Effectively tracing missing individuals is a critical skill in private investigations. Whether a subject intentionally evades detection or vanishes under unintentional circumstances, mastering skip tracing is essential for successful outcomes. We hope to equip you with the knowledge and techniques needed to tackle even the most challenging investigations, covering both categories of missing persons and the methodologies best suited to each.

Learning Objectives

• Explore the various reasons individuals may go missing, ranging from voluntary disappearances to accidental circumstances, and gain insights into their underlying motivations.
• Understand the ethical and legal considerations that govern skip tracing assignments, ensuring compliance with relevant regulations and protecting individuals’ rights and privacy.
• Learn a wide array of skip tracing techniques, including traditional and innovative investigative methods, to efficiently track down missing persons based on the specific category they fall into.
• Develop skills in gathering pertinent information from diverse sources, employing both conventional investigation methods and leveraging the services of information brokers and databases.
• Explore the vast realm of internet resources and tools to aid in skip tracing investigations, harnessing the power of digital platforms and technology.

Course Outline

The Foundations of Skip Tracing Introduction to Skip Tracing | Webinar: Skip Tracing Basics | My Approach to Skip Tracing | Skip Tracing File Summary | Skip Tracer’s Checklist (Downloadable and Printable)

Legal & Ethical Considerations The Liability of Skip Tracing Assignments | Responsible Locate Investigations | The Legality of Skip Tracing Assignments | Review: Fair Credit Reporting Act | Credit Reports for Investigators: Tread with Care | Review: Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act | Things Private Investigators Are Not Allowed to Do Without Authorization | Review: Privacy Act of 1974 | Driver’s Privacy Protection Act

Investigative Methods & Techniques Important Personal Identifiers | The Social Security Number | Document Review and the Funnel Approach | Pretexting | Your Own Powers of Observation | Working with a Cosigner | Canvassing and Wanted Posters | Field and Phone Interviews | Skip Tracer Networks

Records, Databases & Digital Resources Credit Headers and Consumer Reports | Commercial Information Brokers and Database Sources | Motor Vehicle Registration and Licensing | Understanding Public Records | Public Records on the Internet | Using Email to Locate People | Webinar: Open Source Intelligence 101 with Brian Willingham | Internet Resources for Skip Tracing

Specialized Locates Identifying Military Addresses | Locating Military Members | Using Other Federal Resources | Finding Homeless People | The Salvation Army | Salvation Army Missing Persons Brochure | How to Find a Missing Person | Child Abduction Resources | The Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction

Advanced Skip Tracing Webinar: Locating People and Uncovering Facts with Rachele’ Davis | The Sound of Pursuit Podcast: Cell Phone Pinging and Triangulation | Chasing Ghosts: Skip Tracing the Toughest to Find People | When You’ve Reached the Proverbial End of the Road | Quiz

Key Features of this course include:

• 12 hours of on-demand instructional delivery through written course content (reading), on-demand webinars, articles, case studies
• Content authored by experts in their field
• Downloadable forms and worksheets
• Quiz/assessment (unlimited attempts)
• Certificate of completion