Q: Do you charge for investigations?
A: No, we will never charge anyone for an investigation.
Q: Can you tell me if my house/place of business is haunted?
A: No. Our team does not believe in informing any of our clients whether or not they have a haunting. Rather, we conduct investigations by gathering all the evidence we are able to, and then present that evidence to you, the client, to make your own assumptions. We will not conclude anything officially about a location being haunted for numerous reasons. First, we could be wrong. Second, some people find it humorous to take advantage of paranormal investigators by setting them up and staging a haunting. Third, many businesses call in paranormal teams to investigate for them in order for the investigators to claim they have a haunting to draw in more business. If we will not be telling clients they are haunted, we are less likely to encounter those business owners looking to set up investigators. Lastly, it is our belief as a team of professionals that the paranormal as a whole is a very misunderstood thing that we still have much to learn from. No one has the right to claim anything concerning ghosts and other phenomenon as fact, because it simply is not.
Q: Is your team open to any number of people interested in joining?
A: Absolutely not. We have a limited number of open positions, and we take acquiring new members very seriously. GHoST prefers quality over quantity. First, after filling out an application, our lead investigators will get back to the person applying. If they feel that person would be a good addition to the them, they will then meet with them to discuss certain points about the team and to get to know the potential member better. They will then get back to that person at a later date after the founders have time to discuss it. If they decide to allow that person in, they will have that member sign the GHoST Member Agreement form and they will go into the probation period in which they are considered trainees and not full members for the length of 3 investigations with the team. If the lead investigators decide they are worthy additions, they will then be accepted into the team as full members.
Q: Do you charge your members?
A: Yes, we charge our full members, meaning if you are still in the probation period as a trainee, you will not be charged (as we have yet to decide fully if we will accept you into the team). We charge a fee of $10 monthly. This goes towards any equipment we are in need of, as well as extra equipment for the team to use. In addition, this helps pay for things we are constantly replacing, such as batteries, CDs, tapes, duct tape, paper, as well as travel expenses. The way we see it, ghost hunting is your recreational activity, and the founders cannot afford to pay for your hobby in addition to their own. These monthly dues are non-refundable if you decide to drop out of the team at a later time.
Q: Are you a leisure ghost hunting team?
A: No, we are not. We consider ourselves serious paranormal investigators, and we do not take this subject lightly. Much of our work we do revolves around paperwork and forms we are constantly filling out, both in and outside of investigations. Members are required to log data while on an investigation, and we also have legal waivers and forms that members as well as clients must sign for the security of them both. We are not just thrill-seekers looking for a good time.
Q: Do you believe in orbs?
A: Our standpoint as a team is that we will not accept orbs as a form of paranormal evidence. The reason that team GHoST will not accept orbs as hard evidence is the sheer fact that these supposed orbs can be produced in every single environment -- inside or outside -- under every circumstance. With chances this great of capturing these anomalies in photographs, it doesn't make sense to sit down and contemplate which is a bug, which is moisture, which is a reflection, and which is dust, let alone arguing about whether or not it could be paranormal. It's far too unprofessional and amateur of our team to consume our time with this. If you personally believe that orbs are paranormal, then fine. If you really want our opinions on them though, be prepared to hear the contrary.
Q: I have some evidence (ie. photographs, EVPs, video, etc.) of the paranormal. Will your team evaluate it for me?
A: Yes, we can do that for you, as it is one of our services. Please allow some time though for us to go over it together to conclude our opinions.
Q: I want your team to come investigate my home/business, but I hear investigations can take hours. What should my family and I do while your team investigates?
A: You have one of two choices. Our Technical Team Manager will set up a command center, or home base if you will, outside of the investigation location. It is here that the monitor(s) will be set up where they will watch the cameras and man the station. You and your family may stay here if you so choose to watch everything that is happening inside your property. However, we do not require you to stay here if you feel comfortable leaving to go somewhere other than the premises. We simply feel that some people would be more comfortable staying to watch, and so we invite them to do so.
Q: I thought your team did a very professional and thorough job of investigating my place. I know you don't charge for investigations, but can I pay you a little anyway?
A: You're right, we never charge for investigations, however, we do accept donations. Our team is always striving to acquire all the necessary equipment to perform proper investigations in order to satisfy our clients. Your donations will help us tremendously to accomplish that.
Q: If I invite your team to investigate my home/business and the activity there worsens after your departure, may I invite you back again?
A: Yes, we are very open to follow-up investigations. Many times, this allows us to revisit places of activity, as well as to attempt to discover the sources of any evidence we may have captured the first time around.
Q: I know your team does not tell clients whether they are haunted or not. But I believe my place is haunted. Can you at least help me to get rid of spirits?
A: We will offer any advice we can in order to remove any unwanted guests or at least to decrease the activity. However, we cannot guarantee that the ghosts themselves will in fact leave. Our team though will not attempt to remove any ghosts ourselves. This removal is entirely up to you, the owners, if you choose to take our advice.
Q: Is your team spiritual, and do you use rituals, charms, and so forth during investigations?
A: No, not at all. We do not expect every member of our team to share the same religious beliefs, and so we do not practice any sort of religion. Rather, we rely on modern scientific equipment and reasoning to perform our investigations. If you would like a more spiritual investigation or cleansing, please seek a different team.
Q: Although I don't live in the area in which your team is based, I still would like to keep updated on your investigations and your group. Is there a way I can do this? Could you e-mail me updates?
A: The founders themselves are already busy people, so personally e-mailing individuals who are curious about us is a bit out of the question. Instead, you may want to consider joining our forums (the link is in the side nav bar).
Q: Who is DuPage Paranormal Society, and how are your teams connected?
A: DuPage Paranormal Society, or DPS, is another local team based in the same area we are. We have come to know each other and our teams share very similar views. We consider them affiliates of ours and we highly recommend them, as they too are very professional and skilled. Their team members helped to get our group started when it was first being formed and we are glad to know them.