A private investigator has spoken about the strangest assignment anyone has ever asked her to take on, as well as the ‘risks’ that can come with working undercover.
Private investigation isn’t just something reserved for fiction — it’s a real job with real clients, and the requests can range from the routine to the outright odd.
Charlotte Notley, a UK-based private detective, has shared some of the most unusual approaches she’s received during her time dealing with enquiries from the public.
Although many people seek help to confirm infidelity or dig into complicated personal histories, she says others ask for things that don’t sit within legal or ethical boundaries.
Notley, who works with Taylor Investigations, explained that any hint of ‘safeguarding concerns’ can immediately put her team on alert when deciding whether to accept a job.
“I most recently turned down a guy who came into the office wanting to know what his wife’s ex-boyfriend from 40 years ago was doing now,” she claimed.
She said a key part of the role is weighing up whether an enquiry can realistically be done — but also whether it should be done at all, given the need for work to remain lawful and appropriate.
“It is difficult to know his exact motivation, although he did mention his wife had trauma from that previous relationship which was unknown to him,” Notley continued.
According to the investigator, the man wasn’t happy to be turned away at first, but ultimately understood why the request couldn’t be pursued within legal and ethical limits.
Notley added that there was ‘no legal or legitimate basis for the enquiry’, saying: “He wanted to be nosey it seems!”
She said this wasn’t an isolated example of someone asking for help with something she felt crossed a line.
Notley said: “Also one woman wanted to find a guy she met at the grocery store.
“She didn’t have his name or anything but wanted us to go to the same store every week to identify him, call her to come down so she could ‘bump’ into him again.”
Discussing what her day-to-day work looks like, Notley said it’s not a job that follows a predictable routine.
“There is no typical day in private investigation. Our work can include serving legal documents, tracing individuals, conducting digital forensic analysis, researching family trees, and undertaking due diligence enquiries for vetting.
“The variety is one of the defining aspects of the profession.”
However, she also stressed that surveillance and other covert tasks can carry serious hazards, depending on the situation.
“All investigative work carries an element of risk,” Notley claimed.
The detective said: “In more complex cases, such as court ordered searches relating to fraud investigations, we may be entering residential or commercial premises where tensions can be high. In those situations, our priority is always the safety of our operatives while ensuring that evidence is secured in line with legal requirements.”