| I have learned, through experience, that having a | | | | In looking for a female named Crystal |
| database (Lexis Nexis etc.) and knowing how to use | | | | ______________ I kept coming up empty. Until I |
| it are two different things. Recently, I had a law | | | | ran the LAST name only and found: |
| office call me for assistance in locating a person. | | | | KRYSTAL _____________ in the list of all people |
| They have an account with Accurint but could not | | | | with the same last name. Different spelling. |
| find the subject. I found the subject, using Accurint. | | | | In a recent adoption search, I got the case after |
| Database use requires creativity to get the best | | | | another PI hit a stone wall. All he had was a married |
| possible results. Using different data sources that | | | | name from long ago and a DOB. He told the client |
| offer you the same info, (i.e. credit headers) you can | | | | the "system" would not let him run a first name and |
| get different results. The mistake a lot of | | | | DOB search. Mine does. |
| investigators make is using only one database or if | | | | I ran the first name and DOB and got page after |
| using more that one, running the search the same | | | | page of hits. I went back to the client. She had: |
| way on each. Insanity has been defined as repeating | | | | Middle name |
| the same action and expecting different results. | | | | Knew the gal had been born in CA. |
| Remember, their coverage may be different. This is | | | | Knew her mom had lived in Florida. |
| really true with liens, corporate information, real | | | | Having those three things in front of me, I scrolled |
| estate data and UCCs. They also update their | | | | the list and found one with: |
| records at different times. Your source 1 may have | | | | Same middle name |
| updated last month and your source 2 may have | | | | SSN issued in CA |
| updated last night. Their search algorithms work | | | | Florida address |
| differently. | | | | This list gave me the SSN (I used a source that does |
| Beware of the "nationwide" searches of any kind. | | | | not truncate). I then clicked on the SSN (this would |
| Nationwide usually means all the data that is available, | | | | have worked even if it was truncated) and got a |
| not that data is from every possible repository. I | | | | series of AKAs (three marriages) and the 4th name... |
| have also seen quite a few places offering criminal | | | | her maiden name at the time we knew her to be in |
| records and when I look at the coverage and source | | | | NH. |
| of the data much of it comes from Department of | | | | My client used a local investigator that did work for |
| Corrections databases. While a nice tool to look for | | | | her Attorney husband and the investigator said this |
| incarceration, it is not a criminal record repository. | | | | could not be done. It took me about an hour, maybe |
| Always be prepared to quote your client on the high | | | | a bit more. This investigator is a competent individual. |
| end, to allow you to use several data sources and | | | | He is not a member of our State Association, The |
| run the search in several ways at each. | | | | New Hampshire League of Investigators, Inc. If he |
| You need to begin with ALL of the information your | | | | was, he would have been exposed to this in our |
| client has, even little irrelevant things can be | | | | seminars, on our listserve and in our publication and |
| important. Many times I have searched for people, or | | | | would have known how to do it and what sources |
| information, and have had no luck and gone back to | | | | to use. He also would have seen the ad for my Skip |
| the client and he has had the SSN or some other | | | | Tracing 101 CD ROM. There are hidden benefits to |
| tidbit tucked away in the file. Do not assume they will | | | | Association membership. |
| give you everything. ASK for it. Lawyers are trained | | | | In running a name search long ago, I ran into a "high |
| to litigate, we are trained to investigate. | | | | risk" address. It turned out to be the NH State Prison |
| I was asked to help another investigator locate a | | | | inmates PO Box, so the address gave me the fact |
| person. After searching everywhere for an address, I | | | | he was a convicted felon. |
| came up with the same old stuff. We just could not | | | | In running a guy through PACER, I found out he was |
| find the guy, to serve papers. I was doing name and | | | | arrested for stealing mail while employed by the post |
| address searches. We found many addresses but he | | | | office... EMPLOYMENT from a court check. |
| was not at any. Many were corporate and no one | | | | Spend time perusing the offerings of your databases. |
| would cooperate. He was avoiding service. I finally ran | | | | Do they support soundex (the names sounds like...) |
| a "profile" and got UCCs. One of them was an | | | | searches, nick names, first name only, with DOB. |
| address that showed nowhere else. When the | | | | What is their COVERAGE? We spend (or at least I |
| investigator knocked on the door, guess who | | | | used to) too much time looking at the cost. |
| answered... "Mr. Uncooperative witness". | | | | |