Many times before one hires a private investigator, one question that can be on your mind is whether it is even legal to do so. The short answer is yes! It is perfectly valid and legal when working with a certified professional. Though there are several things you should know before hiring a Private Investigator, the various tasks they can and cannot do depend on the laws that govern the practice which they need to abide by at all times.
In this article, we will look at how you can hire a Private Investigator in Singapore, and how much does it actually cost.
Can I Hire a Private Investigator in Singapore?
Yes. Hiring a PI is legal in Singapore. While there PIs in Singapore don’t carry guns or jump off planes like Mr. Bond himself, here is the list of services they do provide: LOVE OR MONEY SCAM, PRE-MARITAL CHECKS, INFIDELITY INVESTIGATION, BACKGROUND CHECKS, CHILD CUSTODY / FAMILY, COVERT SURVEILLANCE, TSCM (DEBUGGING OF SPY DEVICES), EMBEZZLEMENT INVESTIGATION, MISSING PERSON, GENERAL INVESTIGATION.
Practical Tips from a veteran PI himself, Vincent Tan
While most of us will not require a PI for simple investigations (yes, stalking someone on Facebook is a type of investigation too), there are some tips we all can take from a veteran Private Investigation Vincent Tan, who runs a PI Agency in Singapore, Asia Top Investigation with over 25 years of on the field experience. In particular, these are my favorite articles: How To Spot A Love Scam in 2021 and 4 Easy Steps To Protect Your Mobile Devices from Unwanted Access.
Legal Requirements for PIs in Singapore
By law, certain investigations require special permits for a PI agency before their conduct their work. Such cases include assignments like investigating political figures, foreign diplomats, consuls, or their families, as well as the conduct of surveillance on certain protected (or militarily sensitive) places, foreign consulates, government buildings, departure and entry checkpoints, or certain private schools, require the special approval of the Singapore Police. It is also a legal requirement in Singapore for Private Detectives to be licensed by the Private Investigation Agency Licensing & Regulatory Department (PLRD). The License is always on display in the office or most Private Detectives will save a copy on the phone. Do some research on their experience and expertise before you meet up with them. Read more in-depth on their website and ask some questions about their experience and their success rate.
How To Hire A Private Investigator In Singapore?
Many of us can do simple investigations such as stalking someone on Facebook or Instagram. But for the few of us caught in a situation that requires the services of a professional Private Investigator, chances are it’s your first engaging one.
You may or may not have heard of PIs in Singapore who solved many high-profile cases like Mr. Vincent Tan. But what you need to know is how to actually go about finding a reliable PI agency that you can trust with your cases. Additionally, we’ve also laid out the process of getting to know your PI and the hiring process. Read more here.
How much does it cost to hire a private investigator in Singapore?
In order to understand how the Singapore Private Investigation industry charges we have to understand these basics. In Singapore, most private investigation agencies that advertised need to have a private investigation agency license issued by Singapore Police Force. If you searched for “private investigators” on Google there are some foreign private investigation agencies that claim they are licensed to conduct investigations in Singapore and operate with an overseas address and phone number. Those foreign private investigations might not have the license to operate in Singapore. To be on the safe side ask for the private investigation license number issued by The Singapore Police Force.
Next, there are licensed private investigation agencies that charge by package. Be sure to understand more as some might charge for written reports and end of the day you will find that it cost more. A private investigator is unlike a spa, beauty, or foot reflexology business in which you buy a packet and you will know how much you spend after each visit.
To conduct a private investigation you need skill and advanced equipment to gather the evidence you need. For example, if a private investigator conducts surveillance on your target and does a lousy job you might lose the chance to gather the evidence you need. Worst still you might end up paying for the package and will not be able to gather further evidence.
Generally, Singapore private investigators charge between $100 to $200 an hour for conducting surveillance. To conduct a basic investigation starts from $600 onward.
Before you engage a private investigator spend some time reading through their website and access them by giving them a call. If possible, arrange a meeting with them personally in their office.
Here are examples of packages private investigator charges to attract potential clients:
– 20 hours package $2200 to $3000 for surveillance.
*After you have committed most of the time you need to top up and by the end of the Investigation you will end up paying more. Some even charge additional for the report. To a potential client, the most important thing is to get the evidence they need.
Be careful as some private investigators will just deploy 1 part-time or 2 private investigators by paying them $7 to $14 an hour. These part-time investigators are mostly new in the industry and if they fail or begin to discover while conducting the surveillance it will be even more difficult to get the evidence again.
How To Hire An Experienced Private Investigator?
Hiring an experienced private investigator to conduct investigations is important, especially in surveillance. Those trained surveillance operatives are invaluable when conducting surveillance to gather evidence and reveal the truth to clients.
There are some private investigation agencies that rely on “floating” or freelance private investigators to conduct surveillance. Private investigators specializing in surveillance skill is usually far superior to those freelancer private investigators.
A skilled surveillance operative requires years of surveillance experience and training. If surveillance is not conducted correctly, it can jeopardize the whole case. Surveillance techniques used by private investigators range from physical observation to audio monitoring of conversation. The audio surveillance technique is a more sophisticated type of surveillance, used by most private investigators.
The fees of a skilled surveillance operative are only slightly above the market rate. Private Investigator Steven Tan with 20 years of surveillance experience in conducting local and oversea surveillance. Steven Tan has trained more than 60 private investigators in the art of surveillance.
Private investigator Steven Tan explains that surveillance operatives must be able to follow the subject and have the ability to capture video evidence of the subject and work within the legal compliance. They are also trained to handle complications matter that may arise while conducting surveillance. Private Investigator Steven Tan says this quality of the surveillance operative’s skills far out weights the cost. Private Investigator Steven Tan gives an example when female surveillance operatives conducting the surveillance operation she must be able to disguise as a pregnant woman in 10 seconds.
All surveillance operatives must be trained in handling the evidence-gathering equipment and must be able to capture critical evidence even if the subject is next to him/her.
If you’re looking for an experienced PI to help solve your case or if you need some advice on an ongoing case, you may contact Asia Top Investigation at vt@asiatopinvestigation.com or WhatsApp us at +65 9651 1969.
If you’d like to learn more on ,private investigation-related knowledge, feel free to check out our other articles ,here. If you’re interested, we’ve also written an article on how to ,hire a PI agency in Singapore ,here.
ASIA TOP INVESTIGATION LLP
License, No. L/PS/000016/2020
Telephone No. +65 96511969 via Phone or WhatsApp call
Email Address: ,,vt@asiatopinvestigation.com
Asia Top Investigation LLP believes in solving your case with the most efficient and cost-effective method. Using Artificial Intelligence( AI ) Technology, and reducing unnecessary investigations to reduce the cost of investigations without compromising the quality of the case.
If you need any private investigation services in Singapore, please contact Private Detective Vincent Tan @ +65 96511969 or email vt@asiatopinvestigation.com
www.singaporeprivateinvestigator.net
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