Regular readers of our blog are aware that we mention skip tracing from time to time. If you are new to our brand, you might not know what skip tracing is or how useful it is to judgment collection. No worries. Your questions will be answered by the time you finish reading this post.
Here’s a spoiler alert: skip tracing is particularly useful to what we do. A collection agency with skilled skip tracers on staff can find most debtors no matter how desperate they are to stay hidden. Skip tracing is one of our ‘superpowers’, if you will.
A Basic Definition
Skip tracing is not exclusive to debt collection. It is a tool used by private detectives, attorneys, law enforcement, and any others whose job involves finding people who don’t want to be found. So let’s get down to the basic definition.
Skip tracing is the process of locating a person who has ‘skipped town’. Hence the name. The subject of a skip tracing investigation could be someone who has left the immediate area, changed contact information, or employed other methods to conceal their whereabouts.
How does this apply to collecting a money judgment? Some judgment debtors cannot afford to pay or simply refuse to do so. They do not want to deal with the hassles related to collection, so they simply disappear. They assume that they can outlast creditors to avoid paying altogether.
How Skip Tracing Works
Skip tracing is as much a science as a process. We don’t want to give away the store by explaining how it’s done in full detail. After all, why help judgment debtors hide from us? Still, we can give you a general idea of what goes into it.
Most of the process is wrapped up in research. The reality is that even people trying to hide leave a trail behind them. Skip tracers take advantage of that trail by scouring both public records and private databases for any clues that would point to a debtor’s location.
There is nothing secret about social media, so we can talk about that. It turns out that people are pretty careless about what they post on their social media pages. Something as simple as a photograph can demonstrate to a judgment creditor that his debtor has left town and is now hanging out elsewhere.
Good, old-fashioned legwork supports competent research. A good skip tracer leaves the office and goes out looking. He checks out the debtor’s usual haunts. He talks to employers, local business owners, and anyone else who might have helpful information.
When Judgment Debtors Are Found
The results a good skip tracer produces can seem like magic. They are impressive. But the real magic begins when the judgment collection agency finally makes contact with the debtor. Debtors are often surprised because they have tried so hard to stay lost. Some are so surprised that they are immediately motivated to work something out. And isn’t that the point?
Skip tracing locates debtors whose whereabouts were previously unknown. It gives creditors an opportunity to make contact to try to work things out. And because skip tracing is so effective in the hands of a good investigator, it becomes an excellent tool for encouraging payment.
We use skip tracing when necessary. In short, we will do everything we possibly can to ensure that a client gets paid. We have every motivation to do so, by the way. Why? Because we work on consignment. We need to collect if we want to get paid. That’s the way it should be.