Catching a Cheater: 4 Tips To Be Your Own PI

Getting betrayed by a spouse or significant other is one of the most painful experiences possible.

What most experts agree on is hiring a private investigator when you suspect your partner is cheating on you and you need to confirm it.

Before hiring an investigator, you should consider doing it yourself.

This can help you ensure you don’t hire a private investigator, and it can also help in reducing man hours (which affects the cost) the private investigator is going to take because you will provide them with some information to work with.

Worried about infidelity? Read our top 4 warning signs of infidelity.

If you have noticed some signs of cheating, read on.

Below are some tools that will go a long way in helping you clear up or confirm any suspicions of your partner cheating.

 Tip #1 - Check their Phone and Browser History

 The most popular personal device we own is our mobile phone. This is why cheaters use it in conducting their affairs.

 It’s one of the first things they usually do.

 You can also check their browser history when you have legal access to the computer.

 This depends if you have been given access or if the computer is for family use.

 Here, you will be able to know the pages and sites they are visiting.

 If they keep erasing their browser history every time they use the computer, it could be a sign that they are hiding something.

 Many search engines now include ‘incognito mode’ meaning web-history isn’t saved and location services are disabled. So, if they are deleting history and browsing in dark mode, this is a sign there is a secret being kept.

 Cheating involves building and developing the skill of needing to hide from a partner. This in turn, can take a toll on your own mental health and impact the process of healing claims expert psychotherapists from Living Consciously. They say that; “Overcoming infidelity can be like a grieving process. You grieve for the relationship you used to have, when you trust your partner, and for that the grieving process can take time. If anyone tells you you should forget about your partner's infidelity and move on then they don't really understand”.

Tip #2 - Do not break the law

There are many laws protecting individual privacy – even if it is from family members.

You should try seeking legal advice before taking any action that can end up violating the privacy of your partner. If you do something illegal and it ends badly, your partner can take you to court for the illegal actions.

What this means there are tips you might get online that are downright illegal or in the gray areas.

Some of them include:

• Bugging their car
• Hacking their phone
• Installing keyloggers on their computer
• Hacking their social media accounts, etc.

 You might succeed in getting the proof, but this exposes you to litigation.

 Tip #3 - Be ready for whatever you end up finding

 While your suspicion might be they are cheating, there is also the possibility that they are not.

 For example, your partner may:

• Be having family problems
• Facing an addiction, or
• Struggling with a certain aspect of their life such as employment etc.

However, you should remain calm and avoid accusing them without any proof.

 When someone cheats, they will go to great lengths to hide their tracks and will always be on their guard. Many online pages/articles try to give you tips on catching tips, but there are even more giving tips on how to cheat successfully.

 The effects of cheating has the ability to send a ripple through families. Expert counsellors at Thinking Families state that adultery is not a victimless crime and the turmoil, fear and anger can shift a family. They claim; “Adultery is like a hurricane. When it sweeps you up, you and everyone are thrown in many different directions. It’s important to face these issues head-on to rebuild any damage and achieve a greater future for you and your family”.

 Some other red flags to look out for include:

• Changing the PIN that they had shared with you previously
• Putting their phones under the pillow whilst sleeping
• Going outside or using another phone to take certain calls
• Mobile phones tend to display caller or text notification even if the phone is locked. Take note of numbers or email addresses that you don’t know and search afterwards.
• Some apps will allow you to track your partner’s phone without their knowledge, but they carry some risks.

Tip #4 - Keep a Journal

Have a journal to use in monitoring the activities of your partner.

 This may include:

• Unexplained activities on ATM or credit cards and trips
• If trips to the local store take longer than usual
• A spike in cash withdrawals - many cheaters prefer using cash for their activities because it leaves fewer records

 This not only makes it easier for you to keep track of the details but will make it easier for you when you decide to confront them.

 Cheaters tend to twist the truth and confound the truth when confronted. So providing receipts of their activity may lead to the answers you’re after.

 Marriage expert Margaret Milne claims that once together for a long period of time, partners begin to notice the small motives they acquire. Milne says; “Couples will notice patterns in behaviour and understand when excuses keep recurring. When emotions are involved, our memories tend to be even less reliable, so even if your partner isn’t the gaslighting type, people are still bound to be unfaithful”.

 If you fail to find more information to know whether your partner is cheating or not, then the best option is hiring a private investigator.

 They have the skills and experience in proving and disproving your suspicions.

 PI’s can also provide you with evidence that can be used in court if matters reach that point.

 Read our take on the MANY benefits of hiring a PI.

 Do you think you have what it takes to be your own PI and catch them in the act? If not, chat to the team at QLD Covert PI 1300 553 788 and get the answers you need TODAY.

Author Bio: Angelica Hermann