Private Investigator Exam Background Investigations 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which type of commercial database do private investigators most commonly use to search a subject's address history, phone numbers, relatives, and associates?
- PACER (Public Access to Court Electronic Records)
- National Practitioner Data Bank
- Commercial aggregator databases such as Accurint or TLO (Correct answer)
- SORNA national sex offender registry
Correct answer: Commercial aggregator databases such as Accurint or TLO
Commercial aggregator databases like Accurint and TLO compile public records and proprietary data to produce comprehensive personal history reports used widely by investigators.
Question 2: In the context of background investigations, 'due diligence' is best defined as which of the following?
- Following all mandated surveillance protocols without deviation
- A thorough and reasonable investigation proportional to the risk level of the situation (Correct answer)
- Obtaining a court order prior to accessing any public records
- Providing advance notice to a subject before beginning an investigation
Correct answer: A thorough and reasonable investigation proportional to the risk level of the situation
Due diligence means conducting a thorough, reasonable investigation that is proportional to the nature and level of risk associated with the particular matter being investigated.
Question 3: Which federal database provides public access to civil judgments, liens, and bankruptcy cases filed in federal courts?
- NCIC (National Crime Information Center)
- PACER (Public Access to Court Electronic Records) (Correct answer)
- FinCEN (Financial Crimes Enforcement Network)
- NLETS (National Law Enforcement Telecommunications System)
Correct answer: PACER (Public Access to Court Electronic Records)
PACER is the federal judiciary's publicly accessible electronic records system covering all federal court filings, including civil cases, judgments, and bankruptcies.
Question 4: When verifying a subject's claimed military service, which agency or repository should a PI contact to obtain official confirmation?
- Department of Homeland Security
- National Personnel Records Center (National Archives) (Correct answer)
- Veterans Administration regional office
- Federal Bureau of Investigation
Correct answer: National Personnel Records Center (National Archives)
The National Personnel Records Center, managed by the National Archives and Records Administration, maintains official military service records and can verify service claims.
Question 5: What is the primary purpose of conducting a social media background check as part of a broader background investigation?
- To obtain the subject's real-time GPS location data
- To gather publicly available information about character, behavior, and associations (Correct answer)
- To access the subject's private messages without a warrant
- To verify employment by reviewing the subject's LinkedIn connections
Correct answer: To gather publicly available information about character, behavior, and associations
Social media background checks review publicly available posts, photos, and associations to assess a subject's character and behavior, supplementing traditional records searches.
Question 6: Under what legal circumstance may a private investigator lawfully access sealed court records?
- When hired directly by a law enforcement agency
- With written consent from the subject of the records
- Only pursuant to a valid court order (Correct answer)
- When conducting a federally mandated pre-employment background check
Correct answer: Only pursuant to a valid court order
Sealed court records are restricted by judicial order and can only be accessed through a subsequent court order specifically authorizing their release.
Question 7: Which type of lien appearing in a property records search would indicate that a subject has unpaid federal or state taxes?
- Mechanic's lien
- Tax lien filed by a government authority (Correct answer)
- Judgment lien from civil litigation
- Lis pendens notice
Correct answer: Tax lien filed by a government authority
Federal and state tax liens are filed against a taxpayer's property when taxes owed are not paid and are recorded in property records, making them discoverable in title searches.
Private Investigator Exam Background Investigations 2
Which type of commercial database do private investigators most commonly use to search a subject's address history, phone numbers, relatives, and associates?