Interview & Skip Tracing Flashcards
6 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 6 Interview & Skip Tracing flashcards as text
What is the purpose of conducting a 'background investigation' on a potential client?
Answer: To ensure the PI is not being hired to facilitate illegal activity or harassment
A background check on a client helps ensure the PI is not unwittingly being used to stalk, harass, or harm the investigation subject.
When a witness recants a previous statement, a PI should:
Answer: Document both statements and the circumstances of the recantation for the attorney
Both statements and the context of the recantation must be documented so the attorney can assess credibility and determine how to proceed.
What is 'social engineering' as it applies to PI investigations?
Answer: Manipulating people into disclosing information through deceptive conversation or pretexting
Social engineering involves psychologically manipulating individuals—often through pretexting or pretext calls—to obtain information they would otherwise not share.
Which public record can reveal whether a subject owns real estate and at what address?
Answer: County assessor or property tax records
County assessor and property tax records are public and show property ownership, assessed value, and the owner's mailing address.
In skip tracing, a 'cold address' refers to:
Answer: An address that was previously associated with the subject but is no longer current
A cold address is one that was historically associated with the subject but has not been recently confirmed as their current location.
What is the recommended way to end a subject interview to leave the door open for future contact?
Answer: Thank the subject, provide contact information, and invite them to share anything additional
Ending on a positive, open note and providing contact information encourages the subject or witness to reach out later with additional information they may recall.