Just because your paranoid doesn't mean your not being watched

Working in this business you often get calls from individuals who are afraid that they are being watched or that their conversations are being monitored. Some of these people have mental health issues and some of these people are genuine.

Mental Health:

About two years ago our offices received a call from an attorney client who stated that he had a client that believed that her apartment manager was monitoring her inside of her residence. When we asked why the client would believe that someone was watching them we were told that there was no specific reason. We called the client directly and set an appointment up to come to her residence .  Upon arriving to her residence I started checking her residence, all of her light fixtures were either covered with newspaper or aluminum foil, her windows were covered with foil and so were her electric outlets that she was not using. I quickly started searching her place for electronic monitoring devices. While searching for the devices the client engaged me in conversation, I asked her questions as to why she would believe that she is being monitored, the client advised that she was from a different country and believed that the USA had bribed her manager to bug her place. My client continued to say that the president was spying on her ( this was before the NSA scandal) and that her husband and daughter moved out because they were tired of being followed and watched. Now by this time I had checked every place possible for monitoring devices and found none. I noticed that the client had photos of her daughter hanging all around the house, I asked the client if she would not mind calling her daughter, the client quickly obliged me. I spoke with the daughter who stated that her mother has been suffering from extreme paranoia and it is getting worse, after explaining why I was there the daughter told me to everything I could to prove that her mother wasn't being watched, but she did not believe that her mother would stop having her paranoia. Now it is not in my benefit to give away trade secrets, however I generally as a rule of thumb want to make sure that my clients get value from my service to them. Knowing that this client is suffering from paranoia and knowing that someone out there will take advantage of her disposition I spent the next hour teaching her how to search for the things she was afraid of. The client thanked me and I thought that would be the last time I heard from her, I was wrong. A few weeks ago I get a call from the client, she stated that she wanted me to trace a phone number back to the owner and address. Of course knowing the clients mental disposition I asked her why? She advised that her husband had taken off again and she is getting called from this number and she needs to know who it belongs to. At this time I told her that I would be willing to assist her but she would have to know that I would contact the owner of the phone and ask for their permission to give their personal information out. Knowing this clients background and what she believed to be a reality, the last thing I wanted to see in the news is my client arrested for some assault or God forbid some murder on her husband and whomever he is now staying with. My client of course got furious and hung up on me. She probably feels that I betrayed her in some way and not that I am helping her by preventing her from doing something that will hurt her.

Genuine:

I follow people, look into their lives, document their activity, and do it for my clients. As good as I would like to think I am, I have gotten caught, the best of us have gotten caught. I know of an investigator that was hired because his client thought that his soon to be ex-wife was having him followed. My fellow investigator was hired to identify if possible the person following him and let him the client know when he was being watched. My colleague followed his client from sun up to sun down the first day, the second day he did the same thing, and on third day he noticed the same two cars. When the client moved these cars moved, when the client got out to have lunch so did one of the people. The investigator had his client run some chores and make it seem like he was going home for the day. The investigator followed one of the vehicles back to their residence. He ran the license through and found the name of the person to the vehicle. A subsequent search of his states licensing bureau and he was able to gain information as to which other investigation company was following his client around. Now his client knew who was following him, he was able to keep what he wanted out of the public eye private.

The point of all of this is you never know, its not safe to assume that since the person calling you is mentally ill that their fears and paranoia's are not valid. The same goes for someone who is sane and believes that their significant other may be having an adulterous affair only to find out that the person is hiding an addiction.  Just because your paranoid does not mean that your not being watched.

Morrow Detective Agency is a licensed private investigation firm located on the border of Ventura and Los Angeles, Ca in Simi Valley, CA. Morrow Detective Agency is capable of performing surveillance, process service, locates, background investigations, asset investigations, and more. Please feel free to visit our website at www.MorrowDetectiveAgency.com  or give us a call at (805) 823-3540 and allow us to make your problem our solution!