Gone are the days of long lost family and friends. It now seems possible to get in contact with just about everyone in this digital age. Social networking websites, such as Facebook and Twitter, have been around for years, allowing anyone the opportunity to catch up with family, friends, work colleagues and perhaps even an old flame or two.

Social networking websites give us the opportunity to connect up with just about anyone around us, instantly, via their built-in messaging systems. Instant messaging isn't just limited to social networks, however.

With smartphones now a part of many people's lives, there are a whole host of apps that allow instant messaging capability, often with the option to include attachments such as photos and videos. All that is usually required to hook up is knowledge of the other person’s mobile phone number or email address, or sometimes just a full name. Of course, there are still the old school methods of communication, such as email and text messages as well.

While these can be a fantastic, fun way to keep in touch, they can easily become a route for illicit communications.

For someone using one or all of these methods to carry on a conversation they’d rather nobody else knew about, it’s very easy for them to cover up their tracks. Exchanged messages are easily deleted, never to be seen again, and website or social network activity is very easily erased, again, leaving no trace behind. While no browsing activity in itself looks suspicious, in the mind of someone with a guilty conscience, no evidence is much better than being caught holding the ‘smoking gun’.

If you feel you're now at the stage where you’re hearing a little too much of your partner’s text message tones and perhaps their phone or computer always seems to be closely guarded, even if you've confronted them directly, only to be told ‘you’re overreacting!', yet they still continue, then you’re possibly at the stage where you require outside help.

It's the not knowing that's the worst part. You need some evidence that can’t be deleted or covered up. You need the help of an impartial, professional private detective who’ll be able to find out, via covert surveillance methods, if you have anything to worry about. Hopefully for your sake, there won’t be but just bear in mind, we’re always here, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week if you need us.