"Pretext" is a common method of
approach used by
private
investigators.
During a pretext approach the
investigator (or "
operative") can
confirm the
subject's
identity and, to a lesser extent, ascertain
their activities, movements and interests. As
Webster 1913 states,
"pretext" means that there is a "cover for the real reason or
motive". In
colloquial terms, the investigator is acting/lying to find
stuff out that he/she couldn't learn otherwise. It's all about deception.
Operatives can conduct pretext phone calls or direct approaches. Some
lines/ ideas which are common :
-
Just say you're an investigator trying to confirm that Anna Gardiner
lives
at a certain house. If you have the phone number for a pretext
call, you could ring and ask
for Alicia Gardiner, saying that she was an old school friend. Most
people
would say "No, her/my name is Anna, not Alicia". You would then apologise
and hang up, after confirming what you needed to know. Job done.
- If there is a house for sale or rent in the area you could go to
the
subject's home and speak to them in a direct approach, stating that
you are interested in the neighbourhood and the neighbours. When you
introduce yourself to the subject (of course using a fake name!) he/she
will usually tell you their real name, unless they are extremely wary of
surveillance. And that's done. You know where the subject lives and what
they look like.
- You can also approach the subject's neighbours and speak to them under
pretext. If you know that the subject, Joe, is 25, a computer
programmer
and tall, you could say to neighbour "Do you know if Peter lives next
door? Kinda short, works as a plumber?". If they know the subject well,
they could correct you, and tell you about Joe, his job, and his basic
activities (when he's home, etc). If they don't know their neighbour at
all, they may be at least able to describe his looks. And that's a
help.
Some rather extreme pretexts have been used at my work place. Once, an
investigator was hired by a
federal agency to find a woman and her
child,
as the woman had kidnapped her daughter from the girl's grandparents (the
woman was
addicted to drugs, so the girl was considered to be in
danger).
Our operative couldn't track down the woman (the subject) but
could
find
the subject's sister. He suspected that the way to the subject was through her
sister, so he rang the sister and used a pretext of once being
introduced to her at a
pub. He asked the sister out on a
date, but she
stated that she wouldn't be able to get away from her kids. A
rendezvous
at
the subject's sister's house was arranged. The operative turned up with
cans of
rum and cola and spent the afternoon
drinking and talking to
the
subject's sister and her children. Eventually, he brought up the fact that
he had a
brother who was looking for a nice woman to date
(
entirely
fictional, of course). Did she know someone for him? Did she have a
sister, perhaps? And the subject's sister fell into
the trap and told
him
all about her sister- where she lived (actually just across the road), her
phone number, how she lived with her daughter. Our operative's job was
done, he
hightailed it outta there and the child was rescued. Later, he
called the subject's sister and "
broke up" with her.
The main dangers of the use of pretext involve over-exposure: using a
pretext approach one day then calling the subject the next day is wrong,
as the subject may recognise the operative's voice and become
suspicious.
Hanging around and asking nosy questions also gives the game away. Too
much use of pretext as well as close surveillance (following the
subject,
making your presence known), can break the law under the Private Inquiry
Agents Act (in Australia); it's considered harassment. Then you blow the job, and may eventually
lose the client. You don't want that.
The best operatives know that the
rule to pretext is to keep it simple by having your questions- and answers-
ready. By being believable.
By getting in, getting your info, and retreating quickly.