HOW TO FIND ANYONE-ANYWHERE-ANYTIME YOU WANT. . .
The methods used to locate people outlined herein are the same strategies used for locating missing persons of both sorts; those missing on purpose, and those with whom you've simply lost touch. First, start with the known and work back towards the unknown. . . Like their last place of
abode.
STEP 1: Go to the property. Note the exact location by street number or exact number of the house. If the property in question is located in a rural area, measure the distance, in miles, from the nearest intersection back to the property.
While you are at the property talk to the neighbors using a suitable pretext to gain their cooperation. (Perhaps you are doing a genealogy study and trying to locate the subject because he (or she) is entitled to a portion of their "poor great uncle's estate.") This will usually make the neighbors open up and tell you whatever they know about the whereabouts of your subject. On the other hand, you always feel it out. What if the neighbor you're talking with hated the subject? Wouldn't they be likely to give you all the "juicy goods" on you target? Even if the neighbors don't know exactly where the subject went, they may have noted a "U-haul" at the home on such and such a date. Using the right ruse the local U-Haul rental company can direct you to the subject. Usually people who attempt to disappear aren't clever enough to turn the moving
van in, in another city. This will probably put you right on top of your subject. Note any vehicles, cars, boats, campers, write down the licence plate numbers or registration identification numbers.
These may prove to be of value. Also look around for majorappliances, (i.e. water heaters), write down the serialnumbers of each item you find. (Using the right pretext you can find out the identity of the person who purchased the item by calling area stores.)
STEP 2: EVERY PARCEL OF LAND IS TAXED! After visiting the property go to the TAX ASSESSORS OFFICE with the information you have gathered. Sometimes you will also need to visit the
APPRAISAL DIVISION. Request to see the map and locate the property 's PARCEL NUMBER. Make sure to compare the maps from both offices. Once you have the parcel number they will tell you who is paying the taxes.
Next, go to the County Clerks Office of Public County Deed Records with the owners name and ask for the GRANTEE INDEXES. Search and find the property owners name and make a list of all properties by volume and page. Then the index will refer you to the Volume number and Page number of the GRANTEE RECORDS. Then determine which property by locating the parcel on your map. Obtain a non-certified copy that deed with a legal description of the property.
PUBLIC RECORDS
County Tax Records: Real Property Files list the owner, the address the tax bill is mailed to and a legal description of the property. County Map Book contains the location of real property from the legal description. Grantor Files (County Recorder files) lists information on all recorded documents of the buyer, (grantee), and the seller, (grantor), such as
loans, deeds or leases. Usually these items are cross indexed under both grantee and grantor.
* Registrar of Voters Records: The voter's registration files will usually contain name, address, occupation,description, state of birth, registration date, and the signature of the target.
* Marriage Records: Marriage records will provide the name and address information of the spouse and information about their birth place and date and other information about their parents.In the "Marriage license" files, you will also find
names a and addresses of witnesses to weddings. These people are often close contacts of your target.
HOW ABOUT THE EASY WAY?
Finding people can be very easy, provided you "know the ropes". There are usually two basic kinds of missing persons. They are people who are missing on purpose (they wanted to disappear), and people with whom you have simply lost touch. Those missing on purpose may be escaped cons, husbands who are tired of paying child support or alimony, and debt skippers. The second type are people who have lost touch over a period of time. The techniques for finding people will usually work on either of these two types of missing persons, although the first type are usually somewhat harder to find.
Almost every trace I do can usually be done by
telephone, IF you have the right information--and know what you're doing. There's a common mistake among "skippers", he or she will not detach themselves from there previous life or their old acquaintances, (i. e. family and friends).
Additionally, the often will keep their old habits.
When I am tracing, I first ask myself, "Who knows, now? "Who are they in touch with?" If someone else already knows where they are, why should you go to the expense and headache of finding them yourself. Just ask whoever knows! I guess you think I'm off my rocker don't you? NO! You just ask! Want to know how?
First, determine with whom your subject may be in touch. Then design a suitable guise for a pretext call. You may assume the identity of a car salesman, insurance adjustor, pizza delivery man, or whatever is suitable for your specific situation. Then design a pretext. Always write down exact details of who you are, what your business is about, who you will name as being involved in your "make believe story" and as many other details as it takes to make your story believable.
Now you will need to study your pretext before making the call! Whatever you do. . . DON'T SOUND PARANOID! Act normal. Talk slow and with authority. Then throw your pitch, using as many details as you can. Remember you want this person to come out and tell you where your subject is.
(Beware of impersonating an officer, this can get you in serious trouble.)
Another major rule of thumb in pretext is to never use the exact name of the party you are looking for. Use a name that sounds near the same. For example, if you are trying to find Dave Jenkins, ask for Dale Jenkins. There is a psychological effect that lends credibility to your pretext and often triggers the release of the information you are after. Think about it, if someone (a bill collector) were trying to find you, wouldn't you think they would get your name right? You bet! And the effect of not calling the exact name lends credibility to your pretext. They will almost always give you what you are looking for.
Another effective way is again by pretext, but this time you look in the phone book of the subject's place of origin. You will be looking for people with the same surname. But you will particularly be looking for those names that sound like the "old-timers" in the community--names like Fannie, Suzie Mae, or any old names. As a whole, people today seldom name their kids Fannie of Suzie Mae. In today's society that's like naming a boy Sue. It simply doesn't happen or if it does it's vary rare.
Once you find the name of someone that sounds to be one of the "old-timers" they will know your subject and almost anyone else with their surname. Their leads are sometimes invaluable. Give them a call, they will most likely know the subject or at least who you should call. One of the best pretexts for this type call is the "adjuster seeking a witness". This one will put most people at ease to share whatever they know.
"IDENTIFIER NUMBER"
That's right. Your Social Security number, that mom and dad so graciously applied for, is the number one "identifier" used by record keepers. Almost every document you fill out includes this key number to aide "record keepers" in filing the stockpiles of information they are gathering each and every day.
In many states your Social Security number is the same number as your driver's license number. The National Crime Information Center maintains criminal record information on persons convicted of a felony. Their files are referenced by Social Security number and date of birth.
Credit Bureaus use your Social Security number as the identifier when accessing or filing information in your file. The I.R.S. uses your Social Security number as your "tax- payor I.D. number". Government programs, like welfare, HUD, WIC, and hundreds more, maintain their records by using your"identifier number".
The Social Security number escorted the computer information age into existence. If it weren't for the use of this key source that identifies us as individuals across this nation. On the average, there are at least 50 government files on each and every U.S. citizen that are tagged to our Social Security number. And, that's assuming we are not a
"player".
While it is possible that a person could be born in one state and later apply for a Social Security number in another, you should be able to determine the state which is your subject's "place of birth".
Here are the number designations for the various states in the U.S. I would recommend you copy these and refer to them as needed:
000 Not Assigned or Issued 478-485 Iowa
001-003 New Hampshire 486-500 Missouri
004-007 Maine 501-502 North Dakota
008-009 Vermont 503-504 South Dakota
010-034 Massachusetts 505-508 Nebraska
035-039 Rhode Island 509-515 Kansas
040-049 Connecticut 516-517 Montana
050-134 New York 518-519 Idaho
135-158 New Jersey 520 Wyoming
159-211 Pennsylvania 521-524 Colorado
212-220 Maryland 525 & 585 New Mexico
221-222 Delaware 526-527 & 600-601 Arizona
223-231 Virginia 528-529 Utah
232 North Carolina 530 Nevada
232-236 West Virginia 531-539 Washington
237-246 North Carolina 540-544 Oregon
247-251 South Carolina
545-573 & 602-626 California
252-260 Georgia
261-267 & 589-595 Florida
574 Alaska (Includes some Asian refuges from 1/75 through 11/79)
268-302 Ohio
303-317 Indiana
318-361 Illinois
575-576 Hawaii
362-386 Michigan
577-579 Dist. of Columbia
387-399 Wisconsin
580 Puerto Rico
400-407 Kentucky
408-415 Tennessee
416-424 Alabama
425-428 & 587-588 Mississippi
580 Virgin Isle (also)
429-432 Arkansas
581-584 & 596-599 Puerto Rico
433-439 Louisiana
586 Amer. Somoa, N. Marina Is. & Philippines
440-448 Oklahoma
449-467 Texas
627-699 Not assigned or issued
468-477 Minnesota
700-728 Railroad Retirement
729-799 Not assigned or issued
HOW TO GET FORWARDING ADDRESSES ... FAST!
Would you like to know a fast and easy way to get exact forwarding address information? It's simple. What you do is address a standard envelope to the target you are trying to find, and insert a blank piece of paper. This will make it look like a standard letter. (The P.O. may get P.O.'d about
you using this one if you do it too often.) Then you
proceed, addressing the letter using the last known address. BUT...in the left hand bottom corner of the envelope write:
DO NOT FORWARD
ADDRESS CORRECTION REQUESTED
Guess, what will happen? You will have your target's current address back in the mail in a matter of only a day or so. The best part of all is that he or she doesn't even know you're on their trail. If you get a P.O. Box and need a street address, what then?
To get the current street address of someone who has a P.O. Box, in a business deal you may file a "Request for Box-Holder's Address." You will need to send a letter to your postmaster as follows:
REQUEST FOR BOXHOLDER STREET ADDRESS
Suppose all you have is the last known address or just the phone number? How about I show you how to use this information to get address, phone number, neighbors names and even "the full scoop" on your target?
Would you like to be able to pick up the phone and get someone's current address or phone number in a matter of minutes?
Ok, it's simple. What you will do is access a little known database operated by Cole Publishers, which has statistical information on almost everyone in America! (This includes you and me.)
There is a charge of $2.00 per minute billed to your phone, but the average call is only a few minutes and you'll usually get more information from these people in ten minutes than with most private investigators in hours.
Private Investigators charge anywhere from $75 to $150 an hour, here you can get your answers for as little as $5 to $20.
To get the best service, you will need the last known address or the telephone number of the person you are trying to find. Then dial 1-900-288-3020 and shoot away! That's it! In a matter of minutes you will usually get the exact address or phone number.
They will also provide you with the three nearest
neighbors names, phone numbers and addresses! With this information and a slight amount of creativity you could design and use a suitable pretext to interview the neighbors.
This may provide the leads you need to find your target, in the event they have moved from the address you have. It's amazing how many trails of information we leave behind us.
SKIP TRACING
* Social Locators searches nationwide using the Social
Security number only. With this number only, an individual and his address can be found.
* National Address Update searches by using former address information and gives updated address information on the person.
* Real Property Records can be done alpha/situs with an emphasis on alpha for skip tracing or asset location.
* Surname Scan searches for individuals by zip code, city, state, or nationwide by NAME ONLY!
* NCOA Database Search uses the U.S. Post Office computer records and goes back two years to update an individual's address.
* Descendent Trace uses the SSA's records to verify a retired SS#.
* Neighborhood Scan gives names, telephone numbers, and addresses of the occupants near the address you are investigating. This can be of tremendous help in background investigations. (Especially with the right pretext!)
MOTOR VEHICLE REPORTS
* Motor Vehicle Registration by VIN provides owner, owner address, lien holder, Plate #, etc.
* Motor Vehicle Registration by Plate # provides owner, owner address, lien holder, VIN, etc.
* Motor Vehicle Registration by NAME is a unique service that list the vehicles registered under a certain name orbusiness. This search makes an excellent asset check.
* Pleasure Craft Registration searches information on boats, campers, etc., in a particular state.
* FAA Registration locates information on airplanes on a federal level.
MORE ABOUT THE PAPER TRAIL. . .
Almost everything you do or say has some recorded trail. Thousands of companies and government agencies are spending millions of dollars every year gathering and maintaining records on each and every one of us. It would BLOW YOUR MIND to know just how much information you can get from PUBLIC RECORDS alone! And you would be dumbfounded at the vast number of private companies that keep tabs on us, it is unreal.
Think about your visits to the doctor's office, for example. There are some interesting things you should know about medical records.
I'm sure you have gone to a new doctor before. What was the first thing they asked you to do? My guess is that the receptionist handed you a clipboard with a long questionnaire attached, and said, "Would you fill this out right quick?" Did you notice that this questionnaire requests information that is often totally irrelevant to your medical condition.
Over and above the information we willfully provide, there is a data bank of medical and personal information who is gathering and storing additional information into our "file" everyday.
Hospitals, insurance companies, and many others I
suspect input medical information about you into this huge,well maintained computer data bank called the Medical Information Bureau (M.I.B). M.I.B. maintains medical records information on almost every human being in the United States. If you have ever filled out an application for life or health insurance you're in M.I.B.'s data bank. But, you never hear about it. Why? I'll tell you, it's because this bureau isused primarily by insurance underwriters as they process applications for life and health insurance. And guess what? Should you neglect to tell your insurer of prior medical conditions, you lose! Yes, you may get the policy issued, but do you think you will get paid when you file a claim?
Insurance companies can access this information at any time. When it comes pay-up time, the insurer punches a few buttons and accesses the M.I.B. to determine what, if any, previous medical conditions you have had. Then, they decide whether or not to pay your claim. They like to pull up information you provided on other applications for insurance to determine if you falsified answers on their company's
application. On this basis, you wouldn't believe how many insurance companies get out of paying claims.
THERE'S ALWAYS A WAY!
Perhaps your target has a criminal record. . . These files will usually list the names of acquaintances and locations where you may pick up leads.
* Criminal Files: While criminal records are available via data-base research, they are also available on a state wide basis in many states, simply for the asking. Criminal record searches are the heart of good background investigations. These records can dramatically diminish your risk in almost any venture. They are accessible through state and county repositories.
Write and request information from one of the following offices which maintain the respective "state" criminal conviction records. Most states will charge a fee of $5 to $10 to do a criminal records search in their state database. Some states rule that these records should only be provided
to law enforcement agencies, but it's worth a try.
In those states where criminal records are maintained only on a county basis, the state office personnel will be able to provide the county address information you would need to request the information.
Here is a listing of all 50 states criminal records databases. You may write or call to determine their procedures and requirements, and what fees, if any, they require for providing criminal information on your target.
Alabama: Alabama Department of Public Safety, Attention: A. B. I. P. O. Box 1511, Montgomery, Ala. 36192.(205) 261-4372
Alaska: Records and Identification, P. O. Box 19, Juneau, AK 99802-0019. (907) 465-4343.
Arizona: Department of Public Safety, Attention: Criminal Records, P. O. Box 6638, Phoenix, AZ 85005. (602) 262-8011.
Arkansas: Identification Bureau, Criminal Investigation Div., P. O. Box 5901, 3 Natural Resources Dr., Little Rock, AR 72203. (501) 224-3088.
California: Office of Attorney General, Bureau of Criminal Identification, Record Control Section, P. O. Box 903417, Sacramento, CA 94203-4170. (916) 739-5510
Colorado: Colorado Bureau of Investigation, Attn:Identification Unit, 690 Kiping Street, Denver, Co. 80215 (303) 759-1100.
Connecticut: State Police, Bureau of Identification, 294 Colony Street, Bldg. 3, Meridian, CT 06450. (203) 238-6151.
Delaware: Delaware State Police Headquarters, Attn: Criminal Records Section, P. O. Box 430, Dover, DE 19903 (302)736-5900.
District of Columbia: Criminal Records, 500 Indiana Ave., N.W., Criminal Division, Room 4003, Washington, D.C. 20001 (202) 879-1373.
Florida: Florida Department of Law Enforcement, Attn:
Criminal Record Inquiry Section, P. O. Box 1489, Tallahassee,FL. 32302. (904) 488-6236.
Georgia: Georgia Crime Information Center, IdentificationDivision, P. O. Box 370748, Decatur, GA 30037-0748. (404) 244-2601.
Hawaii: Department of Attorney General, Hawaii Criminal Justice Data Center, Kehuanao'a Building, 1st Floor, 465 S. King St., Honolulu, HI 96813. (808) 548-5398.
Idaho: Department of Law Enforcement, Police Services Div., Criminal Identification Bureau, 6062 Corporal Lane, Boise, ID 83704. (208) 334-2537.
Illinois: Department of State Police, Forensic Services and Identification, 515 Woodruff Road, Joliet, IL 60432. (217)727-5301.
Indiana: Indiana State Police, Central Repository, Room 312, 100 N. Senate Ave., Indianapolis, IN 46204.
(317) 232-8262.
Iowa: Mr. Gene Shepard, Commissioner of Iowa D.P.S., Wallace State Office Building, Des Moines, IA 50319. (515) 281-5138.
Kansas: Kansas Bureau of Investigation, 1620 SW Tyler,
Topeka, KS 66612. (913) 232-6000.
Kentucky: Records Section, Kentucky State Police, 1250
Louisville Rd., Frankfort, KY 40601. (502) 227-8717.
Louisiana: Louisiana Department of Public Safety, Attn:Criminal Identification, P. O. Box 66614, Baton Rouge, LA70896. (504) 925-6095.
Maine: State Bureau of Investigation, Maine State Police, 36Hospital Street, Augusta, ME 04330. (207) 289-2297.
Maryland: Secretary, Department of Public Safety, 6776
Reistertown, Room 310, Baltimore, MD 21215-2341. (301) 764-4000. or Criminal Records Central Repository, Maryland State Police, 1201 Reistertown, Pikesville, MD 21208-3899. (301)653-4355.
Massachusetts: Criminal History Systems Board, 1010
Commonwealth Ave., Boston, MA 02215 (617) 727-0090.
Michigan: Michigan State Police, Central Records Division,7150 Harris Dr., Lansing, MI 48913. (517) 322-1952.
Minnesota: Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, C.S.I.S. Section,1246 University Ave., St. Paul, MN 55104 (612) 642-0672
Mississippi: Records Department, P. O. Box 880, Parchman, MS 38738. (601) 745-6611.
Missouri: Missouri State Highway Patrol, Criminal Record Division, P. O. Box 568, Jefferson City, MO 65102. (314)751-3313.
Montana: Montana Identification Bureau, Department of
Justice, 303 N. Roberts, Helena, MT 59620. (406) 444-3000.
Nebraska: Nebraska State Patrol, Attn: C.I.D., P. O. Box 94907, Lincoln, NE 68509-4907 (402) 471-4545
Nevada: (Nevada does not have a centralized data base, each search would be located on a county wide basis)
New Hampshire: State Police Headquarters, Attn: Criminal Records, Hazen Dr., Concord, N.H. 03301 (603) 271-2535
New Jersey: Division of State Police, Records and I.D.
Section, P. O. Box 7068, West Trenton, NJ 08625
(609) 882-2000
New Mexico: New Mexico State Police, Records Bureau, P. O. Box 1628, Santa Fe, NM 87504-1628 (505) 827-7501
New York: N.Y. State Division of Criminal Justice Service, Executive Park Tower, Stuyvesant Plaza, Albany, NY 12203, Attn: Director of Identification, (518) 457-6050
North Carolina: William Corely, Asst. Director of Criminal Records, 407 N. Blount Street, Raleigh, NC 27601-1009 (919) 733-3171
North Dakota: State Bureau of Investigation, P.O. Box 1054,Bismarck, ND 58502 (701) 221-6180
Ohio: Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation, P.O. Box 365, London, OH 43140, Attn: Paul Ferrara (614) 466-2660
Oklahoma: OK State Bureau of Investigation, Criminal History Information, P.O. Box 11497, Oklahoma City, OK 73136 (405) 427-5421
Oregon: Oregon State Police, Bureau of Criminal Investigation, 107 Public Service Building, Salem, OR 97310 (503) 378-3070
Pennsylvania: Director, Records & Identification, Attn:Central Depository, 1800 Elmerton Ave., Harrisburg, PA 17110 (717) 783-5592
Rhode Island: Depart. of Attorney General, Bureau of Criminal Investigation, 72 Pine St., Providence, RI 02903 (401) 277-2994
South Carolina: SC Law Enforcement Division, Attn: Criminal Records Section, P.O. Box 21398, Columbia, SC 29221 (803)737-9000
South Dakota: Div, of Criminal Investigation, Office ofAttorney General, 500 East Capitol, Pierre, SD 57501
(605) 773-3331
Tennessee: TN Bureau of Investigation, c/o Criminal RecordsUnit, P.O. Box 100940, Nashville, TN 37210-0940 (615) 741-0430
Texas: Chief H.A. Albert, c/o Crime Records Division,
P.O. Box 4143, Austin, TX 78765 (512) 465-2077
Utah: Richard Townsend, Bureau Chief, Utah Bureau of Criminal Identification, 4501 S. 2700 West, Salt Lke City, UT 84119 (801) 965-4518
Vermont: VT Criminal Information Center, P.O. Box 189,
Waterbury, VT 05676-0850 (802) 244-8727
Virginia: VA State Police, Records Management Division, P.O.
Box 27472, Richmond, VA 23261-7472 (804) 323-2000
Washington: Captain Bill Keller, WA State Patrol, P.O. Box
2527, QE-02, Olympia, WA 98504-6502 (206) 753-6858
West Virginia: WV State Police, Criminal IdentificationBureau, Records Section, 725 Jefferson Road, S. Charleston,WV 25309 (304) 746-2100
Wisconsin: Crime Information Bureau, Attn: Records, P.O. Box2718, Madison, WI 53701 (608) 266-7314
Wyoming: Div. of Criminal Investigation, Criminal Justice Information Section, Boyd Building, 4th Floor, 1720 Carey Ave., Cheyenne, WY 82002
If you are a business person who needs frequent
background information on prospective employees, I would recommend you obtain a copy of A Guide To Background Investigations, published by Financial Control Publishing,Inc., 1820 South Boulder Place, Tulsa, OK 74119, or ask your local book store to order ISBN # 0-941233-14-6.
This manual will provide you with the addresses of state and county criminal repositories, as well as the names and addresses of other record compilers, such as, Workman's Compensation Records, Driving Records, College and University records for education verification, etc.
ANOTHER WAY. . .
Let me reveal a secret of how to get facts fast--it is by these bits and pieces that you will often find or trace a target. This is a great plan to use in emergency situations. Start with a plan as I instructed. Quickly review the information on your target. Verify the data by name, address, and phone number.
Once you ascertain the address, go to your local library and review the various "Criss-Cross" directories to match name with telephone number. Next, refer to the "City Directory" usually published by R. L. Polk Co., and/or Cole Directories. Here you will be able to determine the names, addresses, employment status, etc., of all the nearby neighbors.
Most of the directories are published annually and are updated with new information. This leaves a great paper trail that can help you get "history" on your target.
Use the older directories (usually maintained for years prior) and go back from year to year checking out your target. You may discover previous information from years past, i.e., spouses names, previous addresses, prior telephone numbers, prior employers, etc.
With all this new information and a little creativity in designing a suitable pretext you could really get the inside scoop, particularly from neighbors who didn't like the target. Trust me, people will rattle off anything about your target if you are prepared with the right pretext.
Another thing about pretext--it is just as important to plan your pretext as it is to plan your investigation. A seasoned private investigator has mastered the art of "little white lies" that we call pretext. You, on the other hand, will need to design and carefully write out your pretext.
There's nothing that will destroy the effectiveness of a pretext quicker than stuttering, trying to remember the details of who you are and why you are calling.
Always design a pretext that will allow you to go either way with regard to "liking" or "disliking" your target. This will allow you the flexibility to "share" the emotional feelings of the person you are questioning. Have you ever noticed how no-one will say anything bad about someone until they realize that you too don't like the person in question?
Then they will open up and man . . . talk about a "low-down piece of scum."
Let's Move On
If your target is a "high-profile" subject, you may dig up articles from newspapers (local, state, and national) Most libraries maintain what is called a "newspaper morgue" or micro-film of the past issues of newspapers. The New York Times Index, the Reader's Guide to Periodical Literature, The Business Periodicals Index, the General Science Index, etc., are great references for this kind of research. You mean big time P.I.'s actually refer to such references. You bet they do. Knowing what reference to go to can help you get information fast.
HOW TO LOCATE, OR GET INFO ON
ANY AMERICAN BUSINESS WHO HAS A TELEPHONE!
How would you like to get immediate information on over 9.3 million businesses nationwide? Well, the American Business Phone Book by American Business Information has it. This Phone Book is on a single CD-ROM disk. You simply insert it into your computer and with a few key-strokes, you can quickly locate any business phone number and/or address in the U. S.
This new "weapon" will allow you to search and find info on any company in seconds. You can search by company name, state, city, zip code, or area code. You can even "reverse search" to find the Company and address by entering the phone number .
Ok. Here's another little known source that will help you to get those really hot leads--or get in touch with whatever experts you may need. Suppose you need the name of a "Mercedes Dealer" in Tucson, or the names of "Plastic Surgeons" in Beverly Hills, or 30 "Hardware Dealers" in Houston, no problem! Maybe you need information on the "Puritan Company," like their telephone number, address, number of employees, sales volume, etc. Piece of cake!
