Every time a new year gets close, many of us make a list of the things we want to accomplish and things we want to improve.  Replacing bad habits for good is always a great idea, and a great way to start out the new year.  Things like work out, eat well, and stop smoking are among the many common points that make up the list.  To make things interesting, we’ll add some other tips and habits you can add to your list next year to help keep you safe, from the skeptical eye of our private investigators.

The following list is everyday practice for a private investigator, but these tips are great advice for keeping 2014  a safe and prosperous year, free from fraud, scams and other crime.

Concentrate on the facts. When an investigator starts a new case, he needs to narrow things down and cut out the noise (trim the fat, so to speak) in order to be able to find relevant information and deliver quality results.  Doing the same in your own life can lead to more peaceful and relaxing time for you and your family.  Focus on what’s important and factual, and don’t let the little things get you down of off track.  Focusing on the big things can also make decisions easier, and lower your level of stress.

Don’t trust anyone. It may sound a little paranoid, but these days, it’s doesn’t hurt to be extra cautious and skeptical.  Identity theft, romance scams, business fraud, internet and investment scams, and countless other crimes online and off line are targeting us on a daily basis.  Be skeptical and verify new contacts and new relationships.  Ask for references and protect your personal data.  Try to deal only with people you can trust, or who are trusted by close friends and family members.  Remember that profiles on the internet are often false or fraudulent, so be even more careful if you’re meeting people online.

Be curious. Curiosity will add a great deal of value to your life and help you discover new things and people!  It can expand your mind, give you new ideas and connect you with people and places you never new existed.  Curiosity can also help keep you and your family safe.  It’s all about asking questions and wondering why things are a certain way, rather than accepting everything at face value.  Is this person asking for my information?  Why does he or she want my information?  Is this a dating scam?  How do I know it’s real?  Is this investment or new business partner overseas reputable?  How do I know for sure? Ask questions.  Stay curious and let your mind show you red flags when you might have otherwise overlooked them.

Be creative and resourceful.  Work on your creativity!  It’s not only advertisers and artists who need to be creative. Many times in life you will need to turn on your creativity to work with limited resources, and deliver quality results, or to find solutions to complex problems. Sometimes when investigators are working on a case, the context varies, the situation quickly changes, and they need to be resourceful. Don´t expect anything to go your way, and work on being creative to solve your problems.

Be discreet and private.  Saying too much about yourself or the people you know can get you into real trouble. Private investigators work under discreet and confidential conditions, and we see the consequences when people lead very public lives, or share too much online.  Remember to keep the important parts of your life private, and share only with those who need to know.  This can also help you avoid online crime, identity theft, blackmail and other problems.

Hope you find the list useful, and feel free to share more good ideas with us!

C. Wright
© 2014 Wymoo International