Patrick Baird, The Candid Private Investigator

Leave a Message Without Idle Chit Chat

noreply@blogger.com (Patrick Baird) — Thu, 21 May 2009 18:00:00 +0000

Did you ever want to leave a message without the possibility of having to talk to the person? Simply don't have the time for idle chit chat and want to get your point across? Or want to leave a good (and legal) pretext message so your target will call your trap line? Now you can with a product called "Slydial".

Slydial is a voice messaging service that connects you directly to a persons voice mail, bypassing the phone altogether. In fact the phone doesn't even ring, the first sign of your call is when your voice mail has been completed. No awkward conversation, text message or idle chit chat, just your message complete and clear without interruption.

This service is absolutely wonderful and useful to any investigator!! Here are some useful situations for this product:

Have your cake and eat it too - You desperately need to call your girlfriend but she is a talker and you don't want to spend an hour on the phone with her because you would much rather watch the game with your buddies. Leave her a sweet voicemail and get a reprieve for the night.

Give your fingers a break - You need to get some pertinent, detailed information to someone quickly but you don't have time for the idle chit chat that would certainly follow if you called them. Typing it all out in a text message would just be agony! Instead just leave a quick voicemail and your fingers will thank you.

Just tell your side of the story - You just partied hard last night and going to work is just not on your radar today. You dread having to call your boss and answering any awkward questions he may have. Instead just leave him a simple voicemail letting him know that you won't be coming into work today.

Check it out and stay safe!!

Patrick L. Baird
Private Investigator

Googles New GPS Tracking Program

noreply@blogger.com (Patrick Baird) — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 19:59:00 +0000

How often do you find yourself wondering where is your spouse or child? It's a pretty central question to our daily life, and it's precisely the question you can now answer using Google Latitude.

Google's Latitude is a newly-released feature for your mobile phone device. It's also an iGoogle gadget on your computer. Once you've opted in to Latitude, you can see the approximate location of your loved ones who have decided to share their location with you. So now you can do things like see if your spouse is in an expected place, or an ageing parent is within a reasonable distance of their home, or see where your child has wandered off.

With Latitude, not only can you see your loved one's location on a map, but you can also be in touch directly via SMS, Google Talk, Gmail, or by updating your status message; it lets you stay close to the people you care about.

Privacy advocates will have a field day with this product!!

Patrick L. Baird
Private Investigator

FREE Reverse Phone Lookup

noreply@blogger.com (Patrick Baird) — Mon, 02 Feb 2009 19:05:00 +0000

Discover how to find the name to EVERY SINGLE land line phone in the USA. That's right, our Free Reverse Phone Lookup Directory will provide you with the name to every residential or business land line phone (even if it's unlisted or unpublished).

This FREE Reverse Phone Lookup also returns information on many cell numbers.

This is an absolutely FREE Reverse Phone Lookup, there is no charge whatsoever, period! There are no hidden agendas, you do not have to purchase other products to get the FREE Reverse Phone Lookup, you do not have to take a survey, pay for a membership or even sign-up for a mailing list. The only requirement is that you must register for a FREE account with A1 People Search.

This FREE Reverse Phone Lookup search is not available anywhere else on the world wide web for free!! If you have a number where you simply want the name, this is the tool you need!! Try our FREE Reverse Phone Lookup today - FOR FREE!!

In today's world you don't find many things for FREE, other websites charge $14.99 - $59.00 for the same data. This is our gift to you - Compliments from A1 People Search!!

Patrick L. Baird
Private Investigator

Chasing IP Addresses & Emails

noreply@blogger.com (Patrick Baird) — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 21:44:00 +0000

There has been alot of interest this week in chasing IP addresses and email information. Just wanted to lend some help.

An IP is an address on the Internet. Just like an address on the street. When you type in a web address you see letters. Computers see the numbers. The IP numbers are issued to certain networks. IE Yahoo, Google, Comcast, etc..

Emails can be traced by the headers on the emails. Headers contain IP addresses of the networks that they go through.

If you look further you can even get latitude and longitude of the network that was logged on to where the email was sent from.

Once you trace down the network, if you have a legal need or warrant you can track down the user name that was logged on and possibly a residence address. Now remember, if you log on from an air card you could be anywhere.

Check this website for help on tracing emails and IP addresses. They have made this pretty much dummy driven. It will also give you information on masking who you are so that you can hide your location.

http://www.ip-adress.com/ipaddresstolocation/

I would like to wish everyone a Safe & Happy New Year!! See you on the other side.....

Patrick L. Baird
Private Investigator

Federal Study Questions the Accuracy of Sex Offender Registries

noreply@blogger.com (Patrick Baird) — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 15:33:00 +0000

A federal study has questioned the accuracy of information contained in sex offender registries which according to the US Justice Department are often inaccurate and incomplete, thus undermining the public's knowledge of such criminals.

Federal investigators determined that the national sex registry is lacking information on 22% of state level sex offenders. They are regularly absent of SSNs, DMV info and basic addresses.

"As a result, members of the public will not have the information they need to assess the threat posed by sex offenders in their communities," the Justice Department's Office of Inspector General cautioned.

As sex registry information becomes more widely accessible via the Internet, investigators are still concerned about the databases used to monitor the nation's 644,000 registered sex offenders. There are also those questions about whether the stigmatizing registries go too far.

For example, an advocacy group called Texas Voices is trying to change that state's sex-offender registration requirements so that they don't cover so many crimes. Other critics contend that Congress lacks the constitutional authority to require sex offenders to register anew when they move into new states.

U.S. District Court Judge Donald Molloy of Montana ruled last June, when he struck down the requirement "Tracking sex offenders may enhance public safety, but any effect on interstate commerce from requiring sex offenders to register is too attenuated to survive (constitutional) scrutiny"

Multiple registries have sprung in the last dozen years. The FBI maintains the National Sex Offenders Registry, and all 50 states maintain their own registries. However, they differ.

California leads the nation in registered sex offenders, with about 114,000. This is more than twice the number of sex offenders registered in Texas or Florida, and ten times the number registered in North Carolina. California allows searches by proximity to parks or schools. Florida allows the public to search for e-mail addresses used by registered sex offenders. North Carolina locates sex offenders by "longitude and latitude."

Some state registries aren't yet compatible with the national FBI registry. Some state files were rejected because they lacked information that the national database requires. Sex offender records are "inconsistent and complete," investigators concluded

"Neither law enforcement officials nor the public can rely on the registries for identifying registered sex offenders, particularly those who are fugitives," investigators noted.

Occasionally, officials kept warrant information out of the national crime database to avoid the expense of extraditing undesirable fugitives. "Some communities do not want fugitive sex offenders returned to them, even for prosecution," the investigators indicated, adding that "we also were told states may not want to reveal that there are a large number of fugitive sex offenders in their jurisdictions."

Under a 2006 law, states have until 2009 to meet new sex-offender registration standards. The investigators aren't completely critical in their new 110-page report assessing progress in tracking sex offenders. They lauded the US Marshals Service for increasing investigations and arrests of fugitives. In 2007, that agency conducted 2,621 fugitive sex offender investigations as opposed to 390 in 2004.

At any rate I am glad we have this registry to complain about, while it may lack 100% accuracy it is a valuable tool for reference purposes.

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year!!

Patrick L. Baird
Private Investigator

The Web's Largest Database of FAQ's

noreply@blogger.com (Patrick Baird) — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 21:57:00 +0000

"QueryCAT is the web's largest database of frequently asked questions. QueryCAT searches the web for FAQs, automatically extracting questions and ranking the answers to help you find the information you are looking for"

Very interesting search engine -- it claims to be the web's largest database of frequently asked questions. Just type in your question, and you'll be given a list of sites that purport to answer those questions. I ran a couple of searches, and it works pretty well -- although there were some completely irrelevant results that I had to skip over. Still, this is an interesting way to find out the answers to your questions.

Enjoy....

Happy Holidays!!

Patrick L. Baird
Private Investigator

John Walsh's Dedication Revolutionized Missing Children Searchs

noreply@blogger.com (Patrick Baird) — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 18:29:00 +0000

The recent naming of the killer in the Adam Walsh case serves as a reminder of the progress John Walsh has made in the way missing children cases are handled, according to the California Association of Licensed Investigators (CALI).

After his 6-year-old son was kidnapped and murdered, John Walsh became an activist and helped to put missing children's pictures on milk cartons, created fingerprinting programs, and improved security at stores and schools.

In 1984, Walsh co-founded the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), which serves as a resource for law enforcement and raises public awareness of missing children. NCMEC has aided in the recovery of more than 112,900 children, according to its Web site.
The television program "America's Most Wanted," hosted by Walsh, has helped to capture nearly 1,000 fugitives during the past 20 years, according to the program's Web site.

The creation of missing person units at police departments and an FBI database for missing children are also attributed to Walsh's work.

In 2006, President George W. Bush signed a law called "The Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act," which tracks and apprehends convicted sex offenders who disappear after their release from prison. The law was signed twenty-five years to the day that Adam Walsh was murdered.

We are all thankful for what John Walsh has done for the plight of the missing child.

Happy Holidays!!

Patrick L. Baird
Private Investigator

Hollywood Private Investigator Receives Jail Time

noreply@blogger.com (Patrick Baird) — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 22:47:00 +0000

Anthony Pellicano, a private investigator with a string of Hollywood clients, has been sentenced to 15 years in prison after being found guilty of wiretapping and racketeering, among other charges.

Pellicano had previously been convicted on 78 charges, including wiretapping, racketeering and wire fraud. In addition to jail time, Pellicano has been ordered to pay a $2 million fine.

His trial gripped Hollywood, with testimony from the likes of Chris Rock and Sylvester Stallone.

Here is an example of a good PI that got greedy.

Happy Holidays!!

Patrick Baird
Private Investigator

President-Elect Obama's Cell Phone Records Accessed

noreply@blogger.com (Patrick Baird) — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 15:27:00 +0000

Records from a cell phone used by President-elect Obama were improperly breached, apparently by employees of the cell phone company, Verizon Wireless said Thursday.

"This week we learned that a number of Verizon Wireless employees have, without authorization, accessed and viewed President-Elect Barack Obama's personal cell phone account," Lowell McAdam, Verizon Wireless president and CEO, said in a statement.

Patrick L Baird
Private Investigator

Monitor Your Spouse or Families Text Messages

noreply@blogger.com (Patrick Baird) — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 16:03:00 +0000

Mobile Spy Covertly Tracks all Incoming & Outgoing Text Messages and Calls

The story is always the same:

"I suspect my wife or significant other is cheating, I know they get or send text messages at all hours of the day and night, however, when I try to view these messages they have been surprisingly deleted. I have asked the mobile phone carrier and they can not or will not assist me even though I am the responsible person paying for the account. What can I do??"

Mobile Spy defines the latest in high-tech cell phone surveillance. This revolutionary software allows individuals to easily install monitoring software to their spouse, kids or employees smart phone. Once the software is installed it silently logs all text activity such as SMS messages and call information.

There's no need to worry about being near the phone to view the activity because activities are instantly uploaded to a private account viewable using ANY web browser, even a Mac or phone web browser.

You will be able to track all incoming and outgoing text messages and phone calls. Once the software is installed the service is completely transparent to the user.

This product is ideal for the concerned spouse, parent or employer right out of a private investigators tool box.

Patrick L. Baird
Private Investigator

What is a Credit Privacy Number (CPN)

noreply@blogger.com (Patrick Baird) — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 19:42:00 +0000

You have heard a lot of people talking about this subject. Some say that there are no such thing, others say that there are but are illegal, and some inform people say that they definitely are for real. Well, let me provide a little more insight.

Legality of CPN

Presently, federal law allows the ability for someone to legally use a private ID # for financial reporting purposes instead of a Social Security Number.

Title 5, Section 7 of Publication Law 93-579 of Government Organization and Employees Act:(a) (1) It shall be unlawful for any Federal, State or Local Government Agency to deny any individual any right, benefit, or privilege provided by law because of such individual’s refusal to disclose his or hers Social Security Account Number.

What this means is Federal Law protects those who do not wish to disclose their personal information (SS#) except where required to do so. Disclosure of your social security number is only required when dealing with the IRS, your employer, or when applying for a federally insured mortgage. Instead of a Social Security Number, you now have the opportunity to establish a Credit Privacy Number (CPN).

A Credit Privacy Number is a new 9 digit number established for financial reporting purposes. This number is NOT a new social. It is simply an available file number at the credit bureaus that can have financial information reported. You have the right to establish this number only once, so do not abuse it. The bureaus or the IRS can take part in this process to establish your CPN. YOU ARE LIABLE FOR PAYING BACK ANYTHING THAT IS BORROWED with this new CPN.

CPN's are used by celebrities, congress members/government workers, and witness protection reasons. For example, celebrities use it because the media can use their SS# to track what they are buying and where they are simply by tracking their credit cards. Further, in example, congress holds special privileges to the law; therefore, their privacy needs to be protected. In another example, witnesses under protection can be located if they use their true social security number for transaction. This is the reason why there is the existence of a Credit Privacy Number program.

Members of Congress plan to reintroduce a bill to restrict the availability and use of Social Security numbers, hoping the effort will reduce identity theft. A Social Security Subcommittee Chairman by the name of E. Clay Shaw, announced at a July 11 hearing that he and subcommittee ranking member Robert Matsui, plan to unveil legislation to restrict the sale and public display of Social Security numbers, establish penalties for violations, limit dissemination of numbers by credit reporting agencies, make it more difficult for businesses to deny services if a customer refuses to provide their social security number.

The goal is to improve the integrity of the Social Security number assignment process. “Congress must act this session to protect the very number it requires each of us to obtain and use throughout our lifetime,” said Shaw.

CPN Scam Warning

CPN (Credit Privacy Number) services are a new twist on old credit repair scams. These CPN services offer to give a fresh start to people with bad credit by locating and providing an unused social security number. The customers of the CPN service are typically told that for a fee of $300, they will be given a fresh social security number that they can use to create a new credit file or credit history.

Persons who are tempted to use these services should know the following:

1. Use of a false social security number constitutes fraud under a variety of federal laws. These laws include penalties up to and including imprisonment. After prison, you'll have a criminal conviction on your record for the rest of your life.

2. Credit card and finance companies typically rely on data services to check the social security number of credit applicants. When they run a social security number, it becomes immediately clear that either the SSN has not been issued yet OR has been issued, but the date of issuance does not match the age of the person using it. Both are obvious fraud indicators and will result in rejection of the credit application and possible referral to government fraud investigators.

Only the Social Security Administration can issue a social security number. Any company or service that claims it can do so is breaking the law and should not be patronized.

I Hope this helps break down this issue.

Patrick L Baird
Private Investigator

Cool Tracking Devise for Mobile or PDA Smart Phone

noreply@blogger.com (Patrick Baird) — Wed, 10 Sep 2008 18:37:00 +0000

MR TRACKER FOR MOBILE PHONES

Mr Tracker is a software application for most mobile or PDA smart phones of today. There are many features to Mr Tracker, main one is you basically send a sms text message to an associate, children, spouse and your occasional friend , when they reply your text sms message you shall receive the latitude and longitude coordinates below the message that they have replied .Which you then input into Google Earth and it shall give you an exact location of your subjects whereabouts.

Check it out and please offer your feedback.

Patrick L. Baird
Private Investigator

A1 People Search Privacy Policy

noreply@blogger.com (Patrick Baird) — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 19:21:00 +0000

Where Does Public Data Come From?

Our records are compiled from many public record sources including but not limited to: white pages information, real property records, death records, magazine subscriptions and voter registration. Record collection for some databases began in the early 1980's so the databases contain many historical records.

While we do our best to protect consumer’s privacy we can not always do so mostly in part due to the fact that information has entered the public domain because of the actions from the consumer themselves. Typically personal and some private information is shared when you; opt in for sales promotions either on-line for through direct mailings, purchase magazine subscriptions, enter sales contests, fill out warranty cards, process mail in rebate offers, etc. Furthermore, consumers data is also public if they have any UCC or Tax liens, filed bankruptcy, own real estate, have been convicted of a crime (misdemeanor or felony), have a professional license, register for voting etc.

We value your privacy and, upon request, can block your records from being shown in many, but not all, of our search results. To do so, you should contact us by writing a letter, signed by you (we do not accept any unsigned requests or substitute service), giving us your:

First name
Last name
Middle initial
Aliases and A.K.A.'s
Complete current address
Complete former addresses going back 20 years
Date of Birth - including month, day, and year
It is also very helpful to include a print out of the records that you wish to have suppressed.

You may mail this information to:

A1PeopleSearch.com,
1030 East Hwy 377, #110-360,
Granbury, TX 76048

We will try to respond to your queries in a timely fashion.

Thank you,
A1PeopleSearch.com Support

Please refer to the Federal Trade Commission's web site at http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/menus/consumer/data.shtm for information about how to protect yourself against identity theft.

We will occasionally update this Privacy Policy to reflect changes in our practices and services. We reserve the right, at our discretion, to change, modify, add, and/or remove portions of this Privacy Policy at any time. All Privacy Policy changes will take effect immediately upon their posting on our website. We recommend that you check our web site from time to time to inform yourself of any changes in this Privacy Policy or any of our other policies. Your continued use of the A1PeopleSearch web site or acceptance of our e-mails following the posting of changes to these terms will mean that you accept these changes and agree to continue receiving e-mails from us.

Social Security Numbers, Part Five

noreply@blogger.com (Patrick Baird) — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 19:20:00 +0000

Social Security Numbers, Identity Theft, Congress, and Your Protection, Part five of my five part blog,

The Solution;

The HR 3046 and HR 948 are not designed to stop identity theft or to protect the use of the SSN. The fact is that these amendments are offering another false sense of security to an America people that are being victimized by more than the perpetrators of identity theft. The fact is that the majority of identity theft cases are being committed by a person or peoples who have regular contact with the victim. The fact is HR 3046 and HR 948 is not going to keep the American people any safer, but will instead make it easier for identity thieves to get away with their criminal activities because the appropriate agencies will not have the necessary resources to locate the thieves.

As with any tool, in the wrong hands, the tool can be twisted and corrupted to harm others. Taking away the tool is not the solution. The tool is not the problem, and ignoring the real problem will only make that problem fester and affect more innocent people. Taking away the tool instead of the problem is the lazy method of providing a band-aid to a much larger issue. A band-aid that will offer a false sense of security temporarily while taking away everyone’s legitimate rights to information that can do more good than it can do harm.

Missouri and other states go on the offensive to battle idenitity theft by spending tax dollars running "stings" on legitimate companies who are obviously not the problem - The greater question is WHY did it take Missouri and some other states up until December 2005 to change their states drivers license number from social security number???

Changing how we as a people utilize our Social Security numbers does not need the addition of amendments to the Social Security Act. Knowledge is power, and in this case, educating people on the proper use of the Social Security card and Social Security number would be far more beneficial in keeping the American people safe from identity theft than passing restrictive and oppressive amendments that take away all of our Constitutional rights.

Thank You,
Patrick L. Baird
Private Investigator

Part One >>: "SS Numbers, Part One"
Part Two >>: "SS Numbers, Part Two - Identity Theft Crisis"
Part Three >>: "SS Numbers, Part Three - Legitimate Uses for the SSN"
Part Four >>: "SS Numbers, Part Four - Other Legitimate Uses for the SSN"
Part Five >>: "SS Numbers, Part Five - The Solution"

Social Security Numbers, Part Four

noreply@blogger.com (Patrick Baird) — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 19:25:00 +0000

Social Security Numbers, Identity Theft, Congress, and Your Protection, Part four of my five part blog,

“Other” Legitimate Uses of the SSN;

The fact of the matter is individuals have a lot of information associated with a SSN. Credit bureaus, health insurance companies, legal records, bank records, and more can be associated with a SSN. The SSN is a legitimate method of tracking down a person or identity for purposes ranging from finding a lost heir to discovering the location of a criminal. A SSN makes it easier to track a person or identity when the person or identity needs to be found for legal matters.

Lexis-Nexis testified there are approximately 43,000 Robert Jones in the United States today. Obviously, not every Robert Jones is going to have a unique birth date. Private investigators may use the SSN to locate or correctly identify an individual or a record. Perhaps Robert Jones is owed $10 million from a prize commission, but recently moved from his home in Chicago, Illinois. A private investigator, using a SSN, will have an easier time of uniting the man with his money.

The SSN is one of many necessary identifiers used to put a face to a name. Private investigators and other entities use social security numbers as just one of many identifiers. An identifier that is genuinely unique from one person to the next person.

While this may not have been the expected purpose of the SSN, the inception of one unique set of numbers for each individual person has benefits far surpassing that of a simple tax identification number.

In fact many states use or used the SSN as the their resident's primary Drivers License Number. This is true in the case of the state of Missouri who used the SSN as their resident's primary form of ID and Drivers License Number until December, 2005.

It's unexplainable that Missouri and a few other states did not recognize this unbelievable gross error in judgement before identity theft was rampent all over the internet and world.

Patrick L. Baird

Private Investigator

Part One >>: "SS Numbers, Part One"

Part Two >>: "SS Numbers, Part Two - Identity Theft Crisis"

Part Three >>: "SS Numbers, Part Three - Legitimate Uses for the SSN"

Part Four >>: "SS Numbers, Part Four - Other Legitimate Uses for the SSN"

Part Five >>: "SS Numbers, Part Five - The Solution"

Process Server Killed Serving Divorce Papers

noreply@blogger.com (Patrick Baird) — Fri, 30 May 2008 16:52:00 +0000

LOVELAND, Colo. -- A man arrested on suspicion of killing a process server who had handed him divorce papers was also strangling his two children when deputies burst into his home, authorities said Thursday.

Click Here for the full story.

As a fellow process server this disturbs me and further reinforces just how dangerous it is out there. This poor guy was simply serving divorce papers when his life was taken so violently and needlessly. Please be careful!!!

Patrick L. Baird
Licensed Process Server
Private Investigator

Social Security Numbers, Part Three

noreply@blogger.com (Patrick Baird) — Thu, 29 May 2008 15:03:00 +0000

Social Security Numbers, Identity Theft, Congress, and Your Protection
Part three of my five part blog,

Legitimate Uses for the SSN:

The SSN, for all intent and purposes, is a tax identification number. When you work, you pay Social Security taxes and other taxes. The SSN is used to record information such as total income, taxes paid, and taxes owed. Yet, the SSN is used for much more than the initial purpose of being used solely for the Social Security Act.

The change from a paper filing system to computer records is commonplace in government agencies as well as many businesses. There are a good many individuals sharing the same name. Retrieving accurate information of each person simply works better if each individual file is assigned one unique set of numbers. The majority of government agencies and businesses feel that the SSN is ideally suited for this particular purpose.

Thanks to the Privacy Act of 1974, all government agencies – local, state, and federal – are required by law to provide a “disclosure” on the form requesting disclosure of the SSN. This statement will inform the individual whether the SSN is required or voluntarily requested. In addition, the statute or authority by which the SSN is requested must be stated.

The Privacy Act of 174 also states you cannot be denied government benefits or services if you deny a SSN that is not required by federal law. In addition, if there is no visible disclosure, then a complaint should be made to the appropriate agencies. There are many exceptions to this law, and the majority of individuals are not aware of his or her rights.

Patrick L. Baird
Private Investigator

Part One >>: "SS Numbers, Part One"

Part Two >>: "SS Numbers, Part Two - Identity Theft Crisis"

Part Three >>: "SS Numbers, Part Three - Legitimate Uses for the SSN"

Part Four >>: "SS Numbers, Part Four - Other Legitimate Uses for the SSN"

Part Five >>: "SS Numbers, Part Five - The Solution"

Social Security Numbers, Part Two

noreply@blogger.com (Patrick Baird) — Wed, 21 May 2008 16:52:00 +0000

Social Security Numbers, Identity Theft, Congress, and Your Protection

Part two of my five part blog,

Identity Theft Crisis

The loss due to identity theft is a staggering $53 billion annually. Businesses account for roughly $48 billion of the annual loss; individuals account for roughly $5 billion of the annual loss. That equates to approximately $4,800 per business and $500 per individual victim in any given fiscal year. Additionally, over 300 million hours are spent annually to resolve the issues relating directly to identity theft. Each victim, both business and individual, spend an average of 45 hours to resolve matters associated with identity theft.

No one can deny that is a considerable amount of money as well as time each year that is spent combating just the repercussions of identity theft.

So what’s the problem? If Congress amends the Social Security Act, less identity fraud is the result, right?

Take a look at who is perpetrating this fraudulent, expensive crime.

· The identity theft victims generally know the perpetrator. In over 25% of all identity theft cases, the victim is related to or knows the thief.
· The identity theft victims generally work with or around the perpetrator. More than 70% of all identity theft cases are considered an inside job. This can occur wherever you may use your credit card or debit card such as a pizza parlor or the grocery store. However, this can occur within your own workplace environment by a co-worker or visitor that happens to choose your wallet or purse to steal. Surprisingly, a large percentage of these thefts are occurring by the boss or management.
· Approximately 30% of identity theft occurred when the victim lost or had stolen the credit cards and/or account information.

Patrick L. Baird
Private Investigator

Part One >>: "SS Numbers, Part One"

Part Two >>: "SS Numbers, Part Two - Identity Theft Crisis"

Part Three >>: "SS Numbers, Part Three - Legitimate Uses for the SSN"

Part Four >>: "SS Numbers, Part Four - Other Legitimate Uses for the SSN"

Part Five >>: "SS Numbers, Part Five - The Solution"

Social Security Numbers, Identity Theft, Congress, and Your Protection

noreply@blogger.com (Patrick Baird) — Tue, 20 May 2008 21:11:00 +0000

This is the first of a five part series on SSN access

Few topics are as controversial and ever changing as the purpose, both intended and tangible, of the nine-digit social security number (SSN). Once created simply as a method of enforcing Social Security laws, the SSN has evolved into a de facto identification. This was not the original purpose of the SSN; having a single set of numbers issued by the federal government acting as a unique, personal identifier has raised considerable concerns among the people of the United States.

The stark reality of the potential for abuse of the SSN has always been evident, and the line between acceptable and non-acceptable information made available via a SSN has often been distorted at best. Few people would deny that there is considerable trepidation concerning the amount of information made available through the use of a single nine-digit number.

Nonetheless, the concern in recent years has not been what type or even the amount of personal information associated with each person’s SSN, but rather who can have access to that particular information.

The old adage, “There are two sides to every story,” holds considerable truth: there are reasons why restricting the access of information may give the impression of being a good proposal, but on the other hand, there is substantial contemplation which must be calculated when restricting information to the public especially by any governmental body.

The 110th Congress has acted to amend the Social Security Act. The HR 3046, or the Special Security Number Privacy and Identity Theft Prevention Act of 2007, makes the promise to “enhance Social Security account number privacy protections, to prevent fraudulent misuse of the Social Security account number, and to otherwise enhance protection against identity theft, and for other purposes.”

At the same time, the 110th Congress is further attempting to amend the Social Security Act with HR 948 promising “To strengthen the authority of the Federal Government to protect individuals from certain acts and practices in the sale and purchase of Social Security numbers and Social Security account numbers, and for other purposes.”

Stop identity theft? Protect each and every SSN? In theory, this sounds like an advantageous notion benefiting all of the American people and their safety.

Regrettably, not all is as ideal as it first sounds…

The number one reason Congress is attempting to pass these two particular amendments to the Social Security Act has to do with the identity theft crisis in the United States. Armed with a SSN, unscrupulous individuals have a basis for stealing the identity of honest, hard-working Americans. Congress is taking measures to insure the SSN cannot be hijacked, stolen, sold, or borrowed to commit identity theft. Sounds simple.

Patrick Baird
Private Investigator

Part One >>: "SS Numbers, Part One"
Part Two >>: "SS Numbers, Part Two - Identity Theft Crisis"
Part Three >>: "SS Numbers, Part Three - Legitimate Uses for the SSN"
Part Four >>: "SS Numbers, Part Four - Other Legitimate Uses for the SSN"
Part Five >>: "SS Numbers, Part Five - The Solution"

The Poor Mans Surveillance Vehicle A/C Unit

noreply@blogger.com (Patrick Baird) — Mon, 12 May 2008 14:59:00 +0000

This is an amazing product for long surveillance details. For only $39 you can turn your ice chest into a portable air conditioner.

Web address is: www.kooleraire.com - It's a poor mans surveillance vehicle A/C unit that will help keep you cool on hot days for only $39.

I am not making any money on this - just wanted to introduce you to this amazing product.

The Key to the Truth is in the Numbers

noreply@blogger.com (Patrick Baird) — Thu, 08 May 2008 16:22:00 +0000

How do you verify that someone is who they say they are?

Identity theft affects millions of lives annually; identity theft is a crime that sees no boundaries in age, income, or gender. The fact is anyone can be a victim of identity theft, and the internet has become a hotbed for those criminals looking to steal another person’s identity for whatever reason.

A social security number is a nine digit number that is as unique to us as our finger prints. In our society, a child is issued a unique social security number shortly after birth. Without a social security number a child can not attend school, daycare, or preschool; as that child grows, the social security number becomes a unique part of the adult person that child will become.

Private Information Used To Harass, Stalk, and Violate

noreply@blogger.com (Patrick Baird) — Wed, 07 May 2008 19:34:00 +0000

Do you receive mailings once a week filled with local coupons and advertisements? Have you ever received coupons you absolutely loved without even knowing for sure where those coupons came from? Chances are you receive advertising ranging from direct mailings to television commercials based on your general statistics. The census of information gathered for your residential location may be utilized to target specific advertising or promotions directly to you based on your gender, age, socio-economic status, and even your vehicle.

Chances are good you, your loved ones, newborn children, and even deceased family members have received unsolicited advertisements and promotions. While some of these may be welcomed, after a while, you may be left feeling violated. Even if you are being hounded by bill collectors, you do have rights! Make those harassing telephone calls, letters, and e-mails stop.

Remember - You do have rights

FTC'S Workshop on the SSN and ID Theft Update

noreply@blogger.com (Patrick Baird) — Fri, 14 Dec 2007 14:22:00 +0000

FROM: Bruce Hulme, NCISS Legislative Director

On December 10 and 11, Larry Sabbath, Nicole Bocra, Jimmie Mesis, and I attended the Federal Trade Commission’s workshop in D.C. regarding uses of Social Security numbers in the private sector. These had previously been posted on the FTC website with written comments from 338 stakeholders as of December 5.

In addition, there had been a recently released 43-page Staff Summary of Comments and Information received regarding the private sector’s use of Social Security numbers. Refer to #218, Project No. P05414.

Also attending the workshop were NCISS member Bill Lowrence, president of the Private Investigators Association of Virginia, and private investigator Patrick M. Clawson of Michigan and Virginia.

During this day and a half workshop, 27 presenters were heard on six panels, each with a separate moderator and four panelists.

After welcoming remarks by FTC’s Lydia Parnes, Director, Bureau of Consumer Protection, the framing of issues regarding the private security sector’s uses of the SSN were provided by Joel Winston, Associate Director, Division of Privacy and Identity Protection.

Subject matter of the four panels presentations on the first day were: How SSNs are used to commit ID theft; SSN display and use as an internal identifier; SSN uses to link data externally; SSN use for authentication and fraud prevention.

The second day’s two panels covered: Alternatives to SSN restriction; Recommendations to be made to the President as to any specific steps to be taken after developing a comprehensive record on private sector uses of SSNs.

The FTC had also prepared a Summary of Current SSN Federal Bills as they relate to private sector use of SSNs. They limited their comments to these following three bills:

S.238, the Social Security Number Misuse Prevention Act by Senator Diane Feinstein (D-CA)

H.R. 30046, the Social Security Number Privacy and Identity Theft Preservation Act of 2007 by Rep. Michael McNulty (D-NY)

H.R. 948, the Social Security Number Protection Act of 2007 by Rep. Edward Markey (D-MA)

The above bills, if enacted into law, would restrict the collection, display, purchase, sale, and/or use of SSNs.

Circulated at the workshop was a four-page fact sheet: The Work of the President’s Identity Theft Task Force in the form of a September 19, 2006, press release.

Also available to participants from the Identity Theft Task Force was the April 2007, 107-page Combating Identity Theft: A Strategic Plan.

The FTC staff Summary Report and Comments referred on two occasions to the eight-page NCISS comments of September 4. That report also included comments from Francie Koehler, NCISS first vice-president, and the CALI and NALI legislative chair, on behalf of the California Association of Licensed Private Investigators. That document provided many case examples of how private investigators have utilized the Social Security number during the course of their investigations.

Unfortunately, the initial workshop panel commented on the recent indictment of ten private investigators that are alleged to have illegally obtained confidential medical, financial, and other personal information from the Social Security Administration and the Internal Revenue Service without consent. (Refer to the NCISS press release on our website.) These ten investigators have been indicted by the Seattle Grand Jury for pretexting as a result of an operation called “Dialing for Dollars.”

Charges against these private investigators from Washington, California, Texas, and New York, include: conspiracy, wire fraud, fraudulent elicitation of Social Security Administration information, solicitation of Federal Tax information, and aggravated identity theft.

Reference was also made to the Amy Boyer case by one of the three privacy advocates that were on the panels. In general, this workshop concentrated on determining not only the uses of the SSN in the private sector; the panelists were concerned primarily with the SSN as an identifier.

Speaking on his own behalf and not for any association, was Robert Townsend, a California private investigator, who had been invited by the FTC to speak regarding the private investigator’s use of the SSN.

It was indeed unfortunate that no panelist had been selected by the FTC from NCISS to speak for the private investigation profession. For what it’s worth, in my opinion and others present at this workshop, it was regrettable that Robert Townsend devoted a considerable portion of his allotted time on the panel to put forth an ill-conceived scheme. His proposal would dictate that an investigator obtain an affidavit regarding proposed litigation against a subject, require an appearance before a judicial officer, and pay a fee. He would also have to provide an ex-parte argument with sufficient facts to determine if a lawsuit is required that will result in compensation to an aggrieved party before allowed the very access that we presently have without having to jump over legal hoops to obtain same.

In essence, Townsend termed his proposal a “restricted search warrant” and he advocated the presence of a “judicial set of eyes” looking at what the investigator is doing and confirming that the investigator’s actions are sanctioned by a judicial officer.

Thankfully, not one member of any of the panels pursued Townsend’s ridiculous proposal. Such would have completely undermined the legislative and regulatory positions of NCISS and the fifty professional organizations on whose behalf we speak regarding federal privacy issues and the need for our profession to have continued access to SSNs and credit headers.

Notwithstanding the damaging remarks offered by Townsend to workshop participants, NCISS representatives in the audience were able to provide examples where the SSN was a key indicator in solving cases that achieved favorable results in the interest of justice. And, our Washington representative, Larry Sabbath, succinctly presented our position into the record upon which recommendations will be made by the FTC to the President’s Identity Theft Task Force in the coming months.

The majority of participants in the workshop emphasized that the Social Security number is not a secret anymore. They felt that the best way to combat identity theft would be to strengthen the authentication process used by firms that grant credit. They criticized financial institutions that rely solely on the SSN (whole or truncated) to open or access an account. Rather, they suggest using responses to questions about matters known only to the individual to provide authentication. Restricting the use of SSNs would be of far less value for preventing identity fraud. Privacy advocates, however, did maintain that because some firms still rely on the SSN, its sale should be limited.

High FTC officials have agreed to meet with NCISS in early January to further discuss why private investigators need access to the SSN.

Bruce Hulme, NCISS Legislative Director

************************************************************************

In my opinion, Robert Townsend continues his plight to damage our industry. While we are all looking for a happy medium, his most resent solution has no support from any of the private investigators I know. The only reason I can see why he is constantly asked by the government to speak at these hearings is because Mr. Townsend is clearly guided by the government's position and his own agenda.

We need a voice that has the support of our industry at these hearings not a yes man for the government's agenda. The government knows this and this is why they continue to select a person who obviously does not have his finger on the pulse of the PI industry or even the majority of the American public's best interest in mind.

I believe and respect the law. It is just sad that as a law abiding citizen and private investigator I am seeing the government crush many valuable tools we have to help stave off fraud while they unknowingly aid the criminals and the deadbeats by "protecting" our rights.

If the government continues this practice the industry hit the hardest will be the financial industry. We will witness the demise of skip tracing altogether. This industry will no longer have the tools to effectively contact, locate or even communicate with the very people that owe them money. What does that mean to 95% of the people that pay their bills, higher interest rates and less money in our pockets!

In closing; While we watch criminals get away, missing children stay missing, interest rates sky rocket because deadbeat accounts go unpaid and secured collateral go un-found, we can all thank our government officials for protecting us from ourselves!

Happy Holidays!!

Patrick L. Baird
Private Investigator

Any feedback on this topic is greatly appreciated - please click on the "comments" button at the end of this blog to post your feedback or comments, you may post your comments anonymously.

FREE MySpace Investigative Tool

noreply@blogger.com (Patrick Baird) — Thu, 13 Dec 2007 15:10:00 +0000

I just learned of a tremendous investigative tool for MySpace if you have a subject and want to know who his friends are online, whether it is a missing kid, drug dealer, whatever.

Here is the web site: http://www.lococitato.com/myspacefriends/myspacefriends.html

Works like a charm. This site draws a beautiful link diagram to show all the MySpace profiles connected to this one person. It would be a great time saver and a good case presentations tool.

Happy Holidays!

Patrick L. Baird
Private Investigator

Private Investigators Indicted for Pretexting

noreply@blogger.com (Patrick Baird) — Mon, 10 Dec 2007 20:14:00 +0000

Private eyes accused of 'pretexting' to get confidential data

Federal agents Thursday arrested three people connected with a Belfair private investigation firm who are accused of gathering confidential information on individuals through trickery from the IRS and Social Security Administration.

According to the court docuemnts A federal grand jury in Seattle indicted 10 people for an alleged scheme to obtain confidential information on 12,000 U.S. residents.

Read the full article at: http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/342557_pretexting07.html

This is another black eye on our industry which is obviously on the radar with the press and various government agencies.

Patrick L. Baird
Private Investigator