What We Can (and Can’t) Find Without a Subpoena

Understanding the Limits of Legal Private Investigation

At Maverick’s Detective Agency, one of the most common questions we get is:
“Can you find their bank account? Can you see their texts?”

The short answer: not legally — and not without a subpoena.

Here’s what you need to know about what licensed private investigators can (and can’t) access using open-source intelligence (OSINT), public records, and legitimate tools.

What We Can Find (Legally & Ethically)

We work within the law, using data that’s either:

• Publicly available

• Lawfully purchased from licensed vendors

• Indexed online through open-source intelligence (OSINT)

Some of the information we can legally uncover includes:

• Real estate and property records

• Bankruptcies, liens, and civil judgments

• Business ownership and registrations

• Known addresses and aliases

• Basic criminal records (county/state level)

• Social media and online presence

• Email breach history (e.g., Have I Been Pwned)

• Connections and known associates (public data only)

What We Can’t Access Without a Subpoena

Contrary to popular belief — and what some TV shows suggest — private investigators are not above the law. Here's what we cannot legally access without court authority:

• ❌ Bank account balances or transaction history

• ❌ Phone or text message content

• ❌ Credit reports or scores

• ❌ Email content

• ❌ Tax returns or IRS records

• ❌ Surveillance from inside a private residence

• ❌ Employment files or HR data (unless publicly stated)

Why This Matters to You

If you're hiring a PI, you need information that’s:

• Actionable

• Ethically sourced

• Legally admissible (if needed in court)

At Maverick’s, our reports are grounded in fact, built with transparency, and delivered in a format that you can actually use — whether you’re making a decision about a partnership, a legal case, or personal safety.