Anybody ever use a PI in the NoVA area?  I've got a buddy that is looking for one to track down a scumbag that screwed him over for $$$ in a business deal.  He says he knows that the guy is still in the area, but can't  find him.  He doesn't know anything about hireing someone in this line of work.  I don't either, so maybe someone here does and can recommend one.

Thanks!

What's your friends goal?  Just find an address to serve him with papers for a law suit?   Try doing a public records search, like Autotrack or US-search. Costs a couple bucks, but that is what the PI is going to do first most likely. Then verify the information.  Maybe knock on a neighbors door if he has moved to ask if he has a forwarding address.  You could do that yourself if you are in the area.  If the neighbor asked why you are looking for him, just say you are an old friend from school or something.

if the target has money, check the tax records for places he may be at. You can backtrack some people that way. Go to www.washingtonpost.com (yeah, i know) and go to real estate, then click on property values. You can do a tax record search there and find some info out.

Smokeycity, his stated goal is to find this guy and get a lawyer after him - not Guido the killer pimp.  Evidently, this guy has managed to have purchased nothing under his name, so the I believe tax records are difficult.  I'll tell him to try some of the methods you guys have mentioned.  

Good luck, they were just some ideas to save a couple bucks before hiring someone and paying a lot more.  That's why I  suggest a public records search, not only will it hit the tax records, it will kick back his drivers license, cars, court records, and stuff based off his credit report for addresses (but not his credit rating). It's not hard stuff, just takes some time and leg work.

Edited to add: If your friend has a big enough lawsuit/claim, often the attorney will hire someone to find the guy, provided your friend has enough information to track him down (name, age/dob, maybe SSN if you're lucky.  If your friend has canceled checks he wrote the guy, there should be banking info on the back, when they were cashed.  An attorney could get a subpoena or court order for the bank records, which is another way to find him and it also can show other stuff he might have been up to with regard to fraudulent practices).