Skip Tracing

What is Skip Tracing?

How Our Skip Tracing Process Works

• 1. Tell Us Who You Need to Find

  It all starts with you. Just tell us about the person you’re trying to locate and the debt or legal issue involved. The more details you can give us, for example; old addresses, phone numbers, anything, the better. Your information is the launchpad for our entire search.

• 2. We Dig Deep Using Tech and Databases

  Once we have your information, our certified team gets straight to work. We use those details to start targeted searches across social media and professional sites. Crucially, we also tap into our specialised, private databases using our OSINT (Open Source Intelligence) expertise to find information the public can’t access.

• 3. You Get a Complete, Verified Report

  We pull all the confirmed facts together and hand you a detailed report. This report includes the subject’s verified current address, contact details, and even their usual hangouts. Because our team verifies all the information, you can be sure you’re using accurate details to reach or locate your person of interest.

When to Use a Professional Skip Tracer

• The debtor has moved and mail is being returned

  Returned mail is the earliest reliable signal that your file is going nowhere. The longer the gap between the move and the trace, the colder the data trail.

• You need a current address before serving legal documents

  A claim served to a stale address isn’t served at all. Confirming the address before you instruct a process server saves the cost of a failed attempt and avoids a defendant later applying to set aside a default judgment on the basis they were never properly served.

• You're tracing a company director for an insolvency or enforcement matter

  Where a corporate debtor has been deregistered, placed into liquidation, or phoenixed into a new entity, the director, shadow director or personal guarantor is usually the party worth pursuing. We trace individuals behind failed entities and identify their current whereabouts.

• You hold a personal guarantee and need to enforce it

  A guarantee is only as good as your ability to locate the guarantor. We locate guarantors so you can issue demand and, if needed, proceed to enforcement.

• Your judgment is going stale and enforcement hasn't started

  Judgments have enforcement limitation periods, and they run whether or not you can find the defendant. If you’re holding an unenforced judgment against a debtor who’s dropped off the map, a trace is the step that restarts the file.

• Internal skip tracing has already failed

  Credit teams do a lot of this work themselves. When that’s been exhausted, the remaining leads generally sit in databases and records that aren’t publicly searchable. That’s where a licensed operator becomes necessary.

Frequently Asked Skip Tracing Questions

• How does a skip tracer find someone?

  Professional skip tracers use online research, specialist skip tracing software, and field investigations to locate individuals.

  Skip tracing software pulls personal records from multiple sources, such as real estate data, court information, social media, and employment history. This data is then compiled into a single program that skip tracers can use to verify the current contact information of individuals.

• What information do you need to start a skip trace?

  At a minimum, the subject’s full name and one solid identifier like a date of birth, a last known address, a previous phone number or email, or an ABN or ACN if the debtor is or was a business.

  Anything else you hold makes the trace faster and cheaper: previous addresses, known associates or family members, employer details, vehicle registration, social media profiles, the age of the debt, and any correspondence history.

  If you’re not sure you have enough to proceed, send us what you’ve got and we’ll tell you whether the matter is viable before you commit.

• How long does it take to skip trace?

  We aim to provide a skip trace report within 7-10 business days. The process may take longer if the subject is difficult to find.

  The team at Dynamic Commercial Collections understands that debt collection can be time sensitive. We’ll provide regular updates on our progress, so you can resolve your matter as soon as possible.

• How much does skip tracing cost?

  A Standard Skip Trace is $500 + GST. An Advanced Skip Trace is $850 + GST if we locate the subject, or $450 + GST if we’re unable to locate them.

  Additional costs can apply where a matter is complex or urgent, or where third-party search fees are incurred. We confirm any additional cost with you in writing before proceeding, so you’re never billed for something you haven’t approved.

• Is skip tracing accurate?

  Skip tracing is very accurate when the correct tools are used. The most reliable way to locate someone who has skipped town is with dedicated skip tracing software.

  These databases compile information from a variety of sources that can only be accessed by licensed professionals. This means they are more accurate than searches that don’t utilise skip tracing databases.

• Can you find a company director or a business?

  Yes, and it’s one of the most common instructions we receive.

  Where a corporate debtor has been deregistered, wound up, or has stopped trading and reappeared under a new entity, the recoverable party is usually the director, shadow director or personal guarantor behind it. We trace individuals through ASIC and ABN records, company and director histories, associate enquiries and property records to establish who they are and where they are now.

  This is standard work for insolvency practitioners, liquidators and creditors holding personal guarantees.

• Can you access phone records, bank records or government records?

  No, and neither can anyone else operating lawfully in Australia. Telecommunications records, banking records, medical records and government-held data such as Centrelink, Medicare, taxation and motor vehicle registration are protected under privacy legislation and available only to authorised agencies.

  Any operator suggesting otherwise is describing unlawful conduct, and information obtained that way would expose you to significant legal risk.

• Why am I being skip traced?

  You may be skipped trace for a number of reasons, including:

  • Unpaid debts to an individual or a business
  • Family members attempting to contact you (e.g. if you have lost touch, or are considered a missing person)
  • Legal professionals attempting to contact you (e.g. if you are the beneficiary of a will)

  Skip tracing is a common service in the debt recovery industry. If you have unpaid debts, your creditor or a debt collector may use a skip trace to obtain your current contact details.

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