Detective agencies are illegal.

The existence of private detectives has always been controversial in China. Private detectives are different from investigation agencies. They are private individuals and investigate other people's privacy for money. Whether a private detective breaks the law depends on the methods he uses to investigate and collect evidence.

It is illegal to obtain personal privacy by monitoring, taking photos, etc. However, many detectives will exploit legal loopholes and wander in the gray area.

Extended information:

In 1993, the Ministry of Public Security issued a notice prohibiting any unit or individual from opening various forms of civil affairs investigation offices, security affairs investigation offices and other private detective agencies. For private institutions, prohibited businesses include: accepting civil and economic disputes, debt recovery, security and prevention technical consultation, investigations involving personal privacy, etc.

At the end of 2002, the Trademark Office of the State Administration for Industry and Commerce adjusted the scope of trademark classification registration, expanding the original 42 categories of goods and service trademark registrations to 45 categories. The newly allowed registration categories include the provision of personal bodyguards, "Security services" such as detective agencies and missing person investigations.

However, allowing registration does not mean that the ban on "private investigators" in China has been lifted. The Zhejiang Provincial Administration for Industry and Commerce stated that successful trademark registration does not mean that the company can engage in business activities covered by the trademark. The company’s business activities must be strictly limited within the scope of the industrial and commercial business license approval. Currently, company registration does not involve detective work. scope.

Despite being subject to various restrictions, in recent years, more and more companies have been named "affair investigation centers" and "affair investigation offices". The business scope of public affairs investigation agencies is very wide, including person tracing, emotional loyalty investigation, child behavioral custody, recovery of large debts, whereabouts investigation, credit investigation, intellectual property investigation, as well as anti-counterfeiting and rights protection, economic intelligence investigation, etc.

According to Xu Min, director of the organizing committee of the "2003 China Business Survey Hangzhou Summit", there are about 1,000 such legal or unincorporated institutions across the country, employing tens of thousands of people.

The organizer of this meeting, Zhejiang Wanma Law Firm, has specially set up an unincorporated organization, the Public Affairs Investigation Center.

Chang Jianjun, executive director of the law firm, said that the Public Affairs Investigation Center is responsible for the law firm's functions of "collecting evidence" and "investigating public affairs." "Public affairs investigation is not the same as private detective, and there are no real private detectives in China."

Reference: People's Daily Online - Private detective investigation company illegally sells citizen information

Reference Information: Baidu Encyclopedia-Private Detective