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Evidence - when Film is Not an Option
We have discussed in past columns the use of film and still photographs to document the employment activities of an applicant. But what does an investigator do when the person is self-employed, working out of his or her residence, or working with no fixed schedule or routine?
In situations like this the investigator must turn to other forms of evidence collection in order to document the applicant's wage-earning capacity.
The ways in which such evidence is obtained are almost as varied as the situations with which the investigator is presented. The investigator's own statement or testimony is often critical in documenting such a case. Other evidence collected can include items such as business cards, printed promotional pieces, written estimates, or even goods purchased directly from the applicant.
In one of our investigations we discovered that the subject was operating a business selling ammunition near an area in the mountains designated for target practice. The location was on a remote winding road, and could not be filmed without attracting notice. Instead, our investigators periodically dropped by and bought ammunition from the applicant, in order to document that he was operating the business on a routine basis. As a result, the claim that he was unable to earn a living was successfully challenged.
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