Hello, my name is Dennis.
I am an author and a NZ-licensed Private Investigative Blogger.
At the time of writing, I am proud to have written almost three dozen books and published more than two million words of blogging online.
I ‘take-on’ a particular species, ‘head-on’ – those that I call “crooks, crims & crazies”, both at home & across the globe.
I shoot straight and am fearless to speak the truth as I see it.
But I wasn’t always like that and I’ve had to learn this behaviour. At the innocent age of five I experienced a personal trauma where my father denied reality as I saw it. This caused me to subconsciously seek to know the truth . . . a truly defining moment that has influenced me ever since.
While I was child, I failed to ask the questions that my younger sister did, like, “Why is Santa’s shopping list written in Mum’s handwriting?” To be quite frank, it p*ssed me off that she was more street smart than me!
Over the years though, I did learn to ask questions. As one who cares & who wants to make a difference, I learned to share my findings. Sadly, I’ve found that most don’t share this desire for truthseeking, although all of us think that we do.
A CAREER
My writing and investigative career developed while I lived in rural Samoa. I made an International name for myself when I commenced a six-month private investigation into an international conman who had literally terrorised the international commercial barter industry.
I not only located this sophisticated and highly talented conman when the entire industry couldn’t even find him to serve him legal papers, I secured a total closure of his commercial operation and in the process ensured that he would remain in hiding forever, at least in that industry. Even to this day I can ‘smell’ his unique words in just one email.
Following that success I have hunted down and exposed many other liars, crooks and conmen with a resulting string of bankruptcies & exposes in New Zealand & around the world. I have now formalised these many experiences with a New Zealand license to operate as a Private Investigator. Most PIs seek to operate in the shadows. I don’t.
THIS RESOURCE
In this resource, I use the stories surrounding dozens of my books & blog posts as teaching examples, extracting lessons for running an effective business, showing us how to maintain integrity in a ‘crooked’ world & [hopefully] making it a better place in the process.
In writing, it is my goal that the reader can see reality. I am aware that my clinical dogmatism, my ‘never say die’ determination to seek, follow and speak the truth, (no matter the consequences) can be a challenge. It is though perfectly possible to live truthfully and it is an eminently valid lifestyle.
And yes, this directness can be a challenge; usually seen as an oddity and perhaps frightening in some ways. Indeed as an ex-Israeli Defence Force client put it once, “Thank God you’re on my side!” but it can also be a liberating experience too.
A developing Youtube trend is called “Scam baiting” where tech savvy social justice warriors take it to [primarily] Indian-based scammers. Jim Browning, Kit Boga and (more recently) Pierogi are leaders in this movement. As far as I can tell Pierogi currently leads the pack in live scam baiting. Saving “little old ladies” [literally] from “the scum of the earth” and done in realtime gains massive support. People identify with the underdog and love to see good things happen in what can often be a cruel and unjust world.
Imagine the feelings of the oppressed as they see their oppressors (those myriad conmen, lairs and common thieves) revealed for who they really are – and in realtime too! Such is the peace and joy that comes from ‘having the proverbial’ and shooting straight.
The flip side of this revelation however, is that when the torchlight is turned upon us, our ‘sins’ too are illuminated. I give a potent example of this in this resource, when the crooked leaders of an international association (IRTA) overestimated their capacity to manipulate an honest and fearless Private Investigator, (yours truly) who after a major international success turned the light on them, rather than me being used to generate ‘unjustified’ credibility.
WE ALL LIE
Deception is normal in a ‘fallen world’. To think otherwise is to reject reality. We all lie to some degree – all of us, and it is the role of an investigator to find the truth within this sea of deception.
There are four types of deception – an outright lie – often easy to identify using sound logic and observing body language; an exaggeration (which is best identified by assessing the character of the person speaking); a distortion (a story twisted to deceive despite some truth) & an omission, the easiest deception to activate, but one of the hardest to determine.
Being realistic means that when you assess this resource for your own purposes, you will be wise to expect the presenter to lie to you. This may be an outright [black] lie, but hopefully isn’t; one should also seek out those white lies that we all participate in – women who may dolly themselves up with lipstick and top-brand shoes, or men with suits and ties and moustaches attempting to present themselves in a certain way; and also the omission of certain relevant facts, usually done to impress or to make oneself look good but also as deception as part of a fraud.
Body language, such as protecting ourselves with a barrier such as a physical item [a lectern] or a more subtle hand or arm movement [crossed arms] are just some clues we can use to divine deception/integrity; our choice of words; proper context & the application of reasonable skepticism. Good due diligence will also give answers to an inquiring mind.
TOOLS OF PERSUASION
The work of an investigator sometimes requires others to supply information that they would prefer to keep to themselves. Defensive conduct in human relationships and communication therefore is the norm which truthseekers will attempt to circumvent.
When it comes to operating in this space I consciously build myself as “an absolute arsehole” in the minds of my audience, and yes, I use that exact wording with real emphasis and passion. I often then hasten to add that this is as a “professional a*hole” and explain that it is my religious, dogmatic never-give-up approach to ‘going after crooks’ that makes me that. If an explanation is sought or if I may feel it appropriate, I may then recount true stories of success in taking on the worst “crooks, crims & crazies” out there.
TIPS:
Value these tips by using
your own coding system in the WORKBOOK
The meaning of my self-deprecation is taken differently by those who have a negative world-view than those who are trustworthy. Crooks will usually see this as a confession of evil on my part, then take the bait and believe in their moral superiority. Often they will associate that with my stupidity and latter learn to their horror that the opposite was the case and that they have shared secrets through their own technical ignorance or human relationship incompetence.
The people that I know best and who I wish to have around me are those who stop, then think about what I say. These are the people who respect and are comfortable with the truth. These are the people I prefer to be with and it generally doesn’t take very long bfore they realise that if they are straight with me, that they can piggyback off my role as the bad guy up front, then enjoy their experiences as they watch me mess with the bad guys!
To many this can be like a breath of fresh air. If they are in a depressing situation, it often brings them hope.
BEING IN THE ZONE
While we stereotypically expect a PI to be snooping around finding proof of our spouses (or our own) extra-marital affairs, this does not need to be the case. Being ourselves, doing what we enjoy and are therefore usually good at shows maturity and it carries well. Others can buy your story well when it connects with reality. I call this “being in the zone” or “hitting the sweet spot”.
Not everyone who chooses to be a Private Investigator shares the same passion for the truth or the same values as I do. This though, is an integral part of my story.
Join me now, on a revelation of my life as a Private Investigator.
GET TO WORK
I encourage you, as you work through this resource, to consider the questions I ask you to complete in the WORKBOOK.
First up, specifically, I encourage you to note just three things that strike you, and then to make a quick note from the teaching on each chapter.
Each tip also can also be marked with a tick (or two or three), a circle or a cross depending on your own system for creating value. Be creative!
Doing this will personalise your experience and triple (yes, triple) the value to you as you apply my experiences into your situation. The reason this is so, is that I am not you. I am me! I am unique but so too are you. You are unique! My experiences and learning are mine. Sure, you may learn from my experiences by observing but you are far wiser to apply the principles I have learned into YOUR life and circumstances.
Completing the WORKBOOK will help you to do this application naturally.
HELP IS AT HAND
Lastly, the presenter of this resource is available to help you, practically in your life. You do not need to be a Private Investigator to ask questions, to think & to apply sound logic onto fact.
Speak to this person (or me) if you need help. getting your story sussed or to get it out.
Go for it!!
TIP 1:
Low self-esteem is a killer.
Learn to consciously back yourself, but only after you have done the research.
Ask the questions, think, then
GO FOR IT!!
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