Skip tracing is a term used to find the current location of people who seem to be missing. This kind of service is commonly used when looking for debtors who skipped out on their debts and tried to run away and hide from the problem. Today, if you are looking for someone you may need to engage the services of a process server who knows all about skip tracing.
So what kind of subjects will require skip tracing services? Here are the basic categories:
- The unintentional skips. These are the people who generally have no one to run away from and nothing to hide. They may not be where you thought they would be for a very good reason, and not because they are hiding from you. They may not even have the slightest clue that you are looking for them to serve them legal documents.
Some of these people may have moved or relocated simply because of a new job or a new position. This is perhaps one of the most common reasons. They may also be low on rent money or have become unemployed, which is why they have to relocate. This may mean that they have moved to more modest accommodations, or have moved in with other people. They may have moved in with friends or with a family member. This is why it’s very crucial to have lots of information about a subject, so that friends and family members can be contacted as well.
- The intentional skips. These are the people who know you are looking to have them served, and they are trying to delay the procedure by intentionally avoiding the process server. They may have done something which they know would result in a lawsuit, and now they are being “pro-active” by hiding. These people may be living in cheap motels, or perhaps being squirreled away from view by sympathetic family members and friends.
These people are somewhat more difficult to find, but you may be able to get some information nonetheless from those who know the subject.
- The professional skips. These are perhaps the worst kind of skips, because they are hiding from everyone. They may not have told anyone about where they currently live. What’s more, they may have changed their name (legally or not) and may even be using cash for all purchases because they don’t want to leave any paper trails.
An experienced and professional process serving company will know the most effective ways of finding such people utilizing various investigative search methods. Getting professional assistance may speed up the process of finding the subject much more effectively.