When a person receives a text message, it is second-nature to simply respond with the quickest answer possible. This is also a simple yet effective way to get candid responses from your skip target or from their relatives and acquaintances. According to the American Association for Public Opinion Research, a recent study shows overwhelming evidence that people are more truthful and disclose more sensitive information via text message than they will over the phone or in person.
Anonymity and Accuracy
Text messaging provides a barrier of anonymity that makes people feel safer responding candidly. Using text, people were more likely to respond with exact answers rather than rounding out their information because text gave them the time to formulate the accurate response. Instead of dashing off “A few hours” in response to asking one person when he would be home, the answer came back “6:15-6:20, have to stop for gas 1st.”
With this information, a skip tracer could easily have a process server waiting for this target when he arrived at home, rather than playing hide and seek for days. This 2014 study, funded by the National Science Foundation and conducted by reputable psychologists, computer scientists, and psycholinguists, found texting distinctly reduces the tendency for a respondent to estimate or even falsify answers because there is less of a threat of time constraint compared to vocal communications.
Benefits to Skip Tracers
What does this mean for skip tracers? To start, it means a reduced need to use pretenses when you can send a text message to someone and get an immediate, honest, blind answer before they ask, “By the way, who is this?” It can mean locating a person faster, knowing where they will be and when, even confirming the number you are using is still theirs. Texting also provides a written record of the communication that can be used later if needed for any reason.
