Episode 19-Sean Walsh interview part 2 on ID theft
Author: Scott
Comments(4)
Comments(4)
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Part 2 of my interview with Sean Walsh of Walsh and Associates focuses on the growing problem of Identity Theft. The California Association of Licensed Investigators has released an ID theft tip sheet (sorry for the bad copy, I’ll try to update the link to a better pdf) and Sean and I discussed some of the issues regarding ID theft and how consumers can protect themselves.
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Hi,
I just thought I’d pose this question to you, as its been on the UK email discussion groups with all sorts of answers. I’d like to hear the American view.
While conducting surveillance on a property it was clear that on several seperate occasions there was no one home (and no one presumed to be home at all – they’ve moved). After looking around the property you notice there are animals inside, and on a later surveillance you meet a charity worker (an animal rights charity) poking around, obviously concerned that the animals are being left there to die.
Would you disclose ifnormation to him? What type of information?
The replies from the UK (where personal data is protected by law and giving it away can result in a jail term) suggest that you can only give away ifnormation that is “public information” and not “private” and it is best to do this to the legal wing of the charity only if they are making a legal case against the defendant.
So what’d you think? While on surveillance are you ethically bound to intervene/provide information to stop animal crulty/and or ciminal acts if it can be done safely?
Andy
I think I have an answer for you Andy, but as always, please defer to your local and regional laws, as well as consulting your attorney. With that disclaimer out of the way, let me say that I would absolutely inform an animal rights representive of the situation, right there on the spot. Keep in mind I’m under the assumption that no one lives there and has actually moved out (or maybe just on vacation). At that point, I’m not really on any type of covert surveillance so I don’t feel I’m compromising an investigation. Furthermore, I believe that we have a duty to the legal system if we see a crime taking place (in this case, animal cruelty). I think it’s important to rectify the crime, but that can easily be done while maintaining client privacy/case privacy. Anonymous phone calls, or even a dialogue with someone while remaining nameless would be easy to do. I discuss my surveillance work with law enforcement all the time yet I don’t tell them who I’m watching. They’ve got a job to do and so do we. We can work together without jeapordizing each others work.
Hope that helps!
We’re bound legally in Virginia to report all illegal activity to the appropriate law enforcement authority. For CYA, I have a paragraph in my service agreement waiving confidentiality to law enforcement, but ONLY if I become aware of illegal activity.
Consider the claimant whos been difficult to locate. Why? He happens to have a warrant for his arrest. But you find hime and discover that every Wednesday morning at 09:00 on the nose, he goes to a particular destination. This is a wanted man, and you have a responsibility to contact the authorities with what information you can provide, including his destination, residence and route of travel.
If justice happens to be exacted in your presence, you can go home and sleep well having done the right thing. It’s certainly not your concern that the claimant forfeited his settlement automatically with incarceration, and your client bought you a tasty steak dinner.
Just wanted to let you know that your show was featured on my show, The Podcast Junkie. Check it out at ThePodcastJunkie.podshow.com.
Thanks for putting out such a fun & interesting show!
Lockjaw