Find My Family - Lipstick Investigations

Find My Family is a common term used by private investigators when we are looking for lost family members such as birth parents, misplaced siblings, half-brother and half-sisters, ex-flames and anyone else that you have lost contact with from the past.

With 20 years of experience Lipstick Investigations specialises in all things relationships – including locating missing family or friends. Locating long lost family is actually a very satisfying part of the private investigations industry compared to many of the other types of assignments we find ourselves doing. Reuniting family is a highly rewarding exercise and we love to help.

Most private investigations involving locating family members are carried out in the office via online searches – this keeps the cost down. Of course there are investigation cases which require field calls, surveillance, and other out-of-office scenarios which can take the cost a bit higher, but nothing is done without informing the client of progress and expected charges.

Recently we have had success in locating adult siblings that were not even known of about a year ago; numerous birth parents – both mothers and fathers; children that were given up for adoption; natural mothers who made the difficult decision to give up their child; and even located the father of children after one-off physical relationships.

You may have tried to ‘find my family’ yourself and come up with a dead-end. Investigators have many more resources than just the internet, Facebook and White Pages so if you have exhausted all avenues in search of missing family then please contact us for a free appraisal of your situation. After we receive some basic details from you relating to the amount and type of information our Managing Director, David, will be able to assess the detail and then advise the direction of investigation and an idea of charges. He will be able to give you a true and honest assessment of the situation and then you can think about your next step. You might find that the cost of a ‘find my family’ is not as high as you think!

Of course Lipstick Investigations also does other investigations relating to relationships including family law investigations, infidelity investigations and online dating relationship investigations.

If you would like to make an inquiry just got to our Contacts Page and fill out the form, call us direct on 1300LIPSTICK, or email David directly at david@lipstickinvestigations.com.audavid@lipstickinvestigations.com.au  He will only be too happy to answer your questions.

Private Investigators and Missing Persons

Private Investigators and missing persons go hand in hand together. Yes, Lipstick Investigations is Australia’s foremost relationships investigation firm, but we also carry out other forms of investigation such as background checks, business based inquiries, and missing persons.

Missing persons can be explained in three main groups:

                Misplaced Persons

Misplaced persons aren’t really missing, just misplaced. This is one of the most common forms of missing persons jobs we do, and generally relates to people you have just lost track of. They aren’t really missing as such – it’s just that you don’t know where or how to contact them. Perhaps you are looking for a long-lost family member, an old flame you would like to check in with, an old friend from school or work, or even an adoption issue.  Of course nowadays social media like Facebook and even basic Google searches can help with this, but when you get stuck (and many people do) you can call a licensed private investigator to help. Investigators have the expertise and knowledge to track these individuals down and reunite you them.

                People Who Don’t Want to be Found

This is also an extremely common reason for using a private detective. More often than not a person will not want to be found if they owe money, performing a criminal act or have criminal tendencies, are avoiding service of legal process, or just wish to remain low-key (celebrities and people in the news). These people are still missing persons and can be located on most occasions. All we need is the know-how, some tenacity and the financial capacity to look into the missing person.

                The True Missing Person

The true missing person is when a person just disappears. It may be the fact that they wanted to run away from their problems and have just extracted themselves from the situation, or suffer some sort of mental disorder or a bout of dementia. Perhaps they just need some time out and gather their thoughts – but the family still worry obviously. And the worst case investigators and clients alike – the missing person is a victim of foul play – kidnapping or murder.

Private detectives use a number of methods to investigate a missing persons case. The most common methods are all done within the office. We have a number of databases that we have access to that the public don’t; plus the training and experience to use social media and Google to our advantage as well. Our other main tool is the telephone – it is amazing what you can learn by talking to people!

Of course some missing persons cases require us to get out into the real world and make field inquiries. Perhaps it is talking to people, or showing a photograph that will gather our next clue. A missing persons case may also require surveillance, particularly if we don’t want to tip off the person that we are making inquiries.

If you have a missing persons case that needs a discussion, please feel free to call us on 1300LIPSTICK or drop us a line by email at enquiries@lipstickinvestigations.com.au   An investigator will only be too happy to have a free chat with you about the issue. This obligation free talk will include pricing, methods and timeframe. 

How to choose the best private investigator for you

How do you choose the best private investigator for your matter? A number of private investigators conduct professional investigations all across the state. It could be a matter of catching your cheating spouse (the specialty of Lipstick Investigations), finding your long lost friend or gathering evidence for the sake of your child custody. Whatever may be the case, only some of the agencies are proficient enough to deal with your investigation. If the agencies follow the federal, state and the local laws, you can be sure of the fact that the private investigator you have chosen is at least trained and licensed.

However the decision of hiring a private investigator absolutely depends on you. Don’t fall for a smooth talker promising you the world – a licensed private investigator can’t deliver the world. We can only do what the law allows us - think about it for a moment before making your decision.

Determine the type of your investigation:

You have to first decide about the type of investigation you are looking for. People appoint private investigators for varied reasons. You may need them for investigating into the historical past of someone, finding a lost person or helping you with a divorce. Different investigators have proficiency in different areas of investigation. In Australia, investigation itself is a relatively small field and most licensed investigators take on everything – although some tend to lean just towards surveillance, or skip tracing. Work out your requirements then decide.

Inquire about the license of an investigator:

You should also inquire about the license of an investigator. A good number of people perform the job of private investigation without a license. However it's always better to trust somebody who is having a proper license. In order to get the license, an investigator has to pass certain tests as well as background checks, and depending on the Australian state is monitored by the police or state government. Moreover with a license it becomes easier to inspect an investigation agency about its business for checking out whether it has any complaint or not. Do something as simple as Google the business – any bad press should surface quickly.

Make a written agreement:

It will always be a wise decision to make a written agreement. You should make a written agreement before hiring a private detective. This will help you to prevent any form of misunderstanding in future. Furthermore it will help to protect you legally. Some agencies have thick legal contracts, more for their protection than yours. But do get something in writing – an email will suffice – or even something as simple as an SMS – just so you know what page you are both on.

These are just a few simple considerations you can follow while hiring your private detective. Search for the best by weighing up these considerations and give your investigation the best chance of success. 

If you have any questions at all just call us on 1300LIPSTICK or send an email to enquiries@lipstickinvestigations.com.auwww.lipstickinvestigations.com.au

Australian Private Investigators - Using Surveillance to Catch your Partner

Undetected surveillance is an art professed by privateinvestigators and law enforcement groups throughout Australia. Surveillance is a commonly used tool by Private Investigators across Sydney, NSW, Brisbane,Gold Coast and QLD which has many forms to facilitate an ongoing investigation. It can be a very effective tool for a private investigator and their clients if done after proper training and hands-on experience in the field. All of Lipstick Investigations staff are fully licensed after completing government nominated training standards equal to or greater than Certificate III in Investigative Services under the Australian National Training Authority framework.

First of all, the meaning of surveillance should be understood. It can be defined as close observation of a person or group, especially one under suspicion. There are numerous reasons why private investigators do surveillance in an investigation, but the most important reason is to learn how, who, where and when a subject will act – and to catch them during that act for evidentiary purposes. This is especially important when trying to gain proof of affairs or infidelity within relationships.

The investigator needs to plan on the way surveillance will be conducted. Whether it would be conducted on foot, by car, using static surveillance cameras or by just following the suspect using a combination of methods. Also the feasibility of surveillance in traffic, at home, at the office or even out in the Australian countryside should be considered. All these and many more factors must be determined before surveillance can even be initiated. The private investigators would normally already have the target identified with information supplied by their client. They only need to decide on the starting location of the target, and where he or she needs to be observed. Another very important factor when it comes to surveillance is the timing of the surveillance. Mostly the private investigators are left with no option about the timing as they have to act as per the routine of the suspect.

There are many private investigators providing excellent surveillance services, but of course some are better than others. Lipstick Investigations with offices in Sydney and on the Gold Coast in south-eastern Queensland is one of the most reputed private detective firms in Australia. Licensed since 1998, Lipstick Investigations performs surveillance using the most advanced and sophisticated equipment, such as surveillance vehicles, digital / video cameras, and sophisticated communications equipment. The surveillance operatives have an assortment of vehicles fit for every situation. Lipstick Investigations has a very high public profile including regular appearances on television, radio and print media. For more information visit us at www.lipstickinvestigations.com.au