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Quizzes > Society & Culture

Private Investigator Quiz: Test Your Skills

Quick, free private investigator test. Instant results.

Editorial: Review CompletedCreated By: Liliana JuarezUpdated Aug 25, 2025
Difficulty: Moderate
2-5mins
Learning OutcomesCheat Sheet
Paper art illustration for a Private Investigator Quiz on a sky blue background.

This private investigator quiz helps you check core skills like surveillance, evidence handling, interviews, and legal basics, with instant scoring and brief explanations. After you finish, strengthen your logic with our problem solving quiz, review key laws in a business law practice test, or brush up on study design with a psychology research methods quiz.

Which document formally records the chain of custody for a physical piece of evidence collected during an investigation? [Explanation: A chain-of-custody form documents who collected, handled, transferred, and stored an item, with dates and signatures.]
Scope-of-work agreement
Affidavit of service
Chain-of-custody form - Explanation: It logs possession and transfers from collection to court.
Non-disclosure agreement (NDA)
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In most jurisdictions, photographing a subject from a public vantage point where the subject has no reasonable expectation of privacy is lawful. [Explanation: There is generally no expectation of privacy in public; photographing from public spaces is typically lawful.]
False
True
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What is the primary purpose of a pre-investigation client intake form? [Explanation: Intake forms capture objectives, constraints, legal bases, and client identity to define scope and compliance.]
To guarantee a favorable outcome for the client
To replace a written contract
To calculate court filing fees
To establish objectives, scope, and legal compliance parameters
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The best first step when beginning a covert stationary surveillance is to conduct a site survey. [Explanation: A site survey identifies vantage points, lighting, traffic, and potential hazards before deployment.]
False
True
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Which statement best describes a reasonable expectation of privacy? [Explanation: It is privacy society recognizes as reasonable, often absent in open public spaces.]
Privacy only when no cameras are present
Privacy that society is prepared to recognize as reasonable given the location and context
Any privacy a person subjectively believes they have
Privacy only inside a subject's home
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Which federal law in the United States restricts obtaining consumer credit reports without a permissible purpose? [Explanation: The FCRA governs access to consumer reports and permissible purposes.]
Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA)
Freedom of Information Act (FOIA)
Sarbanes-Oxley Act
Lanham Act
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What is the most defensible way to handle original digital photos collected at a scene? [Explanation: Preserve originals as read-only, hash-verify, and work from forensically sound copies.]
Rename files and edit metadata to organize them
Compress them to save space before review
Email originals to yourself for storage
Preserve originals read-only, calculate hashes, and use verified working copies
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A process server leaves documents with a neighbor without statutory allowance and marks service as personal. This is proper service. [Explanation: Service must follow statute; leaving with a neighbor absent allowance is improper.]
True
False
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Which scenario most clearly constitutes trespassing during surveillance? [Explanation: Entering fenced, posted, or non-public areas without consent is trespass.]
Entering a gated backyard to look through windows without consent
Observing from a public park across the street
Driving by on a public road
Filming from a public sidewalk with a telephoto lens
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During a background check, which is the most reliable method to verify a subject's claimed degree? [Explanation: Verify directly with the issuing institution or authorized verification service.]
Contact the registrar or use an approved education verification service
Assume validity if the diploma looks genuine
Check an unverified social media profile
Rely on the subject's resume
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Which metric is most critical for coordinating a multi-vehicle surveillance team? [Explanation: Clear radio call signs and position identifiers reduce confusion and collisions.]
Highest vehicle horsepower
Matching paint color on surveillance vehicles
All team members using speakerphone
Standardized call signs and positional identifiers
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When testifying as a PI expert, which foundational element most supports the admissibility of your opinion? [Explanation: Demonstrated qualifications and reliable methodology tied to facts support admissibility.]
Qualifications and a reliable, tested methodology applied to case facts
Anecdotes from prior cases without relevance
Opposing counsel's lack of objections
Personal belief about the parties
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Social media evidence is always considered hearsay and inadmissible. [Explanation: Social media can be authenticated and may be admissible; statements can have exceptions.]
False
True
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Which action best preserves the integrity of a crime-scene sketch for civil litigation? [Explanation: Include scale, measurements from fixed points, legend, orientation, and author info.]
Use a scale with measurements from fixed reference points, legend, north arrow, and author/date
Rely on a verbal description in the report
Only photograph without measurements
Sketch freehand from memory later
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In skip tracing, which combination yields the most reliable current address confirmation? [Explanation: Cross-verify across multiple independent sources and recent activity.]
Use a decade-old directory listing
Assume the mailing address on file is current
Triangulate via current utility records, recent credit header data, and direct confirmation
Rely solely on social media profile location
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Which best practice applies when preserving web content evidence likely to change? [Explanation: Capture with screenshots, HTML source, hashes, timestamps, and archiving tools.]
Capture screenshots and HTML, record URLs and timestamps, and compute hashes; consider notarized web capture
Copy text into a Word document without metadata
Bookmark the page only
Rely on memory of what you saw
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Using a drone for surveillance is unrestricted as long as you are a licensed PI. [Explanation: Drone use is governed by aviation regulations and local privacy laws regardless of PI licensure.]
True
False
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When preparing to give expert testimony on video authentication, which methodological element is most critical? [Explanation: Demonstrate chain of custody, device integrity, hash verification, and absence of edits.]
Personal assurance the video looks real
An impressive slideshow
Anecdotal experience without records
Documented acquisition with hash verification and analysis showing no alterations
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Which statement about metadata in photographs is most accurate for evidentiary use? [Explanation: EXIF can aid authentication but is modifiable; corroboration and hashes are needed.]
Metadata is irrelevant to courts
EXIF always proves origin beyond doubt
EXIF metadata supports but does not alone prove authenticity because it can be altered
Removing EXIF improves admissibility
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A non-custodial third party holds potentially relevant ESI. Which tool compels preservation without immediate production? [Explanation: A preservation letter/notice places the holder on notice to retain data.]
A cease-and-desist for defamation
A marketing email
A press release
A preservation letter or litigation hold notice
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Study Outcomes

  1. Understand core investigative principles -

    Grasp fundamental concepts and terminology used in private investigator exams to build a solid theoretical foundation.

  2. Apply surveillance and interview techniques -

    Practice realistic scenarios to refine your approach to surveillance operations and witness interviews, improving investigative efficiency.

  3. Analyze evidence and case scenarios -

    Develop critical thinking skills by interpreting case facts, identifying key details, and drawing logical conclusions from presented information.

  4. Recall exam procedures and ethical standards -

    Familiarize yourself with licensing test formats, legal constraints, and professional ethics to ensure compliance and credibility.

  5. Evaluate time management strategies -

    Learn to pace yourself effectively across different question types, maximizing accuracy and completion rates under timed conditions.

  6. Identify common exam pitfalls -

    Recognize frequently tested topics and question traps to avoid mistakes and boost your overall quiz performance.

Cheat Sheet

  1. State Licensing & Regulations -

    Different states require PIs to hold specific licenses, often mandating background checks and a set number of training hours (e.g., 40 classroom hours per California Bureau of Security and Investigative Services). Review your jurisdiction's statutes on official government sites or through the National Association of Legal Investigators (NALI) to ensure full compliance. Use a simple checklist to track renewal dates and required continuing education credits.

  2. Surveillance Techniques -

    Master covert photography, tailing, and static surveillance by studying methods from reputable sources like the Society of Professional Investigators. Practice setting up discreet camera angles and use light meter formulas (EV = log2(ISO×Luminance÷3.125)) to adapt to varying light conditions. Remember the "3 Ps" mnemonic: Plan your approach, Position your equipment, and Protect your cover story.

  3. Evidence Law & Privacy -

    Familiarize yourself with the Fourth Amendment, key state statutes, and evidence-admissibility rules from sources like the Federal Rules of Evidence. Use the "CHAIN" mnemonic for chain of custody: Collect, Handle, Authenticate, Identify, Notate. Always document every transfer or analysis step to ensure courtroom credibility.

  4. Interview & Interrogation Skills -

    Adopt the PEACE model (Planning, Engagement, Account, Closure, Evaluation) from British investigative research for structured, ethical questioning. Practice open-ended prompts ("Can you walk me through…?") and active listening techniques to build rapport. Skilled questioning not only gathers facts but also helps detect inconsistencies.

  5. Report Writing & Documentation -

    Develop clear, concise reports following standards from the International Association of Crime Analysts (IACA), including date/time stamps, objective observations, and photo log references. Use bullet points and headings for quick scanning by clients or legal teams. A sample template might include: Incident Summary, Methods Used, Findings, and Recommendations.

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