Private investigators are experts at accessing information, today we will be discussing the most used private investigation databases. Although PIs have a variety of techniques at their disposal for investigation, using databases is among the most important.
Some are free, yet many of these also come at a cost. Some are more reliable than others too, and a keen eye is necessary to sift through the right data. So let’s look into which databases private investigators use the most.
Types of private investigation databases
Private investigators most often make use of tracer databases. They appear in both small and large PI agencies since they are quite affordable. Their premium services also make it quite easy to track down varying types of targets. These databases tend to be very reliable and accurate since they are usually up to date.
They are not infallible, however, there is no single database that can access all a PI would need. Not to mention, no single database has all its information completely up to date all of the time. This is why hiring a skilled private investigator with solid experience is key. They will be able to sift through the right information and the right databases.
Some other examples of commonly used databases include:
- TLO databases: More commonly used by law enforcement.
- IRB databases: Institutional review boards can often have important information regarding medical research. This may prove useful to cross reference when looking for specific individuals.
- Experian databases: They are an American-Irish multinational data analytics and consumer credit reporting company. Very useful information can be found here, regarding someone’s credit history, which can also reveal their location and other important background information.
Why combining databases is important
As we mentioned earlier, no single database is going to provide everything a private investigator needs. Neither will all of its information be completely up to date. Therefore, any experienced PI knows cross-referencing is crucial to success when doing data-based research.
If a database is out of date or is missing critical information it is quite likely another will hold said information. Hence why making use of various databases is crucial to the process of investigation.
Private investigators are also very familiar with using public databases. Although anyone can access these, not everyone knows how to read data effectively. This is where PIs come into play, they are efficient and fast when it comes to looking into public records such as these.
PIs can find very useful data on public records. For example, family relations, date of birth, marriages, and so on. They can extrapolate these sources of information to locate someone or follow up on their activities.
The public record isn’t the only public database though. PIs are familiar with using the internet itself to ascertain important information concerning a given subject. They know how to sift through the web to find the information they need, including through social media platforms, and acquiring metadata from media like photos and videos.
If you find yourself in need of a licensed private investigator and their particular set of skills, please feel free to call us. Or simply click on this link to get in contact with one of our team members.
