.

Here are just a few examples.

So, the first example.
A few years ago, the network was shocked by a huge scandal. The owner of one of the sites made an incredible gift to his visitors. He posted on the pages of his portal a database of all citizens of Russia and Ukraine. At the same time, all users could use such data without exception. And completely free. Needless to say, what a full house this provided the portal. In just a few hours, due to the huge number of requests, getting there was simply impossible. But those who did get into it were in for a terrible disappointment: only an outdated base could be used for free, and they had to pay for the latest information.
Second example. On one of the sites of a private detective, in the corresponding section, a scanned image of a certificate of registration of a legal entity was posted. According to the owners of the resource, this document is enough to carry out detective activities. About the fact that a license is needed for this, the “private investigators” tactfully kept silent. And rightly so! After all, in fact, few people own the subtleties of legislation. And citizens will definitely not go into details, so the availability of clients is guaranteed to pseudo-lenses.

It was only during a detailed check that it turned out that the work phone indicated on the site was registered for private individuals. One can only guess about the skill level of such entities. Accordingly, it is hardly worth expecting quality work from them.

Of course, to find out the professionalism of a private detective, as they say, is impossible on the fly. But having a license, work experience, and having your own office are positive features of any true professional.

What's in your name

The word "detective" in translation from the Latin "detectio" means "disclosure". Abroad in many countries this word designates not only private investigators, but also official police officials who are involved in the investigation of crimes.

As for Russia, here the concept of "private investigator" began to be used recently. It is a direct translation of the similar English concept of “private detective”.
Our country has traditionally used a different concept of "detective." It has been known since the sixteenth century. Then so called those officials who were in the sovereign service and were engaged in the search for criminal criminals. This word was also used in the Soviet police. In particular, in 1951, the criminal search of the USSR Ministry of Internal Affairs was renamed the criminal investigation, and the investigators were called detectives. At the same time, several posts were approved. Such as "senior detective", "average detective" and "junior detective." True, the innovation did not take root and in 1953 the previous names were returned.
As for private detectives, until 1992 we knew about them except from foreign films and books. The situation changed with the adoption of the Federal Law “On Private Detective and Security Activities” on March 11, 1992.
In general, private investigation is a new phenomenon not only for Russian reality. In world practice, private detectives also appeared relatively recently. The first detective agencies were organized in France and America. The names of their founders are well known to the general public.

This is the Frenchman Eugene Francois Widoc (1775-1857) and the American Alan Nathaniel Pinkerton (1819-1884).
Vidok is a former chief of the criminal police who was fired after eighteen years of service as a former thief. And although he was engaged in thefts only in his youth, and then faithfully served in the police, revealing more than twenty thousand criminals, he could not escape dismissal.

Six years after his dismissal from the French "organs" in 1834, Widoc organized the first detective agency in history, which he called the "Bureau of Investigation for Trade." His clients have become many industrialists, bankers and entrepreneurs. At the same time, they all had to pay annual service fees, which at the beginning were 200 francs.

As for the United States, the first detective there became the world famous
Alan Nathaniel Pinkerton. He set up his agency in Chicago in 1850. Initially, it specialized in the search for train robbers and safe crackers, but gradually the sphere of influence expanded. The number of agencies also increased. By 1882, there were already fifteen of them. By the thirties of the last century, this figure was already a thousand. Today in America there are more than three and a half thousand detective agencies, bureaus and companies.

In France, these figures are, of course, much more modest. There are only three hundred different offices. In addition, there are agencies that provide detective services, without having the appropriate license. in the UK about two thousand private detectives offer their services to citizens.

For example, a client contacts the agency with a request to find a travel companion who has sunk into her soul. She can tell only his name, approximate age, approximate place of residence and the locality in which he lives. She passes all this to the detective, but it would not even enter her head to tell about the number of the train, carriage and the place where the wanted subject was traveling. And at the same time, it is these data that can help in its search. It will be enough to simply raise the lists of passengers, and the thing is done. And go find a person, knowing, for example, only the city of residence and name.
Most people cannot imagine how a detective works, don’t know which information is primary, which is secondary, and which is not needed at all. Thus, the task of a private investigator is to remove all unnecessary, to extract the main information from the mass of information and find out what the client did not think about reporting, but which, undoubtedly, can help in the search.
A private detective is also a subtle psychologist. In the process, he voluntarily or involuntarily notices a lot. Even if this is not part of his task, he still gives himself an internal assessment of the subject and the situation as a whole. Therefore, if the client wishes, he, in addition to an objective dossier, can make his own subjective judgment. Sometimes this is exactly what our guarantors need.

Here is an example from our practice.

We were approached by a very wealthy client with a request to find out if his lover was cheating on him. The fact is that she behaves somehow inappropriately: private mood swings, tantrums. She either drives away our client, then loves and has mercy. And this despite the fact that he literally showered it with gold and pulled what is called from rags and riches.

We checked the girl. It turned out to be clean: no cheating even close. And the client does not relent, asks to continue monitoring again and again. And then we realized that he simply did not have anyone else to turn to. He wants to understand why his chosen one behaves with him so "unevenly." He needed an objective view from the side.

And we gave an honest answer: the girl is very grateful for the financial support, but she also weighs on her. After all, she is dependent on her "benefactor."
And although, as we have already noted, a private investigator will not be able to solve all your problems, he will be able to help sort them out. Sometimes, in order to understand in which direction to act, just an objective view from the side is enough.

Private investigator in criminal proceedings

One of the services that a private detective has the right to provide is the service of collecting evidence for the criminal process. There are significant features that are worth knowing about.
Firstly, after the detective concludes an appropriate contract with his client, he must notify the official conducting the investigation. This must be done within 24 hours from the moment of signing the contract.

Secondly, the information collected by a private detective does not have priority over other evidence and will be assessed by the court as evidence.
At the same time, if a private investigator is a real professional, then he will always be able to arrange the collected material in such a way that it will certainly help tip the scales of justice in favor of the represented client.

In accordance with the law, private detectives can conduct their parallel investigation, but they are not full participants in the process, as they do not perform any of the procedural functions.
But at the same time, the information collected by a private detective can be sources of evidence, and become evidence in the case. But only after the information received by the detective will be given official status. For example, a private investigator can find eyewitnesses to a crime, certain items, and so on. But he must transmit all the information he received to the investigator, who will draw it up properly. And only after that, such information will gain the official status of evidence.

The specific content of the information that a private detective collects is determined by the interests of the participant in the process, who actually concluded a contract with a private investigator.
So, for example, if a suspect or accused concludes an agreement with a detective, he will look for evidence of the innocence of these entities. And, conversely, if the victim seeks help from a detective, then the task of the detective will be to collect evidence of the guilt of the offender.

Often the information collected by a private investigator is the basis for the performance of certain investigative actions (interrogation, search, seizure, and so on). Sometimes also a private investigation is the basis for a statement by the participants in the process of various petitions. For example, if a detective determines that the judge is related to the suspect, then the victim will be able to challenge him on this basis. Etc.

It should be noted that detective work in Russia is in demand today as never before. And the need for it is only growing. Already now in our country there are more than two thousand private detectives who have united in an all-Russian detective public organization.

The need for such an organization, as well as its usefulness, does not raise any doubts either among citizens or government bodies, because detective activity helps to create favorable conditions for successful business, protect the rights and interests of citizens. In addition, private detectives also assist law enforcement agencies in solving their tasks.
However, unfortunately, it cannot be said that the state is currently paying sufficient attention to the detective services market. The fact is that Russian legislation still contains many gaps in the field of regulation of this issue. So, for example, many jurists talk about the need to amend the procedural legislation accordingly. Currently, none of the current codes contains a mention of a private detective as a participant in the process. And this, of course, is a significant drawback.
It is necessary to resolve the issue of the possibility and necessity of interrogating a private investigator as a witness.
At the same time, solving this issue, the legislator should take into account the general provisions on the status of the witness as such and the particular characteristics of the detective, which arise from his contractual obligations with the client.

Private detective guarding business interests

Private detective services are currently in great demand not only among private individuals, but also among entrepreneurs of various kinds. However, paradoxically, there are not so many people who would know what the work of a private investigator is. The information that we draw from books, television programs and the media is very far from the RUSSIAN SEARCH reality.
The reading of the legislation does not bring particular clarity.

So, for example, in accordance with the law, a private detective may be an entity that has an appropriate license.
This license is not issued to everyone. There are many requirements for obtaining it, the main of which is the presence of a higher legal education or work experience in operational or investigative units for at least three years. All this can also be replaced by the presence of a document on the passage of special training to work as a private detective. In any case, the license of a private investigator cannot be issued to a person under twenty-one years of age.

But this is a legislative wording. In practice, private investigators most often come after working in law enforcement agencies. Experience in conducting search operations can be acquired in such departments as, for example, organized crime groups, the Ministry of Defense, the GRU, and the FSB. Each of them has its own operational search administration (OPU). The scope of this organization includes investigation of crimes using all kinds of search technologies. It is this body that is the main “forge of personnel”.

Field of activity of a private detective
Private detectives decide different things. Most of them are connected with family problems or the search for stolen property, but quite often business people also resort to the services of private investigators who want to check their business partners, the possibilities of creditors, and so on.

Very often, heads of organizations also turn to detectives for help. As a rule, asking to check their employees.
There are other incidents. For example, in the practice of our agency there was a case when a client asked to check not the partner himself and his company, but the production technology that he uses. This technology acted as the subject of the transaction, and there was very little information about it.

The contract price was very high, and the client did not want to risk big money. So I turned to our help. Of course, we checked not only the technology itself, but also the reputation of the company selling it. As a result of the investigation, a positive conclusion was given, and the contract of the company was signed.
In addition, the services of a private detective are especially in demand when it is necessary to find out which of the employees is engaged in industrial espionage. Cases of this are quite common today. However, prosecuting a “spy” is not always possible. And the company's management itself is often to blame. Often the company does not even have a provision on non-disclosure of trade secrets, therefore, it is impossible to hold an employee accountable.

At the same time, we found violators, and the employer found a way to part with them.
We also developed a set of recommendations for company executives that were designed to prevent the occurrence of such situations in the future.
Now the company is forbidden to use removable storage media and all outgoing mail is strictly checked.

As already noted, personnel verification is one of the most popular services to date. This is understandable, because a lot really depends on the people who work for you.
Therefore, the heads of large and small companies often contact our agency with relevant orders. As a rule, they are interested in information about the employee’s lifestyle, his tendency to accept “kickbacks,” RUSSIAN FOLLOW-UP reviews from his previous job and so on.

To carry out such an assignment, we use a variety of techniques and methods. But most often it is about external observation, checking the connections of a particular subject, viewing all kinds of databases, and so on and so forth. With the consent of the leaders of the organization, we also install listening devices on office telephones, as well as surveillance cameras in the offices of the company.

Do not have a hundred rubles, but have ...
As a rule, any self-respecting detective agency has certain connections in law enforcement agencies. His man in an instant provides the detective with information from operational databases. Often, the private investigator in this way also becomes available information about the telephone number of any mobile operator.
By the way, today the Internet also comes to the aid of a private investigator. Various social networks, such as, for example, Odnoklassniki or Vkontakte. There you can often find the desired subjects or interesting information about them.

Private detectives are also helped by foreign colleagues. As a rule, every self-respecting detective works with many foreign private detectives.

The detective always honors the law.
A self-respecting private investigator will never agree to get down to business if it involves any illegal actions. And the point here is not only the detective’s high sense of justice. It’s just that the fee for such violations will be too high: loss of reputation and license. Of course, there is always an exception to any rule. Therefore, there are some private detectives who install bugs in their offices without the knowledge of their owners or engage in illegal wiretapping of telephone conversations. But such entities can hardly be called specialists. As a rule, they very quickly come across illegal actions and disappear from the market of detective services forever.

Real private investigators use exclusively legal methods and methods of obtaining information in their work. We will not disclose all secrets, and this is impossible in the framework of one article. We will only say that among the generally accessible and simplest ways to obtain information about a company can be called, for example, a request to the Main Interregional Center for Processing and Dissemination of Statistical Information (GMS) of the State Statistics Committee of Russia. There you will be provided with information about any company registered in the Russian Federation. At the same time, you will pay only five hundred rubles for the annual balance sheet of the company, and from 120 to 247 rubles for credentials from the Unified State Register of Enterprises and Organizations (EGRPO), including information on activities and others.

Everything you wanted to know about a private detective

In accordance with the law, a private detective is a person who has the appropriate license to carry out detective activities. This dry legislative formulation, meanwhile, does not at all reveal the essence of such a complex and multifaceted concept as a “private investigator”. We will try to correct this situation and provide more detailed information.
The legal basis of private detective work is the Constitution of the Russian Federation, the law “On Private Detective and Security Activities in the Russian Federation” (hereinafter - the Law), as well as other laws and other legal acts of the Russian Federation.

However, it should be understood that the private investigator and law enforcement officials are not identical and not identical. Therefore, the private investigator is not subject to laws that reinforce the legal status of employees of law enforcement agencies. Also, detectives are forbidden to conduct any operational search activities.

In addition, a private investigator is, if not forever, but certainly for a long time. In any case, he should carry out detective activities as the main one. He cannot combine it with public service or with an elective post in public associations.

But detective agencies have the right to create associations. The main condition for the legitimacy of such associations is their registration as a legal entity.
What swings directly to a private investigator, then, as already noted, any citizen who has received the appropriate license in the prescribed manner can be such. But to get it, you must simultaneously observe several conditions at once.

First, the applicant must be twenty-one years old. Secondly, a medical commission must pass, which would confirm that it is fit for health reasons to carry out this kind of activity. Thirdly, only those entities that have a higher legal education can either engage in private investigations, either they have undergone special training, or have worked for at least three years in operational or investigative units of law enforcement agencies.

In order to obtain a license for detective work, you need to collect a number of different certificates. Including from a psycho-and drug dispensary. The fact is that those who are registered for a mental illness, who suffer from alcoholism or drug addiction, who have a criminal record for committing a deliberate crime, or who have been charged with such a crime, will definitely not be allowed to carry out private detective activities. They will also refuse to issue a license to those citizens who, although they worked in law enforcement, judicial or prosecutorial bodies, but were fired from there, as they say, “under the article”. Thus, the state is fighting for the cleanliness of the ranks of private detectives and does not allow the development of a situation where every fined policeman goes to private investigators.
In addition, if a person worked in law enforcement bodies and exercised control over private detective and security activities, he will not be able to apply for a license earlier than a year after dismissal. Even if he quit of his own free will.

So, as we see, the legislator very strictly approaches the issue of legal personality of a private investigator. And this is by no means accidental. The detective is endowed by law with broad powers, so far from every subject can be allowed to carry out such activities.

But, if a person is emotionally stable, reliable, has a special education and work experience, he can very well count on a private detective license.
To do this, he must contact the internal affairs bodies at the place of residence and provide there a questionnaire of the established form, photographs, a certificate from the medical examination about the state of health, citizenship documents, as well as a diploma of higher education or documents confirming the relevant experience in law enforcement.
In addition, if the detective plans to use any special means, communications, or other technical means in his work, he must also notify law enforcement authorities about this.
A license for detective work is issued to the applicant for a period of five years. If everything is in order with the documents, then he will receive it after a month from the date of submission of the relevant application. Along with the licenses, the citizen also receives the identity of a private investigator.

Previously, the license did not have a term, but then the legislator tightened the requirements and stipulated the need to renew it every five years. This is a completely justified step aimed at strengthening state control over the activities of private investigators. Moreover, it is not at all difficult to extend a license: it is only necessary to file an appropriate application on time (this must be done a month before the license expires).

A private investigator, as already noted, must always act strictly within the law. And he, in turn, gave him broad powers. In particular, a detective can conduct an oral survey of citizens and officials (though only with their voluntary consent), make the necessary inquiries, examine objects and documents, inspect buildings, premises and so on, as well as carry out outdoor monitoring.

A private detective in his activity can also use video, film, photo equipment, audio recording tools, technical and other means. Of course, it is important that the means used do not harm the life and health of citizens and the environment. Operational radio and telephone communications are also available to a private detective.

In addition, as already noted, a private detective can use some special equipment (helmet, protective vest, handcuffs and a rubber stick of the corresponding samples). But such use is allowed only if the private detective provides services associated with a danger to his life and health (in other words, for self-defense).
The list of funds that the detective can use is approved by Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation of August 14, 1992 No. 587 (Appendix No. 2).

However, such means cannot be used in the relations of a pregnant woman, in relation to disabled people and minors. Of course, at the same time, it is necessary that the special status of these persons be obvious to a private detective. After all, disability is different. And sometimes you can’t determine it by eye. The same goes for pregnancy and age. Therefore, the legislator made one reservation: it is forbidden to use special equipment in relation to persons whose special status is clearly obvious or known to a private detective.

As usual, there is also an exception to this rule: if the indicated entities display armed resistance, commit a group or other attack, or otherwise threaten the life and health of a private detective, then he may use special means against them for self-defense.

If the detective exceeds the limits of the necessary defense or illegally uses special equipment, he can be brought to criminal or other liability. Everything will depend on the nature and consequences of the violation.

As for the right to own and use firearms, the law does not provide such an opportunity for a private detective. Although many lawyers believe that this is a significant omission on the part of the legislator. Moreover, most detectives come from law enforcement agencies and know how to use weapons correctly.
Therefore, in the opinion of many jurists, it would be much more logical to give a private detective the right to carry and use firearms. Of course, in this case, effective mechanisms for monitoring compliance with the relevant rules should be developed.

We have repeatedly focused our readers' attention on the fact that the detective’s activities should be carried out strictly within the framework of the law. Therefore, a detective must always report on all facts of crimes committed or being prepared by him.

In addition, a private detective cannot pretend to be a law enforcement officer or collect information about the personal lives of citizens or about their religious and political beliefs. In addition, a private detective is simply obliged to maintain the confidentiality of the information received by him during the investigation. He has no right to disclose all information that he has collected in the interests of the client to third parties or, moreover, to use against the client.

The law also contains a ban on the commission of any actions that infringe on the rights and freedoms of citizens and endanger their lives, health, honor, dignity and so on. Otherwise, as already noted, a private investigator may be held administratively or even criminally liable.

A private investigator does not have the right to call citizens to give explanations; he cannot check their documents, conduct personal searches and searches of personal vehicles. It does not have the right to unhindered entry into homes and so on.

In a word, do not confuse a private detective and a law enforcement officer.

For gross violations of the law, the internal affairs bodies may annul the license issued by them.
So, as we see, a private detective is a subject who, on the one hand, is endowed with broad powers by law, and, on the other, is substantially limited in them. This is due to the special status of a private detective and a special measure of responsibility that the state imposes on him.

We conclude a contract with a private detective

Many literary and artistic works successfully exploit the same plot. In the case when the police (police) investigation comes to a standstill, a private detective comes to the aid of the injured party, who will easily unravel any complicated case. Accordingly, such an image is often transferred by citizens to the RUSSIAN SATURAL life.

And she, as you know, is significantly different from the cinema. So what is a "detective investigation"? Let's try to sort this issue out together.

So, firstly, this type of activity in all cases is carried out at the request of individuals and legal entities in their private interests. This distinguishes a detective investigation from an official one, which is conducted in the interests of protecting the public law and order.

Secondly, this investigation is carried out by persons who are not employees of government agencies.

Based on these main differences, the legislator, striving to maintain a balance between private and public interests, established certain restrictions for various types of activities, including detective ones.

So, it is clear that a detective investigation cannot replace official investigations. They can go in parallel, and even then with some reservations.

A detective can conduct such investigations, but only as part of the provision of detective services. In turn, these services are not unlimited, they are clearly stipulated by law.

The relationship between the client and the private investigator must also be documented.

As a rule, every self-respecting private investigator will certainly invite the client to sign a contract with him.

This document, in turn, must contain the following indispensable attributes:
Information about the contracting parties. For the client, these are: full name, passport details, home address, name and legal address. The detective must indicate the full name, number and date of issue of the license.

Further, it is mandatory to stipulate the contents of the order, as well as the period during which it will be executed. The amount of the fee (at least approximate) is also included in the text of the contract. The measures of responsibility of the parties, the date of the contract and the signature are important finishing touches of any contract for the provision of private detective services.

As for the obligations of the parties, the client has essentially one: pay the services of a detective on time. But the latter should not only provide the services specified in the contract, but also provide the client with a written report on this (such a condition must be included in the contract).

Ideally, this report should contain answers to all questions posed by the client at the beginning of the investigation.
However, the report is far from all. To him, as a result, a private detective will have to attach evidence of the events described in the report. These, in particular, can be: polling protocols, recordings (audio, video), photographs, copies of documents and so on, and so on.

In addition, the private investigator also applies to the report a more accurate calculation of the fee, as well as the expenses incurred by the investigator during the investigation.
Investigator’s obligations are deemed fulfilled if the client has accepted the investigator’s report. If he insists on a revision, then the private investigator must carry it out on time. By the way, the adoption of a written report may well be replaced by the signing by the parties of an act on the acceptance of the work performed.

This is possible if the client plans to use the results of the investigation, as they say, for himself. If they are intended for the court, then it is better to issue a report on the work done. He will have more “weight” in the official instances when filing lawsuits, complaints, statements and so on. After all, as you know, the information contained in such reports can be used in the process of evidence in criminal, civil and arbitration cases. Of course, the progress report will not have any priority legal force in comparison with other evidence presented in court, and yet our practice indicates that judges always treat them very favorably. Especially if the reports are supported by other material evidence. In addition, the law allows for the interrogation of a private detective as a witness.

As we have said, a detective must always act within the law. Including because the materials of his investigation will be taken into account by the court and taken into account only if they are obtained in compliance with the legislation on the basics of detective activity.

Often, customers turn to us with a request to commit a certain, obviously illegal act. Having been refused, they are sincerely perplexed. Indeed, in movies and books, a private investigator skillfully uses weapons, places “bugs” for wiretapping wherever possible, and performs other actions that are ordinary from the point of view of the average person.
But here it should be understood that even if you come across a detective who violates the law at your request, you will remain the victim. For two reasons. Firstly, because you will not be able to subsequently use the information received by him in official instances. Secondly, because in the event of a serious violation you can be held accountable on a par with a private detective.
And this must be taken into account when you sign a contract with a private investigator.

 

[Матушкин Андрей Николаевич]

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