By David Kirkpatrick

Linking technology even brings sources without SSN information into play.

The parent company of Accurint is LexisNexis. With 30+ years of data management experience, LexisNexis provides legal, business, government and tax information to customers around the world. Accurint is the LexisNexis brand for collection activity.

Accurint offers a number of tools, including Person Search, a tool used to find a debtor using thousands of data sets to dig for current names, addresses and phone numbers. Accurint also has tools for finding neighbors, associates and possible relatives; Phones Plus, with access to more than 75 million phone records from non-directory assistance sources, including cell phones; and People at Work, with links to more than 132 million people through employment information. Relavint visually links individuals with businesses, addresses, relatives and vehicles, while Advanced Person Search helps find people when the only available data is old or fragmented.

Features
For skip tracing purposes, the key tool is Person Search. Although the product can be searched any way the customer wants—through a Social Security number, very specific information or maybe even just general information—most skip trace searches will be performed using SSNs.

Accurint does a lot of back-end work to hit every data source using the SSN; linking technology even brings sources without SSN information into play. An example is directory assistance, which does not include a SSN, but does have a name and address that can be linked by Accurint with the given SSN.

The idea behind this back-end work is to combine Accurint’s collection industry knowledge with its database of public records to bring back “good” data and keep the customer from having to do the legwork of cross-checking of all those databases.

A simple Person Search inquiry pulls the basic information and has a “next step” option to find relatives, neighbors, associates, a combination of all three or people at work. Person Search also offers the option for many reports under three headings: comprehensive, asset report and pre-litigation report.

In addition, Person Search has a very easy-to-use interface, simple icons, new information that’s just a click away (in most cases) and a large number of available reports. The tool also offers the opportunity for customization.

Testing the System
I tested Person Search using only my own SSN, and five records were pulled. The first listed was my current address, full name, date of birth, correct date for owning (occupying from the standpoint of the database) the property and both phone numbers that ring in my house. This listing included a check mark next to the address, indicating it was the best result. That listing also included a box indicating property records and motor vehicles were found relating to the listing and could be pursued for a fee.

The other records found were my most recent previous address, my parent’s house, a home I rented over 10 years ago and an apartment rented before the house. The dates tied to all these listings were correct, except for my parent’s house where it last placed me in 1996. That should have been listed before the final apartment address as far as occupancy is concerned.

Support
Accurint offers 24/7 phone support and complementary training by telephone and onsite, when warranted. Accurint is also integrated with all the major collection software companies for ease of use of its tools by any customer using those applications.

Collection industry experienced employees, referred to as “sales specialists,” sit down with customers and can speak the industry language. Accurint says these specialists understand just what that customer wants to do to help customize and optimize various processes.

Summary
LexisNexis is a giant in the world of data and information, and it’s no surprise Accurint proves to be a powerful, accurate skip tracing option. Accurint focuses on quality, correctness and relevance, putting the best information first in any search. I was impressed with the test results, which demonstrated ease of use. Accurint did not present me with data; it presented information.

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