What to do if You Are followed by a Private Investigator

I recently received a comment on one of my blog articles regarding surveillance safety.  The individual whom we will call Joe indicated that multiple private investigators had been following them for several months. Joe indicated that the private investigators had broke every law in the book while following him which included reckless driving and trying to run him off the road.  Joe believed that they were either private investigators hired by a specific insurance company or in-house investigators.  Joe was very confident that the private investigators were associated with an insurance company.  I can assume Joe is either on a disability claim or workers’ compensation claim based on his statements.

What Joe was describing was what investigators call, “Rough Shadowing”.  Rough Shadowing is when an investigator continues to conduct surveillance even after the case has been compromised (the investigator is aware that the subject knows they are being followed).

Though this isn’t the main point I would make, I would find it very difficult to believe a private investigator that was conducted a surveillance would go out of their way to make themselves known and also to try and run someone off the road.

If you are wondering how long a private investigator will follow someone, I wrote about that quite a bit in another article that you can read by clicking the highlighted link above. But in regards to surveillance, it is all about being covert and unnoticed.  Surveillance investigators are not in the business of trying to be noticed by the people they are observing.  It completely defeats the purpose of a surveillance.

So while he may have someone following him, he might be getting other bad drivers that are unrelated to the surveillance confused with the actual individuals conducting the surveillance.

With that being said, let’s get into some typical responses of someone who realizes they are being followed by a private investigator.

REACTIONS TO BEING FOLLOWED BY A PRIVATE INVESTIGATOR

There are a variety of actions a subject will make if they determine they are being followed.  Below is a list of typical responses in no particular order that I have either experience or other investigators have experienced:

• They act as if they don’t notice the investigator
• Stop and make an obvious gesture as if they know they are being followed
• Stop their vehicle in a random location (like the side of the freeway)
• Follow the investigator
• Attack the investigator
• Threaten the investigator
• Have a neighbor scope out and possibly approach the investigator

The above responses are all responses that happen nearly every time some figures out they are being followed.  Each one of these responses is human nature.  And I am sure that these responses reflect someone who probably already knows why they are being followed.

None of the provided responses, in my opinion, are safe. Let me explain.

There is a reason for the typical responses listed above.  I would say none of the reactions are necessarily appropriate or safe.  Let me get into the typical reaction of a private investigator once they know you are aware they are following you.

What would a typical private investigator do if you gave them an indication that you knew they were following you?

In most cases, if a private investigator realizes someone is aware that they are being followed, a private investigator will cease conducting surveillance and leave the area.  A private investigator does not want you to be fearful and they don’t want an altercation to take place as a result of conducting surveillance on you.  

There are some stubborn, stupid or inexperienced private investigators that will continue to follow you after you have given them a clear indication you are aware they are there.  In my opinion, they don’t have any business doing this type of job if they continue to follow you after they know you are aware.

You Are Aware They Are Following You But Don’t Let Them Know

Some investigators will figure out you are aware of the presence even if you don’t give them any obvious signs.  They will continue conducting surveillance on you just in case they are wrong because at that point they are only guessing or going with their gut feeling. They do this just in case their assumption is wrong.  If investigators stopped conducting surveillance every time they had a fear someone was aware then they would have a very short career.

Considerations When Being Followed by a Private Investigator (Or You Think is a Private Investigator)

What you need to take into consideration is the possibility the individual following is not a private investigator.  What if the individual following you, was doing so to hurt you or your family?  There are some crazy people out there. 

Maybe the individual following you was a private investigator, however, had mistaken you for someone else?  You really just don’t know why the individual is following you. 

I am not writing this to put fear in your heart but it is a situation you should take very seriously.

So while it is easy to make an assumption that the person following you is a private investigator, you really just don’t know.

What Do You Do if You Think Someone is Following You?

Before I make any suggestions let me first say that you do whatever you feel is safe.  I am not a lawyer or a law enforcement officer.   

Call Law Enforcement

With the previous statement under consideration, I would recommend that you call your local law enforcement and inform them that you are being followed.  Give the authorities the best description you possibly can of either the individual or their vehicle.  If you are capable of doing so in a safe manner, attempt to obtain the license plate of the vehicle.  I would not go out of my way to do so but if the opportunity arises it wouldn’t hurt because a license plate number will be an asset to local law enforcement.   The police will make contact with the individual and determine their intentions.

By doing this a couple of things will happen.

The first thing is the person or private investigator will know you are aware they are there.

The second thing is they will probably leave the area once approached by law enforcement.

If they are not a private investigator then they will have to justify their reasons for following you and their intentions.  This will allow police to get some information from them and will be the first place they go should something ever happen to you.

Private Investigation is a Business (Please Understand This)

If you find out that you are being followed by a private investigator, keep in mind that the private investigator is just doing their job.  Someone has paid him/her to do this service and the private investigator is trying to make a living. Private investigators are not perfect and may not pick up on signs that they are compromised.  That is why I believe calling law enforcement is very effective and safe.

If it has been made clear to the private investigator that you know they are following you and they continue to do so, I would seek some consultation by an attorney because at that point it is just plain harassment in my opinion. 

If you are looking for information on counter surveillance I found a book on Amazon that might be of help.

Thank you for taking the time to read this.  I hope you find some value in this. Take care and be safe.

Andrew