Cryptocurrency fraud, abandoned properties, missing historic Artefacts, serving papers at what looked like a haunted house. The only thing these may have in common is the fact they are currently on my caseload!
It may sound cliché to state “no days are ever the same” but that is my reality and that is also one of the reasons my role as an investigator at Taylor Investigations is so fascinating.
On paper, however, it may look quite repetitive! Each month, on average, I will get through double figures of person traces for private clients and solicitors. The end of month summary will read 12 person traces and if you take that at face value, you could presume I’m always doing the same thing. That couldn’t be any further from the truth and I’d like to share a couple of examples of recent cases so you can gain an insight into some of the work.
In the last month alone, I’ve had to locate an individual from a Twitter handle and no other information. This was a difficult one, to say the least! databases searched thoroughly, and I rinsed through any Open-Source Intelligence information available to me. At one point, I was analysing old YouTube videos just waiting to see a street sign or any piece of information that could shed some light. I’d even spoken with the individual directly under an alias and, although forthcoming with lots of information, none of what was provided could lead me to an address. I was in the same groups and online circles, I could tell you the shoe size and the name of the first pet! But I couldn’t get an address! I was frustrated at this point, but I knew how important it was to the client and, as I had said to them in our initial consultation if anyone wants to find them more than you, it’s us!
I took a few days’ breather and focused on other cases, hoping to come back with fresh eyes to see something I hadn’t seen when I had my head down engrossed in the case. With that clear headspace and a large slice of luck, I got the address.
You can’t like your own posts
When I came back to the case, I noticed a new like on one of the fake business accounts post gloating about their excellence. The like was from another fake account which was using the previously mentioned pet’s name in the username.
Vanity had shot the subject right in the foot! “You can’t like your own posts” I thought “that’s criminal”.
Well, that was it. I then discovered a podcast with the subject speaking which gave me an extremely distinctive accent and then found another after that where the subject’s legal name was finally mentioned.
I had a name and a region, and the database took care of the rest. It was done!
Our client had an address and I had more grey hairs than when I started!
2 days later, another trace was in. Our client was trying to reconnect with a friend and had used a tracing agent who had given them an address but any attempt at corresponding was unsuccessful.
Long story short, the subject had not only moved on from that address a while ago but had also sadly passed away. We obviously had to break this news, which was extremely sad but also provided the client with some closure that they most definitely deserved.
The above two cases were both person traces and the differences between them and the circumstances of them couldn’t have been any further apart! And that’s exactly why this role is so interesting. There’s always something new and there’s always another fresh case around the corner. It gives us a platform to truly help our clients and although we can’t guarantee we will be successful as some individuals will go to extreme lengths not to be found.
We can guarantee we will do everything we possibly can within the realms of the law to meet the requirements of our clients.
I have only spoken in this blog about person tracing, there are background investigations, tenant vetting, process serving, house history and employment investigations all on my caseload in April alone.