This ought to interesting. This article is being written a few weeks after the ChoicePoint and LexisNexis fiascos. Here in my “now" anyone who uses personal information for the purpose of locating people are feeling kind of antsy. Here in my “now" there are at least 4 separate proposed bills being sponsored by various members of congress to limit the use of social security numbers only to law enforcement without debtor approval.
By the time you read this it will be several months later, I wonder-What will be different between my “now" and yours?
Do you remember a few months ago when I was saying that some laws are coming down the pike for the purpose to protect consumers from identity theft. Now, I don’t know if it is just coincidence but there appear to be several more now. Remember I said it will be the prepared mind that is ready and has a game plan for this?
Please understand, I am not against the data providers. They are an EXTREMELY useful tool. But, that is where the problem seems to be. So many debt collection departments do not see these services as tools but rather have geared their skip trace procedures to only encompass what these companies provide. Let’s remember something here. You see the analogy coming, don’t you? It does not matter how great the hammer is, it will never be able to build the house without the carpenter. In the same way, we as skip tracers can not put all of our proverbial eggs into one basket.
We need some other options. How about this? What if there was a secured place to go. A place where we could go to gather tricks on how to legally find our debtors in a cost effective manner. What I’m saying is, we need a home here people. We need a place that we can go and hang out to become better at what we do. As I said in my last article, we are our best resource. We need to feed off of each other. If there is a secured place that you can go and retrieve information about your debtor, then why can’t there be a secured place to go and learn how to do it?
Or, how about this? You can go to school for almost anything. You can learn how to become a doctor, vehicle mechanic or hair stylist. Why are there little to no real skip trace schools? Why not have a good ole’ Skip Trace U? (You can see the varsity jacket, can’t you?)
Here is another one. To protect our industry would it not be wise to become certified? Basically, have a license to skip trace, so that the world can see that we are a viable service to the consumer and we do not take our responsibilities lightly, that we are not potential identity thieves?
OK, OK I’m getting down from the soap box now. In the last go round I gave you some resources that I have been helpful to me in the past. By a show of hands does anybody want anymore? Anybody, anybody?
These Websites I have used in the past. I am not affiliated with any of them, I just find them useful. I hope that you will also.
http://www.uscourts.gov/- This site lists all of the US and Federal Courts It also includes a breakdown of the various circuit courts by state.
http://www.anybirthday.com/ - This website has two searches: search by fist, last and zip or by name and date of birth.
http://www.appa-net.org/directory/ - You can use this site to find out who is on probation from any state in the country. It provides you the contact information of the probation officers.
http://www.corrections.com/links/viewlinks.asp?Cat=20- This website is a good way to develop incarceration information on your debtor to determine if they are currently or have been incarcerated.
http://www.readnotify.com /- This website can be used to find out where your emails are coming from, a good resource for basic email tracing
www.argali.com - This website is a very good Meta search engine to search by name address or reverse search by number it also has a business section. There is a small portion to download, but I have used it for over two years with no problems.
Just a few more ideas. Learn how to play Chess- it helps with the concept of thinking in 3D. Subscribe to some of the free monthly mysteries. This too helps challenge the mind. I hope that you find these to be useful. As always, Happy Hunting.
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