Individuals who acquire debt and feel that they have run out of options may decide to fall off the grid and stop responding to collection agencies. Some debtors will go as far as relocating and faking their identities. Fortunately, there are skip tracers like the professionals at Serve Index LLC, who are experienced in tracking even the most elusive debtors.
The Evolution of Skip Tracing
Skip tracing in the credit and collections industry has evolved throughout the years. Gone are the days when tracers relied solely on phone directories and handwritten ledgers. Now, public records and specialized databases are also being used to locate hard-to-find individuals.
Here are a few known tactics that skip tracers today use to gather information on and locate debtors.
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Caller ID
A skip tracer will send mail to all known addresses of the debtor. Enclosed in the mail are their contact information and a letter stating that they need to speak to the debtor about an urgent matter. This may pique the interest of the debtor, and they may call the number.
The skip tracer’s caller ID will capture the phone number, which can then be entered into a reverse phone directory like www.411.com. These directories provide information on the address to which the phone number belongs.
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Directory Assistance
Even if the debtor’s phone line has been deactivated, skip tracers can still call directory assistance to request a list of phone numbers in the area with the same last name as the debtor.
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Professional Licensing Agency
If the target has a landline number, skip tracers may look into online and printed telephone directories to search for the individual’s phone number and address.
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Online Search Engines
Search engines like Google may offer clues to an individual’s whereabouts. Skip tracers may enter the target’s name enclosed in quotes in a search engine to look for useful information that will help lead them to their target.
The downside to this tactic is that information found online might be outdated, especially if the target has just skipped town.
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Tracing of Third Parties
If the target has had roommates in the past, skip tracers may get in touch with these individuals. The target may still be in touch with these third parties and may even move back in with them.
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Change of Address at the Postal Service
Skip tracers may write “Do Not Forward — Address Correction Requested” on an empty envelope or package and mail it to the debtor’s last known address.
The postal service will eventually mail back the envelope to the sender (the skip tracer) with a note on the outside indicating the forwarding address of the debtor. Note that this tactic will only work if the debtor provided a forwarding address to the postal service.
Accurate and Reliable Skip Tracing Services
While debtors may be good at hiding, Serve Index LLC’s skip tracers are even better at tracking down even the most evasive individuals. We make use of publicly available and proprietary databases to locate and verify the identities of hard-to-locate people.
Reach out to us at 1-888-994-6339 to schedule an appointment today.