Private Investigator Exam Interview & Skip Tracing 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which database is commonly used by licensed PIs in the US for skip tracing and locating persons?
- FBI National Crime Information Center (NCIC)
- LexisNexis Accurint or TLO (Correct answer)
- IRS tax database
- DEA drug offender registry
Correct answer: LexisNexis Accurint or TLO
LexisNexis Accurint, TLO, and similar commercial databases aggregate public records, utility data, and other information used by licensed PIs for skip tracing.
Question 2: When interviewing a reluctant witness, the most effective approach is to:
- Threaten legal consequences if they refuse to speak
- Explain the importance of their information and appeal to their sense of civic duty (Correct answer)
- Record the conversation without their knowledge
- Have law enforcement present to compel testimony
Correct answer: Explain the importance of their information and appeal to their sense of civic duty
Appealing to the witness's sense of fairness or civic duty, while being respectful and non-threatening, is the most effective ethical technique for gaining cooperation.
Question 3: What is the 'funnel technique' in witness interviewing?
- Starting with broad open-ended questions and narrowing to specific details (Correct answer)
- Beginning with yes/no questions to establish baseline facts
- Using a script of predetermined questions
- Asking multiple witnesses the same question in sequence
Correct answer: Starting with broad open-ended questions and narrowing to specific details
The funnel technique starts with broad, open-ended questions to allow a free narrative, then progressively narrows to specific details and clarifications.
Question 4: For skip tracing purposes, utility records are valuable because they:
- Are freely available to any member of the public
- Often reflect a current service address tied to the subject's residence (Correct answer)
- Are maintained by federal law enforcement
- Require no special access or authorization
Correct answer: Often reflect a current service address tied to the subject's residence
Utility records—gas, electric, water—are tied to an active service address, which is often the subject's current residence, making them useful for location research.
Question 5: What does the term 'locator search' refer to in PI work?
- Searching for hidden assets
- Efforts to find the current physical location or address of a person (Correct answer)
- Locating missing evidence at a crime scene
- Finding a witness through court records
Correct answer: Efforts to find the current physical location or address of a person
A locator search is the process of using various records, databases, and field techniques to identify the current address or whereabouts of an individual.
Question 6: Which of the following is a legitimate source for skip-tracing a subject's vehicle ownership?
- The subject's medical history
- State DMV records (accessed for a permissible purpose under DPPA) (Correct answer)
- Social Security Administration records
- Federal tax lien database
Correct answer: State DMV records (accessed for a permissible purpose under DPPA)
State DMV records can reveal vehicle ownership and associated addresses when accessed for a purpose permitted under the Driver's Privacy Protection Act.
Private Investigator Exam Interview & Skip Tracing 2
Which database is commonly used by licensed PIs in the US for skip tracing and locating persons?