PILB Financial Investigations and Asset Searches 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which Nevada Revised Statute chapter governs the licensing of private investigators and related professions?
- NRS Chapter 648 (Correct answer)
- NRS Chapter 633
- NRS Chapter 240
- NRS Chapter 704
Correct answer: NRS Chapter 648
NRS Chapter 648 establishes the regulatory framework for private investigators, including licensing requirements and prohibited conduct.
Question 2: A PI is hired to trace assets of a debtor following a civil judgment. Which government repository provides UCC (Uniform Commercial Code) lien filings in Nevada?
- Nevada Secretary of State (Correct answer)
- Nevada Department of Taxation
- Clark County Recorder's Office only
- Nevada Attorney General's Office
Correct answer: Nevada Secretary of State
UCC financing statements and lien filings are recorded with the Nevada Secretary of State and are publicly searchable.
Question 3: When tracing hidden assets, a PI legally reviews a subject's social media profiles and finds posts showing expensive vacations. This evidence is best characterized as:
- Circumstantial evidence suggesting undisclosed income or assets (Correct answer)
- Conclusive proof of fraud admissible in court without further corroboration
- Inadmissible because social media is not a public record
- Legally obtained only with a court order
Correct answer: Circumstantial evidence suggesting undisclosed income or assets
Publicly visible social media posts are legally observable and can serve as circumstantial evidence, though they require corroboration for legal proceedings.
Question 4: In a Nevada asset search, probate court records may reveal:
- Assets inherited or bequeathed by the subject (Correct answer)
- The subject's current employer
- Active criminal warrants for the subject
- The subject's current rental agreements
Correct answer: Assets inherited or bequeathed by the subject
Probate records list estate assets and beneficiaries, making them useful for tracing inherited property or wealth.
Question 5: A PI uses pretexting — calling a bank while posing as the account holder — to obtain a subject's balance. This action is:
- A criminal violation of the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act and grounds for license revocation (Correct answer)
- Permissible if the client authorized it in writing
- A standard skip tracing technique under Nevada law
- Legal as long as no false documents are used
Correct answer: A criminal violation of the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act and grounds for license revocation
Pretexting to obtain financial information is a federal crime under the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act and violates PILB ethical standards.
Question 6: Which of the following best describes a permissible purpose for a Nevada PI to access motor vehicle records under the DPPA?
- Use in connection with a civil, criminal, administrative, or arbitral proceeding (Correct answer)
- Selling the records to a marketing firm
- Satisfying personal curiosity about a neighbor
- Building a database for commercial resale
Correct answer: Use in connection with a civil, criminal, administrative, or arbitral proceeding
The DPPA allows access to motor vehicle records for legitimate legal proceedings, among other narrowly defined purposes.
PILB Financial Investigations and Asset Searches 2
Which Nevada Revised Statute chapter governs the licensing of private investigators and related professions?