Why am I under investigation? How worried should I be?
February 5, 2011 9:07 AM Subscribe
Why would a private investigator be investigating me or my car? I just recieved a letter from the WA state Department of Licensing notifying me that they have disclosed my vehicle licensing information to a private investigator called Melendez & Associates, Inc. Investigations. It does not state the reason for the investigation.
I'm a 22-year-old, unmarried college student working part-time at a hospital. I've lived and worked in the same place for about 3 years now. The tabs on my car are currently expired, and I do have unpaid parking tickets, inlcuding one that I accidentally let go to collections. I cannot think of anything that I have done that I could be investigated for (i.e., no hit and runs, haven't commited fraud, stolen anything, cheated on anyone, or lied to anybody about anything serious). I'm a pretty law-abiding person in general (I'm not involved in any drug-related activites at all and never drive drunk--so I know I haven't accidentally done a hit and run recently). I don't think I know any people that would be interested in stalking or harming me. I've never gotten the impression that anyone I know, including employers, find me suspicious in any way.
I have a younger sister that recieves disability and welfare from DSHS. I frequently spend time with her and give her rides places. Could they be investigating her? She is also pregnant right now and planning to put the baby up for adoption. Is there any reason an adoption agency would have her under serveilance?
What could I be under investigation for? Should I be concerned about this? Could there be anything nefarious going on here? My dad, a lawyer, will be calling the PI company Monday as my lawyer and requesting more information, but they are not required to tell us anything. Thanks for your advice.
I'm a 22-year-old, unmarried college student working part-time at a hospital. I've lived and worked in the same place for about 3 years now. The tabs on my car are currently expired, and I do have unpaid parking tickets, inlcuding one that I accidentally let go to collections. I cannot think of anything that I have done that I could be investigated for (i.e., no hit and runs, haven't commited fraud, stolen anything, cheated on anyone, or lied to anybody about anything serious). I'm a pretty law-abiding person in general (I'm not involved in any drug-related activites at all and never drive drunk--so I know I haven't accidentally done a hit and run recently). I don't think I know any people that would be interested in stalking or harming me. I've never gotten the impression that anyone I know, including employers, find me suspicious in any way.
I have a younger sister that recieves disability and welfare from DSHS. I frequently spend time with her and give her rides places. Could they be investigating her? She is also pregnant right now and planning to put the baby up for adoption. Is there any reason an adoption agency would have her under serveilance?
What could I be under investigation for? Should I be concerned about this? Could there be anything nefarious going on here? My dad, a lawyer, will be calling the PI company Monday as my lawyer and requesting more information, but they are not required to tell us anything. Thanks for your advice.
Could it be the parking tickets? Perhaps you've had a default judgement rendered against you, and the PI is working with the collection agency to locate assets?
posted by deadmessenger at 9:21 AM on February 5, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by deadmessenger at 9:21 AM on February 5, 2011 [1 favorite]
Most welfare/aid programs have income and "resources" limits, an agency could be interested in who actually owns your car and/or how much money you contribute to helping out your sister, although they would presumably have investigators on staff already unless it's contracted out to a PI.
Second the vote for the tickets in collections.
posted by T.D. Strange at 9:21 AM on February 5, 2011
Second the vote for the tickets in collections.
posted by T.D. Strange at 9:21 AM on February 5, 2011
PI's for a single ticket in collections? I'd be surprised.
It may not be about you at all. They may have asked for 20 registrations, looking for the one that does not live in the neighborhood, or to see if any belong to a 25-year-old blonde girl,
posted by tyllwin at 9:27 AM on February 5, 2011 [3 favorites]
It may not be about you at all. They may have asked for 20 registrations, looking for the one that does not live in the neighborhood, or to see if any belong to a 25-year-old blonde girl,
posted by tyllwin at 9:27 AM on February 5, 2011 [3 favorites]
There's always the chance that somebody, somewhere, made a mistake copying down a license plate, and just paid a private investigator to find the typo.
posted by dws at 9:30 AM on February 5, 2011
posted by dws at 9:30 AM on February 5, 2011
Why don't you call the PI's office and ask?
posted by theora55 at 9:44 AM on February 5, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by theora55 at 9:44 AM on February 5, 2011 [1 favorite]
How far along is your sister in the adoption process? Is it an open adoption, or at least the sort of adoption where there's contact between the adoptive parents and the birth mother prior to the birth? It's really not at all uncommon for prospective adoptive parents to investigate the birth mother ahead of time, and while hiring a private investigator sounds a little bit extreme, it's not all that uncommon.
posted by infinitywaltz at 9:46 AM on February 5, 2011 [2 favorites]
posted by infinitywaltz at 9:46 AM on February 5, 2011 [2 favorites]
I don't know what laws govern disclosure in your state, but is it possible that your record was just one of many disclosed? Perhaps that firm made a FOIA request that got all records for that model car or registered to folks in a geographic area or etc etc. Maybe it has nothing to do with you personally.
posted by phearlez at 10:34 AM on February 5, 2011
posted by phearlez at 10:34 AM on February 5, 2011
Maybe it's something entirely other, like you happened to park outside the home/workplace of someone the PI's were watching, and they took down your plate.
posted by galadriel at 10:56 AM on February 5, 2011
posted by galadriel at 10:56 AM on February 5, 2011
Happened to me in WA as well. A collection agency was trying to get my current address and hired the PI/lawyer team to have my vehicle registration info released to them. It had nothing to do with the car itself, just a way to contact me.
posted by coolsara at 11:53 AM on February 5, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by coolsara at 11:53 AM on February 5, 2011 [1 favorite]
If your ticket has gone to collections, you might be able to contact the collection agency and negotiate the amount owed down.
posted by jbenben at 4:25 PM on February 5, 2011
posted by jbenben at 4:25 PM on February 5, 2011
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If anything, my guess is that it's more likely to do with that ticket you allowed to go to collections. Again, I don't really know this; it's just gut instinct. At an absolute minimum, you need to update the tabs on your car ASAP. Then get on paying those tickets. But yes, definitely have your lawyer/dad request further information. With your sister on welfare and you with expired tabs, they may be surprised to learn you even have a lawyer.
posted by asciident at 9:19 AM on February 5, 2011 [1 favorite]