Empire Investigations

Review: We hired this private investigator to help us to stop a stalker, whom we had a PFA against but he had been ignoring it and had been harassing us for 4 months. We paid the investigator $2500.00. We provided him with a written description of the stalker along with a picture. We also gave him all the stalkers information, including type of vehicle he drove and his address. We listed his state of mind as depressed over a break-up. After several attempts to find out results of his investigation, the PI sent us pictures of a person who was not the stalker along with his friends, whom we did not recognize and the Investigators description of who they did a surveillance on. We described the stalker as 5'9" brown hair and blue eyes. His description was of a person 6'4" with black hair and brown eyes. He said our subject did not seemed depressed and they found nothing to report to us. Obviously, they watched the wrong person, with every detail being incorrect. I would have thought since they were given a picture and an exact description, they could not make that mistake. I sent them an email telling them they watched the wrong person and that I would like them to talk to the subject and see if they could get him to leave us alone or give us a refund, but they only said they do not give refunds. They never even admitted to their mistake. Also in their report they said they stayed at the bar for 4 hours after the subject left and that he never came back. Shouldn't they have followed him and not stayed at the bar, using up our money when there was no reason for them to believe he would return? I feel cheated and my last email to them, repeating that they surveyed the wrong person, was never even responded to.Desired Settlement: I feel for their incompetence, all of the money should be returned but would be willing to accept at least half back, which I believe is more than fair, since I presume they did at least go to the place of frequency by the stalker. They did not help us in any way but collected a large sum of money for nothing.

Business

Response:

In response to this complaint, we have enclosed a copy of our written agreement. We did what we were contracted to do, we placed the targets ONE place he frequents under surveillance. During this time one of the people we video, the client states is NOT the subject. It was the ONLY person who entered the bar driving the vehicle the client described on our confidential domestic work sheet.

Review: I made an appointment with Empire Investigations LLC, for 1 hour free consulting. The owner did not show up, he said he was making a HBO movie. His associate [redacted] spoke with me. I asked for help finding recording devices and cameras in my home. I was told I had to sign a contract and give them $1,000. We talked about in PA you can cancel a contract within 72 hours. I left, and reconsidered, phoned the agency and notified them I wanted to cancel the contract. They had already run my debit card.Today I followed up with a phone call and was told read the fine print, I could not cancel, and they'll keep my $1,000 for their time (which was free). The owner would not negotiate with me, then hung up on me.Desired Settlement: I would like a full refund.

Business

Response:

We will fax a copy of the agreement, Clearly reads minimum fee non-refundable.

This client had the FREE consultation Via phone, Please refer to the detailed answer previously submitted.

In addition client has a Faraday bag to PREVENT eavesdropping on her cell phone.

Sending fax now....

Consumer

Response:

I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and have determined that this does not resolve my complaint. For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.

This was a contract for service in PA. I cancelled within an hour of signing. I personally never had a free consult. The only reason I was there for that length of time was because the owner never showed up for my appointment. He directed his office person to keep me there until he could arrive. I was given a tour, had a nice chat, and finally the owner phoned to say he can not make it. Now he wants me to pay an hourly rate for him not showing up for our meeting.

The bag he references does not work. If the phone is ringing and you place it in bag it continues to ring. It does not block signal. It too is a rip off.

This is fraud.

Regards,

Business

Response:

Much of this was covered with our response made prior.