Private investigators are most frequently hired to investigate insurance fraud, particularly for workers’ compensation and personal injury claims, as this represents one of their largest sources of consistent work.  Beyond fraud, the most common services include conducting background checks for employers and individuals, performing surveillance in cases involving marital infidelity or custody disputes, and locating missing persons or debtors through skip-tracing. 

Other frequent responsibilities involve gathering evidence for attorneys in civil or criminal cases, investigating corporate theft or embezzlement on behalf of businesses, and verifying the authenticity of insurance claims to prevent fraudulent payouts.  These tasks allow private investigators to provide accurate, legally admissible information that helps clients make informed decisions or pursue legal action.