Private Investigator vs. Polygraph Examiner: Which is Best for Uncovering Infidelity?
In this blog, we will discuss whether you should hire a private investigator to catch someone you suspect is cheating on you or if a polygraph examiner is a better choice. What is best and why?
I am not here to sway you or to tell you that you must choose one method over the other. As an educated reader of my blogs, you will ultimately make the decisions that best fit your circumstances and meet your needs. However, please know that what I write is not fictional but factual. With 22 ½ years of advanced experience in polygraph examinations and 30 years of investigative experience in various matters, I can definitively outline the differences and what I have found to work best for many. My writings are for educational and informational purposes so that you do not make the same mistakes that other clients have made in the past. This will ensure you are well prepared for anything that comes your way when dealing with your specific issues and can make informed decisions.
An Important Note to Readers: I often include this clarification in my blogs because many people get confused. When you read and observe the words "Polygraph Testing," "Polygraph Exam," or "Lie Detector Test," understand that these terms all mean the same thing. In the early days, everyone was more familiar with the term "Lie Detection Testing." Now, it is mainly called "Polygraph Testing" or "Polygraph Exams," which sounds more professional. So, do not be confused if these words are used interchangeably in this blog; they all mean the same.
Important Disclaimer: I am not here to tell you that all private investigators or private investigation businesses are poor or dishonest. Just as I have written that not all polygraph examiners are great and not all are horrible, I advise each educated reader to be very cautious when hiring any professional. Check credentials and reviews, and get referrals to ensure the professional you are about to hire meets your needs.
What is a Private Investigator (PI)?
Definition of a Private Investigator: A freelance detective who carries out investigations on behalf of private clients.
Now that you have the definition of a private investigator, let us talk about them. Many individuals call upon private investigation services for a variety of reasons: insurance loss/fraud, car accident investigations, witness interviewing, undetermined causes of death that police ruled, families not pleased with the results, custody matters, and the biggest, infidelity/marital issues.
The Path to Becoming a Private Investigator
Training and Licensing: Some PIs have prior law enforcement experience and apply for their license after retirement to supplement their retirement checks. Others watch lots of police TV and PI shows and think, "Wow, I am going to make so much money and be the best PI ever." They find a school in their area and pay anywhere from $500 to upwards of $2,500, depending on the location. The training can last from 5 days to 3 weeks. You read, listen to old PI stories, listen to state laws, take tests, and before you know it, you get a nice certificate from the school and later a license in the mail from the state that says you are an official PI.
Finding Work: Those with prior law enforcement experience either have a law firm or lawyer they know they will work for, or they set up their own small private investigation business. Others who have no PI experience look for work and often get turned down due to a lack of experience and the scarcity of PI businesses that provide a good living. But let’s say they find work at a business. The new PI may start with insurance loss, witness tracking, or subpoena serving. After learning the ropes, they get their first big case. Guess what? It’s yours.
A Typical Private Investigator Case: Infidelity
Now let’s discuss a potential case brought to the PI business. Of course, there is a manager or owner who will do the talking. It’s like a used car salesman. The PI says, “What can I do for you today? What brings you in today?” You enter with a trauma-related issue and say, “I think my husband or boyfriend of umpteen years is cheating on me and I need proof.” The PI responds, “I am so happy you came to us. We are the number one PI business for catching cheaters. John, over there, just caught his fifth one this week alone.” Right there, they have you.
You are like, "Wow, the fifth one this week." They ask what you are looking for and what they think you need. They tell you the fee, which ranges from $50 to $250 per hour, and request a retainer fee of $1,000-$1,500, which will go toward the hourly rate.
They tell you they will track your spouse or significant other, follow them, and capture photos or videos of them with the other person that you can use against them. They explain that you will tell them the best time to watch, and they will observe for 2-6 hours, requesting more money if it goes beyond a certain amount. You think about it and say, "Wow, that’s a lot of money." They then offer you two PIs for the price of one and both a video and photos, where normally you would only get one or the other. You agree, pay the retainer, and leave.
Challenges with Private Investigation Work
The PI business now has your $1,500. You provided the address, and now it is up to you to call them and inform them of the best time to catch your significant other. Here’s what most people don’t realize: PI work relies heavily on luck, not skill. You sit at a site or follow a car, hoping to catch the person you are tracking for the client with someone they shouldn't be with. For the sake of this blog, let’s say the PI is good and at the right place at the right time.
Your significant other arrives at a location, gets out, and enters a building. The PI takes videos and photos of them going in, but no other person is seen. The PI waits an hour or two, and then your significant other exits and leaves. Again, no other person is seen. The PI must decide whether to follow your significant other or wait to see who comes out. The PI waits and takes photos of several people exiting the building, but days pass with no return to the same location. The PI reports a dead end and asks for more money, providing you with photos and videos that offer no substantial evidence.
Limitations of Private Investigator Evidence
Take it a step further. Suppose the PI catches your significant other with another person in their car or walking out of a hotel. You now have incriminating photos, but do they answer the questions you really need to know? Who is the other person? When did they meet? How long has this been going on? Did they engage in physical acts? Are they planning to leave you? Do they have children together? Is this the only person your significant other has been with since you’ve been together?
A single photo or video won't provide these answers, and in court, a skilled attorney could easily discredit it. You end up with an expensive photo or video and many unanswered questions.
Why Consider a Polygraph Examination Instead of Hiring a Private Investigator
So, what do you do if you don't hire a private investigator? You might consider asking your significant other to take a lie detector test.
They agree, and you find a well-qualified, experienced, and credentialed polygraph examiner who has assisted hundreds, if not thousands, in similar situations. You and your significant other arrive, and here is the major difference between PIs and polygraph examiners. You will sit down and be interviewed at length about what you need and want to resolve on your significant other's exam. The examiner won’t tell you what they think you need; you will tell them.
Your significant other is then interviewed and given a thorough examination. Both parties receive the facts and can make definitive decisions that will ultimately affect both lives. The entire process takes less than 4 hours in one day and costs much less than $1,500, providing huge savings and relief.
Deciding Your Best Course of Action
In closing, the decision is up to you. Do you want to hire and pay for something that leaves you with doubts and questions, or do you want to hire experience and get definitive answers to make real-life decisions that could last a lifetime?
Do not hesitate to get a polygraph test if you believe it will help you. Continue searching for an experienced professional polygraph examiner.
If Executive Protection Group Polygraph Service can help you, please don’t hesitate to call us to schedule your real, authentic, professional polygraph examination to resolve your important matter.
Take the pivotal step towards peace of mind by connecting with Mr. David Goldberg, the founder of Executive Protection Group Polygraph Service. With over a combined 30 years of experience in administering polygraph examinations as an Advanced Board-Certified Polygraph Examiner and Investigator, Mr. David Goldberg brings unparalleled expertise.
Our mission at Executive Protection Group Polygraph Service is clear: to eliminate doubts and ensure you find the closure you deserve to move forward in your life. Specializing in comprehensive and confidential polygraph examinations, we serve clients in Hampton Roads, including Virginia Beach, Norfolk, Chesapeake, Portsmouth, Newport News, Suffolk, Hampton, and beyond. Led by Mr. David Goldberg, a Virginia State Licensed Advanced Board-Certified Polygraph Examiner and nationally recognized expert, our commitment is to deliver immediate, reliable, and accurate results.
To explore how we can assist you further, review our polygraph services or call Executive Protection Group Polygraph Service today to schedule your polygraph examination. Take the first step towards resolution and peace of mind with us.
