What are some challenges private investigators face when locating a person?

Sometimes, family members and friends want to locate a person who has been missing for years. Business owners and other individuals may need to find a missing person for financial or legal reasons (such as to collect on a debt or serve them with court papers).

Issues That May Arise When Attempting to Locate a Person

While a private detective knows how to locate a person, they also know that the task is a little bit more difficult than many people think. Here are a few of the challenges that plague a private investigator when they try to locate a person.

Many Businesses and Entities are Using Outdated Technology

TV shows and movies make it look easy for a private investigator to use surveillance cameras and other monitoring technology to locate a person. Unfortunately, many companies and agencies use old technology that provides a blurry, barely recognizable photograph.

The Missing Person Has a Common Name

A missing person with a common name is typically more difficult for a private detective to locate than someone with a unique name. To increase their chances of finding someone with a common name, a private detective will try to find as much identifying info as possible about the missing person (such as their place of birth, date of birth, or Social Security number).

Info About the Missing Person Isn’t Available to the Public

Sometimes, info about a missing person isn’t publicly available and can only be obtained via unscrupulous means. While this info would definitely be beneficial, it simply isn’t available in the quest to locate a person.

Info About the Person Isn’t Accurate

When you consider how to locate a person, know that many techniques rely on accurate information. Alas, it’s very common for people to have incorrect info about the person they need to locate.

Maybe the missing person intentionally provided inaccurate identifying information, or perhaps the information has been misremembered over time.

The Missing Person Isn’t on the Grid

It’s increasingly common for people to intentionally live off the grid due to privacy concerns and worries over the distribution over their personal info. These individuals might strive to make purchases in cash and steer clear of companies that gather personal info.

Some People Don’t Want to be Found

A private investigator knows that many people want to remain anonymous. Maybe they were unhappy with their old life and didn’t know what to do. Or, they might know that they owe someone money.

Info About the Person is Outdated

In some missing person cases, info about the missing person isn’t up to date. You might have information that’s so old that it just isn’t useful in a modern data search to locate a person.

It’s Possible for People to Request to Have Their Info Removed

If someone doesn’t want their info in a public database, they can request to have the information removed. Some people do this because of general privacy concerns, while others do so to make it harder for other individuals to locate a person.

Locating a Person Exceeds the Search Budget

To locate a missing person, it’s necessary to have manpower and resources. Unfortunately, most people have a limited budget that they have to stick to. The private investigator who is working to locate a person must stick to this budget, even if it means that they’re less likely to locate the person in question.

Some People Can’t be Located with the Provided Resources

In some cases, the process used to locate a person relies on research and luck. Unless there’s a large budget to find the person, the private detective may not be able to find the person with their current resources. Increasing these resources may increase their chances of success, but eventually, you have to consider what techniques are cost-effective.

Contact Sig14 Investigations, a Tampa private detective, today to schedule a no-cost consultation for private detective services in Tampa Bay.