Skip Tracing

The role of a private investigator in a skip-tracing case is to gather Intel about the person of interest in order to locate him or her. Information such as the home and workplace address, contact detail, and even the real-time location of the POI would be determined.

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What is skip tracing?

 

It is the process of locating a person, whether it is a debtor who has left the city, a witness in a court or legal case, or just a loved one, with whom you have lost contact over the years. When traditional methods of locating an individual do not work, professional private investigators can get the information you need. Has a contractor disappeared without finishing work on your property? Need to find the right address to serve your ex-spouse with legal documents? Looking to recover payment from a deadbeat client? Are you trying to find adoption information for a parent by birth, or looking for someone to take advantage of a property? Skip tracing services will provide you with the information you need to find the missing person.

 

• A person who is a witness in a trial

• People who left due to legal issues

• Individuals who have been named as beneficiaries or heirs in a will or life insurance policy

• Recipients in a class-action suit

• Litigation claimant, plaintiff, or defendant where they are required to produce court documents (such as in a divorce case, involved in a car accident)

• Ex-spouses who support the child or support the wife

• Spouses who have left their spouse, or children

• Landlords who have disappeared after taking money from a potential tenant but have no property to rent

• Employees who have embezzled funds or committed fraud

• Tenants that skipped out on their rent

 

What’s the Difference Between Skip Tracing and Person Locate?

 

Skip tracing and person locating are both services offered by private investigators that involve finding an individual whose whereabouts are currently unknown. While both tasks require expert investigative skills, research, and surveillance, they have stark differences. The primary difference is in the reason that the person is being looked for and the length of time they have been out of reach.

What is Skip Tracing used for?

 

Skip tracing services are used to locate a person of interest who cannot be found at their usual residence or hangouts. There are intentional skips, in which case the person intends to remain hidden. There are also unintentional skips, in which case the person is not actively avoiding anyone, but is simply difficult to find. 

 

Skip tracers are often used when someone needs to be located so they can be served legal documents. Debt collectors sometimes use skip tracers to locate a consumer who owes a debt. Many bounty hunters and bondsmen also use skip-tracing services to help locate individuals who have failed to uphold the conditions of their bond or fugitives who are hiding to avoid incarceration. 

 

But skip tracers are not bounty hunters. Their job is to use investigative skills, analyze clues, and do surveillance work to pinpoint the location of a person of interest. They are not responsible for apprehending the person of interest. 

 

Skip tracers utilize proprietary databases, property and address information, criminal records, court documents, and even social media accounts such as Facebook and Twitter to locate the person of interest. As long as the information is obtained lawfully.

 

The Difference between Skip Tracing and Person Locate

 

Person locating is often used to help find missing persons, long-lost relatives, and witnesses. In many cases, the person of interest has been unaccounted for, for years or even decades. Think of skip tracing as locating a person that has been hard to find for a short period of time, and probably for a specific reason.

 

In contrast, person locating could involve looking for someone that has not been seen for a very long period of time. The person of interest may now have a completely different life, physical appearance, and country of residence. They may now be married with a family, incarcerated, or deceased.

 

For this reason, person locating is normally a more long-term, in-depth investigation than skip tracing. Person locating services can be used to track down someone who was abducted or ran away. 

 

Person locators may interview old friends, relatives, and associates of the person of interest. They also rely heavily on information from public records databases, libraries, court documents, housing records, United States Post Office records, Department of Motor Vehicles records, air travel records, and public tax information.

 

Do you need to locate a parent for child support?

 

Life is difficult as it is but trying to navigate life as a single parent can be even more daunting. Most households require two incomes just to get by these days. When a parent is obligated to help support their child with child support payments, it can be tough when that parent purposely tries to avoid those payments. Even if a parent has remarried, it is still the obligation of the child’s parents to help support their child. Most parents acknowledge their financial obligation to their children and pay their child support payments as ordered. There are some that do anything they can to avoid it. There are some parents that will completely disappear in order to avoid paying their child support payments. Still, others will lie about their income or their employment status to avoid paying. Even if the court garnishes the paycheck of a parent, child support payments can be avoided by not reporting their employment with a company. They may not tell you or the court where they work and that is something that you have to know in order to garnish their paycheck. 

 

If you are having a difficult time locating your child’s parent who is obligated to make child support payments or if your child’s other parent is being dodgy about their employment, call a private investigator at Legal Eye Investigations.  We can scour skip-tracing databases, employ surveillance techniques, interview people, etc. to get the information you need to ensure that you get the child support payments you are owed that you need to take care of your children.

 

​Don't let him/her get away without paying child support. Call Legal Eye Investigations at

410-921-5804. CLICK HERE TO START A SKIP TRACE/LOCATE

 

Skip Tracing: Finding the Unfindable

 

Skip tracing is the process of locating an individual who has gone "missing." This can refer to a person who has skipped out on a debt, absconded from a job, or disappeared for some other reason. Skip tracing is often used by debt collectors, lawyers, and private

investigators to track down individuals who are difficult to find.

 

History of Skip Tracing

 

The practice of skip tracing dates back to the early days of debt collection when debt collectors would go door-to-door trying to locate individuals who had skipped out on their debts. Over time, the process of skip tracing has become more sophisticated, and today, private investigators and other professionals use a range of techniques and tools to track down missing individuals.

 

Methods of Skip Tracing

 

Skip tracing is a complex process that requires a range of skills and techniques. Some of the methods that may be used in a skip-tracing case include:

 

Online searches: This can include searching

social media sites, public records databases, and other online resources to gather information about the missing individual.

 

Data analysis: This involves analyzing data from a variety of sources, such as credit reports, driver's license records, and utility bills, to build a comprehensive profile of the missing person.

 

Surveillance: In some cases, skip tracing may involve conducting surveillance to track the movements of the missing individual.

 

Interviews: Interviewing friends, family members, and other associates of the missing person can provide valuable information that can help in the skip-tracing process.

 

Cold calls: Making unsolicited phone calls to individuals who may have information about the missing person can also be an effective method of skip tracing.

 

Qualifications of a Skip Tracer

 

Skip tracers must have a combination of technical, analytical, and interpersonal skills. They must be able to gather and analyze information, conduct research, and communicate effectively with others. Many skip tracers have prior experience in law enforcement, the military, or a related field. In addition to relevant experience, skip tracers may also be required to obtain a license or certification in their jurisdiction, depending on the regulations in their area.

 

The Benefits of Hiring a Skip Tracer

 

Hiring a skip tracer can bring a number of benefits, including:

 

Expertise: Skip tracers have the skills and expertise to locate individuals who are difficult to find.

 

Efficiency: Skip tracers are able to work quickly and efficiently, which can be especially important in time-sensitive cases.

 

Cost-effectiveness: Hiring a skip tracer can be more cost-effective than trying to locate a missing individual on your own, especially if you don't have the resources or expertise to do so.

 

Confidentiality: Skip tracers are bound by strict codes of ethics and confidentiality, which ensure that information gathered during a skip tracing case is protected. In conclusion, skip tracing is a complex and specialized process that requires the skills and expertise of a professional. Whether you're trying to locate a missing person, recover a debt, or track down a witness, hiring a skip tracer can be the best way to get the job done.