Skip Tracing

Guide – 16 Tools to Find Missing Persons

2021 6 min read

A comprehensive guide to the tools and techniques used by Citiserve Pty Ltd investigators to locate missing persons, debtors, defendants and witnesses across Australia.

Locating a person who has moved, changed their contact details, or is deliberately evading service requires a systematic approach and access to a range of investigative tools. At Citiserve, our skip tracing team uses the following 16 tools and techniques to find missing persons across Australia.

1. Electoral Roll Searches

The Australian Electoral Commission maintains a roll of all enrolled voters. This is one of the first databases checked when attempting to locate a person.

2. ASIC Company Searches

If the subject is a director or officer of a company, ASIC records can reveal their registered address and other contact details.

3. Land Title Searches

Property ownership records held by state land registries can reveal current and past addresses associated with a person.

4. Social Media Investigation

Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram and other platforms often contain location information, workplace details, and connections that can assist in locating a person.

5. White Pages and Reverse Lookups

Online directory services can be used to search for phone numbers and addresses associated with a name.

6. Court Records

Public court records may contain addresses and other identifying information filed in previous proceedings.

7. Vehicle Registration Searches

In certain circumstances, vehicle registration records can be accessed to identify the registered owner and their address.

8. Bankruptcy and Insolvency Searches

AFSA (Australian Financial Security Authority) records can reveal whether a person has been declared bankrupt and their last known address.

9. ATO and Centrelink Records

In appropriate legal circumstances, government agency records may be accessed through court orders.

10. Field Enquiries

On-the-ground investigations at last known addresses, speaking with neighbours, building managers and local businesses.

11. Employer Searches

Identifying and contacting current or former employers to obtain forwarding contact information.

12. Credit Bureau Searches

Credit reporting agencies hold address histories that can assist in tracing a person's movements.

13. Australia Post Redirection Records

In certain circumstances, mail redirection records can indicate a new address.

14. Professional Licensing Boards

If the subject holds a professional licence (medical, legal, trade), the relevant board may hold current contact details.

15. Surveillance

Physical surveillance at known locations — workplace, family home, regular haunts — can confirm a person's current whereabouts.

16. Network Enquiries

Discreet enquiries through the subject's known associates, family members, and professional contacts.

Contact Citiserve for Skip Tracing

If you need to locate a person for the purpose of serving legal documents, contact Citiserve Pty Ltd. Our experienced skip tracing team has a proven track record of locating hard-to-find individuals across Australia.

NEED DOCUMENTS SERVED?

Contact us today for a fast, no-obligation quote. Australia-wide service — all capital cities and rural areas.