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What to do if…
you receive an unexpected request to meet an investigator at a location you did not choose

Produced and maintained by PanicStation.org Published: Last reviewed: Editorial policy UK guide

Short answer

Pause before agreeing to anything. Verify the request through official contact details you find yourself, then get legal advice before attending, answering questions, or handing over anything.

Do not do these things

  • Don’t go to the unexpected location just to “clear it up”, especially alone or at short notice.
  • Don’t explain your side, confirm details, or answer questions by phone, text, email, or message before legal advice.
  • Don’t use a callback number, QR code, link, or email address from the message unless you have independently verified it.
  • Don’t unlock a device, hand over documents, or bring items just because the requester asks, unless a solicitor advises you.
  • Don’t ignore it entirely if it might be genuine; verify first, then respond in a controlled way.
  • Don’t let urgency, pressure, or embarrassment make the decision for you.

What to do now

  1. Move to a safer pause and slow the timeline. You can say: “I have received your message. I need to verify this and get advice. Please put the request in writing.”

  2. Treat the unexpected location as unverified for now. A real official may ask to meet away from the usual place, but an unexpected location needs careful checking before you attend.

  3. Write down exactly who they claim to be. Ask for their full name, role, organisation, collar or staff number if they have one, and a reference or case number. Do not discuss the facts of the matter while asking this.

  4. Verify them using official contact details you find yourself. Use the organisation’s official website or main public switchboard, not the details in the message. Ask whether that person, unit, reference number, and meeting request are genuine.

  5. If they claim to be police, contact the relevant police force through an official route. Ask the force to confirm the person’s identity, the reference number, and whether they are asking for a voluntary interview, appointment, or some other contact.

  6. Ask for the purpose and status in writing. Ask whether you are being contacted as a suspect, witness, victim, prisoner, person on licence, or someone else. Ask whether any interview is voluntary, whether it is under caution, where it is proposed to happen, and why that location has been chosen.

  7. If police want to question you about a suspected offence, ask for legal advice straight away. In England and Wales, free and independent legal advice is available for voluntary police interviews, and the Defence Solicitor Call Centre or duty solicitor can be used. Say: “I want legal advice and a solicitor present before any interview.”

  8. If the investigator is not police, still get advice before meeting. This may include a local authority, regulator, prison, probation, employer-linked investigator, or other enforcement body. Ask them to set out their legal basis, whether the meeting is under caution, whether you can bring a solicitor, and whether the meeting can be moved to an official setting.

  9. If they insist on a cafe, car park, home visit, or other non-official location, ask for a safer alternative. If police are involved, ask for a police station or other official police setting. If it is another organisation, ask for the organisation’s official office or a formal remote appointment with your adviser included.

  10. If you are in prison, on remand, on licence, or under probation supervision, keep it formal. Ask staff or your supervising contact to verify the name, organisation, and reference through official channels. Ask how to access legal advice before any interview or “off-record chat”.

  11. Preserve the request exactly as received. Keep the letter, envelope, voicemail, email, screenshots, phone number, and any links. Note the date, time, proposed location, names, and reference numbers for your solicitor or adviser.

What can wait

  • You do not need to decide now whether to cooperate, attend, or give an account.
  • You do not need to gather documents, timelines, messages, or explanations until you have had advice.
  • You do not need to work out whether you are “in trouble” right now.
  • You do not need to prove whether the request is real by yourself; verification and advice come first.

Important reassurance

It is reasonable to feel shaken by an unexpected official request. Pausing, verifying identity, asking for the request in writing, and getting legal advice are normal protective steps, not signs that you have done anything wrong.

Scope note

These are first steps only. Later decisions may need a criminal defence solicitor or another specialist adviser, especially if the contact involves police questioning, an interview under caution, prison, probation, or a regulator.

Important note

This is general information, not legal advice or professional advice. Procedures and rights vary by the type of investigator, the setting, and which part of the UK the contact is in.

Additional Resources

Closely connected guides that may be useful during the same situation or its immediate aftermath.

About this guide

This guide was produced and is maintained by PanicStation.org using its published editorial process. Official and specialist sources are checked where relevant, and AI-assisted tools may be used for drafting, organisation, and consistency checks. The site operator remains responsible for publication, revision, and removal decisions.

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