Quick answer
How do I hire a private investigator in China?
To hire a private investigator in China, tell Delator Group which city is involved, what happened and what you need to prove. Surveillance, locates and background checks are referred to a vetted private investigator within our network who works the city involved and holds any licence China requires: someone you can trust, and someone we can vouch for. Corporate investigations, cyber investigations and penetration testing in China are scoped, quoted in writing and led by Delator's own consultants.
China at a glance
| Country | China |
|---|---|
| Continent | Asia |
| Capital | Beijing |
| City pages | 453 cities over 200,000 people |
| People in listed cities | 750,451,055 |
| Largest city | Shanghai (24,874,500) |
| Regions covered | 32 |
| Working languages | Chinese |
| Time zones | UTC+6, UTC+8 (standard time) |
| Currency | Yuan Renminbi |
| Dialing code | +86 |
| Neighbouring countries | Laos, Tajikistan, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Afghanistan, Nepal, Myanmar, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Vietnam, India |
Private investigation is tightly restricted in mainland China, and kinds of work that are routine elsewhere, such as surveillance or background checks on individuals, may not be lawful there at all. Delator Group is here to answer any question you have.
01Private investigation
Private Investigators in China Through Our Network
When you need a private investigator in China to follow someone, find someone or check someone's background, Delator Group refers the request to a vetted private investigator within our network who works the city involved and holds any licence China requires. That investigator quotes the work, contracts with you directly and is responsible for carrying it out. Delator's role is to understand your situation, pick the right person for the city and the case, and stay available to you while the work is done.
Investigators in the network are vetted before they receive a referral: Delator checks identity, licensing or registration where China has it, insurance where it is available, references and the quality of past reports. Rules for private investigators differ from country to country, and in some places parts of the work are restricted or reserved for licensed professionals, so the right investigator is always someone allowed to do that specific task in China.
Most requests in China start in Shanghai, the largest city, or in Beijing, the capital, but the network covers every city listed on this page and the smaller places around them.
- Surveillance and activity checks
- Infidelity and family matters
- Child custody and welfare concerns
- Locating people, witnesses and heirs
- Background checks on individuals, within local privacy law
- Witness interviews and litigation support
02Three ways we help
How Delator Group Helps in China
Delator Group runs two kinds of work side by side in China. Private investigation in the traditional sense goes through Delator's network. Corporate investigations, cyber investigations and penetration testing are Delator's own services, scoped and staffed by Delator consultants with U.S. military intelligence, Department of Homeland Security, law enforcement, bail enforcement and technology backgrounds.
Many matters touch both sides. A corporate fraud case in China may need records analysis from Delator and surveillance from a licensed local partner; a penetration test may include background checks on staff. Delator runs the engagement and the licensed part goes to a locally licensed partner in the network, so every task is done by someone allowed to do it.
Through our network
Private investigation
Referred to a vetted private investigator within our network who works the city involved and holds any licence China requires.
- Surveillance and activity checks
- Infidelity and family matters
- Locating people and witnesses
- Background checks on individuals
Led by Delator consultants
Corporate investigations
Single-country and cross-border corporate matters in China, scoped and led by Delator Group.
- Fraud, theft and embezzlement
- Bribery and corruption
- Due diligence and partner vetting
- Insider threats and IP leaks
Performed by Delator directly
Cyber and penetration testing
Cyber investigations, plus cyber and physical penetration testing in China, carried out by Delator's own testers.
- Breach and incident investigations
- Network, cloud and application tests
- Office, industrial and data center tests
- Social engineering assessments
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03Every city
Private Investigator Pages for Every City in China
Each city in China with more than 200,000 people has its own private investigator page, 453 in all, grouped below by region and ordered by size. Each page covers the city's role, distances, local working conditions and how Delator Group routes requests there.
Guangdong 36 cities
- Guangzhou
- Shenzhen
- Dongguan
- Foshan
- Bao'an
- Zhongshan
- Shantou
- Huizhou
- Yunfu
- Zhuhai
- Puning
- Jieyang
- Jiangmen
- Chaozhou
- Qingyuan
- Zhaoqing
- Zhanjiang
- Lianjiang
- Maoming
- Yangjiang
- Shaoguan
- Xinyi
- Meizhou
- Wuchuan
- Shanwei
- Heyuan
- Tanzhou
- Tantou
- Gaozhou
- Xingning
- Donghai
- Shijie
- Huanggang
- Longgang
- Daliang
- Gongheyong
Shandong 38 cities
- Weifang
- Jinan
- Qingdao
- Yantai
- Zibo
- Zaozhuang
- Linyi
- Chengtangcun
- Tai'an
- Heze
- Jining
- Liaocheng
- Zoucheng
- Yishui
- Zhucheng
- Dongying
- Laiwu
- Feicheng
- Laiyang
- Weihai
- Binzhou
- Dezhou
- Rizhao
- Dongcun
- Jiaozhou
- Sishui
- Pingdu
- Shouguang
- Gaomi
- Yanzhou
- Pingyin
- Anqiu
- Laixi
- Changyi
- Linqu
- Changle
- Qingzhou
- Xintai
Jiangsu 26 cities
- Nanjing
- Suzhou
- Yangzhou
- Huai'an
- Wuxi
- Changzhou
- Nantong
- Kunshan
- Lianyungang
- Jiangyin
- Changshu
- Yancheng
- Taizhou
- Suqian
- Zhangjiagang
- Yixing
- Xuzhou
- Zhenjiang
- Taicang
- Yunlong
- Pizhou
- Tongshan
- Xinyi
- Dongtai
- Rugao
- Suicheng
Shanghai 17 cities
- Shanghai
- Pudong
- Minhang
- Baoshan
- Songjiang
- Jiading
- Qingpu
- Putuo
- Yangpu
- Fengxiang
- Jinshan
- Dachang
- Nanqiao
- Qibao
- Gucun
- Changzheng
- Yanghang
Sichuan 21 cities
- Chengdu
- Bazhong
- Nanchong
- Dazhou
- Mianyang
- Zigong
- Neijiang
- Meishan
- Luzhou
- Ziyang
- Guang’an
- Yibin
- Panzhihua
- Deyang
- Leshan
- Suining
- Ya'an
- Guangyuan
- Xichang
- Luojiang
- Gaoping
Zhejiang 16 cities
- Hangzhou
- Ningbo
- Wenzhou
- Shaoxing
- Taizhou
- Yiwu
- Jinhua
- Cixi
- Jiaxing
- Rui’an
- Huzhou
- Guli
- Quzhou
- Zhoushan
- Shangyu
- Lishui
Liaoning 23 cities
- Shenyang
- Dalian
- Anshan
- Jinzhou
- Fushun
- Panjin
- Huludao
- Benxi
- Dandong
- Zhuanghe
- Fuxin
- Liaoyang
- Lingyuan
- Panshan
- Yingkou
- Xinmin
- Tieling
- Wafangdian
- Chaoyang
- Liaozhong
- Lianshan
- Huanren
- Jinzhou
Hubei 24 cities
- Wuhan
- Shiyan
- Yichang
- Xiangyang
- Jingzhou
- Xiaogan
- Daye
- Huangshi
- E’zhou
- Jingmen
- Suizhou
- Xianning
- Zaoyang
- Zhongxiang
- Macheng
- Zhijiang
- Huanggang
- Enshi
- Chengzhong
- Laohekou
- Xiulin
- Xiantao
- Jingling
- Wuxue
Anhui 17 cities
- Hefei
- Huainan
- Fuyang
- Suzhou
- Lu’an
- Wuhu
- Bozhou
- Huaibei
- Bengbu
- Anqing
- Chuzhou
- Xuancheng
- Ma’anshan
- Mingguang
- Chizhou
- Huangshan
- Tongling
Chongqing 12 cities
Henan 20 cities
- Zhengzhou
- Shangqiu
- Nanyang
- Kaifeng
- Xinyang
- Luoyang
- Luohe
- Xuchang
- Anyang
- Xinxiang
- Pingdingshan
- Jiaozuo
- Zhumadian
- Sanmenxia
- Puyang
- Hebi
- Zhoukou
- Dengzhou
- Tanghe
- Jiyuan
Hebei 16 cities
- Shijiazhuang
- Tangshan
- Baoding
- Handan
- Sanhe
- Chengde
- Langfang
- Xingtai
- Qinhuangdao
- Zhangjiakou
- Luancheng
- Cangzhou
- Hengshui
- Hecun
- Xuanhua
- Jizhou
Shaanxi 13 cities
Shanxi 14 cities
- Taiyuan
- Lüliang
- Datong
- Jinzhong
- Changzhi
- Linfen
- Yangquan
- Yuncheng
- Xinzhou
- Yuanping
- Jincheng
- Yongji
- Shuozhou
- Jiexiu
Beijing 1 city
Heilongjiang 14 cities
- Harbin
- Daqing
- Qiqihar
- Hegang
- Mudanjiang
- Shuangyashan
- Jiamusi
- Daxing’anling
- Bei’an
- Jixi
- Qitaihe
- Hulan Ergi
- Suihua
- Heihe
Guangxi 14 cities
Hunan 17 cities
- Changsha
- Changde
- Guankou
- Heshan
- Zhuzhou
- Hengyang
- Yongzhou
- Yueyang
- Xiangtan
- Chenzhou
- Shaoyang
- Huaihua
- Loudi
- Hongjiang
- Zhangjiajie
- Fenghuang
- Xiangxiang
Fujian 10 cities
Tianjin 3 cities
Inner Mongolia 15 cities
- Hohhot
- Baotou
- Ordos
- Bayan Nur
- Dongsheng
- Ulanqab
- Xilinhot
- Hulunbuir
- Chifeng
- Ulanhot
- Tongliao
- Jining
- Wuhai
- Xilin Hot
- Hailar
Yunnan 14 cities
- Kunming
- Qujing
- Baoshan
- Zhaotong
- Mengzi
- Chuxiong
- Jianshui
- Wenshan City
- Lincang
- Pu'er
- Longling County
- Dali
- Lijiang
- Yunjinghong
Ningxia 5 cities
Jiangxi 12 cities
Gansu 12 cities
- Lanzhou
- Qingyang
- Tianshui
- Wuwei
- Zhangye
- Pingliang
- Jiuquan
- Dingxi
- Baiyin
- Linxia Chengguanzhen
- Jiayuguan
- Jinchang
Guizhou 7 cities
Jilin 7 cities
Xinjiang 14 cities
Hainan 8 cities
Qinghai 2 cities
Tibet 4 cities
China 1 city
04Largest markets
China's Largest Cities for Investigations
The largest cities generate most requests in China: corporate offices, courts, regulators, ports and airports cluster there, and so do the people and assets that personal cases involve. Together the 453 listed cities are home to about 750,451,055 people.
Regional capitals among the listed cities include Shanghai, Chongqing, Chengdu, Guangzhou, Tianjin, Wuhan and others. Regional capitals matter because regional courts, land and company registries and police headquarters are usually there, which is where records work and filings happen.
| City | Region | Population | Role | To the capital |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shanghai | Shanghai | 24,874,500 | Regional capital | 1,068 km |
| Chongqing | Chongqing | 22,000,000 | Regional capital | 1,458 km |
| Chengdu | Sichuan | 20,937,757 | Regional capital | 1,516 km |
| Beijing | Beijing | 18,960,744 | National capital | – |
| Guangzhou | Guangdong | 18,676,605 | Regional capital | 1,890 km |
| Shenzhen | Guangdong | 17,494,398 | Major city | 1,943 km |
| Tianjin | Tianjin | 13,866,009 | Regional capital | 108 km |
| Wuhan | Hubei | 13,739,000 | Regional capital | 1,055 km |
05Corporate investigations
Corporate Investigations in China
Companies with a subsidiary, supplier, distributor or acquisition target in China often need answers they cannot get from inside the business. Delator consultants scope the matter with your legal and compliance team, then lead it: corporate registry and court record research, document and transaction review, financial analysis, open-source and media research, interviews where you authorize them and local law allows, and a written report built for the board, the auditors or the courtroom.
Where part of the work is something China reserves for licensed investigators, such as surveillance or background checks on individuals, that part is completed by a locally licensed partner in Delator's network.
- Employee theft, embezzlement and expense fraud
- Procurement fraud, kickbacks and bid rigging
- Bribery and corruption allegations under laws such as the U.S. FCPA and the UK Bribery Act
- Due diligence on partners, suppliers, acquisitions and joint ventures
- Intellectual property theft and counterfeiting
- Insider threats and trade secret leaks
- Asset tracing and recovery
- Supply chain and sanctions exposure reviews
06Cyber and penetration testing
Cyber Investigations and Penetration Testing in China
Delator's technology consultants investigate business email compromise, ransomware and extortion, account takeovers, data leaks, insider data theft and AI-assisted fraud affecting operations in China, and trace cryptocurrency where it is part of a fraud.
Delator also performs cyber and physical penetration testing in China: network, cloud and application tests, social engineering, and entry tests at offices, headquarters, industrial sites and data centers. Every test runs under a written authorization signed by the owner of the systems or premises. If the scope includes background checks on employees, Delator leverages a locally licensed partner in its network to complete that work and does not do it itself.
- Breach and incident investigations
- Digital forensics on company devices and accounts
- Network, cloud and application penetration tests
- Office, industrial and data center entry tests
- Social engineering and red team exercises
- Security risk assessments and incident response planning
07Cross-border
Cases That Cross China's Borders
China borders Laos, Tajikistan, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Afghanistan, Nepal, Myanmar, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Vietnam and India, and many matters cross those lines: assets moved abroad, a spouse or child taken across a border, a supplier with a parent company next door. The nearest large cities in other countries are Macau, Macau (about 9 km from the nearest China city on this site); Fanling, Hong Kong (about 9 km from the nearest China city on this site); Tin Shui Wai, Hong Kong (about 12 km from the nearest China city on this site).
One Delator case lead coordinates every country involved, with network investigators and licensed partners in each, consistent evidence handling and a single report.
Neighbouring country pages: Laos Tajikistan Kazakhstan Mongolia Afghanistan Nepal Myanmar Kyrgyzstan Pakistan Vietnam India
08Practical details
Working With an Investigator in China
Common working languages in China include Chinese. Delator arranges translation of interviews, records and reports when they are not in English, and builds that into the scope.
China spans 2 time zones (UTC+6, UTC+8), so Delator schedules updates for each city involved as well as for you.
Fees for network investigators are quoted by the investigator in local terms and often in Yuan Renminbi, while Delator's own corporate, cyber and penetration testing work is quoted in writing by Delator before anything starts.
Before the first call it helps to gather the details below. The more an investigator in China knows at the start, the fewer hours are spent confirming basics.
- The city or cities involved, and any addresses
- Full names, including spellings in local script where you have them
- Recent photographs and descriptions
- Vehicles, workplaces and routines you know about
- Dates and places of the events that matter
- Court, police or case reference numbers
- Names of lawyers already involved, in any country
- What decision the findings need to support
09Common requests
What People Ask Us to Handle in China
Requests involving China come from individuals, families, lawyers and companies, often from outside the country. The most common are listed below. Data protection and privacy rules in China shape how background research, records checks and surveillance reports are scoped, stored and shared, and network investigators work within them.
- Checking out a partner, fiancé or online contact in China
- Locating a relative, heir, debtor or witness
- Documenting a spouse's or ex-partner's activity for a family case
- Verifying a business, landlord or supplier before money changes hands
- Investigating fraud, theft or misconduct at a local office or subsidiary
- Due diligence on an acquisition, distributor or joint venture partner
- Responding to a cyber incident or data leak affecting local operations
- Testing the security of an office, plant or data center
Step by step
How It Works in China
- 01
Tell us the city and the problem
Share what happened in China, who is involved and what you need to establish.
- 02
We route the request
Private investigation goes to a vetted network investigator; corporate, cyber and penetration testing work is scoped by Delator.
- 03
Scope and price in writing
You receive a written quote and plan before any work starts.
- 04
Work in the field or on systems
Field work, research or testing is carried out by the people allowed to do it in that country.
- 05
Report and next steps
You get a written report, and Delator stays available for follow-up, testimony coordination or a second country.
Important
How Delator Group Works in China
Delator Group is a private investigation firm licensed in Tennessee, USA. In China it provides investigative consulting, corporate investigations, cyber investigations and penetration testing. Work that local law reserves for licensed or registered investigators, such as surveillance, background checks and locating people, is carried out by an independent investigator or locally licensed partner in Delator's network, never by Delator itself. Penetration testing is performed only with the written authorization of the owner of the systems or premises. References to former government service describe individual backgrounds and do not imply endorsement by any agency. Delator Group is not a law firm and does not give legal advice.
FAQ
Private Investigator in China: Frequently Asked Questions
How do I find a private investigator in China?
Tell Delator Group the city and what you need. Surveillance, locates and background checks are referred to a vetted private investigator within our network who works the city involved and holds any licence China requires, who contracts with you directly.
Which China cities have their own page?
Every city in China with more than 200,000 people, 453 in all, from Shanghai to Nyingchi. Smaller places are covered by the nearest city.
Are there limits on private investigation in China?
Private investigation is tightly restricted in mainland China, and kinds of work that are routine elsewhere, such as surveillance or background checks on individuals, may not be lawful there at all.
Does Delator Group carry out private investigations in China?
No. Private investigation work is referred to a vetted investigator in Delator's network who holds any licence local law requires. Delator leads corporate investigations and performs cyber investigations and penetration testing itself.
Can Delator Group run a corporate investigation in China?
Yes. Delator consultants lead corporate investigations; any part reserved for licensed investigators is completed by a locally licensed partner in the network.
Does Delator Group do penetration testing in China?
Yes, cyber and physical penetration testing, always under a written authorization from the owner of the systems or premises. Background checks within a test go to a locally licensed partner.
Can a case cover China and another country?
Yes. One case lead coordinates every country involved, with one plan and one report.
Is my request confidential?
Yes. Your request is shared only with the people needed to do the work, such as the network investigator Delator refers you to.
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Population: GeoNames (geonames.org), latest available estimates; country details from GeoNames. Distances are straight-line. Photography: Andrew Stutesman / Unsplash · Benjamin Child / Unsplash · Adi Goldstein / Unsplash. Last reviewed .
