It may surprise you just how many of my investigations are of a personal or intimate nature. From serving divorce papers to finding those long-lost loves – there are a plethora of reasons why you may want to involve a Private Investigator in your romantic life.
Before I became a PI, I may have rolled my eyes naively at this assertion. Relationships should be based on trust and communication, so ‘investigating’ your partner seems incredibly unromantic and contrary to this ideal. But I can confidently claim that every modern relationship starts with a bit of PI work, whether professional or amateur. This article is to assist you with your own DIY attempts to find out more about your crush.
If you crush is on social media, you will probably admit to indulging in what some call ‘Facebook Stalking’ or ‘Facebook Creeping’. Following their posts and scrolling through years of photos can give you more of an idea of their personal interests and traits, as well as highlight any potential red flags. Do they tag themselves at the gym a little too often? Does every other photo feature them passed out after a night of partying? Have they shared a strongly opinionated article with zero fact checking? These type of warning signs can be fairly easy to spot, even for a novice creeper. But a little more in-depth PI work can tell you everything you need to know before committing to that date.
First, try this simple tip. Type into the Facebook search bar ‘Photos (their name) has liked’. This may not seem immediately telling, but there are some things you should look out for. Have they recently ‘liked’ numerous profile pictures of scantily clad men or women? This is often a tell-tale sign that you are dealing with a serial flirt. If you see a particular face popping up over and over again, try finding out their relationship to this person by reading the comments. You may find this is a recent ex or someone else fighting for their affection.
Secondly, look at their list of friends. Do you share any mutual friends you can talk to for more info? Did they accept their Nan’s friend request? The company they keep can tell you a lot about how they conduct themselves or how seriously they take their relationships. Someone with over 1000 friends, for example, is either very popular or simply a collector of meaningless connections.
Finally, don’t feel like you are limited to Facebook. A quick Google search can bring up things like Twitter and Instagram accounts. Even someone’s LinkedIn profile (which, by the way, is usually public!), while listing their professional achievements, can reveal a lot about their personal life. Do they bounce from job to job or are they on a clear career path? Are their jobs all local or around the country? Something as mundane as promotion at work or a break in employment can reveal a lot about a person, so don’t ignore what may appear to be minor details.
Just remember that, while widely admitted to, ‘Facebook stalking’ is still considered a little creepy so be warned! Avoid bringing up things you have seen on their profile in conversation or accidentally clicking ‘like’ on a photo from four years ago.