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Thread: A Shadow in the field

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Dec 2006
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    A Shadow in the field

    *snip*

    Infidelity, it turns out, is seasonal.

    It dwindles around the December holidays, as errant spouses retreat to the comforts of hearth and family. Among other things, that means a dip in business for private investigators, who are often called on to track the movements of illicit lovers.

    Lehigh Valley Local Links
    David Messinger Jr. knows the patterns of cheating because he often uncovers it. Messinger is the owner and sole full-time employee of Shadow Investigations & Protective Services, a Palmer Township investigation firm.

    Infidelity makes up a major part of Shadow's business. But Messinger and his five on-call helpers do more than just track trysters through tinted windows. They also investigate fraud cases for insurance companies, collect evidence for criminal defense attorneys and run background checks.

    The life of an investigator has little to do with glamorous TV portrayals. It's a life of legwork and public records searches, not fistfights and high-tech surveillance gadgets. Still, it never gets monotonous, Messinger said.

    ''It's not the same 9-to-5 every day,'' the Easton native said. ''Every day is different; every subject is different.''

    Messinger began working as a private investigator in 2000, after coming home from four years in the Marines. He has been recalled to active duty twice since then, serving on scout and sniper platoons in Kosovo and Iraq. He founded Shadow Investigations in 2004, after returning from his most recent military service.




    *snip*
    For Messinger Jr., every assignment starts with a meeting in which he explains his services and sets terms with his client. Shadow Investigations charges $50 per investigator per hour plus expenses, such as mileage or videotapes. The agency works off a retainer fee that is charged up front.

    After the first meeting, Messinger prepares a typed ''work-up'' report and starts early research, such as an Internet search. What comes after that depends on the case, but might include tracking or interviews in the field.

    ''Believe it or not, people will tell you a lot,'' he said. ''People don't tend to clam up.''

    A Shadow In The Field

  2. #2
    Michael Harris is offline Lifetime Professional Management Member

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    Re: A Shadow in the field

    Christine,

    Interesting. I suppose that many of us would have realized that infidelity might be seasonal. Of course, we need to know that cause of such an effect.

    I think that this kind of information may help other PI trainees decide which kind of investigation they want to pursue.
    Michael E. Harris

    Badge #6718

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Mar 2008
    Location
    Ohio
    Posts
    65

    Re: A Shadow in the field

    Trying to understand seasonal infidelity is a good subject but might be explained simply.Dureing the holidays we tend to have less time to pursue other activitys such as a lover on the side because of the time needed to plan family get togethers,shopping and other holiday related things.Or mabey as from a mans point of view:rolleyes we all tend to get into better shape and start to wear less baggy clothing and both men and woman start to look around.Of course this is all speculation and I could be wrong

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