Have you ever noticed that when people owe you money, they become incredibly difficult to get in touch with? Their phone stops working, they never seem to get mail, their emails go unopened, and it’s as if they’ve fallen off the face of the Earth. Funny how that works, right?
Disappearing might seem like a good way to make creditors forget about a debt, but in our modern context, it’s a lot more difficult to disappear than even debtors realize. The practice of skip tracing — tracking down debtors by following up on recent activity — is common, and it’s made simple by an abundance of digital resources.
If you’re following up on commercial debt collection, skip tracing is something you’ll want to get familiar with. Here’s a crash course in how to locate all those creditors who mysteriously go missing when you come calling to collect what you’re owed.
Skip tracing for better commercial debt collection
On the surface, skip tracing can seem like a lot of work. After all, it takes time to search the internet for recent activity and to follow up on known phone numbers, addresses, and business locations. It can take even more time to connect the dots between your debtor and the people you are able to contact as you work your way closer to them.
It’s best to think of skip tracing as an investment. With a little upfront time, energy, and effort, you stand a higher chance of finding your debtor and collecting at least a portion of what you’re owed. The more acclimated you get with using skip tracing resources for commercial debt collection, the quicker the process will become — and the more you’ll be able to focus on debt recovery.
Common skip tracing resources
Many people make the mistake of thinking skip tracing happens through proprietary software or closed-garden systems accessible only to licensed professionals. While it’s true some databases and resources are off-limits to the general public, the majority of the tools you need to track down a debtor are right in front of you — accessible by anyone with internet access.
Here’s a quick-hitter list of valuable resources that skip tracing professionals rely on, along with tips to maximize their effectiveness:
- whois.com will tell you who owns a domain, how long they’ve owned it, and how to contact them.
- whoseplane.com is an excellent tool for locating a plane and information about who owns or operates it.
- fastpeoplesearch.com is a free tool to find publicly listed phone numbers and addresses for people based on reported information.
- blackbookonline.info can give you anything from a mobile phone number to arrest warrants, aviation information, death records, email searches, and more.
- publicrecords.onlinesearches.com is a great resource for looking up business records and legal agreements someone signed and filed with the state.
- safer.fmcsa.dot.gov/CompanySnapshot offers public-facing information about trucking companies and their current status with the Federal Motor Carriers Association.
Each of these websites provides access to a wealth of information, but be sure not to overlook the most useful tools of all: internet search engines like Google and social media platforms like Facebook.
Google is one of the most overlooked tools when it comes to skip tracing. It’s incredible how much information a simple Google search can turn up. The more specific you can be with your search, the more powerful the results. Search for known usernames, aliases, areas of operation, and more, using qualifiers to narrow or broaden the search.
Facebook — or any other social media platform for that matter — is a valuable tool for doing reconnaissance on people, their connections, and their business. Think of social media platforms as individual search engines, with years of backlogged information. Amazingly enough, many debtors stay active on social media even while avoiding creditors, making it easier to find them by simply monitoring their activity.
How can a professional third-party debt collector support the process?
As good as the resources above are at helping you track down and contact the people who owe you money, they’re only as good as the person using them. And while anyone can master them given enough time, practice, and patience, there’s no substitute for a tried-and-true professional as an extension of your team.
Not only can a third-party debt collector utilize skip tracing tools to their fullest capacity to find information pertinent to the debt collection process, but they can do it quicker. Additionally, they’re able to combine this information with proven tactics for contacting and communicating with debtors. Often, hiring a third-party professional means not only expediting your time to collection, but also maximizing the amount you’re able to recover.
[cta]Bad debt happens. When it happens to you, reach out to me — The Guy That Gets You Paid — at [email protected], or give me a call at 866-341-6316.[/cta]
