A private investigator has shared just how easy it is for someone to find out your private details, and what to do to protect yourself.
Josh Witte first got into the investigation business after taking on an internship, learning about financial intelligence and money laundering operations.
Once the work experience was done, the 26-year-old PI decided to start his own firm and is taking to social media to share his tips and tricks with others.
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Now, he has shared how easy it is and what investigators look for, to find your personal details.
“Private investigators love to track usernames and emails that you reuse across multiple platforms,” Josh, from Utah, US, told What’s The Jam.
“We also watch for traffic tickets or other simple citations that are public that might tell us where you have been recently.”
And you’re even being watched when you buy a house.
He said: “When you buy real estate, we are looking for titles and deeds online to see if you own the house or live there or both.
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“We use corporate and LLC records to trace funds when people are trying to hide their assets behind a business name.”
And of course, PI’s can also find you through social media.
He said: “We regularly check social media profiles and we know you might have two profiles to confuse people looking for you.
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“So I also track with the social media profiles of your older family members, who are less likely to use privacy controls.
“If you register your email or phone number with a social media platform, it often makes it much easier to find your accounts.”
But, Josh has shared what you can now do to protect yourself.
He said: “It can be really hard to make sure you cover all of your tracks.
“But making sure to keep track of your privacy settings and to be conscientious of your public profile will make an impact on how easy you are to find.
“It’s also important to make sure you avoid getting in trouble.
“Court records and news releases are public in most places.
“Keep your head down.
“Don’t bring attention to yourself.”
Josh, who has clients across Canada, the UK, Australia and Europe, also recommends avoiding sharing other information where possible.
He said: “Private investigators don’t have to tell you the truth.
“They are usually able to lie to get information, with some restrictions.
“Remember anything you file with the government might be obtainable by a PI, depending on the circumstances.
“And that everything you do on the internet leaves a footprint for someone to follow to track you down.
“It’s important to be wise and keep your information safe.”
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