Private Investigator Assessment 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 Private Investigator Assessment flashcards as text
A PI receives a subpoena requiring them to testify about a client's case. What should the PI do?
Answer: Comply with the subpoena and consult an attorney if needed
Unlike attorney-client privilege, PI-client communications are generally not legally privileged, so the PI must comply with a valid subpoena.
What is 'social engineering' in the context of private investigation intelligence gathering?
Answer: Manipulating people into revealing confidential information through psychological tactics
Social engineering involves using psychological manipulation to trick individuals into divulging information they might otherwise protect.
A PI is asked to serve legal process documents. What term describes this activity?
Answer: Process serving
Process serving is the act of delivering legal documents such as subpoenas, summons, or complaints to a party in a legal proceeding.
Which photograph would most likely be admissible as evidence in a civil case?
Answer: A timestamped photo taken from a public sidewalk showing the subject's activities
Only photographs taken legally from areas where the PI has a right to be are admissible; evidence gathered illegally is typically inadmissible.
What does 'due diligence' mean when a PI is hired before a major business merger?
Answer: Thoroughly investigating and verifying facts about the other party to assess risks
Due diligence investigations verify the accuracy of representations made by a party and identify potential risks or liabilities before a major business decision.
A PI is hired to investigate insurance fraud. The subject is the PI's neighbor. What is the PI's ethical obligation?
Answer: Disclose the conflict of interest to the client before accepting the case
PIs must disclose any conflicts of interest to clients so they can make an informed decision about whether to proceed with that PI.
Which of the following is an example of a 'cold case' investigation that a PI might be hired to assist with?
Answer: Reviewing decades-old evidence and locating witnesses for an unsolved crime
Cold case investigations involve revisiting old, unsolved cases by re-examining evidence and finding new leads, often contracted by families seeking closure.