What can Private Investigators do in Singapore?

Clients of a Private Investigation (PI) Agency hire them for a specific purpose. Some times it is to conduct background investigation to a suspicious target, others is to settle some private matters such as matrimonial investigation. Unlike the law enforcement investigation (Singapore Police Force), PIs have to follow strict regulations and can only do certain things to gather evidence for their client’s knowledge or to hold up in the court of law. Some things which are out of the scope might be illegal such as impersonating or trespassing. For a full list of a Private Investigator’s services, you may click here.

It is also crucial that before you engage with a PI agency, you should read about their Google Reviews from past clients’ experience with them to get a hold of their experience as well as capabilities to execute without the risk of exposure for the client.

The following provides a brief overview of the private investigation industry, as well as the related legal issues.

Types of Work Private Investigators Perform

Private investigators execute a wide variety of work, including (but not limited to):

Maid surveillance;
Employee movement surveillance – (in particular, key personnel);
Spousal surveillance (to investigate possible adultery);
Children surveillance;
Finding missing persons or property;
Family member gambling-related movements;
Trademark or copyright infringement corporate matters; as well as
General investigation to obtain evidence to be used in civil or criminal matters.

Type of Work that Requires Special Approval

By law, assignments 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.

Type of Illegal Work Private Investigators Cannot Perform

Private investigators are legally required to undergo training and hold licences issued by the Singapore Police. As a result, a PI will be able to advise the client as to the legality of the methods used in the investigation.

The legality of hidden spy cameras depends on its usage. As of 2019, there are no specific privacy laws in Singapore. A spycam is generally used by PIs to film an investigation target or location, but to stay within the boundaries of law, such cameras are usually only trained at public places or places owned by the client (e.g. the main door of a client’s house, or the living room, for instance, to track a spouse or maid’s activities).

However, if the use of the spycam involves housebreaking, insulting a woman’s modesty, or the recording and storing of obscene material, said usage may constitute criminal offences. In a divorce matter, the PI or the client runs the risk of being prosecuted or countersued if illegal methods of recording and spying are used.

Additionally, other activities, such as hacking into the private digital accounts of individuals (e.g. Facebook accounts) may run afoul of Singapore’s laws, such as the Computer Misuse Act.

If you’re looking for an experienced PI that 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.

The Cost Of Hiring A Private Investigator in 2021 in Singapore

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.