Investigations
An agent wants to talk. What now?
A business card in the door or a friendly call from an agent is often the first sign of an investigation. A calm, polite answer protects you.
You are reading: You can be polite and still say no
You can be polite and still say no
You do not have to answer an agent's questions on the spot. You can say: I would like to speak with a lawyer first, and my lawyer will be in touch. Then take the agent's card and stop the conversation.
Why a short talk is risky
Agents are trained interviewers. Their notes, not your memory, become the record of what you said. Saying something inaccurate to a federal agent, even by mistake, can be charged as a separate crime.
If they have a warrant
A search warrant is different. Do not physically interfere, ask for a copy, and do not answer questions. Note what is taken, keep the inventory receipt, and call a lawyer as soon as you can.
What your lawyer does next
Your lawyer will contact the agent or prosecutor, learn what the inquiry is about, and find out whether you are seen as a witness, a subject or a target. That one call often changes how the rest of the matter goes.
This article is general information about how federal matters usually work. It is not legal advice, and reading it does not create an attorney-client relationship. Every situation turns on its own facts.