May a private investigator follow me?
Only by a detective licensed by the Dutch Ministry of Justice + Security, with valid assignment and lawful basis. Unauthorised following = stalking (Sr Art. 285b).
A private investigator in the Netherlands needs a licence under the Dutch Private Security Organisations and Investigation Bureaus Act (WPBR). Unauthorised "surveillance" = stalking + criminal. Conditions for lawful assignment: (1) valid assignment from a party with legitimate interest (employer suspecting theft, insurer suspecting fraud, separated parent in child-abduction case). (2) Proportionality: least intrusive means to obtain evidence. (3) Acceptable lawful basis (usually legitimate interest Art. 6(1)(f) GDPR). (4) Investigator is registered with Ministry of Justice and has an ID badge. What is ALLOWED? Observing in public spaces, voluntary witness interviews, gathering public info, ID-fraud verification. What is NOT allowed? Breaking into your home, hacking your accounts, unlawful photography on private property, undercover dating or doing business with you, placing trackers (= stalking since 2024 — Art. 285b). Evidence exclusion: unlawfully obtained evidence is not automatically excluded from Dutch trials (unlike US), but the judge balances truth-finding interest against privacy interest. Suspect a PI? Secure evidence, AP complaint, complaint to Association of Private Security Organisations (VPB), possibly civil damages claim Art. 82 GDPR.
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