How to Hire a Private Investigator to Confirm Infidelity

Sometimes there are unmistakable signs of infidelity, and sometimes people think the slightest idiosyncratic behavior is a mark of cheating. Challenging a partner's fidelity can cause irreparable harm to a relationship. If you suspect infidelity, hire a private investigator to either get some peace of mind or confirm your suspicions.

Instructions

1. Ask an attorney or a friend for recommendations. Look for advertisements that list marital, spousal or domestic investigations as a specialty area. Hire a licensed professional investigator so that any findings are admissible in court.

2. Expect to pay a retainer equal to at least 1 day's work. Be prepared to pay $100 to $200 dollars per hour as well as some expenses, which may be negotiated.

3. Give the investigator as much information as possible in order to minimize legwork. Offer information about your partner's activities and vehicle, including the license plate number. Provide details about your partner's place of employment, normal daily activities and work associations.

4. Consider hiring the investigator around the holidays, a time of year that presents abundant opportunity to catch a cheating partner. Notify the investigator of your partner's holiday activities at work, particularly ones to which no spouses are invited.

5. Scrutinize cell phone activity, credit card statements and banking records. Pass the information along to the investigator. Give the investigator any unrecognized phone numbers from your partner's cell phone log.

6. Arrange to have regular, detailed reports from the private investigator. Make sure the investigator has regular surveillance of the subject. Ask to have formal reports prepared for court.

Tips & Warnings

• When examining records, make a note of the dates, amounts and location of any mysterious purchases. Keep copies of anything significant.