Skip Tracing Services Explained

We are often asked about our Skip Tracing Services and even though it is an important part of our business, there are still a lot of organizations that don't fully understand what Skip Tracing fully entails.



Skip Tracing Find Missing Individuals

Skip Tracing may sound like a spy technique out of a James Bond movie, but it actually has several practical daily applications for business and organizations of all sizes.

Anyone from lawyers to debt collectors, small businesses to private investigators, large corporations to educational institutions may employ Skip Tracing to find an individual's current whereabouts, track someone's activities, or find missing assets.

Lawyers can seek out Skip Tracing to find witnesses, or to communicate with heirs to an estate. 

Third party debt collectors or an in-house collections department use the data to track down delinquent borrowers or customers. 

While securing records forms a core part of the search for an individual, this activity is not the beginning and end of the Skip Tracing process. 

The real art of Skip Tracing entails using up-to-the-minute data from multiple reliable sources.

To be successful, it’s imperative to gather information from multiple data sources, cross-reference the information to ensure its veracity, analyze the data and distill the records into the most essential information.

 

The tools of the trade employed for effective Skip Tracing include:

•  Databases of addresses and phone numbers
•  Applications for credit cards, loans and jobs
•  Legal records
•  Criminal records
•  Tax information
•  Bills for utilities
•  Payroll information
•  Driver's license applications and renewals
•  Vehicle registrations
•  Traffic tickets

 

Skip Tracing entails utilizing this data to create a profile of the individual being traced.  For this reason, you should access multiple records from verified resources and, when necessary, fact-check information by conducting in-person interviews or by contacting related parties.

Challenges can arise when less reliable sources or conflicting information confuses the search. 

Professional Skip Tracers like us The Renwick Group understand that accuracy, sophisticated computer retrieval techniques and access to proprietary information delivers top results. 

Tapping into this database of information can be as simple as finding the right data supplier for accurate Skip Tracing and people search data. 

If you are in a position where you are evaluating businesses that supply Skip Tracing services, we recommend looking for a company that aggregates data from several informational streams, producing quality results in a short time frame.

Conducting effective Skip Tracing searches is challenging and does require expert knowledge and understanding of the data and therefore the more professional the organization you are dealing with the better the results you will get.

The Renwick Group - www.therenwickgroup.ca - 1 (888) 722-9807  - is a private investigation firm founded in 1997 and is based in Barrie, Ontario, covering Toronto and South Central Ontario. We excel in delivering our core Private Investigation Services in the most efficient, secure, and professional manner.​

How do you find the right Private Investigator in Barrie and Toronto, Ontario, Canada

While you might never have considered retaining a private investigator in your private or professional life that may simply be because you weren’t aware of the broad range of services a private investigator provides.

Private Investigators are highly trained professionals with unique skill sets that assist you in gathering information for specific reasons. They are licensed and insured. They work closely with law enforcement and the legal community.



Surveillance is a big part of what a Private Investigator does

They know how to gather and protect evidence so that it is admissible in court. They are an independent third party professional not emotionally attached to your case.

There is a reason to hire lawyers, accountants and doctors. Private Investigators are professionals in the same right and in the proper circumstance they can be a valuable asset to your legal team.

How do you hire a Private Investigator?

So how do you go about choosing a private investigation agency that is right for your project? The following is a hiring guide published by the Council of Private Investigators - Ontario and you can download the full report here www.therenwickgroup.ca

1. Go to the Council of Private Investigators - Ontario website, the yellow pages or search online for Agencies or Investigators who specialize in the type of investigation you require. http://www.cpi-ontario.com/findapi/

2. Call your lawyer and ask for recommendations.

3. Consult with a friend or acquaintance that may have been in similar circumstances.

4. Identify three agencies local to you that provide the type of investigation services you require.

5. Prepare a written list of questions you are going to ask each company.

6. Confirm that the Private Investigation Companies or Private Investigators are licensed and insured.

7. Check the company name and individual license number on the Ministry of Community Safety and Correctional Services.

a. http://www.mcscs.jus.gov.on.ca/english/PISG/LicensedAgencies/agency_list.html
b. http://www.mcscs.jus.gov.on.ca/english/PISG/LicensedIndividuals/licensee_list.html

8. Visit the agency office. It is required by law that all Private Investigation Agencies have a physical office address with a public entrance.

9. The business licence to provide private investigation services should be clearly displayed in their office.  Request to see a copy of their certificate of insurance.

10. Request to see a sample report format.

11. Make an inquiry to the Better Business Bureau.

12. Inquire about experience, education, training and length of time in the industry. What is their level of expertise in the areas of investigation you require?

13. Ask for client references or letters of recommendation.

14. If you retain a Private Investigation Agency insist on having a written receipt for any retainer/deposit you have provided and ask for the companies HST number.

15. In most cases a Private Investigation Agency will require you to sign a contract or agreement. The agreement should clearly state what the investigation will entail, provide an estimated budget, identify a breakdown of the costs associated with the investigation and include a proposed timeline for completion. If progress payments are required clearly define the deliverables prior to signing the contract.

16. Establish specific times when you will be updated about the investigation. Define if the updates are to be written or verbal.

17. Define the deliverables you will receive after the investigation is completed. Reputable Private Investigation.  Agencies will provide a full written report with details of the investigation, the time spent on investigation tasks (such as surveillance), and a detailed invoice itemizing costs associated with all phases of the investigation.

The Renwick Group is a private investigation firm founded in 1997 and is based in Barrie, Ontario. We excel in delivering our core Private Investigation Services in the most efficient, secure, and professional manner.​

Source: http://www.cpi-ontario.com/default.asp