A well-done undercover report can be an effective way to expose mistreatment of vulnerable people, corruption and systematic mistakes that impact many. But it is important to remember that going undercover can also put you in danger and should only be used when other investigative methods are exhausted.
Undercover investigations can be costly and time-consuming, so investigators should fully understand the risk rewards before beginning one. They should also evaluate the agency’s internal capabilities and its ability to support these kinds of investigations and determine what additional equipment, personnel and training is needed.
Developing an undercover persona is a critical component of an undercover operation. This includes selecting the appropriate identity, obtaining false ID documents, creating a persona-specific phone number, acquiring untraceable credit cards and perhaps even setting up an alternate mail box and letter head. Using practice accounts with social media services prior to going undercover can be an effective way to identify issues that might affect the effectiveness of a persona for a particular investigation.
Once a persona is selected it should be documented in a journal or notebook for easy reference during the investigation. This persona profile can be referred to when communicating with the target via a cell phone or through other forms of electronic communication during an undercover investigation. It is also helpful to maintain chat logs of a persona to ensure the correct voice and tone are used when communicating with the target.
Disguise is a common tool for undercover reporting, including such famous examples as Elizabeth Cochran (Nellie Bly) checking herself into an asylum as a mental patient to expose institutional cruelty in 1887 and Gunter Wallraff disguising himself in a variety of jobs in Germany to write Ganz unten (“The lowest of the low”). Kroeger cautions that reporters should carefully consider all potential legal perils associated with their projects and have these discussed with both their editors and an outside advisor.