Quite a dilemma

Bucknutz247
Bucknutz247 Posts: 224 Member
So a short background on me. I work a a Toyota dealership full time. A few years ago I got my private investigator license in ny. I really don’t use it a lot but I will from time to time do stuff for friends. So a friend of a friend had s feeling that her hubby was cheating on her. After I did some research and surveillance I found out that the other woman is literally my next door neighbor who is in the middle of a divorce. So do i rat her out? Or do I tell the friend of a friend I couldn’t find anything?
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Replies

  • cee134
    cee134 Posts: 33,711 Member
    Isn't that part of being a P.I.? To give your client the information he/she requested if you find anything?

  • RomaineCalm
    RomaineCalm Posts: 3,972 Member
    If the friend of a friend paid you to investigate then I'd tell her because that's what you were hired for. Otherwise I'd mind my own business.

    This.
  • iMago
    iMago Posts: 8,714 Member
    so did your friend pay you for the job? if she did then you're obligated to give her the info she paid for.

    even if she didn't, does it matter that it happens to be your next door neighbor? are you and the neighbor close at all?

    if not, then who cares. she made her own bed, it's not your fault if she sleeps poorly in it.
  • Chef_Barbell
    Chef_Barbell Posts: 6,646 Member
    If the friend of a friend paid you to investigate then I'd tell her because that's what you were hired for. Otherwise I'd mind my own business.

    100% this
  • Bucknutz247
    Bucknutz247 Posts: 224 Member
    She did not pay me. Just a favor for a friend of a friend
  • urloved33
    urloved33 Posts: 3,325 Member
    cee134 wrote: »
    Isn't that part of being a P.I.? To give your client the information he/she requested if you find anything?

    :) this
  • She did not pay me. Just a favor for a friend of a friend

    If you weren't paid to do it you shouldn't say anything. It's not your job, let them deal with their life on their own. Nobody knows what goes on behind closed doors. Their life, their relationship, not your business.
  • iMago
    iMago Posts: 8,714 Member
    She did not pay me. Just a favor for a friend of a friend

    i think it depends on you then.

    do you care more for your friend of a friend knowing the truth or do you care more about not hurting your neighbor any further
    you're the only one who can answer that.
  • Deadman_Diggingup
    Deadman_Diggingup Posts: 3,082 Member
    She did not pay me. Just a favor for a friend of a friend

    If she didn't actually hire you, then leave it alone. She already knows, believe me. If she has that feeling, she KNOWS. Let her confirm it on her own though.

    Agreed.
    If she paid you to do your job…. do your job.
    If not…. don't get involved.
  • Mean_Spice
    Mean_Spice Posts: 279 Member
    Dude, you sound like an intelligent person, in the future think more clearly about the tasks you take on yourself.

    If you told a friend of a friend that you would do the 'research and surveillance', you obligated yourself to release to her the results of the research and surveillance. Not doing so could place your honesty in doubt, jeopardize your status as a PI and bring into question past and future research and surveillance records and reports.

    Also, if there was no consideration taken (does not always have to be money), there may not be a verbal contract in place. As such you may not be obligated to release the information to her (do NOT give the friend of a friend false information). Another consideration is to inform or not to inform the neighbor what you found out, which brings into question, not only informing the neighbor but the neighbor's husband.

    Good luck.
  • slessofme
    slessofme Posts: 7,739 Member
    I couldn't be a PI, even as a hobby. I'm not nosy or interested enough in what others have going on that they don't clearly and plainly tell me about.

    I think the question is one of integrity. You said you would do something... So do it and maybe give more thought to the favors you hand out in the future so you don't potentially get tossed in the mix of your neighbors' mess. I'm guessing that's the bigger concern - retaliation from one of the neighbors, whether that's the husband or the wife.
  • Deadman_Diggingup
    Deadman_Diggingup Posts: 3,082 Member
    I was contemplating a careers change at one point. But sometimes you have to stay where the $ is.

    He's not wrong.