Why Some Private Investigators Have Fewer Online Reviews

If you’re looking for a private investigator, chances are one of the first things you’ll do is check Google reviews. That’s completely understandable. Reviews can give you a good idea of how a business communicates, treats its clients, and delivers its services.

But there’s something about the private investigations profession that many people don’t realize.

The number of online reviews doesn’t always tell the whole story.

Private investigators often work on highly confidential matters. We may be helping with family law cases, missing persons, fraud investigations, workplace issues, serious injury claims, human trafficking, sexual assault, or other sensitive situations. Many of these cases involve attorneys, active litigation, or deeply personal circumstances where privacy is important from day one.

A large part of my work is supporting attorneys and their clients. That can include locating and interviewing witnesses, conducting background investigations, gathering evidence, documenting facts, or preserving information for litigation. Even after a case is over, most attorneys and clients prefer to keep that relationship private.

The same is true for many of my private clients. No one wants to air their personal business or “dirty laundry” to the public. Many of the people who hire me are already going through one of the most difficult and vulnerable times in their lives. Whether they’re dealing with a family matter, searching for a missing loved one, trying to uncover the truth, or navigating a difficult legal situation, the last thing they want is to publicly post that they hired a private investigator.

That’s also why I don’t actively ask many of my clients to leave online reviews. While I truly appreciate every client who chooses to share their experience, protecting my clients’ privacy will always come first. If someone wants to leave a review, I’m incredibly grateful. If they’d rather keep our work confidential, I completely understand and respect that decision.

So, when you’re comparing private investigators, I encourage you to look beyond the number of Google reviews. Instead, consider questions like these:

• Is the investigator properly licensed?
• How much investigative experience do they have?
• Do they regularly work with attorneys and litigation teams?
• Have they handled cases similar to yours?
• Do they communicate clearly and keep you informed?
• Will you receive professional reports and documentation?

Those answers will usually tell you much more than a review count ever could.

At Forefront Investigations, confidentiality isn’t just something I talk about—it’s part of how I do business. Whether I’m working for an attorney, a business, or a private individual, protecting my clients’ privacy is one of my highest priorities.

Online reviews can absolutely be helpful, and I’m thankful for every client who has taken the time to leave one. But in this profession, a smaller number of reviews doesn’t necessarily mean less experience or lower-quality work. More often, it reflects the confidential nature of the work and the trust my clients place in me to protect their privacy.