What Skip Tracing Is
Skip tracing is the investigative process of locating a person who has moved, changed contact information, or is actively avoiding contact. The term originates from the collection industry — a debtor who has "skipped" on a debt. Today it applies broadly to any locate work where the subject's current address or contact information is unknown.
ObjectWire conducts skip tracing for attorneys, creditors, insurance companies, and private individuals across Austin and Central Texas. When a subject has specifically moved to avoid being found, database searches alone are insufficient — field verification and investigative judgment are required.
Who We Locate | Skip Trace Case Types
- Debtors — individuals who have moved to avoid debt collection or judgment enforcement
- Witnesses — persons needed for deposition, statement, or court testimony
- Defendants — individuals who have moved to avoid service of process
- Bail skip subjects — defendants who have failed to appear on bond obligations
- Missing persons — overlapping with our missing persons service when a voluntary disappearance is suspected
- Business subjects — partners, former employees, or contractors who have become unreachable in the context of corporate investigations
Methods | How We Locate Subjects
Skip tracing combines proprietary database research, public records, digital open-source intelligence, field interviews with known associates, and physical verification once a probable location is identified. We cross-reference utility records, vehicle registration, employment filings, and court records to build a current address profile.
Where a subject has adopted a different name or alias, our digital forensics capability extends the search to online identity, social media activity, and alias account tracking.
Legal and Attorney Use Cases | Service of Process Support
Attorneys and process servers frequently engage skip tracing services when a subject has moved or is evading service. ObjectWire provides verified current address reports for service of process, and can coordinate with process servers once a location is confirmed.
We deliver a written locate report with source documentation suitable for use in Texas civil proceedings and judgment enforcement actions.
Start a Skip Trace
Initial consultations are free. Visit the consultation page or see the investigative services hub.