Custer Agency

What Custer Agency does

Custer Agency, Inc. is a privately held private investigation, computer forensics, and security consulting firm headquartered at 10796 W Overland Road in Boise, Idaho. Founded in 1995, the firm has operated continuously for more than 25 years and is licensed as a Private Investigator in six states — Washington (WA 458), Oregon (OR 71562), California (CA PI27558), Nevada (NV 2022), Arizona (AZ 1657971), and Montana (MT 10076) — with an additional Pocatello, Idaho city license. Its core service portfolio spans five areas: private investigation (surveillance, litigation support, asset and witness location), computer forensics (Encase-certified examiners performing forensic imaging, data recovery, and expert testimony), covert surveillance (mobile and stationary video, GPS tracking), security consulting (vulnerability assessments, penetration testing, eavesdropping detection), and background investigations (pre-employment screening, caregiver vetting, civil/criminal record checks). Technology is anchored by court-recognized forensic software (Encase), covert surveillance vehicles with integrated cameras and GPS tracking, and social media metadata authentication methods designed to meet evidentiary admissibility standards. The firm operates a wholly-owned subsidiary, Reveal Digital Forensics and Security, which specializes in digital forensics and security under a separate brand.

The firm's business model is professional services, billed primarily on hourly rates of $50-$100 per hour plus mileage and expenses, with retainers of $500-$2,000 for standard cases and $3,000-$10,000 for complex matters, plus $50-$150 setup fees. Flat-fee pricing applies to process serving, background checks, and document retrieval. Free initial consultations and 24/7 phone availability (local line 208-562-0200 and toll-free 800-250-4907) support an inside sales motion supplemented by website contact and referral forms, Google Ads, organic SEO, and a content blog. Customer segments include insurance carriers (surveillance and workers compensation investigations), law firms (litigation support), individual clients (infidelity, custody, missing persons), corporate clients (background screening, internal fraud), and government agencies. Geographic reach covers Southwest Idaho and Eastern Oregon directly, with Washington state served through a channel partnership with McDonald & Associates and national cases executed via a vetted investigator network. The firm is BBB accredited, maintains active profiles on Facebook, LinkedIn, Google, and Yelp, and is described as having helped thousands of insurance adjusters nationwide over its operating history.

Name

Custer Agency

Legal name

Custer Agency, Inc.

Website

https://custeragency.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1995

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Custer Agency is a Boise, Idaho-based private investigation, computer forensics, and security consulting firm founded in 1995, serving individuals, insurance carriers, law firms, businesses, and government agencies across six western U.S. states.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Private Investigation Services

NAICS

Investigation, Guard, and Armored Car Services (56161), Investigation and Personal Background Check Services (561611)

SIC

Services-Detective, Guard & Armored Car Services (7381)

akta.pro primary industry

Domestic/Family & Matrimonial Investigations (BPAKAEAG)

Keywords

• Private investigation services
• Computer forensics
• Surveillance services
• Security consulting
• Background investigations

Headquarters

HQ city

Boise

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Professional Investigation Services: Hourly-based professional services including private investigation, surveillance, witness interviewing, and statement taking. Billed at $50-$100 per hour depending on complexity, with typical case retainers of $500-$2,000 for basic services and $3,000-$10,000 for complex, extended cases. Setup fees of $50-$150 per case apply. Photographs and video may be charged per item or at flat rates.
2. Flat-Fee Investigation Services: Standardized services such as process serving, background checks, and document retrieval are offered at flat fee rates rather than hourly, providing cost predictability for clients.
3. Litigation Support Services: Litigation support services for law firms including computer forensics, asset searches, witness locating, and expert testimony, typically billed on retainer or project basis.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Custer Agency is a Private Investigation, Computer Forensics and Security firm that provides investigative, surveillance, digital forensics, security consulting and background screening services to individuals, insurance carriers, law firms, businesses and government agencies. Services are delivered by Encase-certified examiners and court-qualified investigators using covert surveillance equipment, GPS tracking, and forensic data recovery tools, with national coverage through a vetted investigator network.

Product overview

Custer Agency offers a portfolio of investigative and security services organized into five core service areas. The core offerings include Private Investigation (surveillance, litigation support, insurance investigations, and asset/people location), Computer Forensics (digital evidence recovery and analysis with Encase-certified examiners), Surveillance (covert video and GPS tracking), Security Consulting (vulnerability assessments and penetration testing), and Background Investigations (screening and record verification). These services are delivered to individual clients, businesses, law firms, insurance companies, and government agencies. The company also operates Reveal Digital Forensics and Security as a subsidiary for specialized forensic work.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Reveal Digital Forensics and Security: A subsidiary of Custer Agency that provides digital forensics and security services, using court-recognized software with investigative procedures to recover data and information for use as evidence.

Products and services

• Private Investigation Core investigative services including surveillance, litigation support, insurance investigations, background checks, witness and asset location, and statement taking. Delivered to individuals, law firms, insurance companies, businesses and government agencies, drawing on 25+ years of experience.
• Computer Forensics Digital forensics services including forensic imaging, recovery of deleted files, emails, social media data and metadata from computers, hard drives, smartphones and storage media; database and email analysis; and expert court testimony delivered by Encase certified examiners.
• Surveillance Covert physical and digital surveillance using surveillance vehicles, integrated cameras and recorders, unmanned stationary surveillance setups, and real-time GPS tracking to monitor subjects for insurance claims, infidelity, custody and other investigative matters.
• Security Consulting Information security services covering threat assessments, security surveys, vulnerability assessments, penetration testing, electronic eavesdropping detection, and expert testimony in civil litigation matters.
• Background Investigations Background check and screening services for pre-employment, nanny/caregiver vetting, juror background research, and civil/criminal record verification using public records and investigative databases.

Named customers1 record

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• McDonald & AssociatescoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMcDonald & Associates is a private investigation firm in Washington state that partners with Custer Agency to provide a full range of private investigative services. This partnership extends Custer Agency's geographic coverage to Washington state, allowing the firm to serve clients with multistate needs without maintaining its own Washington office. The relationship is structured as a referral and delivery partnership where McDonald & Associates executes investigations on behalf of Custer Agency's Washington-based clients.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Kroll: Global investigations, risk consulting, and digital forensics firm. Highly comparable to Custer Agency across computer forensics, corporate investigations, and litigation support, but operates at far greater scale with multinational footprint.
• Pinkerton: Heritage corporate investigations and security services firm with national investigator network and insurance investigations practice. Comparable to Custer's insurance investigations and surveillance work, but at substantially larger scale and broader service mix.
• Control Risks: International corporate investigations, security consulting, and integrity risk firm. Comparable to Custer's corporate investigations and security consulting lines, though focused on multinational enterprise clients.

Direct peers

• Guidepost Solutions: U.S. investigations, security consulting, and digital forensics firm serving law firms, corporations, and government. Closely comparable to Custer Agency's combined PI + forensics + security consulting offering, though at national scale.
• HireRight: Large-scale employment background screening provider serving enterprise and SMB clients. Directly comparable to Custer's Background Investigations product line, but operates a tech-enabled platform model versus Custer's manual investigative approach.
• Sterling: Background screening and identity verification provider. Comparable to Custer's pre-employment and caregiver background investigations, though at much larger enterprise scale with automated technology stack.
• LexisNexis Risk Solutions: Data and analytics provider for background screening, due diligence, and fraud investigation. Comparable to Custer's background and asset search investigations, but competing from a database/technology angle rather than field investigation.
• Cisive: Background screening and insurance investigations provider serving carriers, employers, and law firms. Directly comparable to Custer's insurance SIU and pre-employment screening work, with overlapping customer base.
• Lauth Investigations International: U.S. national private investigation firm offering surveillance, background checks, and corporate investigations. Closely mirrors Custer Agency's service mix and customer segments (insurance, legal, corporate, individual), at national rather than regional scale.

Regional players

• McDonald & Associates: Washington-state private investigation firm that operates as Custer Agency's channel partner for Washington cases. Directly comparable service offering (PI, surveillance, forensics) within a complementary Pacific Northwest geography.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/profile.php?id=100070621999318
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/custer-agency-inc.

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Custer Agency