Skip tracing is the process of locating and determining a person’s whereabouts. Most skip traces involve those who are trying to avoid debt collection and have skipped bail or attempting to circumvent other legal problems. For the investigator it differs little from a missing person case, though in the missing person case the primary thrust is determining the personal welfare of the missing person. In skip tracing the person is usually actively endeavoring to avoid contact.
Skip Tracing Tools & Techniques
The skip tracer, the one performing the search collects as much data as possible to attempt to locate individuals. Employing social engineering techniques, or obtaining information through interview of friends and neighbors, sometimes using misleading or false pretenses. Phone databases, credit reports, loan and credit card applications, job apps, criminal background checks, utility bills, social security, disability and tax information. There are professional data bases only available to law enforcement or licensed private investigators. Skip tracing is essentially an exercise in open source intelligence operation. One of the elements of a skip trace is that the target doesn’t want to be found, and purposely tries to avoid detection. Obfuscation techniques are used by the target to cover their trail and current location.
What Are Skip Tracing Services Used for?
Skip traces are conducted to locate witnesses in legal matters, legal service of court papers like subpoenas and pending action notices, debtors who have defaulted on debt, defendants who have failed to appear in court (bail skip), and on a positive note missing Heirs to Estates. And of course, there are voluntary missing persons cases as well, including runaways.
Skip Tracers Use Social Media to Find Missing Persons
A knowledge of human behavior is critical. Humans are social creatures, and most of us wouldn’t be comfortable cutting off all contact with our friends, indeed we may want to enlist them in covering up our locations, many will maintain contact. It is amazing how many people on the run from legal entanglements cannot stay away from social media, for some it resembles an addiction. A savvy internet investigator can locate someone without leaving the office.
DIY VS Professional Skip Tracing
Why the pro investigator rather than the DIY approach? Private investigators specializing in skip tracing and develop a lot of experience piercing the veil created by the avalanche of data available. They are familiar with online mores of social media and can navigate without giving themselves away. They are organized and know how to sift through the data deluge and find those valuable nuggets that lead to locating an individual. Another advantage the pro has is access to databases and records not available to the masses. They now how to navigate land records, marriage and court records. They use specialized software for criminal intelligence analysis and can link phone records, people with family, friends and organizations and use event analysis to decipher multiple situations. A pro has the tools, know how and insight that allows them to locate people and being private they can pass the knowledge to you, avoiding the limitations placed on state investigators.
Professional Skip Tracing Services in Greater Miami, Sunny Isles, Fort Lauderdale, Boca Raton & Miami Gardens Florida
Skip tracing is one of those occupations left to the professional private investigators who are equipped with the resources and experience to locate those who have no desire to be found. Contact Advanced Private Investigator & Security of Miami FL for all your private investigator and security needs.
