Guide Flashcards
7 cards from real Private Investigator Exam practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Guide flashcards as text
A PI is hired to locate a missing adult. What is the first recommended step?
Answer: Interview known associates and family members
Interviewing people who know the subject is a legal, ethical, and often highly productive first step in a missing person investigation.
Which federal law restricts a PI's ability to obtain financial account information through pretext calls to banks?
Answer: The Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act (GLBA)
The Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act prohibits obtaining financial information from institutions through false pretenses, known as pretexting.
What does 'skip tracing' refer to in private investigation?
Answer: Locating a person who has left their known address without notice
Skip tracing is the process of locating a person who has 'skipped' town, often using public records, databases, and interviews.
Under the Driver's Privacy Protection Act (DPPA), PI access to DMV records is:
Answer: Permitted only for specific permissible purposes such as legal proceedings or fraud investigation
The DPPA restricts access to DMV records to specific permissible purposes, and PIs may access them only under qualifying circumstances.
When a PI discovers evidence of an ongoing violent crime during an unrelated case, what should they do?
Answer: Report it to the appropriate law enforcement agency
Discovering evidence of a violent crime creates a duty to report to law enforcement to prevent harm, superseding client confidentiality.
Which type of database provides the most comprehensive public records for skip tracing?
Answer: Licensed professional data aggregators like TLO or IRB Search
Licensed data aggregators compile vast amounts of public records including addresses, phone numbers, and associates, making them key tools for skip tracing.
A PI license is generally issued by which government authority?
Answer: The state government through its licensing board or regulatory agency
PI licensing is regulated at the state level, with each state establishing its own requirements and licensing authority.