WebSearch University 2015 presentation

1. THE PESKY PROBLEM OF
PEOPLE-SEARCHING
Marcy Phelps
Phelps Research Inc.
mphelps@phelpsresearch.com
WebSearch University
September 17, 2015

2. Twitter:
@marcyphelps
#WebSearchU
Slides:
slideshare.net/marcyphelps
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3. Due Diligence / Business Intelligence
Investments
M & A
Risk/Compliance
Vendors/Alliances
Expert witnesses
Competitive analysis
Opposition research
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4. PESKY PEOPLE-SEARCHING?
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5. Good sources are hard
to find
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Thanks to Phil Bradley:
Alternative search engines; Library 2.014
presentation
http://snipurl.com/2a5b7ow

6. People-finding sources
One-stop shopping – NOT!
Free – NOT!
Error-prone
Get serious about collection development
Verify, verify, verify!
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7. Precision is everything
Is this your subject?
Supplied identifying info
(DOB, location, work history,
etc.)
Verify identity in found info
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8. A rose by any other name…
Full legal name
Common/business name
Middle name/initial
Nickname
First name first/last name first
Maiden/married names
Screen names
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9. There’s a fine line between…
Research,
Investigation,
& Stalking
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10. Avoiding the
pitfalls Staying legal
Sources
Types of info, limitations
Strategy, Tips
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11. Know the law
Nonpublic personal info
FCRA (creditreporting.com/fair-credit-reporting-act/)
GLBA (ftc.gov/tips-advice/business-center/privacy-and-
security/gramm-leach-bliley-act)
DPPA (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Driver%27s_Privacy_Protection_Act)
PI Licensing
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12. Other considerations
How is the info being used?
Information security
Anonymous searching
No pretexting
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13. SOURCES – WHAT TO EXPECT
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14. Types of sources
General search engines
Specialized search engines
Social sites
News, including local
Public/nonpublic records
Associations/regulatory agencies
Fee-based sources
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15. Types of info
Contact info
Biographies/CVs
Opinion pieces
Media mentions/profiles
Watch lists
Social media
profiles/mentions
Regulatory records
Credentials
Sex-offender registries
Assets
And more!
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16. Look for
Identity confirmation
Affiliations
Career
Education
Litigation/Regulatory Action
Misc. (Social, political, etc.)
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17. Other considerations
Free or fee?
Aggregated or go to the source?
Coverage?
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18. STRATEGY / TIPS
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19. Goals – Due
Diligence
Confirm all provided information
Uncover any missing information
Reconcile any inconsistencies
Identify red or yellow flags
Analyze and report
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20. Goals -
Process
Comprehensive
Respect budget/time frame
Start broad – don’t limit yourself
Avoid confirmation bias
(phelpsresearch.com/avoiding-confirmation-
bias-in-investigations)
The past predicts the future
360-degree view
Tell the story
Save everything
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21. Be prepared
Determine level of risk/due diligence
Manage expectations
Develop a process
Collect sources
Create checklists/templates
Gather everything you know
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22. Find background info
Locations
Name variations
Spouse/partner
Found bios
Affiliations
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23. Start with Google
“marcy phelps” (“phelps research” OR “university of Denver”)
Directory listings
Social profiles
Speaker, other bios
Employers
Spouse
Locations
Leads
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24. Other sources
LinkedIn/Twitter/Facebook
LexisNexis/TLO.com/Tracersinfo.com
KnowX.com
Secretary of State websites
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25. Watch lists
PEPs, government sanctions, high-profile criminals
Compliance/Due diligence
LexisNexis
Dow Jones
TLO.com
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26. Regulatory / Credentials
FINRA, NFA, FSA, HKSFC
Wikipedia: List of financial regulatory authorities by country
http://bit.ly/1ooJ8QT
BRBpub.com – State licensing
AMA, ABA, other national licensing boards
CFA (Chartered Financial Analyst)
ICAEW (Chartered Accountant)
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27. Verify degree(s)
Official verification
Directly / 3rd party providers
Need signed consent, other
documentation
Best alternative
News/social media
Alumni /university websites
Academic searching
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28. Public records
BRBPub.com
LexisNexis
TracersInfo.com, TLO.com
*The Manual to Online Public Records, 3rd ed., Sankey &
Hetherington, Facts on Demand Press (BRB Publications),
2013.
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29. Court searching
State civil, criminal
Federal civil, criminal, bankruptcy
Limitations
Sources
Aggregators: LN, Westlaw, etc.
State courts: AOC or individual courts
Federal Courts: PACER.gov
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30. News
**LexisNexis, Factiva, ProQuest Dialog
Google / Bing (yes, Bing)
ABYZNewsLinks.com
Industry publications
*Combine name variations with affiliations, spouse’s name:
(“marcy phelps” OR “marcy m. phelps” OR “phelps marcy”)
(“phelps research” OR AIIP OR “bma Colorado” OR “la
leche league” OR LLL)
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31. Analysis and
reporting
Summarize
Connect the dots
Primary docs?
Implications?
Next actions?
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32. Additional resources
Hetherington Group – Training & Books
Guide to Online Due Diligence Investigations, Cynthia
Hetherington, Facts on Demand Press, 2015
Toddington International – OSINT Training & Resources
(toddington.com/resources)
PhelpsResearch.com/blog
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33. Successful people-searching
Accuracy
Creativity
Flexibility
Critical thinking
Patience
And it’s worth it!
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