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Do More With Less: Techniques for Effective and Efficient Skip Tracing

Presenters:

Erin Collins, LexisNexis erin.collins@lexisnexis.com

Roland Girulat, Experian Rollin.girulat@experian.com

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Objectives

• Understand the best skip trace techniques.

• Identify the best skip trace tools.

• As a result, be more effective and efficient with the use of time and money.

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Agenda

• Skip tracing 101: What it is and what we are looking for.

• Techniques for successful skip tracing.

• Tools for skip tracers – Free Tools – Fee Based Tools

• The quest for efficiency – automation and monitoring.

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What Is Skip Tracing?

• A Skip: A person who’s current address, phone number, or place of employment is unknown.

• A Trace: The act of looking for the skip by tracing the clues left behind.

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What Are We After?

• Address • Phone numbers• Assets • Place of employment • Health insurance provider • Professional license • Judgments or settlements • Anything and everything that may provide

a new lead.

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How Do We Get There?

By utilizing the best skip tracing

techniques in conjunction with the right data sources.

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Techniques For Effective Skip Tracing

The Techniques

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Techniques - Think Sideways

• • •• • •• • •

Using 4 straight lines, connect all 9 dots without breaking the line (i.e. don’t lift your pen off the paper). You’ve got 5 minutes.

Hint: Don’t think of the dots as starting and stopping points for your line, they are just points along the way.

Prize: The first 2 people to solve this puzzle receive a $15 gift card.

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Techniques – Think Sideways

1. Find patters where others only see chaos.

2. Make intuitive leaps.

3. Find missing links.

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Techniques - Filter First

1. Death

2. Incarceration

3. Bankruptcy

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Techniques – Collect, Collect, Collect

1. Collect all the data you can find.

2. Keep diligent records of the data and tasks completed.

-Mail Sent- Phone Calls Made - Interviews

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Techniques – Recognize a Lead When You See One

1. SSN Decoding: - First 3 = State of origin- First 5 = State plus the date of

issuance.

2. Citations/ Tickets: Identify area of residence. I

3. Foreclosures: Provide excellent real estate contacts.

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Techniques – Look Beyond the Obvious: Use Your Powers of Deduction

The list below gives you everything you need to know to identify how these people are related to Erin Collins – Age 33.

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Techniques – Be Aggressive

1. Dial, Dial, Dial.

2. Be inquisitive and ask lots of questions.

3. Challenge people who lie.

4. Appeal to their sense of empathy.

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Techniques – Be Patient

1. Don’t give up after you hit your first wall. Think sideways.

2. Monitor: A new address may be just around the corner.

3. Practice makes perfect.

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Tools For Effective Skip Tracing

Free Search Tools

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Tools - The Tools You Already Have

1. Your File: Case file and the Child Support Automated Case Management System.

- Read it cover to cover. - Keep a list of all leads.

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Tools – The Tools You Already Have

2. DMV

- Monitor license renewal.

- Monitor registration renewal.

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Tools – The Tools You Already Have

3. The Custodial Parent: - Your best source of data.- Interview and re-interview. - Ask, Ask, Ask!

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Tools - Informants

Potential Informants

– Relatives

– Neighbors

– Landlords

– Former employers

– Colleagues

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Tools – Free Web Tools

1. Phone Numbers: www.411.com

2. SSN Decoding: http://stevemorse.org/ssn/ssn.html

3. CA Professional Licenses: http://www2.dca.ca.gov/pls/wllpub/wllquery$.startup

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Tools – Free Web Tools

4. Businesses: – Secretary of State:

http://kepler.sos.ca.gov/secretary– City’s business license database.

5. CA Court Search: By county – see county websites.

6. CA State Inmate Search: – To find out if someone is in custody

call the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation at (916) 445-6713.

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Tools – Free Web Tools

7. Social Networking = www.yoname.com

– Facebook

– MySpace

– Twitter

– LinkedIn

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Tools – Free Web Tools

8. Google - Search Tips

– Quotes: Searches for an exact phrase.

• EX: “High End Auto Repair” = requires that all 3 words appear in the document.

– OR: Allows for either word to appear in the document.

• Ex: “High End Auto Repair” Sacramento or Fresno = provides results where either city appears in the document.

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Tools – Free Web Tools

Google Search Tips Continued

– + Symbol: Requires all words appear in the document.

• “High End Auto Repair” +Sacramento = requires that the phrase and the word “Sacramento” appear in all documents.

– - Symbol: Excludes words from the document.

• “High End Auto Repair” +Sacramento -Guide = is the same result as above except the word “guide” must also be excluded from all documents.

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Tools For Effective Skip Tracing

Fee Based Search Tools

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Credit Profile ReportUsing credit reports for skip tracing and asset searches

October 21, 2009

© 2009 Experian Information Solutions, Inc. All rights reserved. Experian and the marks used herein are service marks or registered trademarks of Experian Information Solutions, Inc. Other product and company names mentioned herein may be the trademarks of their respective owners. No part of this copyrighted work may be reproduced, modified,or distributed in any form or manner without the prior written permission of Experian Information Solutions, Inc.

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© 2009 Experian Information Solutions, Inc. All rights reserved. Experian and the marks used herein are service marks or registered trademarks of Experian Information Solutions, Inc. Other product and company names mentioned herein may be the trademarks of their respective owners. No part of this copyrighted work may be reproduced, modified,or distributed in any form or manner without the prior written permission of Experian Information Solutions, Inc.

Agenda

• What is a credit profile report?

• What are the components of a credit report?

• How can the credit report be used for skip tracing?

29© 2009 Experian Information Solutions, Inc. All rights reserved.

What is a credit report?

What is a credit report?A composite history of a consumer’s credit and identification information

A credit profile report provides the following benefits:

• Consistency: provides uniform access and representation of data of the consumer over time

• Currency: updates are made continuously, providing an up-to-date picture of the consumer

• Accuracy: accurate, total composite of each consumer, eliminates multiple/partial files

• Depth: data retention rules that ensure the most comprehensive history

• Content: comprehensive source of consumer data

Consistency Currency Accuracy Depth Content

30© 2009 Experian Information Solutions, Inc. All rights reserved.

Identification information

Best Name and Best SSN specifically stated Other names and other SSNs also listed Identification description listed for results (e.g. “Does not match inquiry”)

31© 2009 Experian Information Solutions, Inc. All rights reserved.

Address and employment information

Best Address listed along with other addresses

Address information includes detailed information on when, how may times, by whom and by what means the address was reported

Best Employer listed along with other employers

Employer information includes detail as to when and by what means the employment data was reported

32© 2009 Experian Information Solutions, Inc. All rights reserved.

Consumer messages, demographics, Fraud Shield

Consumer statements or messages presented after employment data

Demographics identified as “Best” and “Other” with Geo codes

33© 2009 Experian Information Solutions, Inc. All rights reserved.

Profile Summary

Disputed accounts displayed Delinquency counter identifies delinquency timeframe in addition to number

of accounts associated

34© 2009 Experian Information Solutions, Inc. All rights reserved.

Public record information

Categorized as Liens, Civil Actions and Bankruptcies

Field descriptions are included for each piece of data

35© 2009 Experian Information Solutions, Inc. All rights reserved.

Trade information

Type of trade identified – mortgage displayed first Each piece of data is associated with a descriptor Payment history table Worst delinquency and date available, mortgage ID number and type of

payment included at bottom of trade

36© 2009 Experian Information Solutions, Inc. All rights reserved.

Trade information

Installment accounts are displayed after mortgage with delinquent or collection accounts presented first

Additional creditor and payment information provided

37© 2009 Experian Information Solutions, Inc. All rights reserved.

Trade information

Revolving accounts displayed last, delinquent accounts presented first

38© 2009 Experian Information Solutions, Inc. All rights reserved.

Inquiry information

Inquiries

Consumer Assistance

• Spells out the industry type

• Includes amount, type, terms

• Included at end of report

39© 2009 Experian Information Solutions, Inc. All rights reserved.

Using the credit reportSkip tracing and asset searches

Identification information

Address and employment information

Messages, demographics, Fraud Shield

Public record information

Trade information

Inquiry information

• Use to identify aliases, Best Name and SSN

• Identify and search on alternate SSNs

• Insight into other parties pursing obligor

• Liens, civil actions, bankruptcy

• Identify address type (e.g. commercial business)

• Cell phone numbers listed (self-reported)

• Access Best Address reported by trade reporter

• Employment data for contact and garnishment

• Identify attempts to access additional credit

• Contacts to leverage for additional information

• Lists potential assets available for seizure

• Insight into overall financial health and activity

40© 2009 Experian Information Solutions, Inc. All rights reserved.

Benefits of using the credit reportSkip tracing and asset searches

• Increases your ability to locate individuals who have moved or are hard to find

• Improves your collection and recovery efforts

• Increases employee productivity

• Returns updated contact information including Best Name, Address, Telephone Number

• Provides insight into public record, trade (asset) and credit inquiry information

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Tools – Unregulated People Finders

1. Examples

– Address and Phone Finders: www.ussearch.com

www.infobel.com

– Relative, Birth and Death Identifiers: www.ancestory.com, www.rootsweb.com

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Tools – Unregulated People Finders

2. Advantages- Fast and easy access online. - Typically no contracts.

3. Disadvantages - Limited data access: Often no private data. - Restrictions on input. Generic names are a challenge.

4. Tips- Hidden Fees: Watch out for hidden fees.

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Tools – Regulated People Finders

1. Examples

- Accurint

- AutoTrack

- LocatePlus

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Tools – Regulated People Finders

2. Advantages

- More Data: • Private Data: Credit Header, Utility etc. • Cell Phones • Assets • Work History • Business Data • Licenses and Court Data

- Updates: Typically more frequently updated.

- Linking and advanced search logic.

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Tools – Regulated People Finders

3. Disadvantage- Limited Access: Permissible purpose only.

- Costs: Costs are typically much higher than other search tools discussed.

4. Tips - Shop Around: Flat rate fees are typically

safer/ look for hidden fees.

- Pay attention to coverage.

- Pay attention to update schedules.

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Tools - News

1. Examples of Useful News Content

– Marriage and engagement – Obituaries – Police blotter– Asset and business details

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Tools - News

2. Tips

- News stories are not enough.

- Learn the applicable search techniques to narrow results

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Tools For Effective Skip Tracing

Tools For Efficiency

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Tools – Batch

1. Batch

• Definition: Processing large volumes of data at once.

• Example: The caseworker submits a list of 5,000 NCP’s who are in arrears. The list includes the name and last known address. The list is returned with new addresses and phone numbers.

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Tools – Batch

• Batch Requirements:

– Data must be available electronically.

– Must be looking to obtain the same output on all individuals or businesses.

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Tools – Batch

• Batch Tips: Start with the filters first (death, bankruptcy, jail). Consider the following:

– Best Address– Best Phone – Property Ownership

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Tools – Monitoring

2. Monitoring/ Alerts/Triggers

• Definition: An ongoing search performed daily, weekly, or monthly, that sends an alert or email to the user when the debtors data has changed.

• Example: The caseworker gets an email when the vendor receives the following on the NCP: a new address, a new cell phone number, a change in property ownership etc.

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Tools - Monitoring

• Monitoring Tips

– Update Schedule: Pay attention to how often the vendor updates their data.

– Data Source: Be aware of where the data is coming from so you can interpret it properly.

– Closed Files: Consider using this tool on closed or inactive files

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Do More With Less: Techniques for Effective and Efficient Skip Tracing

Conclusion:

Best Techniques + Best Tools = Most $$ collected or NCP’s identified with the least amount of $$ and effort expended.

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Do More With Less: Techniques for Effective and Efficient Skip Tracing

Questions ???