Undercover Operations and Covert Methods Flashcards
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Read the first 7 Undercover Operations and Covert Methods flashcards as text
What is a 'backstop' in the context of an undercover PI operation?
Answer: Verifiable supporting evidence (e.g., a fake website or phone number) that reinforces a cover identity
A backstop is any corroborating material—such as a registered phone number, email address, or website—that makes a cover identity appear legitimate if a subject investigates it.
A PI is hired to investigate suspected workers' compensation fraud. Which undercover approach is MOST appropriate?
Answer: Conduct covert video surveillance of the claimant in public to document physical activity
Covert video surveillance in public places is legal and frequently used in workers' comp fraud cases to document a claimant's physical capabilities without alerting them.
Under Nevada's one-party consent law, a PI may legally record a telephone call if:
Answer: At least one party to the call (including the PI) consents to the recording
Nevada NRS 200.620 is a one-party consent state, meaning a recording is lawful as long as at least one participant in the conversation—including the PI—consents to being recorded.
Which of the following pretexts for obtaining personal information would VIOLATE the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act (GLBA)?
Answer: Calling a bank and impersonating the account holder to obtain financial records
The GLBA explicitly prohibits 'pretexting' to obtain financial records by impersonating customers or using false statements to a financial institution, making this a federal violation.
What is 'legend building' in undercover investigations?
Answer: Constructing a comprehensive false background, history, and identity for an undercover operative
Legend building is the process of developing a fully fleshed-out false identity—including work history, references, and personal background—that can withstand scrutiny from a suspicious subject.
When conducting undercover investigations via social media, a PI must NOT:
Answer: Create a fake profile to befriend the subject and access content set to 'friends only'
Creating a fake profile to gain access to private, friends-only content is deceptive and may violate the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act (CFAA) as unauthorized access to a protected system.
To ensure evidence obtained through undercover methods is admissible, a PI should PRIMARILY:
Answer: Maintain contemporaneous, detailed notes and chain-of-custody records for all collected evidence
Detailed contemporaneous notes and an unbroken chain of custody demonstrate the evidence's authenticity and integrity, which are essential for admissibility in legal proceedings.