# What are your rights if you are being followed/monitored by a private investigator? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [February 1, 2012, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-rights-if-you-are-being-followed-monitored-by-a-private-investigator/611443 "2012-02-01T18:15:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![teela\_brown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d9b06d/32.png) [@teela\_brown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/teela_brown)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2012, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-rights-if-you-are-being-followed-monitored-by-a-private-investigator/611443/21 "2012-02-03T17:34:43Z")
> [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](#): > > He might think you’re an irish monk… > > 😉 > > [sub]or is that reference too subtle?[/sub] Spelt “shamus” or “seamus”? ---
**Author:** ![MsJinx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/278dde/32.png) [@MsJinx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsJinx)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2012, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-rights-if-you-are-being-followed-monitored-by-a-private-investigator/611443/22 "2012-02-03T19:56:08Z")
This is not an occasion to call 911. It is not an emergency unless you are in immediate physical danger. 911 IS FOR EMERGENCIES. The police department has a non-emergency line for this type of things. You’d probably call this a ‘suspicious circumstance’, and an officer would be assigned to speak to you, either by phone or in person. ---
**Author:** ![pkbites](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pkbites/32/204_2.png) [@pkbites](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pkbites)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2012, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-rights-if-you-are-being-followed-monitored-by-a-private-investigator/611443/23 "2012-02-03T20:17:43Z")
Many of you are rather ignorant as to what the legal definition of “stalking is”. In most places one had to be licensed to be a P.I… Do you really think the state would issue licenses for an occupation where one of the major activities was illegal?:rolleyes: Sometimes a P.I. will inform the locals of his/her presence, sometimes they don’t. Each case/location will determine if it’s for the best. There is usually no legal requirement to do so. After 30 years in law enforcement I can tell you that we rarely tell anyone the guy they called in about is an investigator. The response to the complainant is something like “we checked him out, everything is fine. Nothing to worry about.” But if the P.I. is smart they’ll leave the area that day, wait a while and come back another day with a different vehicle and sit in a different location. ---
**Author:** ![JacobSwan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a6a055/32.png) [@JacobSwan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JacobSwan)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2012, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-rights-if-you-are-being-followed-monitored-by-a-private-investigator/611443/24 "2012-02-04T00:06:37Z")
A paranoid friend hired a PI to follow me a few years ago and I wasn’t impressed. I spotted him within a few yards of leaving the tube station and confirmed he was following me by the time I reached the first corner. I didn’t know why he was following me at the time, but I decided to have a little fun with him. I spent a large amount of time struggling to tie my shoe laces while he stood nearby trying to look nonchalant. He was pretending to be lost so I decided to help him out and walked right up to him and asked if he needed directions. Cue a look of sheer panic and a lot of stammering from him. He asked for directions to Hatton Garden, which I knew there was a signpost for just behind me. He wasn’t quick at thinking on his feet! I gave him directions and headed off that way myself, but would you believe my shoelaces kept coming undone? Every time I stopped to retie them he had to stop as well and try not to look suspicious. After the 3rd time, I approached him again and told him I was heading to Hatton Garden and he was more than welcome to follow me if he wished. Cue more stammering and he gave up and turned back. Which was lucky for him as my next plan involved a small alleyway behind Leather Lane market which I know always contains a few broken pallets and crates. If he hadn’t given up by choice I would have encouraged him a little bit with a plank to the head. No urchins or flower sellers required. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2012, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-rights-if-you-are-being-followed-monitored-by-a-private-investigator/611443/25 "2012-02-04T00:14:02Z")
> [@teela\_brown](#): > > Spelt “shamus” or “seamus”? Very good! That must be it. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2012, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-rights-if-you-are-being-followed-monitored-by-a-private-investigator/611443/26 "2012-02-04T01:52:36Z")
> [@teela\_brown](#): > > Spelt “shamus” or “seamus”? Ah, another “Big Lebowski” fan! 🆒 The Dude confronts the man who has been following him. Said man has mistaken The Dude for a fellow PI: Da Fino, Private Snoop: Hey, relax, man! I’m a brother shamus! The Dude: Brother Seamus? Like an Irish monk? Da Fino, Private Snoop: What the fuck are you talking about? ---
**Author:** ![KneeSid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/dec6dc/32.png) [@KneeSid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneeSid)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2012, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-rights-if-you-are-being-followed-monitored-by-a-private-investigator/611443/27 "2012-02-04T01:59:00Z")
That’s what the PIs want you to think. They hire a homeless guy, clean him up and put him in a location where you spot him. Then you think you made the PI and confront him or lead him on a wild goose chase. All the while the REAL PI is still out there. So when this homeless guy quits following you, you think you won, but the REAL PI was and is still following you. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2012, 2:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-rights-if-you-are-being-followed-monitored-by-a-private-investigator/611443/28 "2012-02-04T02:26:28Z")
Just hire your own PI, with the mission of finding out why and by whom you are being surveilled. As an answer to the OP, I presume that is at least one of the rights you have. ---
**Author:** ![PlainJain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/5daacb/32.png) [@PlainJain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PlainJain)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2012, 7:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-rights-if-you-are-being-followed-monitored-by-a-private-investigator/611443/29 "2012-02-04T07:42:37Z")
> [@md2000](#): > > Once you know you’re being followed, you can do the usual like look for GPS trackers, etc. Get followed a lot, do ya? ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2012, 8:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-rights-if-you-are-being-followed-monitored-by-a-private-investigator/611443/30 "2012-02-04T08:26:34Z")
> [@kaylasdad99](#): > > Just hire your own PI, with the mission of finding out why and by whom you are being surveilled. Then the first PI would have to hire another PI to trail the second PI. Eventually you end up in an infinite loop that resembles a conga line. ---
**Author:** ![md2000](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/73ab20/32.png) [@md2000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/md2000)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2012, 1:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-rights-if-you-are-being-followed-monitored-by-a-private-investigator/611443/31 "2012-02-04T13:56:56Z")
> [@MsJinx](#): > > This is not an occasion to call 911. It is not an emergency unless you are in immediate physical danger. 911 IS FOR EMERGENCIES. > > The police department has a non-emergency line for this type of things. You’d probably call this a ‘suspicious circumstance’, and an officer would be assigned to speak to you, either by phone or in person. A man lurking in a parked car next to a playground? How much more of an emergency can you get? Think of the children!!! (Even if it is 10PM) ---
**Author:** ![londono](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/898d66/32.png) [@londono](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/londono)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2012, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-rights-if-you-are-being-followed-monitored-by-a-private-investigator/611443/32 "2012-03-04T17:26:46Z")
no offense but you sure you’re not dilusional? in any case they rarely need to follow you at all lately, especially if you have a smart phone. Btw if you’re not paranoid delusional you may become after [reading this](http://www.whycall.me/info/toolsusedbyinvestigators.php). As far as your rights they don’t have to explain anything. Same way as companies like LexisNexis don’t have to explain squat about the type of records they have on you… This is not a gov agency so FOIA does not apply… ---
**Author:** ![Snnipe\_70E](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5a626/32.png) [@Snnipe\_70E](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snnipe_70E)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2012, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-rights-if-you-are-being-followed-monitored-by-a-private-investigator/611443/33 "2012-03-04T17:49:53Z")
> [@MsJinx](#): > > This is not an occasion to call 911. It is not an emergency unless you are in immediate physical danger. 911 IS FOR EMERGENCIES. > > The police department has a non-emergency line for this type of things. You’d probably call this a ‘suspicious circumstance’, and an officer would be assigned to speak to you, either by phone or in person. Maybe in your city. Last time I called the non emergency number all I got was a recording to call another number that had me call another number that had a recording that my call would be answered the next business day. San Jose Ca. ---
**Author:** ![md2000](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/73ab20/32.png) [@md2000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/md2000)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2012, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-rights-if-you-are-being-followed-monitored-by-a-private-investigator/611443/34 "2012-03-05T15:21:37Z")
> [@](#): > > Originally Posted by md2000 > Once you know you’re being followed, you can do the usual like look for GPS trackers, etc. > [@PlainJain](#): > > Get followed a lot, do ya? Not me, but you can read the media… [http://www.wired.com/threatlevel/2010/10/fbi-tracking-device/all/1](http://www.wired.com/threatlevel/2010/10/fbi-tracking-device/all/1) ---
**Author:** ![Sigmagirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c89c15/32.png) [@Sigmagirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigmagirl)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2012, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-rights-if-you-are-being-followed-monitored-by-a-private-investigator/611443/35 "2012-03-05T16:17:55Z")
> [@digs](#): > > Have you people never seen a bad movie? > > You need to get the investigator following you through busy crowds, preferably in a European capital (if your budget’s tight, Vancouver can double for Prague). But the point is to be able to run down wet cobblestoned streets, dodging flower vendors and beautiful peasant girls with baguettes. > > Then turn the tables on him by evading him (I enjoy the “bribe the local urchins to delay him” tactic). Then double back and take him by surprise in an alley behind the boulangerie. After you’ve disarmed him, you can torture the name of his employer out of him. Total fail if you don’t knock over a fruit cart. ---
**Author:** ![Lazlo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lazlo/32/9678_2.png) [@Lazlo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lazlo)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2012, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-rights-if-you-are-being-followed-monitored-by-a-private-investigator/611443/36 "2012-03-05T20:14:38Z")
> [@digs](#): > > Have you people never seen a bad movie? > > You need to get the investigator following you through busy crowds, preferably in a European capital (if your budget’s tight, Vancouver can double for Prague). But the point is to be able to run down wet cobblestoned streets, dodging flower vendors and beautiful peasant girls with baguettes. Must be done: [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/N_IAb_XmVa8/hqdefault.jpg "Bloodsport Mentos Commercial") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N_IAb_XmVa8) ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2012, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-rights-if-you-are-being-followed-monitored-by-a-private-investigator/611443/37 "2012-03-06T00:23:49Z")
> [@pkbites](#): > > Many of you are rather ignorant as to what the legal definition of “stalking is”. > > In most places one had to be licensed to be a P.I.. Do you really think the state would issue licenses for an occupation where one of the major activities was illegal?:rolleyes: > > Sometimes a P.I. will inform the locals of his/her presence, sometimes they don’t. Each case/location will determine if it’s for the best. There is usually no legal requirement to do so. > > After 30 years in law enforcement I can tell you that we rarely tell anyone the guy they called in about is an investigator. The response to the complainant is something like “we checked him out, everything is fine. Nothing to worry about.” > But if the P.I. is smart they’ll leave the area that day, wait a while and come back another day with a different vehicle and sit in a different location. How in the world is it legal? The right to privacy is directly in the Constitution (as defined by the courts). Only information that is reasonably in the public sphere is allowable. Heck, if PIs work at all like on TV, then they regularly trespass in order to do their job. And perhaps even steal. Even putting a GPS on a car has been ruled illegal–as you have trespassed on that car. ---
**Author:** ![Lasciel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e79b87/32.png) [@Lasciel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lasciel)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2012, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-rights-if-you-are-being-followed-monitored-by-a-private-investigator/611443/38 "2012-03-06T00:33:18Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > How in the world is it legal? The right to privacy is directly in the Constitution (as defined by the courts). Only information that is reasonably in the public sphere is allowable. Heck, if PIs work at all like on TV, then they regularly trespass in order to do their job. And perhaps even steal. > > Even putting a GPS on a car has been ruled illegal–as you have trespassed on that car. There’s a lot of grey areas in privacy, and people think a lot of stuff about them is private when its not. Its culturally private, but not legally so. Your trash? Not private. Your house if people can see through the windows? Not private. Your property, if people can see what’s on it from a public location? Not private. Your activities in public (ie, using roads to travel around, and your arrival and departure at various places, regardless of whether or not the places in question are private themselves?) Not private. Sucks, but there’s quite a lot of info that a PI can get, totally legally, which you would really prefer them not to have access to. ---
**Author:** ![Princhester](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@Princhester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Princhester)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2012, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-rights-if-you-are-being-followed-monitored-by-a-private-investigator/611443/39 "2012-03-06T00:41:55Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > How in the world is it legal? The right to privacy is directly in the Constitution (as defined by the courts). Only information that is reasonably in the public sphere is allowable. Heck, if PIs work at all like on TV, then they regularly trespass in order to do their job. And perhaps even steal. > > Even putting a GPS on a car has been ruled illegal–as you have trespassed on that car. You’ve answered your own question, really. They work by obtaining information reasonably in the public sphere and not by doing stuff like on TV. Mostly they sit in cars with cameras and document what is visible from there. The reality is very very boring. It involves sitting around doing nothing, mostly. Surprisingly, for TV they make shit up in order to make it exciting. Sorry to break it to you. ---
**Author:** ![J\_Cubed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c6cbf5/32.png) [@J\_Cubed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/J_Cubed)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2012, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-rights-if-you-are-being-followed-monitored-by-a-private-investigator/611443/40 "2012-03-06T01:42:53Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > How in the world is it legal? The right to privacy is directly in the Constitution (as defined by the courts). > > Even putting a GPS on a car has been ruled illegal–as you have trespassed on that car. The Constitution defines the rights of citizens and states with regard to the Federal government. The Army can’t lodge soldiers in your home, but your employer could make it a condition of your employment. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-rights-if-you-are-being-followed-monitored-by-a-private-investigator/611443.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-rights-if-you-are-being-followed-monitored-by-a-private-investigator/611443.md?page=3)