In a world where people can easily disappear, skip tracing serves as a vital process for locating individuals who are otherwise difficult to find. From financial institutions chasing down borrowers who’ve defaulted on loans, to law firms tracking down defendants, the need to reconnect with someone who has “gone off the grid” spans across industries and personal situations.
We’ll explore how skip tracing works, why it’s legal, and when hiring a professional skip tracer becomes necessary. Whether you’re a landlord dealing with a missing tenant or a business in need of critical verification, understanding the purpose and process of skip tracing can save you time, resources, and frustration.
The Purpose of Skip Tracing
Skip tracing is locating individuals who are intentionally trying not to be found. They may have several reasons for going off the grid, such as debts they can’t (or don’t want to) pay. They could also be a missing person or may want to avoid having vital information verified.
Law firms often use skip tracing to try to track down defendants, but businesses in other industries need skip tracing services too. Some of the most common goals of skip tracing are:
- Locating borrowers who have defaulted on their loans. Financial institutions or debt collectors may hire skip tracers to find these borrowers.
- Finding a missing person. Law enforcement or even concerned families might want to track down a teenager who’s run away from home or an estranged family member.
- Verifying information: Employers might rely on skip tracing services to validate credentials on job applications.
There are plenty of other reasons to use skip tracing too:
- Bounty hunters who need to find someone who hasn’t appeared in court
- Lawyers who want to locate someone needed for a criminal or civil case
- Landlords who haven’t received rent from their tenants
- Businesses that haven’t received a payment from their client
- Potential tenants who paid a deposit but had their new landlord vanish
- Businesses that shut down but still owe money or services to clients
- Real estate agents and investors looking for people who want to buy or sell real estate
- Adopted children looking for their biological parents
- Spouses whose partners or other family members have gone missing
- Journalists trying to track down sources for an investigative report
How Does a Skip Tracer Find Someone?
Skip tracing professionals typically use a four-step process to find individuals.
Step 1: Gather Information
First, a skip tracer collects as much information as they can about the subject using public databases and information provided by their clients. This first round of information typically includes:
- Full name and all known aliases
- Social Security number
- Last known address
- Phone number(s)
- Email address(es)
- Date of birth
- Employment history
- Vehicle information
Step 2: Mine Data
After getting the basic information about the individual they’re looking for, skip tracers dig deeper. They check sources like:
- Court records
- Property records
- Marriage or divorce records
- Credit reports
- Social media platforms
- Job applications
- DMV records
- Previous criminal background checks
- Utility accounts
- Online search engines
- Image search
- Voter registration
There are special software and databases designed for skip tracing that come in handy at this stage of the process.
Step 3: Analyze and Verify
Once skip tracers get all this info, their work’s far from done. They have to sift through, analyze, and confirm if it’s accurate. They usually try to cross-reference data by finding it in more than one source.
They’ll also look for any patterns or inconsistencies, such as an alias used multiple times. This step also involves making a timeline to determine where they were and when. Skip tracers use this timeline to figure out where their subject is most likely located currently.
Step 4: Attempt Contact
After they’ve verified contact information like a phone number or physical address, the skip tracer or their client will try to reach out to the individual. This contact can be via phone call, email, in-person visits, contacting known family members or associates, or mail.
State laws differ on how people can be contacted by skip tracers. It depends on why the person is being tracked down.
Is Skip Tracing Illegal in the U.S.?
Skip tracing is legal in the U.S., but some states require you to be a licensed private investigator to conduct skip tracing. If you hire a professional skip tracer, however, you shouldn’t have to worry about the investigation staying within the bounds of the law (as long as your skip tracing service is the real deal!)
There are certain regulations to follow, such as the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA). Individuals also have certain privacy rights that skip tracers have to respect. They can’t use invasive tactics and must handle the sensitive information they gather responsibly.
When to Hire a Professional Skip Tracer
If you’re trying to find someone, you can conduct a skip trace on your own, but it’s usually best to hire a professional. Why? A professional skip tracing service will know how to investigate while following state privacy laws. If you’re unfamiliar with these regulations, you might easily break the law while simply trying to track down information.
Here are some other scenarios when you should hire a professional skip tracer:
- You can’t find the person: If you have no idea where to look, hire a skip tracer. They’ll know the best approach for finding them.
- You think the individual lives in a specific area: If you suspect the person you’re looking for lives in a certain area but you can’t confirm, hire a skip tracer—especially if you’re trying to serve them legal documents.
- You want to verify their death or incarceration: In some cases, friends or family might try to protect a loved one from being found by claiming they’re dead or in prison. If you hire a skip tracer, you can find out the truth. They’ll be able to review criminal records and check local jails or federal prisons.
It can be extremely frustrating trying to find someone who doesn’t want to be found. You can waste time and resources on attempting to locate this person yourself, or you can call in the professional skip tracers from the start.
Skip tracers not only have the skills and experience to find individuals, they can also dedicate more time to the investigation than you likely can. You probably have other matters to worry about, if you’re tracking this person down as part of your work. A professional skip tracer can devote their full attention to the investigation, making it much more efficient than if you do it on your own.
Skip Tracing with Firefly Legal
At Firefly Legal, we take pride in our comprehensive skip tracing service. We’re an industry leader because we embrace new technology and constantly look for ways to improve our service for our clients.
When you hire us for your skip tracing needs, here’s what’s included:
- Comprehensive Database Searches: We do a thorough analysis across confidential and public databases to locate the individuals you need to find. Our team can access many public and private records, as well as proprietary sources.
- Digital Footprint Analysis: Since we use advanced technology for our skip tracing services, we’re able to trace the digital footprint of your subject. This method can be more effective where traditional methods fall short.
- Due Diligence Affidavit: We keep extensive notes and records from our skip tracing and process serving teams, including the databases checked, times, dates, and more. Our team then compiles the required information and status update in a thorough affidavit.
- Field Investigations: Firefly Legal goes beyond mere digital skip tracing—when needed, we go out in the field and conduct legally compliant investigations.
- Pre-Skip Tracing: We have a system that allows us to pre-emptively pinpoint an individual’s likely location before we engage in full skip tracing. It can help save you time and money.
- Process Serving Recommendations: We often do skip tracing for attorneys who need to serve legal documents. We’re also a fully equipped process serving company, so we’re able to provide sound advice on the best way to serve.
- Surveillance Techniques: We can use legal surveillance techniques to monitor your subject discretely and in full compliance with the law.
The Bottom Line: Why Skip Tracing Matters
At Firefly Legal, we combine advanced technology, thorough investigative methods, and years of experience to deliver accurate, legally compliant results. Whether you need to find a missing borrower, track down someone for legal purposes, or verify critical information, our team has the skills and resources to get the job done.
Don’t let the frustration of searching for someone on your own take up your valuable time and energy. Let Firefly Legal handle the process for you, so you can focus on what matters most. Reach out to us today and discover how professional skip tracing can make a difference for you.
