BC Private Investigator Mock Exam 1

All 100 questions in this test

Every question and its answer choices. The correct answers and explanations appear when you take the test above.

1. What is it called when a witness knowingly lies under oath?

   1. Perjury
   2. Contempt
   3. Hearsay
   4. Mischief

2. Under s. 13 of the Code, which ground may an employer NOT use to refuse a job?

   1. A criminal conviction unrelated to the job
   2. Failing a job-related skills test
   3. Missing the application deadline
   4. Lack of a required licence for the job

3. What is the chain of custody?

   1. The order in which witnesses testify
   2. A lock used on evidence storage rooms
   3. A documented record of who controlled the evidence
   4. A list of every person the PI interviewed during the whole investigation

4. Which right does section 10 (b) of the Charter give a person who is arrested?

   1. To demand the arrester's home address
   2. To retain and instruct counsel without delay
   3. To refuse to be photographed in public
   4. To be released if they return the property

5. In B.C., which body resolves most small claims up to $5,000?

   1. The Supreme Court of B.C.
   2. The Registrar of Security Services
   3. The B.C. Court of Appeal
   4. The Civil Resolution Tribunal

6. An interview subject asks a PI to prove they are licensed. What must the PI do?

   1. Refuse, since PIs work covertly
   2. Give the employer's phone number
   3. Show a business card instead
   4. Produce the licence they are carrying

7. The subject of a file is known to have a lawyer. What is general practice?

   1. Interview the subject without the lawyer
   2. Tell the subject they are being watched
   3. Ask the lawyer to arrange surveillance
   4. Avoid verbal contact with the subject

8. When may a PI attach a GPS tracker to a vehicle?

   1. When the client is the subject's spouse
   2. When the vehicle is parked on a street
   3. With the vehicle owner's permission
   4. Whenever the driver is the subject

9. Before accepting a locate file, what should a PI establish with the client?

   1. Only the fee and the deadline
   2. Nothing, since the client is always right about what is needed
   3. The client's favourite outcome
   4. A justifiable, lawful mandate and its purpose

10. Under B.C.'s Human Rights Code, 'age' as a protected ground means what?

    1. 16 years or older
    2. 19 years or older
    3. Any age from birth
    4. 65 years or older

11. May a licensed PI carry a firearm while on surveillance in B.C.?

    1. No, licensees may not carry firearms
    2. Yes, if the client agrees in writing
    3. Yes, if they hold a federal firearms licence for it
    4. Yes, in remote areas only

12. A witness asks to change a line before signing. How should the change be made?

    1. Have the PI change it quietly after the witness has left the room
    2. Use correction fluid and rewrite it neatly
    3. Strike through it, with both people initialling
    4. Start the whole statement again from scratch

13. How should a PI approach every investigation, according to the study guide?

    1. As if the case could end up at trial
    2. As a private matter that never reaches court
    3. As a quick job where notes are optional
    4. As if only the client will read the results

14. What is the purpose of covert surveillance?

    1. To make the subject change their routine
    2. To observe without being detected
    3. To question the subject at their front door
    4. To let the subject know clearly that they are being watched

15. Who may publish that a person was dealt with under the YCJA once they turn 18?

    1. Any news outlet that asks the court
    2. The PI's client, with a lawyer's letter
    3. The person themselves, if not in custody
    4. The victim, without any limits

16. Which conduct can amount to criminal harassment under section 264?

    1. Taking a single photo of a person in a public park during the day
    2. Searching a public court registry for a name
    3. Repeatedly following a person or watching their home
    4. Reading a person's public social media posts

17. What is the key to a successful interview?

    1. Knowing the purpose of the interview
    2. Interviewing only people who agree with the client
    3. Arriving without any prepared questions
    4. Keeping the interview as short as possible

18. What can a Personal Property Security Registry search reveal?

    1. A person's medical history
    2. A person's sealed youth court record and charges
    3. A person's bank PIN
    4. Liens registered against a person's property

19. The subject runs a red light during a mobile surveillance. What should the PI do?

    1. Stop at the light and obey traffic law
    2. Use hazard lights and keep following
    3. Call the subject to ask where they are going
    4. Follow through the red light to keep contact

20. A PI will serve documents on a person known to be violent. What must the employer tell the PI?

    1. Nothing, to protect the person's privacy
    2. Only the deadline for service
    3. Only the person's home address
    4. The nature of the risk and the person's history

21. Which is a team surveillance method named in the study guide?

    1. Pretexting
    2. Leapfrogging
    3. Cold calling
    4. Tailgating

22. Which act must an undercover operator avoid?

    1. Reporting a safety violation they see
    2. Meeting their supervisor after each shift
    3. Offering an employee money to steal something
    4. Handing seized evidence to the supervisor

23. A PI tricks a person into giving consent with false information about the purpose. Is the consent valid under PIPA?

    1. No, consent from deceptive practices is invalid
    2. Yes, if the person signed a form
    3. Yes, as long as the investigation itself had a lawful purpose
    4. Yes, if the client paid for the file

24. Under s. 494 (1) (a), whom may anyone arrest without a warrant?

    1. A person who refuses to answer a PI's questions
    2. A person found committing an indictable offence
    3. A person who is breaking a municipal bylaw
    4. A person suspected of an offence last month

25. What should a PI write on an evidence bag they seal?

    1. The client's name and phone number only
    2. Their initials and the date and time collected
    3. The suspected value of the item
    4. Nothing, to keep the item anonymous

26. When may a company intercept communications passing through its own computer system?

    1. Whenever it wants to read its staff's private messages for any reason
    2. When reasonably necessary to manage or protect that system
    3. Whenever an employee leaves the company
    4. Whenever a PI asks it to for a file

27. A PI's client wants to use a video file in court. Who must prove it is authentic?

    1. Nobody, since files are presumed real
    2. The party seeking to admit it
    3. The opposing party, by disproving it
    4. The judge, before the trial starts

28. Before sending a PI alone to a risky area, what must the employer do first?

    1. Ask the PI to sign a waiver of liability before every risky assignment
    2. Do nothing until an incident happens
    3. Tell the client the PI may quit
    4. Identify the hazards and eliminate or minimize the risk

29. Under B.C.'s Security Services Act, who is a private investigator?

    1. Any person who looks up public information about a neighbour without being paid
    2. A person paid to seek information on misconduct or whereabouts
    3. A police officer who investigates crimes while on duty in B.C.
    4. A journalist who researches a news story about a company

30. How much notice must a party normally give before producing a business record under s. 30?

    1. At least seven days
    2. At least 24 hours
    3. No notice is required
    4. At least 30 days

31. What kind of evidence are surveillance photographs and video usually considered?

    1. Illustrative evidence
    2. Opinion evidence
    3. Character evidence
    4. Hearsay evidence

32. How should a PI judge whether a surveillance has been detected?

    1. Balance real warning signs against unfounded worry
    2. Assume detection after every glance
    3. Ignore the subject's behaviour entirely
    4. Ask the subject directly whether they noticed anyone following them

33. How is the degree of privacy a person is entitled to decided under the Privacy Act?

    1. The same fixed rules for every situation
    2. Whatever the PI's client is willing to pay to find out about them
    3. Whatever the person says they expect
    4. What is reasonable in the circumstances

34. Up to what amount can B.C.'s Small Claims Court (Provincial Court) hear a case?

    1. $25,000
    2. $50,000
    3. $10,000
    4. $35,000

35. How must a PI firm protect personal information in its files?

    1. By storing files in the investigator's car
    2. With reasonable security arrangements
    3. By emailing files to the client's friends
    4. By sharing copies with all staff

36. Why must a PI firm carry general liability insurance in B.C.?

    1. The regulation requires at least $1,000,000
    2. Only if the firm owns a vehicle
    3. Only when it works outside B.C.
    4. Only to win larger clients who ask for proof of insurance

37. A licensed PI firm wants an unlicensed friend to help on one surveillance. Is that allowed?

    1. Yes, for a single short assignment
    2. Yes, if the friend only drives the vehicle and does not take notes
    3. Yes, if the client is told in advance
    4. No, only licensed workers may do the work

38. Which business name would break the Security Services Act?

    1. Pacific Investigations Ltd.
    2. Pacific Fact-Finding Inc.
    3. Pacific Research Services
    4. Pacific Detective Agency

39. Can a PI's written report replace their testimony at a criminal trial?

    1. Yes, as long as it is sent to the judge before the trial begins
    2. Yes, if the client signs it as well
    3. Yes, if the report is notarized
    4. No, evidence must normally be given orally

40. What is the minimum age for a B.C. private investigator licence?

    1. 21
    2. 19
    3. 16
    4. 18

41. How should a PI decide which searches to run on a file?

    1. Every database available, just in case
    2. Whatever searches the subject's neighbours suggest might be useful
    3. Only those needed for the purpose of the assignment
    4. Only searches that cost nothing

42. Who is exempt from B.C. security licensing for computer-related work?

    1. People who recover deleted data from phones for private investigation files
    2. People who only advise on protecting electronic data
    3. People who track phones for clients
    4. People who sweep offices for bugs

43. What happens if a PI uses more force than necessary during an arrest?

    1. They lose their licence automatically
    2. They are criminally responsible for the excess
    3. Nothing, if the arrest itself was lawful
    4. Only their employer can be held responsible

44. A suspect confesses after a PI promises the client will not report them to police. What is the risk?

    1. A confession induced by a promise may be inadmissible
    2. None, because PIs are not police officers and the rules do not apply
    3. None, if the confession is written down
    4. Only that the client might be upset

45. Information was used to make a decision directly affecting a person. How long must it be kept under PIPA?

    1. Until the person turns 65
    2. At least 30 days after the decision
    3. At least one year after the decision
    4. At least seven years after the decision

46. Which detail belongs in a written witness statement?

    1. The PI's opinion of the witness
    2. The time the statement started and finished
    3. The subject's private medical history
    4. The client's fee for the file

47. What does industry practice suggest before a PI interviews a 16-year-old witness?

    1. Get a parent's permission and allow them to attend
    2. Interview the youth alone, so that they will speak more freely
    3. Record secretly to save time
    4. Ask the school principal for consent

48. When may a PI firm collect personal information without consent for an investigation under PIPA?

    1. When asking would compromise the information and it is reasonable
    2. Whenever the subject has a criminal record
    3. Whenever the client has already paid a retainer in full for the investigation
    4. Whenever the information is older than a year

49. A PI learns a youth was dealt with under the YCJA. May the PI's report be published naming the youth?

    1. Yes, if the offence was minor
    2. Yes, once the youth turns 16
    3. Yes, if the client consents and the youth is over 16 years old
    4. No, identifying the youth is generally banned

50. A client asks a PI to install an app that secretly forwards a spouse's calls. What is the legal issue?

    1. Intercepting private communications without consent is a crime
    2. It is legal as long as the couple shares a single family phone plan
    3. It is legal if the client paid for the phone
    4. It is only a breach of the app's terms

51. Can surveillance violate privacy under B.C.'s Privacy Act even without trespass?

    1. No, only entering land can violate privacy
    2. Only if the subject is a public official
    3. Yes, surveillance can violate privacy without trespass
    4. Only if the PI uses a hidden microphone or a camera inside the home

52. When collecting information directly from a witness with their consent, what must the PI firm tell them?

    1. The purposes of the collection
    2. The subject's home address
    3. The fee charged to the client
    4. The client's full legal name

53. Who does section 35 protect when they prevent a person from taking property?

    1. Only a peace officer called to the scene
    2. Someone in peaceable possession, or acting for them
    3. Anyone at all, wherever the property is
    4. Only the registered owner of the property on the land title record

54. Which is a protected ground for services under B.C.'s Human Rights Code?

    1. Credit score
    2. Political party membership
    3. Place of origin
    4. Choice of profession

55. What does a PI need before obtaining a subject's bank or tax records?

    1. A signed release and lawful authority
    2. A good reason written in the file
    3. The client's verbal approval
    4. A licence older than two years

56. Which course and exam does B.C. name for a PI-under-supervision licence?

    1. PSKN's Introduction to Private Investigation
    2. JIBC's Advanced Security Training
    3. JIBC's Basic Security Training (BST)
    4. The Ontario private investigator test

57. Does the Privacy Act's exception for investigating crime cover private investigators?

    1. Yes, but only for insurance fraud files handled by licensed firms
    2. No, it covers peace and public officers
    3. Yes, if the PI has a firm licence
    4. Yes, any licensed PI is covered

58. A PI finds an error in their surveillance notes. How should it be corrected?

    1. Use correction tape so it looks clean
    2. Black it out completely with a marker
    3. Draw a single line through it and initial it
    4. Tear out the page and rewrite it

59. Why should a PI not rely only on a digital recorder for notes?

    1. Recorders are banned for licensed PIs
    2. Recorders are never allowed in court
    3. Recorders always break privacy law
    4. Batteries can drain and devices can fail

60. May a PI leave a hidden recorder in a room to capture a conversation between two other people?

    1. Yes, if the client owns the building where the room is located
    2. Yes, if the room is in a workplace
    3. Yes, if the PI owns the recorder
    4. No, that intercepts a private communication

61. A PI saves a lawfully recorded call to a USB drive. How should the drive be treated?

    1. As scrap once copied to a laptop
    2. As a gift for the client to keep
    3. As evidence, stored securely
    4. As a personal backup to reuse

62. What arrest powers does a licensed B.C. private investigator have?

    1. Those of a sheriff when serving documents
    2. None at all, in any situation
    3. Those of a peace officer while on a file
    4. Only those of a private citizen

63. What general liability insurance must a licensed PI business carry at minimum?

    1. $100,000
    2. $1,000,000
    3. $500,000
    4. $5,000,000

64. What does the YCJA's declaration of principle say about parents?

    1. They decide whether the youth is charged
    2. They must pay every fine the youth receives and attend every hearing
    3. They should be informed and encouraged to support their child
    4. They are excluded from youth proceedings

65. A PI wants to carry a metal badge to show during interviews. Is that allowed?

    1. No, licensees may not carry an identification badge
    2. Yes, as long as it is kept out of sight
    3. Yes, if it says PRIVATE INVESTIGATOR
    4. Yes, as long as the registrar's crest does not appear anywhere on it

66. Which vehicle best suits covert surveillance?

    1. A vehicle with a roof light
    2. A marked company truck
    3. A nondescript vehicle in a muted colour
    4. A bright red sports car that is fast enough to keep up

67. A PI receives a subpoena to testify. What is it?

    1. A court order that requires attendance
    2. A notice that the file is now closed
    3. A bill for the cost of the trial
    4. A request the PI may decline politely

68. Within how many days must a PI report a criminal charge against them to the registrar?

    1. 60 days
    2. 7 days
    3. 14 days
    4. 30 days

69. What should appear at the start of each surveillance report?

    1. A summary of the client's invoice and the PI's hourly rate
    2. Subject's name, file number, date and time
    3. The PI's home address and phone
    4. The subject's credit score

70. When is a telephone directory listing a prescribed public source under the PIPA Regulation?

    1. Only when a court has approved its use
    2. When it is public and the subscriber could opt out
    3. Only when it includes a person's date of birth
    4. Only when the listing is less than a year old

71. Who may arrest a person found committing a criminal offence on or in relation to property?

    1. The owner, lawful possessor or someone they authorize
    2. Only the police, and never any private person, owner or agent
    3. Any PI working on any unrelated file
    4. Only a lawyer acting for the owner

72. When might two or more investigators work a surveillance together?

    1. Whenever the client wants a lower cost
    2. Only on the first day of any file
    3. When the subject drives aggressively or has several exits
    4. Only when the subject lives out in the country, far from any town

73. For B.C. licensing, which summary conviction offences count as a 'crime'?

    1. Criminal Code, drug act and youth act offences
    2. Only those that carry a prison sentence
    3. Only offences committed while working
    4. Any offence under any provincial statute, including traffic tickets

74. A company only checks job applicants' qualifications for employers. Does it need a PI licence?

    1. Only if it checks more than 10 people a year
    2. No, pre-employment suitability checks are exempt
    3. Yes, unless the employer is a government body or a Crown corporation
    4. Yes, any background check needs a PI licence

75. What must the Crown prove in a criminal trial?

    1. Guilt on a balance of probabilities
    2. That the accused is probably guilty
    3. Guilt beyond a reasonable doubt
    4. Guilt to the satisfaction of the victim

76. How many people should handle a piece of evidence?

    1. Only the client, never the PI
    2. Everyone on the case, so that all of them share the same knowledge
    3. At least three people, for verification
    4. As few as possible, with each transfer documented

77. After the lawyer who called a PI as a witness finishes questioning, what happens?

    1. The judge declares a verdict
    2. The jury questions the witness
    3. The other side may cross-examine
    4. The witness gives a closing speech

78. A PI firm puts a photo of a surveillance subject in its advertising. What may the subject do?

    1. Sue for unauthorized use of their portrait
    2. Nothing, since the photo was taken in public
    3. Only ask for a credit line under the photo
    4. Only complain to the advertising council

79. Can a lawful public-interest publication excuse how the information was gathered under the Privacy Act?

    1. Yes, if the client is a public company
    2. Yes, a public-interest story excuses any method used to gather it
    3. No, it does not cover acts that themselves violated privacy
    4. Yes, if a newspaper prints it first

80. A PI often does surveillance alone. What must the employer have in place?

    1. A written procedure for well-being checks
    2. A rule that PIs must never work alone on any file
    3. A bonus for every night shift
    4. A daily report to the local police

81. Which person does not need a PI licence for investigative work in their own profession?

    1. A paralegal working for a collection agency
    2. A security guard asked to follow a shopper
    3. A retired police officer working for a client
    4. A lawyer in the practice of law

82. Which details should a PI gather before starting surveillance?

    1. The subject's medical records from a clinic
    2. The subject's private email passwords
    3. The subject's bank balance, credit report and income tax returns
    4. Name, date of birth, address, work and places frequented

83. Which court is the highest court in Canada?

    1. The Federal Court
    2. The Supreme Court of B.C.
    3. The B.C. Court of Appeal
    4. The Supreme Court of Canada

84. A subject goes to a funeral during surveillance. What does industry practice advise?

    1. Use judgment, as privacy concerns are higher there
    2. Record the eulogy for the client
    3. Film the subject closely, since a cemetery is a public place
    4. Approach the subject to ask questions

85. A subject asks a PI firm what personal information it holds about them. What does PIPA generally require?

    1. Provide it only through the police
    2. Provide it only for a fee of $500
    3. Refuse, since PI files are always secret and belong only to the client
    4. Provide it and explain its use, with exceptions

86. What can a private investigator under supervision do?

    1. Supervise newer investigators at a licensed private investigation firm
    2. Any PI work, after six months in the industry
    3. PI work, only under a fully licensed PI's supervision
    4. Only office research, never field surveillance

87. When should a PI write up an interview?

    1. Only if the client asks
    2. At the end of the month, with other reports
    3. Before the trial date
    4. Right after the interview

88. After making a citizen's arrest, what must a PI do with the person?

    1. Release them once the client decides
    2. Deliver them to a peace officer forthwith
    3. Question them before calling anyone
    4. Take them to the client's office

89. Under s. 30 of the Canada Evidence Act, which record can be admissible on production?

    1. A PI's report made for an investigation
    2. A note written by a lawyer while preparing for a lawsuit
    3. A record protected by legal privilege
    4. A record made in the ordinary course of business

90. Which association provided the content of the B.C. Introduction to Private Investigation course?

    1. The Justice Institute of British Columbia
    2. The Canadian Bar Association, B.C. branch
    3. The Professional Investigators' Association of B.C.
    4. The Insurance Council of British Columbia

91. If a PI makes a lawful citizen's arrest, how much force is justified?

    1. As much as is necessary, on reasonable grounds
    2. No force at all under any circumstances
    3. Any force, because the arrest is lawful
    4. Whatever amount of force the client has authorized in the contract

92. Which is one stated aim of the youth justice system under s. 3 of the YCJA?

    1. Publishing young people's names to warn the public about them
    2. Promoting rehabilitation and reintegration
    3. Holding youth to adult sentences
    4. Avoiding any role for families

93. What does the code of conduct require about information a PI learns on a file?

    1. Publish it once the file is closed and paid
    2. Share it with any other client who might find it useful for their own file
    3. Delete it all on the day the file is closed
    4. Keep it confidential unless work or law requires disclosure

94. What is the maximum administrative penalty for a business entity under the Security Services Act?

    1. $10,000
    2. $50,000
    3. $5,000
    4. $100,000

95. What does technical surveillance countermeasures (TSCM) work involve?

    1. Recovering deleted files from phones
    2. Installing hidden cameras in clients' homes to watch their staff
    3. Detecting devices that intercept private communications
    4. Tracking vehicles with GPS units

96. A client asks a PI firm to sweep an office for hidden listening devices. Which licence covers this work?

    1. A locksmith licence
    2. A security alarm installer licence
    3. No licence, since it is a technical job
    4. A security consultant licence

97. A PI applicant hides a past conviction on the licence application. What is the legal consequence?

    1. A requirement to re-take the course and exam
    2. Supplying false or misleading information is an offence
    3. Nothing, as long as the conviction happened more than five years ago
    4. Only a warning letter from the registrar

98. How reliable is information from a subject's own online profile?

    1. Reliable if it has many followers
    2. Never usable in any investigation
    3. Always accurate, since it is self-reported
    4. Only as reliable as whoever entered it; check it

99. Which situation is listed as an exception to a Privacy Act violation?

    1. Surveillance done by any licensed investigator
    2. Conduct done on behalf of a large employer
    3. Surveillance done for an insurance company
    4. Conduct consented to by a person entitled to consent

100. A company wants a PI business licence. Who must hold a full PI worker licence?

     1. Every shareholder
     2. Its accountant
     3. Its manager
     4. Its landlord