Skip tracing is a complicated and nuanced process that requires you to be precise and resourceful often while working against the clock. It’s no surprise then that even seasoned skip tracers can be tripped up by common mistakes or ineffective choices that slow down case progression with avoidable delays. From missing important verification steps to relying on unverified data sources, even small missteps can cost you time and money and risk the success of the entire case.

To prevent this from occurring to you, we’ve spoken to Brad Lyons from ThinkEdu who runs Australia’s leading skip tracing course. Whether you’re new to skip tracing or looking to sharpen your skills, these insights from the pros will help you refine your approach and achieve results with greater accuracy and efficiency. 

Top Tips for Skip Tracing From Industry Experts

  1. If you can’t find the person you are after, look for the weakest link.

Amidst a complicated skip-tracing case, it’s common and somewhat unavoidable to get too focused on the subject. But if the individual is proving difficult to track down, it’s smarter to focus your efforts on the people around the subject instead. Broadening your search to include close associations such as family, friends, colleagues and neighbours can provide invaluable leads and insights into the person you’re finding. Furthermore, these people are often a lot easier to find, with fewer resources and frustration.

To identify what weak leads you can utilise, you must first have a clear understanding of the individual’s social circle. With this knowledge, you’ll be able to identify which person is most likely to have the most accessible information. For example, neighbours from the last known address you have on the person are more likely to have seen the individual most recently in comparison to older records on online databases which haven’t been updated recently. Ultimately, by shifting your focus from the individual to the people around them, you can often uncover new paths to follow and make your skip-tracing efforts more efficient.

  1. Leverage Social Media for Connections.

The people whom you skip trace may often desire not to be found, and employ certain practices that make them harder to find. They will intentionally try and stay hidden by changing their contact information, limiting their online presence or using aliases and false personas on social media. However, it’s often true that the people around them are not as vigilant and more prone to actions that they don’t realise could compromise the subject’s efforts to remain hidden. 

For example, friends or family may post photos or updates on social media without considering the implications, inadvertently revealing information about the person you’re trying to locate. Even a casual comment on a friend’s post can mention a recent encounter, a new address, or an upcoming event where the person will be present.

This happens more frequently than you think because not every individual in the person’s social circle may be aware of their situation or attempts to remain hidden. Monitoring interactions among mutual acquaintances can yield unexpected and invaluable insights even through seemingly innocuous posts.

skip tracing tips
  1. Embrace a Multifaceted Approach to Skip Tracing.

Skip tracing isn’t just about searching a paid database and hoping your inputs turn up useful results. To conduct your cases in a way that’s geared for long-term growth and success, you have to understand how important OSINT (open source intel), IMINT (imagery intel) and HUMINT (human intel) are to locate certain people. If you want to close more cases successfully, you must expand your knowledge of these intelligence-gathering techniques to enhance your investigative prowess. To briefly differentiate between the three:

  • OSINT is characterised as actionable intelligence that arises from the collection, evaluation and analysis of publicly available information. Note here that ‘intelligence’ does not mean the same thing as ‘information’. Intelligence is giving meaning to raw data by applying critical analysis to it and understanding why and how the information gathered is meaningful.
  • IMINT is a form of intelligence derived from the collection and analysis of visual data. The data can be sourced from visual photography, radar sensors, infrared sensors, lasers, and electro-optics etc. It’s used to assess and confirm the locations, movements, and activities of individuals, providing crucial context that might not be available through other means.
  • HUMINT is intelligence gathered from human sources and interpersonal communication. It differs from the others in that it is far less technical and involves engaging with people directly, asking the right questions, and using interpersonal skills to elicit valuable information. 

Meet TraceEngine: The Ultimate All-in-One Skip Tracing Tool

Are you searching for skip-tracing software that makes you more efficient, faster and accurate without breaking the bank?  Polonious’s newly launched TraceEngine software ticks all the boxes when it comes to your skip tracing needs. Designed specifically for skip tracing, TraceEngine is the quickest and easiest way to gain access to our industry-leading investigation management system. It’s perfect for solo investigators or small to medium teams, with powerful ready-to-go workflows designed for a range of industries and use cases. 

With TraceEngine in your toolkit, you’ll:

  • Save time: Our process automation helps you complete more jobs with greater efficiency. From report generation to maintenance work, we automate the background tasks so you can focus on solving investigations.
  • Get quick hits: TaceEngine lets you easily access subject history so you can identify individuals you’ve located before. Instead of starting each case from scratch, you can leverage your previous findings to accelerate the investigation process.
  • Experience less frustration: Our pre-configured skip-tracing workflows are designed to make your life simpler. From case allocation to generating reports, our intuitive system ensures you can hit the ground running on day one.
  • Stay secure: With secure cloud infrastructure, malware protection and encryption in transit, we’ll keep your data secure at all times.
  • Cut costs while growing your business: With TraceEngine, you get enterprise-level features at a fraction of the cost. You’ll get all the core case management tools you need with no hidden fees or complicated pricing structures—just one low price for all the essentials.

Check us out here to get started!