*I did this for a while but no more.
THE TOP TEN BEST COMPUTER SEARCHES
FOR LOCATING MISSING PERSONS
Learn What The Top Sources Are, How To Use Them Correctly And
Analize What You Get Effectively For Successful Skip Tracing
By Ralph D Thomas
Back in the 1960's and 1970's you really had to be a very good investigator in order to conduct hardcore missing persons investigations. There where not any computerized searches like we have today and central repositories of various types of records didn't exist like they do today. As good as all these new high tech skip trace tools are, newer skip tracers and missing persons investigators seem to have a great deal of misconception about them. In and of themselves, they are not investigations and just because you gain access to computer searches doesn't mean that you are going to be able to find anyone anywhere. Oh you will find a few skips now and then but your strick out rate is going to be high. Computer searches have limitations and some people know enough to keep out of certain database files forever outguessing and baffling the unreasoned investigator. It is only when you approach the use of online searches as a mere hit-or-miss tool and not an investigation unto itself that the missing persons investigator will start to become successful. Moreover, there is often hidden information in those files that doesn't give you an address but will open keys to other avenues you most utilize to up your home run score. Keeping that approach in mind, I'd like to review the top databases and online searches for locating missing persons in resending order.
NUMBER ONE
SOCIAL SECURITY TRACE
The Social Security Trace is likely the most effective search used to locate a missing person. It requires that you have the social security number which is used as the input information. This search is actually the top portion of a credit bureau file containing the name and address information. The reason it is the most effective search is because address updates often end up in this database without people realizing that various activity will trigger new address information input into credit bureaus. These reasons could include:
- A)extension of credit
- B) as a direct result of filling out an employment application
- C) As a direct result of filling out an application to rent an apartment.
- D) AS a direct result of a loan company or bank attempting to collect a debt (they skip traced the subject, located the subject and provided the new address to a credit bureau network)
- E) As a direct result of applying for insurance.
- F) As a direct result of applying for various utilities such as water, gas or electric (Many utility companies are now running credit bureaus to determine user deposits).
- G) As a direct result of an investigator or other professional using the National Identifier as a trace on the subject to either obtain the SSN number or verify identity information.
It's important to realize that there are about 200 million credit bureau files that are consistently being instantly updated by hundreds of thousands of input updates weekly.
Social Security Tracing is unregulated by the Fair Credit Reporting Act which means that it is not a restricted search and does not require permissible purposes under the federal law. However, some state laws have superceded federal law. In a few state such as California, a Social Security Trace requires that a notification footer be created every time a Social Security Trace is run. What that means is that a record is kept on the bottom portion of the credit bureau file of the company running the SSN Trace.
When using Social Security Tracing, it is important to understand that there are three credit bureaus (TRW, CBI and Trans Union) that offer such a trace. In order to make a more wider geographical sweep of credit bureau headers, it is usually best to run more than one source.
One of the added features of an SSN tace is the fact that you'll obtain other information that can be helpful.
1) Death Claims Notification
All the credit bureaus subscribe to the Social Security Administration's National Death Claims Index. This is a database of people who have filed claims on an SSN number for death benefits. The original purpose of this extra feature is to insure against credit fraud by using a dead person's SSN number.
2) Multiple Social Security Numbers
When investigators frequency run an SSN Trace on various types of people who are under investigation, they soon notice that many of these people are using more than one SSN number. Sometimes this is a clerical error on the part of people who input information to credit bureaus. More often, however, this is a result of the subject attempting to use a secondary SSN number to cover his trails. Nine times out of ten, this is instantly spotted and tagged with the subject's other file.
HERE IS WHAT A SAMPLE SSN TRACE LOOKS LIKE:
Scanning ... Source #1 FOR ... 123-45-6789
DATE: 11/06/87 TIME: 13:20
* SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER TRACE * 123-45-6789
NAME/SPOUSE SSN OWNER
ADDRESS ADDR RPT DATE
1. CONSUMER, JOHN D SUBJECT
3142 TAG DR., KANSAS CITY. KANSAS 66102 09/84
2. CONSUMER, JOHN D SUBJECT
178 COLDSPRING LN., DALLAS, TX 75228 10/87
Scanning ... Source #2 FOR ... 123-45-6789
M1 OF 4 NM-CONSUMER,JOHN CA-3142,TAG,DR,KANSAS CITY,KA,66102 ,04/84
SS-123-45-6789 AGE 46
M2 OF 4 NM-CONSUMER,JOHN,D CA-441,VINE,ST,TAMPA,FL,33604,07/86
SS-123-45-6789
M3 OF 4 NM-CONSUMER,JOHN CA-123,SANDY,LN,DETROIT,MI,48229,11/86
FA-4162,MCLEAN,DR,CINCINNATI,OH,45230,7/87
SS-123-45-6789 AGE 46
M3 OF 4 NM-SMITH,JOHN CA- 178 COLDSPRING,LN,DALLAS,TX,75228,9/87
FA-123,SANDY,LN,DETROIT,MI,48229,9/86
SS-123-45-6789 AGE 45
How to Interpret the above
M1 OF 4 ... is interpreted as Message 1 of 4 name/address records
NM- ... is interpreted as Lastname,Firstname
CA- ... is interpreted as Current Address
,mm/yy ... is interpreted as the month/year name/address was entered as data
FA- ... is interpreted as Former Address
SS- ... is interpreted as the associated Social Security Number
AGE- ... is interpreted as reported age of the subject
Full article > https://www.pimall.com/nais/n.ten.ss.html
