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Danger of PI Apps

6/20/2015

3 Comments

 
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Danger of PI Apps: Counterpoint to ‘App Tries To Make Private Investigators Less Creepy’
Dean A. Beers, CLI, CCDI
June 12, 2015

This is in response to the following story, which is important to read to understand the context and concerns presented.  This story was shared by friend and colleague, Ron Rugen (Team Investigations, LLC of Kansas City, MO).  I also invite you to read Ron’s similarly thought provoking commentary at his agency blog - http://www.kc-pi.com/2015/06/new-app-to-hire-private-investigator-not-good.  The author of this article, Tania Anderson, asked to publish my rebuttal by 06/17/2015; however, as of 06/20/2015 she has not.  During this same week I have noticed a lot of online activity within our profession expressing similar concerns.  I am not worried about losing business to an app – we don’t provide the services the app purports.  What I am concerned about, as with all of our colleagues, is the damage this activity can do to our profession and consumers.  It is our responsibility to not accept irresponsible, possibly illicit, activities.

“Picture in your head a private investigator. Does that mean trench coat, skulking behind a tree and snapping photos of a cheating spouse? A DC tech entrepreneur is trying to change that image.

Danny Boice, who left Speek last year as CTO, launched Trustify in March. After paying big bucks for a few private detectives (to keep tabs on his kids after his divorce), Danny never knew if they were actually doing what they were hired to do. Danny, who calls himself a “tiger dad,” started thinking about how to make private investigation more affordable and less skeezy. Trustify, based in Georgetown, is an Uber-like app that allows users in the DC region to hire a private detective for on-demand, one-hour jobs for $59.

The jobs can range from catching a cheating spouse to finding out background on a soon to be hired nanny. Trustify has a network of over 2,000 private investigators in the DC region who are required to sign a contract and abide by certain policies and procedures. All customer interaction is anonymous and goes through the app. Danny, who has a team of 10 full-time employees, says Trustify gets 7-10 new customers per day. Eventually the app will be able to provide geolocation of a hired investigator and use a two-way chat app to exchange videos and pics. Danny also plans to hire 10 more people by the end of July.”

https://www.bisnow.com/washington-dc/news/tech/app-tries-to-make-private-investigators-less-creepy-46767


The time and space needed to address all the issues this app presents would be extensive, and perhaps for another time.  However, I can address those points made in the article.  First, the title is blatantly offensive and inaccurate.  It states, not simply implies, that licensed private investigators are creepy and the app title suggests licensed private investigators are untrustworthy.  Both of which are simply false premises.  I suspect the developer felt he paid too much for professional services, with results that were not as he expected.  Although with the best of intentions, I have some specific concerns, from this article for both my profession and consumers.

  • Hire a private detective for on-demand, one-hour jobs for $59.
DC is an above-average market and $59 does not increase trust or reduce sleaze – it does cheapen our profession and creates false expectations.  It does not provide the consumer any tangible benefit or guarantee, except cheap.  I cannot think of a single assignment that would be completed in one hour - giving the consumer a very false impression and expectations.

  • The app has a network of over 2,000 private investigators in the DC region who are required to sign a contract and abide by certain policies and procedures.
DC, like all but four states, requires licensing.  To my knowledge there are not 2,000 licensed investigators in DC (expanding to MD or VA, or combined).  Not only is unlicensed activity illegal, but the evidence is not trustworthy, not admissible, and the unlicensed person (who is not an investigator) may be conducting illegal activity (such as stalking) and may violate a person’s civil rights.  Licensed investigators are bonded and/or insured; we are professionals.  The purpose of licensing is to protect consumers and our profession from the untrustworthy and sleazy.  Under licensing, the contract is required to be between the investigator and client – not a third party.  This is also important to the Rules of Evidence (state and federal).  Moreover, the policies and procedures of the app may not comply with licensing rules and regulations.

  • All customer interaction is anonymous and goes through the app.
This is concerning.  This does not create a licensed investigator-client relationship and does not protect the licensed investigator or consumer.  This is likely not permitted under DC licensing.  Moreover, anonymity does not foster trust and does not guarantee honesty, integrity or success.

  • Geolocation of a hired investigator and use a two-way chat app to exchange videos and pics.
This is also concerning.  If the intent is to assure that the licensed investigator is at the location doing as they were retained, it is false security.  Licensed investigators must keep meticulous records, and also be in compliance with evidence, spoliation and confidential client communications.  Geolocation, which is under high scrutiny at the state and federal legislative levels, may endanger the licensed investigator, clients and subjects.  Moreover, it may interfere with productive work-product.

The services offered by this app – from surveillance (unlicensed may be criminal stalking) to nanny background checks – are regulated.  These regulations include the activities and reporting by the licensed investigator.  These include state and federal, and some can carry very high penalties and fines, as well as being worthless in any judicial hearing by the lay client.

Every state has a professional association, even those without licensing, to assure the best interests of our profession and consumers are met.  There are several national, international and specialized associations.  I am on the board of the national voice of our profession for legislative issues.  In addition to statues, rules, regulations and evidence – our profession has ethics.  All investigators, including those in states without licensing, have a Professional Rules of Conduct, similar to those attorneys must follow.  Our agency has developed a comprehensive ethics guide, as well as free course for investigators and consumers to better understand our profession.  Our ethics are posted at http://www.deathcasereview.com/ethics.html; our ethics course manual is at http://ethics.investigativecourses.com.  The course is free at www.InvestigativeCourses.com and all persons are welcome to learn from it.  Reviewing these will give any person a better understanding of the serious issues this app presents.

Our profession has worked tirelessly, and will perpetually, to have the trust of our clients, and within the regulations overseeing us.  Although this app has the best of intentions, I suspect the developer did not consult licensed private investigators, of which several very knowledgeable and trustworthy colleagues are in the DC area.  This app may have financial success, it has demonstrated early success for the developer.  It will not, however, be a success for the consumer and will be another bests of intentions that will jade the consumer with a bad experience against our profession; (and no recourse against the unlicensed person).

Consumer beware.  Cheap is not better or professional, and it may be more creepy.  It is certainly not trustworthy.
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© June 2015 by Dean A. Beers, CLI, CCDI
Publication, copying, distribution or editing in whole or in part is prohibited without the expressed written permission of the author.

Dean A. Beers, CLI, CCDI began his investigative career in 1987.  He is a Certified Legal Investigator and Certified Criminal Defense Investigator, and expert consultant / witness in criminal defense homicide and civil equivocal death investigations. He is certified in Medicolegal Death Investigations and is a POST certified instructor, and experienced forensic autopsy assistant.

He is active in multiple state, national and international professional associations.  He serves on multiple boards and committees, advocating for the investigative profession.

He has lectured extensively and authored multiple articles, peer-reviewed white papers, and provided expert testimony on Protocols of Private Investigation, and Forensic Investigations of Injury Pattern Analysis (including Blood Pattern Analysis) and Death Investigations (including Protocols and Standards), as well as consulted as a subject matter expert in Equivocal Death Analysis, Injury Causation, Time of Death, Crime Scene Analysis, Investigative Protocol, Evidence Protocol, and Forensic Photography.

Dean A. Beers, CLI, CCDI
Colorado Licensed Private Investigators PI2.0000019
Cheyenne WY Licensed Private Investigators & Security (No. OL-15-31146)
Board Certified Legal Investigator / Expert Consultant (national)
Board Certified Criminal Defense Investigator
Certified in Medicolegal Death Investigation / former Deputy Coroner

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3 Comments
Steven Kerry Brown link
6/22/2015 12:43:18 pm

This is a very good and thoughtful review of the website Trustify. The hazards of having an unknown client are huge. That's just one problem. Good job Dan.

Reply
DEAN A. BEERS, CLI, CCDI link
6/23/2015 02:04:55 am

Thanks Steve! We think it is important for consumers and colleagues to look at this from a perspective different from their needs and services. Dean

Reply
Homeland Protection Service LLC
8/3/2016 09:09:23 pm

Unlicensed "broker" Trustify, soliciting PI services in Virginia, DC and MD. Additionally, they do not pay when invoiced, and are not a licensed PI or Detective business! Regulations state, any person soliciting security or private investigations or detective business, by word, act or deed, must be licensed to do so, and clearly display their busienss license ID on any advertising material (website). Trustify is not licensed! Loop holes or not, they are sending PIs into DC, VA and MD who are not even supposed to conduct investigations as individuals in those states. Trustify is in violation, so do not answer their calls for PI. You could be sanctioned and banned from working in the security services. They charge clients (means they get paid for service) $100 per hour and give the PI $30 of it, don't pay mileage, perdiem or actual hours worked. The PI is at extreme risk of getting locked up if caught by LE operating illegally in DC, MD or VA with no license. A report has been sent to DCJS. Don't do it PIs!

HPS is a licensed and insured Private Investigations, Business in Virginia. HPS was absolutely, unequivocally ripped off by Trustify. Their website leads you to believe they are detectives. https://www.trustify.info/

Trustify is not, is not, is not a licensed and insured Private Investigations business, and cannot, cannot, cannot solicit by word, act or deed, any, any, any private investigations services (even advertise on a web site) in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Loopholes drummed up by their shady attorneys or not. The law is the law, regardless.

Yet Trustify, solicits, by word act or deed, (advertises on their website) to the general public, private investigations services and absolutely are in serious violation of the Department of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS) regulations. https://www.dcjs.virginia.gov/licensure-and-regulatory-affairs/private-investigator.

Trustify also solicits by word, act or deed private investigative services in the District of Columbia and does not, does not have a DC Detective business licenses. http://dcra.dc.gov/service/verify-business-license

Trustify also solicits by word, act or deed private investigative services in the state of Maryland and does not, does not, does not have a Maryland Detective business license. http://mdsp.maryland.gov/Organization/Pages/CriminalInvestigationBureau/LicensingDivision/ProfessionalLicenses/PrivateDetectiveAgencies.aspx

Trustify claims they only broker private investigative services across the United States but are not, are not, are not licensed in any state to do so. Trustify receives payment up front for private investigative services, before or after they contract with a client needing private investigative service, and then they call out for an available private investigator to take the case. Justify fails to inform these private investigators, they are unlicensed, and that the individual PI needs a license in the state they are going to be sent to work a case. This puts the investigator at extreme risk of being arrested if caught working without a license.

HPS worked a RUSH case for Trustify, but because we are a licensed private investigations business, and we can take any case as long as there is a reciprocity agreement with Virginia. HPS was sent to Florida for a three-day missing persons, abduction case and Trustify refuses to pay HPS after we successfully solved the case. HPS spent over $1500 out of pocket and now we're eating the bill.

Avoid Trustify at all cost, they cheat the investigators, operate unlicensed and steal services. Absolutely the shadiest company HPS has ever worked for. HPS has notified DCJS and now they are under investigations at this time. Let them blow their money attempting to sue HPS, what we wrote is true, so they won’t make a dime.

Reply



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