Expertise.com
2024

Last updated:

Best Private Investigators in San Jose

Our Recommended Top 12

We did the research for you!

  • Licensing
  • User Reviews
  • Mystery Shopping Calls

Our goal is to connect people with the best local professionals. We scored San Jose Private Investigators on more than 25 variables across five categories, and analyzed the results to give you a hand-picked list of the best.

237

Reviewed

147

Curated

12

Top Picks

Learn about our selection process.

Providers

featured provider = Featured Provider

Website
San Jose, CA 95113

Why choose this provider?

Avery and Associates Investigations is a private investigation and consulting firm in San Jose that provides professional, discreet, confidential, and thorough investigations. The company offers a range of services, such as surveillance and background checks, and it also supports clients with finding the evidence necessary in winning criminal and civil cases. Avery and Associates Investigations' owner has more than 30 years of experience in law enforcement, and it routinely works with public agencies, private attorneys, insurance companies, businesses, individuals, and fellow PI agencies.

Reputation:

We scour the internet for reviews from well-known resources. Each provider is evaluated based on the quality and quantity of their reviews, their presence on multiple review sites, and their average minimum rating.
5.0
Facebook
5.0 / 5 (9)
Google
5.0 / 5 (3)

Website
San Jose, CA 95112

Why choose this provider?

Atlas Investigations is a private investigation service provider in San Jose that has been around since 1995. The company takes pride in its long-term relationship with clients and their referrals, and some of the services are background checks, employment screening, DNA and forensics testing, and ink fingerprinting. Atlas Investigations offers confidentiality in all its cases.

Reputation:

We scour the internet for reviews from well-known resources. Each provider is evaluated based on the quality and quantity of their reviews, their presence on multiple review sites, and their average minimum rating.
4.5
Yelp
4.5 / 5 (6)

Professionalism:

We hire mystery shoppers to call our providers anonymously and evaluate them. Providers who respond quickly, answer questions thoroughly, and communicate politely score higher.
5.0
Responsiveness
Friendliness
Helpfulness
Detail

Website
Los Gatos, CA 95032

Why choose this provider?

The Freel Agency, Inc. is a private investigation company in San Jose that has a network of more than 2,000 detectives throughout the United States. The team performs a range of tasks, such as civil litigation support, background investigations, and undercover work, and it also helps clients deal with mystery shopping, cheating spouse, and evidence obtainment issues. The Freel Agency, Inc. has been in the industry since 2001, and it holds a California Bureau of Security and Investigative Services license. The firm's private detectives are members of California Association of Licensed Investigators and League of United Latin American Citizens.

Reputation:

We scour the internet for reviews from well-known resources. Each provider is evaluated based on the quality and quantity of their reviews, their presence on multiple review sites, and their average minimum rating.
5.0
Yelp
5.0 / 5 (1)

Professionalism:

We hire mystery shoppers to call our providers anonymously and evaluate them. Providers who respond quickly, answer questions thoroughly, and communicate politely score higher.
5.0
Responsiveness
Friendliness
Helpfulness
Detail

Website
Palo Alto, CA 94306

Why choose this provider?

Paula Drake Investigations is a private investigation company in Palo Alto. The firm serves the entire San Francisco Bay Area, and its client list includes law firms, corporate organizations, and individuals. The team conducts surveillance and activity checks, internet investigations and profiling, and missing-person searches, and it also assists with criminal defense and child custody investigation matters. Paula Drake Investigations is a member of California Association of Licensed Investigators, and it offers a free case evaluation.

Reputation:

We scour the internet for reviews from well-known resources. Each provider is evaluated based on the quality and quantity of their reviews, their presence on multiple review sites, and their average minimum rating.
3.0
Yelp
3.0 / 5 (6)

Website
Campbell, CA 95008

Why choose this provider?

Cody S Investigations is a private investigation firm in the San Francisco Bay Area that maintains nationwide and worldwide networks. The company offers a range of services relating to civil and domestic investigations, and it also provides support for criminal investigations and business intelligence operations. Clients of Cody S Investigations demonstrate their satisfaction by publishing good reviews on the firm's intuitiveness, organized, hardworking and dependable investigators.

Reputation:

We scour the internet for reviews from well-known resources. Each provider is evaluated based on the quality and quantity of their reviews, their presence on multiple review sites, and their average minimum rating.
5.0
Yelp
5.0 / 5 (3)
Facebook
5.0 / 5 (1)

Professionalism:

We hire mystery shoppers to call our providers anonymously and evaluate them. Providers who respond quickly, answer questions thoroughly, and communicate politely score higher.
3.8
Responsiveness
Friendliness
Helpfulness
Detail
––

Website
San Jose, CA 95112

Why choose this provider?

Robert Ferris Investigations is a private investigation agency that has been serving all of California since 1990. The team offers its services to individuals, businesses, attorneys, and insurance companies, and it delivers the job with sensitivity, professionalism, confidentiality, and efficiency. Robert Ferris Investigations (license# PI14584) is a member of California Association of Licensed Investigators, and provides a free consultation.

Reputation:

We scour the internet for reviews from well-known resources. Each provider is evaluated based on the quality and quantity of their reviews, their presence on multiple review sites, and their average minimum rating.
5.0
Yelp
5.0 / 5 (29)
Google
5.0 / 5 (3)

Professionalism:

We hire mystery shoppers to call our providers anonymously and evaluate them. Providers who respond quickly, answer questions thoroughly, and communicate politely score higher.
5.0
Responsiveness
Friendliness
Helpfulness
Detail

Website
San Jose, CA 95113

Why choose this provider?

Gotcha Legal Services is a company is San Jose that caters to clients nationwide. The team engages in service of process, private investigations, notary services, court filing assistance, and support in eviction and judgement collection cases. Gotcha Legal Services has been in the business since 1990, and it is a member of the United States Association of Process Servers, National Association of Professional Process Servers, and California Association of Legal Support Professionals.

Reputation:

We scour the internet for reviews from well-known resources. Each provider is evaluated based on the quality and quantity of their reviews, their presence on multiple review sites, and their average minimum rating.
4.6
Google
4.6 / 5 (14)
Yelp
4.5 / 5 (4)

Professionalism:

We hire mystery shoppers to call our providers anonymously and evaluate them. Providers who respond quickly, answer questions thoroughly, and communicate politely score higher.
5.0
Responsiveness
Friendliness
Helpfulness
Detail

Website
Sunnyvale, CA 94087

Why choose this provider?

Denver B. Moore Investigations is a private investigation company in San Francisco. The agency helps attain the varying goals of clients, and its services include covert surveillance for family and infidelity cases, civil and criminal investigation support, bug detection, missing-person search, and polygraph testing. Denver B. Moore Investigations has been part of the PI industry for more than three decades.

Reputation:

We scour the internet for reviews from well-known resources. Each provider is evaluated based on the quality and quantity of their reviews, their presence on multiple review sites, and their average minimum rating.
4.2
Google
4.4 / 5 (27)

Professionalism:

We hire mystery shoppers to call our providers anonymously and evaluate them. Providers who respond quickly, answer questions thoroughly, and communicate politely score higher.
5.0
Responsiveness
Friendliness
Helpfulness
Detail

Website
Santa Clara, CA 95050

Why choose this provider?

Rivera and Associates is a private investigation agency in Santa Clara that serves all of Northern California. The company has been providing effective and efficient services since 1998, and it offers a range of services, including background and online research, surveillance, missing-person search, and GPS satellite tracking. Rivera and Associates continually receives reviews from satisfied customers through independent industry associations and feedback providers.

Reputation:

We scour the internet for reviews from well-known resources. Each provider is evaluated based on the quality and quantity of their reviews, their presence on multiple review sites, and their average minimum rating.
4.8
Google
4.9 / 5 (28)
Yelp
4.5 / 5 (12)

Professionalism:

We hire mystery shoppers to call our providers anonymously and evaluate them. Providers who respond quickly, answer questions thoroughly, and communicate politely score higher.
5.0
Responsiveness
Friendliness
Helpfulness
Detail

Website
San Martin, CA 95046

Why choose this provider?

Copeland Investigations is a private investigation company in San Martin. The team focuses on surveillance and insurance claims, and it caters to law offices, insurance companies, corporations, small businesses, and select individuals in California and Hawai'i. Copeland Investigations has been in the industry since 2000, and its output includes photographic evidence and documents that can win court cases.

Reputation:

We scour the internet for reviews from well-known resources. Each provider is evaluated based on the quality and quantity of their reviews, their presence on multiple review sites, and their average minimum rating.
5.0

Website
Los Altos, CA 94022

Why choose this provider?

Harder and Associates Private Investigators is a private investigation company located in Los Altos. The firm guarantees confidentiality by steadfastly upholding the principles of professional and ethical conduct, and it offers surveillance, background checks, skip tracing, asset location, record searches, and similar services. Harder and Associates Private Investigators has been serving the Bay Area since 1959, and it also engages in the delivery of legal documents.

Reputation:

We scour the internet for reviews from well-known resources. Each provider is evaluated based on the quality and quantity of their reviews, their presence on multiple review sites, and their average minimum rating.
4.1
Yelp
4.0 / 5 (8)
Google
4.5 / 5 (2)

Professionalism:

We hire mystery shoppers to call our providers anonymously and evaluate them. Providers who respond quickly, answer questions thoroughly, and communicate politely score higher.
5.0
Responsiveness
Friendliness
Helpfulness
Detail

Website
San Jose, CA 95110

Why choose this provider?

Creative Security Company is an agency in San Jose that provides high-quality and cost-effective site security services to its customers. The team engages in a range of confidential and challenging tasks, and this includes building security system development and installation, background checks, and surveillance. Creative Security Company is a member of the American Society for Industrial Security, California Apartment Association, and Building Owners and Managers Association International.

Reputation:

We scour the internet for reviews from well-known resources. Each provider is evaluated based on the quality and quantity of their reviews, their presence on multiple review sites, and their average minimum rating.
4.0
Yelp
4.0 / 5 (5)

Professionalism:

We hire mystery shoppers to call our providers anonymously and evaluate them. Providers who respond quickly, answer questions thoroughly, and communicate politely score higher.
3.8
Responsiveness
Friendliness
Helpfulness
Detail
––

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Introduction

    Some cases grow cold without ever getting solved by the police, and others tend to be too unorthodox for the police since they're mainly limited to criminal cases. This is where private investigators come in.

    Private investigators, also known as PIs, offer a wide range of services, including finding missing persons, tracking marital infidelity, investigating theft, running background checks, verifying insurance claims, and collecting debts on behalf of their clients.

    PIs work on any case requiring extensive research and investigation. Their duties range from gathering vital facts and connecting clues to providing conclusive information regarding the case.
  • What is a private investigator?

    Private investigators are experienced individuals hired to carry out detective work. They are fact-finding experts who dedicate time and effort to gather evidence and reveal information that would be difficult to gain through ordinary means. Private investigators can either operate alone or work for an agency.

  • Are private detectives real?

    Yes, private investigators are real. They provide their expertise to anyone who needs an in-depth investigation for an important matter. Whether tracking a long-lost loved one, running background checks, finding missing persons, or conducting general research, private detectives operate with discretion and rarely make the news.

  • What do private investigators do?

    PI work involves a lot of information gathering and fact analysis. Their field assignments involve carefully following persons of interest, conducting surveillance, interviewing people, and, sometimes, going undercover to get more information. They use GPS tracking devices, video recorders, computers, and other technology to collect information.

  • How do private investigators work?

    Private investigators’ ability to conduct examinations and close cases without their targets knowing their involvement makes them very effective. A PI firm may have different personnel, each specializing in a particular field. From computer experts to web-data analysts and field officers, these agents work together to solve cases or complete an objective.

  • What is a private investigator allowed to do?

    PIs are civilians, so they're required to operate within the confines of the law. Private investigators search multiple online databases, public records, and open source files to collect information. However, they cannot bug phones or hack into online accounts to acquire protected information. They can conduct surveillance on people in public places, but they can't trespass into their homes or property.