When Richard Martinez goes to a nightclub or bar, he often goes alone.
But the 38-year-old former RAF officer wastes no time in heading for a target -- a woman -- to flirt with and flatter.
Martinez will not try too hard, but will allow himself to be drawn into conversation and, if asked, will give out his phone number for a potential future date.
Martinez is a "honey trapper" -- or as he likes to call himself, an "integrity tester" -- one of a growing team of private detectives who are hired by wives, husbands or partners to test the loyalty of their loved ones.
"It's growing all the time," he says of his business, the Expedite Detective Agency (www.ex-da.com), which charges 300 pounds ($588) for an integrity test on a potential cheat.
Martinez refutes accusations of marriage-wrecking, arguing that his customers come to him when they are already concerned about their partner's fidelity or when rumors have led them to suspect an affair. But he admits around 80 percent of targets fail the test and turn out to be ready and willing to cheat on a partner.
Martinez and his colleagues -- he has a team of male and female trappers, some more, some less attractive -- record the whole "hit" on audio and video, so that the customer can see for themselves how the evening develops.
And Martinez has "rules of engagement": The target must not be drunk, there must be no touching, and the relative attractiveness of the trapper to the target must be equal.
"It's got to be a fair test," he explains. "So we make sure that we don't set a very attractive honey trapper on a not so attractive target, and vice versa."
"The customer needs a fair answer to the question of whether their husband or girlfriend is loyal."
Martinez says that while many of his customers may end their relationships, other use the honey trap to confront unfaithful lovers and appeal to them to change their ways.
1 comment:
HI I read your blog on expedite detective agency and just wanted to warn other readers or anyone else think of applying for a post with them. Dont waste your time. I sent them my cv in which richard martinez asked for a photo, I followed through with a phonecall as I hadnt heard from him., and I do fit the bill of what they are looking for; I am intelligent, bubbly and fun and have a degree in both psychology and counselling doctorate., I thought this could be an interesting detective job for me, in a reliable agency while i finished my studies. RIchard said he was impressed with my CV and was going to call when a job came up in my area. THat was 6 months last december. Then in february this year i got an email saying they are recruiting and asking for a 15 pound fee and a photograph and that a manual would be sent with instructions. I sent the fee, and the photograph and emailed some questions which were ignored. Then I called him and he said ''i must have slipped through the system' and to send my email again that he would send me a manual right away. I was annoyed as this has been an unreliable promise and decided to politely ask for my administration fee back, I know its only 15 pounds but i need the money, they cashed my cheque and i didnt get anything from them in return. I am beginning to think they robbed me of 15 quid.. what integrity tester-detective company is this, lacking in integrity themselves? They say they are recruiting, ask a fee, you give the fee, they make you wait 9 months and never deliver or get back to you
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