VINvestigators is an independent editorial publication. Our credibility depends on the accuracy and integrity of our work. These standards govern everything we publish.
Our Principles
Sourced
We rely on statutes, court filings, government databases and other trusted sources, such as industry bodies and established news organisations. Every figure and legal citation is checked against the original document before it is published, and the source is named, so you can read it yourself.
Independent
No undisclosed advertising, sponsorship or paid coverage.
Fair
Every case we cover comes from the public record: the charges filed, the court documents and the authorities’ own announcements. We do not call anyone guilty before a court has, and private individuals in our case studies are not named.
Current
Laws and rules change, so our articles do too. Every article shows when it was last updated. Every state guide also shows the date of the next review.
Independence
We do not accept payment in exchange for coverage. Our editorial decisions are made independently, and no advertiser, partner, or sponsor has influence over what we write or how we write it. We run no advertising. Our one commercial relationship is a vehicle history report partner: when a reader buys a report through our link, we earn a commission. That relationship is disclosed beside every such link and in our Disclaimer, and it has no bearing on what we write or on what our free tools show. If we ever feature a paid partnership or sponsored content, it will be clearly labeled as such.
Research and Sources
Every article we publish is based on publicly available data, government records, verified reporting, and direct sources. We cite our sources whenever possible and link to original documents when they are publicly accessible. We do not publish claims we cannot verify.
How Our Articles Are Made
We use AI tools to help with research and drafting. An editor chooses every topic, checks every fact, figure and legal citation against the original source, and edits and approves each article before it is published. Nothing goes live on the strength of a tool’s output alone.
Corrections
We take errors seriously. If we publish something that is factually incorrect, we correct it promptly, and every article shows the date it was last updated. If you spot an error in any of our content, please contact us at hello@vinvestigators.com.
Fairness
We present information fairly and in context. A case is reported from the public record: the charges filed, the court documents and the authorities’ own announcements. We do not call anyone guilty before a court has, private individuals in our case studies are not named, and where a case is still open we say so and give the date of our last check. We do not make accusations without evidence.
Updates
Laws, regulations, and market conditions change. We review and update our state guides and reference content regularly to ensure accuracy. Every article shows the date it was last updated, and each state guide carries a dated verification block with its sources and its next review date.
Conflicts of Interest
If any member of our editorial team has a financial interest or personal connection related to a topic we cover, that conflict is disclosed or the team member recuses themselves from the coverage.