DDG

a division of Discovery Groups, LLC

Discovery  Detective Group

480-946-7173

​​Click Here for a case quote by e-mail

Call 480-946-7173: speak with an investigator


How to hire the right Investigator 

For many this is the first time hiring an investigator. Most people will only hire an investigator once in their lives.

Here is a check list of what to look for to find a reputable investigator or investigation agency. (live links to check yourself).

  1. ​Licensed as an investigator by AZ DPS. 
    1. If they do not have a company name, they may not be Agency licensed and are not legal to work directly for you without the direction of the agency they are hired under and their work would not hold up in court.
  2. Check with the BBB. Are they accredited, listed in good standing or have complaints?
    1. ​It is normal for a business to have a complaint or two that have been resolved.  Watch out for numerous complaints or ones that were charged against the company.
  3. Do they have a website?
    1. On their website are they a members of their state or national PI Associations?  
    2. Does it look professional, answer questions, and let you know who you are dealing with?
    3. Have multiple ways to contact them.
  4. Run a google search on their company name to see what comes up. Look at reviews on sites like Yelp...make sure they do not come up on the rip off report...
  5. Make a few calls to PI agencies, investigate yourself.  While you get your consult find out if:
    1. You feel comfortable and confident they can handle the job.
    2. If they regularly handle the type of case you have?
    3. They are going to send you a contract spelling out the scope of work and prices prior to starting? This is very important.  NEVER do a verbal contract and send money.
    4. Are they coming up with a plan to solve your problem?
    5. Are they hard selling you or pressuring you?  You should not feel this way.
  6. ​You are going to be in a working relationship with them during a trying time, make sure they are a good fit for you.  You should feel comfortable to pick up the phone and ask questions, or get updates.
  7. Single investigator agency vs an investigative firm.
    1. A single investigator is always in direct contact with you, but they do not have the resources of an agency to back them up and may be spread thin.  Most single person agencies specialize in one type of investigation such as; criminal or infidelity.  This is good if that is your type of case. A sole proprietor may be less or more per hour. 
    2. An investigative firm will have a case director that will be your go to person for your investigation.  They may do part of the work themselves but will assign out parts of the case work to investigators that specialize in that area of investigation.  In complex investigations you have a better chance of everything being done correctly positively reflecting in your results in court, or the quality of information gathered for your own personal knowledge. It is a team approach. 
  8. How much should I pay?
    1. Currently the hourly market is between $95 - $225 an hour for general investigations. If part of the case takes expertise it can range $300 an hour and up.
    2. If you have ongoing case work in bulk, lower rates can be negotiated.
    3. Some simple cases are done on flat fees, such as locates, 1/2 or all day surveillance, process service...
    4. Often a firm that charges more per hour for their expertise ends up costing you less for better results, because it takes them less hours to get the job done correctly.  
    5. Beware of anyone that has much lower prices than the competition, they often charge extra hours and pad the bill to make up for it. They also may not have insurance or be DPS licensed.


in·ves·ti·gate
inˈvestəˌɡāt/
verb

carry out a systematic or formal inquiry to discover and examine the facts of (an incident, allegation, etc.) so as to establish the truth.
"police are investigating the alleged beating"

synonyms: inquire into, look into, go into, probe, explore, scrutinize, conduct an investigation into,make inquiries about; 

INVESTIGATIONS 


The tabs below the investigations ​​tab (above) takes you to our INVESTIGATION INDUSTRY PAGES with descriptions of the types of investigations we offer. 

To the right of the tab is a sub menu further breaking down specific investigations within that category.  
If you do not see a specific type of investigation listed it does not mean we do not handle it.  
Just ask when you call in or send in a Quote Form.

Our investigators are happy to hear from you and come up with a plan of action to solve your case.