Skip tracing is a phrase used in the business to describe the process of identifying a fugitive who cannot be discovered at their normal hangouts or house. The term “skip” refers to the individual who is being sought (derived from the phrase “to skip town”), while “tracing” refers to the procedure of locating the skip.
Bail bondsmen, bounty hunters, repossession agents, private detectives, debt collectors, and even journalists utilize skip tracing the most. Skip tracing, on the other hand, can be done by a professional — known as a skip tracer — who is an expert in the field. For example, AAA Attorney Services can help with skip tracing and a number of other attorney services.
What is Skip Tracing and How Does It Work?
Skip tracing is done by gathering information on the person in question. The skip tracer analyzes, verifies, and uses all of the data it collects to identify the individual’s whereabouts. Skip tracing might include obtaining and analyzing a large amount of data or a little amount of data, each with its own set of benefits and drawbacks.
Although most skip tracers today use the Internet to obtain information on someone’s locations, many also use social engineering, which entails contacting on people who might know something about the topic.
The skip tracer’s task is to collect the needed information from a variety of sources and databases. As a result, skip tracing frequently entails gaining access to the following:
- Databases of phone numbers
- Credit reports
- Applications for credit cards
- Applications for jobs
- Criminal background checks
- Loan applications
- Utility bills
- Tax information that is available to the public
- Databases of public records
- Records from the courthouse
- Loyalty cards for department stores
- Records for air travel
- Departments in charge of driver’s licenses and car registration
Bounty Hunting and Skip Tracing
The word “skip tracing” is most commonly associated with bail bonds and bounty hunting, and many bounty hunters and bail bondsmen use skip tracers to assist them in locating persons who have failed to satisfy their bond’s terms. As a result, the terms skip tracing and bounty hunting are frequently confused.
Skip tracing, on the other hand, is a distinct procedure, and while it is sometimes used in conjunction with bounty hunting, the two activities are not the same. In other words, while bounty hunters can work as skip tracers, skip tracers cannot work as bounty hunters.
Bail bondsmen and bounty hunters both utilize skip tracing to track down someone who has failed to appear in court. The task of skip tracing in the bail bonds industry can be difficult since the defendant who skips bail does not want to be caught for fear of being sent to jail (referred to as an intentional skip, as opposed to an inadvertent skip, which includes a person who is not attempting to evade discovery).
In bounty hunting, skip tracing entails evaluating information about the subject and discovering evidence to aid in the capture of the fugitive. Skip tracers collect evidence and prepare reports that are subsequently utilized by bounty hunters while seeking to apprehend the fugitive using both traditional records and internet tools and databases, all while following by federal, state, and municipal regulations such as trespass laws and privacy rules.
Skip tracing is similar to detective work in that it entails searching databases, learning where to look for information, and following up on leads. Professional skip tracers conduct interviews, perform surveillance, and evaluate information on their target.
If you are in need of skip tracing services in Los Angeles CA, contact AAA Attorney Services today.
