CLPS Skip Tracing 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which federal law most directly restricts a process server's ability to access consumer credit reports during skip tracing?
- Freedom of Information Act (FOIA)
- Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) (Correct answer)
- Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act (GLBA)
- Driver's Privacy Protection Act (DPPA)
Correct answer: Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA)
The FCRA governs access to consumer credit reports and limits who may obtain them and for what permissible purposes.
Question 2: When a subject uses a P.O. Box as their mailing address, what is the best next investigative step for a skip tracer?
- Assume the subject is evading service and close the file
- File a request with the court to waive service
- Search utility records and vehicle registration for a physical address (Correct answer)
- Send certified mail to the P.O. Box only
Correct answer: Search utility records and vehicle registration for a physical address
Utility and vehicle registration records often tie to a physical address even when a subject uses a P.O. Box.
Question 3: What does 'NCOA' stand for in the context of skip tracing address research?
- National Consumer Outreach Agency
- National Change of Address (Correct answer)
- Nationwide Certificate of Address
- Non-Compliant Open Access
Correct answer: National Change of Address
The USPS National Change of Address database records forwarding requests submitted by individuals who have moved.
Question 4: A process server discovers the subject's LinkedIn profile lists their current employer. Under the FCRA, accessing this information to locate the subject is:
- Prohibited because LinkedIn data is private
- Permissible because publicly posted information is not a consumer report (Correct answer)
- Permissible only with a court order
- Prohibited unless the server has a private investigator license
Correct answer: Permissible because publicly posted information is not a consumer report
Publicly available information on social media is not a consumer report under the FCRA and may be used freely for skip tracing.
Question 5: Which skip tracing technique involves calling neighbors or relatives to gather information about a subject's whereabouts without revealing the investigative purpose?
- Pretext calling (Correct answer)
- Cold calling
- Surveillance
- Database querying
Correct answer: Pretext calling
Pretext calling uses a cover story or false identity to elicit location information, which carries significant legal and ethical risks.
Question 6: A process server notes the subject's vehicle is registered at an address in another county. Which agency's records should be checked to confirm current registration?
- County Sheriff's Office
- State Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) (Correct answer)
- Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration
- Local police records division
Correct answer: State Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV)
The state DMV maintains current vehicle registration records including the registrant's address.
Question 7: What is the primary purpose of cross-referencing a subject's phone number in a reverse-lookup database during skip tracing?
- To verify the subject's credit score
- To identify the physical address or name associated with that number (Correct answer)
- To determine the subject's criminal history
- To access the subject's call records
Correct answer: To identify the physical address or name associated with that number
Reverse phone lookup databases link phone numbers to names and associated addresses, helping confirm or update a subject's location.
CLPS Skip Tracing 2
Which federal law most directly restricts a process server's ability to access consumer credit reports during skip tracing?