Stereotypes speak of lipstick on the collar, late nights “at the office” and a cooling sex life which have long pointed to the infidelity of a spouse or lover. Nowadays couples are noticing the small, subtle changes in behavior that indicate cheating and more and more those behaviors are taking place in the text logs, tablets and technological ether of the modern era.
A recent poll showed 79% of Britons would have no qualms about going through their partner’s phone if they thought they were being unfaithful, which explains why a corresponding 34% believe someone changing their phone passcode is a surefire indicator of infidelity. The phone can also incriminate someone if it goes off in the middle of the night with calls & texts (44% cite this as a red flag) or if it rarely leaves your partners’ side (41%).
Dana Prestone, a P.I. in Massachusetts, says it’s only natural for cheaters (and those suspicious of them) to utilize the new technologies which affect our lives exponentially each year. “It’s harder to stay away from technology now,” says Prestone. “You can be cheating with someone while you’re sitting right next to your partner,” said Katherine M. Hertlein, a researcher at the University of Nevada and a therapist.
Unexplained Credit Card Charges
Given such a dual utility of modern technology, some spouses have been diving even deeper into their spouse’s digital archives to uncover incriminating evidence. Stories abound of people discovering “anonymous” confessions on their spouses’ Reddit accounts; or sudden, unexplained credit card charges to nice restaurants or intimate apparel stores.
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Closer to home, EZ-Pass or other electronic tolling programs can identify unusual routes or destinations. One online commenter utilized the “Find My Friends” app – typically used to keep tabs on children or teenagers when they’re out with friends – to uncover a tryst with a co-worker. Still, cautions the P.I. Prestone, “It’s easier to get caught if you’re not smart, but if you are smart, it’s also easier to hide what you’re doing.”
But if technology is making it easier for some to carry-on extramarital affairs, rest assured it’s making the professional documentation of such behavior – domestic surveillance – easier as well. Nowadays, cameras that capture video or photos are practically microscopic, fitting inside the button on a dress shirt, a watch, or a coffee cup.
“Technology is changing investigations,” says Mike Kirkman, owner of Las Vegas Detectives. “I came to Vegas 18 years ago and back then, these cameras were the size of a small suitcase. Now they are HD, electronic cameras that are so small you can’t even see them — and we can stop or start them with remote devices.” Footage is emailed or shared via an online file-sharing site; almost instantaneous delivery as opposed to the old days of darkrooms and 8x11s delivered in manila envelopes.
Domestic Surveillance is one of Tristar Investigation’s foremost specialties. If you are suspicious of a spouse or lover, regardless of how well they’re hiding their communications, contact Tristar.
Bruce Robertson
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