Nationwide Wants & Warrants Check

This question has come up a lot and I thought it is worth discussing.

Question: Helen Asked;

Does anyone here know if there is such a thing as a nationwide wants and warrants database check? I have a friend who came through customs at the Miami airport and the customs agent told her that there was something attached to her name but would not tell her what it was specifically, after being detained for a while she was finally released without further explanation.

She has never been in any kind of trouble, does quite a bit of traveling and does not want to be detained again- is there a way to run her SSN or Name to see if there is something attached to her name- please reply asap.

Answer: From Dave, (Law Enforcement Officer)

There is a form of a "nationwide check" through NCIC (National Crime Information Center). The check automatically happens when a law enforcement agency runs a name through whatever statewide or nationwide system they have.

Often times there is a "soundex" hit or a hit on the actual name. This would cause someone to be detained until that it could be determined that the person in hand is not the person being looked for.

For instance, often times an Hispanic name may be ran and the soundex hit comes back that the person is a deported felon. That would spur at least a minor investigation.

Once that officer is satisfied he has the wrong person, that person is released. Another example may be that there is a warrant attached and the wanted person has the same name and birth date as your friend, however upon further investigation it is learned that the wanted subject is 6'02" 300lbs and your friend is 5'05" and 120lbs.

That would be enough to let your friend go. Also many warrants now have Geographical limits. In other words a traffic warrant from California may be no good or invalid if the person is stopped in Georgia. So if the Georgia officer sees the warrant you may get detained but once the Geo limits are determined you get released.

To answer the second part of your question, there really is no way of "preventing this from happening again". If your friend has a name or identifier of some sort that is close to someone of interest he/she may get "detained" temporarily until the agent/officer is satisfied they have the wrong person.

The public does not have access to NCIC only government and law enforcement agencies can access this file. The best we can do in the private sector is to hire a professional to check county, state or federal databases. You may find a source for this here.

Tracing E-Mail Addresses

Have you ever received an email from someone and really wanted to know sent it. I'm not talking about finding out who sends you spam or junk mail. I'm talking about a harrassing, threatening, or suspicious email; or maybe even an email you found on your spouses computer (you know, the one he or she didn't want you to read).

Check out this blog on the topic, it is extremely thorough.

Texas Financial Responsibility Verification Program

Texas legislature passed a new bill creating the Texas Financial Responsibility Verification Program between the DPS and The Texas Department of Insurance which will allow HDI Solutions of Alabama to create a program where police patrol cars will be able to verify by VIN, name, DL and other means whether Auto Insurance coverage exists for a particular driver and vehicle.

This program is supposed to be in effect in April of 2008 but could be delayed being implemented. This could be a real boom to those of you who do auto personal injury cases.

Social Engineering Seminar

Some call it pretext, however, that word has been given an unfair bum rap. Pretext is LEGAL in MANY situations and is used legitimately for POE locates, diversion if approached during surveillance, skiptracing and investigations involving worker’s comp, insurance cases, personal injury and (sometimes) divorce cases.

If you are interested I highly reccomend this "NetWebinar". All of the above areas will be covered. Private Investigator Ron Rugen is your instructor. This NetWebinar is for licensed PIs only.

Fake Cop Robs Georgia Armored Truck Driver

Police and the F.B.I. were searching Friday for a gunman who, dressed as a police officer, held up an armored truck.

The uniformed hold-up man waited in the lobby of the B.B. & T. bank in Roswell Thursday for the Brinks truck driver to pick up cash deposits from the bank.

Security video shows the bold bandit greeting the driver and holding the bank's front door open for him. Masquerading as bank security the gunman escorted the driver and the bags of money out to the truck.

The driver told police he asked the gunman how long the bank had been providing security. That's when the robber pulled his gun and demanded the cash.

The driver handed over the money bags and the gunman escaped on foot.

Police are searching for a six-foot tall man with a muscular build. He was wearing a black t-shirt with a police badge on the front and "Police" in block letters on the back.

He was wearing police-style tactical pants tucked into black combat boots.