The Rise of Online Private Investigators: Unveiling the Complexities of Infidelity and Surveillance
I. Introduction: A Night of Suspicions in Los Angeles
On a dark November night in Los Angeles, a car, illuminated only by its rear lights, traverses a 20 - mile stretch before coming to an abrupt halt in the middle of the street. A man clad in a dark T - shirt exits the vehicle and dashes towards an apartment. A woman then appears, leaping onto him, wrapping her legs around his torso. The two engage in amorous behavior, proceed to grab tacos, and later retreat to her residence.
The following morning at 6 am, the man's car remains parked outside the woman's apartment. A few hours later, they emerge, hand - in - hand, and head to a local farmer's market, where they openly kiss and hug. All the while, a private investigator named Stephanie A., known as “Your Fav Investigator” online, has been documenting these interactions and sending videos to the man's wife, who, according to Stephanie, hired her to investigate suspected infidelity. After presenting the video evidence, Stephanie claims she never heard from the wife again, yet the video persists on her social feeds. Despite obscuring the man's face and withholding personal information, the video of his indiscretions has amassed over 85,000 “likes” on Stephanie's Instagram. Such infidelity stake - out videos, titled with catchy phrases like “Trust your gut … CASE CLOSED!” and “Pickleball or cheating?”, have become a staple of her online presence.
II. The New Breed of Private Investigators
A. Stephanie's Perspective
Stephanie, 39, expresses her profound love for being a private investigator (PI) during a Zoom interview. She relishes every aspect, from the pre - case investigation to the adrenaline - fueled surveillance. She emphasizes her passion for helping people find peace of mind or clarity in their difficult situations. Due to the nature of her work, she prefers to keep her last name confidential.
With a family background in law enforcement and experience in loss prevention, Stephanie is at the forefront of a new wave of highly - online private investigators. Many of these PIs focus on uncovering infidelity, sharing the intricacies of their work with massive TikTok followings not only in the US but globally. True - crime enthusiasts are eager consumers of this content. Stephanie remarks, “People love the tea. It’s like riding shotgun into someone else’s drama.”
B. The Proliferation of Social Media PIs
Once the domain of hidden - camera reality shows like “Cheaters,” the past few years have witnessed the emergence of dozens of prominent social media PIs. They cover a range of topics, including insurance fraud, missing persons, and high - stakes heists. However, videos centered on infidelity are by far the most viral. The most popular internet PIs conduct surveillance and even background checks on men their clients suspect of being unfaithful. Stephanie, with 12 years of experience as a PI, is often astounded by the audacity of some individuals, who not only lie and cheat openly in public but also sleep over and act as if they are in a committed relationship while their spouse is away.
III. The Broader Context: Public Shaming and Infidelity
The surge in these infidelity investigations coincides with a time when online shaming regarding cheating has reached a fever pitch. A prime example is former Astronomer CEO Andy Byron, who was caught embracing his company's chief people officer, Kristin Cabot, on the Jumbotron during a Coldplay concert in Foxborough, Massachusetts, on July 16. The couple quickly evaded the Jumbotron's view, with Byron diving out of the frame, prompting Coldplay frontman Chris Martin to quip about their possible affair or shyness.
Predictably, the footage went viral, leading to both Byron's and Cabot's resignations. Byron's wife was inundated with Facebook messages from strangers offering condolences. The incident has been widely memed, turned into a video game, and online betting companies are even offering odds on the couple's divorce. While many view these public cheating exposés as a form of justice, others argue that intense surveillance tools should not be used on non - public figures. Nevertheless, there is no denying the large audience for the influencer - investigator cottage industry.
IV. The Appeal of Social Media Stings
Jamie Cohen, an assistant professor in media studies at Queens College, City University of New York, and an internet literacy writer, posits that the rawness of these social media stings appeals to the public. He states, “We like watching true - crime content [on social media], because we can engage with a plot that isn't scripted or controlled by traditional media. There's no executive producer or editors; it's happening in fairly real time.”
V. Tales from the Field: The Intriguing Cases of PIs
A. Lisa Allen - Stell's Complex Case
Lisa Allen - Stell, who runs Pink Lady Investigations in California, shares a particularly convoluted case. She was hired on a two - year contract by a married man. The client wanted to ensure that his mistress, who was also married, was not involved with his married best friend. The investigation took an unexpected turn when it was discovered that the best friend was spending most of his time with men, not the mistress. Allen - Stell entered the world of online investigation after a “horrible” divorce and custody battle, which made her empathize with women in similar situations. Her stake - out videos and PI work stories have amassed 1.4 million likes.
B. Cassie Crofts' Focus on Safety
Based in Queensland, Australia, Cassie Crofts, known as Venus Investigations, focuses on safety. Her team offers women background checks on potential dates or flatmates. Marketing herself as “Part detective, part BFF, 100% confidential,” her confessional - style TikToks have received over 39,000 likes. Crofts got into the industry when a friend suspected her partner of cheating. After realizing traditional PI options didn't feel right, Crofts, a former radio journalist, obtained her private investigator certificate through months of training. She often focuses on background data, such as tracing a man's supermarket rewards card to a town where his ex - girlfriend lived, far from where he told his wife he'd be. She also uses simple methods like checking frequently used emojis on a phone. Like Stephanie, the majority of her clients are women and non - binary people, as they find it easier to confide in her during such difficult times.
VI. The Multifaceted Nature of PI Work
A. Beyond Infidelity: A Harrowing Case
Allen - Stell's work isn't always about infidelity. One of her most harrowing cases involved a 17 - year - old girl addicted to heroin and being trafficked. She and the girl's parents cornered the traffickers at a roadside motel. The parents retrieved the girl, and they waited for the police. However, when the girl's father started slashing one of the perp's tires, Allen - Stell distanced herself to avoid any illegal involvement.
B. Client Confidentiality
Online audiences are often curious about the outcomes of the cases they follow. Stephanie's followers frequently ask what her clients did after receiving the evidence. However, professional PIs, whether licensed (protected by law) or unlicensed, prioritize client confidentiality. Sharing personal information can expose amateurs to harassment or stalking lawsuits. Allen - Stell and Stephanie only share videos online with the client's approval. One client, Chloe (a pseudonym), worked with Allen - Stell when she was concerned about her daughter dating an older man. She specifically chose a female PI for her insight and intuition and would recommend Allen - Stell to others.
VII. The Dark Side of Public Shaming
A. The Risk of Over - Sharing
While PIs play a role in uncovering truths, there is a risk of over - sharing. Allen - Stell warns that some private investigators may be revealing too much, such as showing a person's actual house during surveillance, which could lead to unfair public exposure. A June 2024 viral video tracking down a man accused of cheating on a domestic US flight detailed personal information, highlighting the potential for internet sleuthing to go too far.
B. The Consequences of Public Shaming
Public shaming, especially in cases of infidelity, can have severe consequences. User Electronic_Gur_843 on Reddit shared their traumatic experience of being publicly shamed for a “mistake,” which led to depression. According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, a significant number of adolescents have experienced cyberbullying and suicide attempts due to such online exposure. Nicola Fox Hamilton, a cyberpsychology teacher, notes that public shaming aims to hold people accountable but often leads to victim - blaming. There is also a slippery slope when applying personal morals and assumptions, as seen in right - wing influencer Matt Walsh's statement about making adultery a criminal offense.
VIII. Balancing Act: Protecting Identities in the Digital Age
Despite the allure of sharing content, the PIs interviewed by WIRED are cautious about protecting identities. They obscure faces and identifiable landmarks in their videos, whether recounting a case or conducting active surveillance. Stephanie sometimes goes a step further by reenacting cases to ensure client confidentiality. Allen - Stell views the public's reaction to cases like the Coldplay concert scandal as a “witch hunt,” emphasizing that the internet is not a courtroom, and random users should not act as investigators.
