Social media surveillance: A way to skip trace the Fraudsters

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What will your company do if an employee commits an act of fraud, such as embezzling funds or stealing company property, and then disappears without a trace?

In this digital era, when someone tries to disappear, their traces are not completely erased, especially if they are active on social media. One effective method for tracking the whereabouts of a missing person is through a technique known as social media skip tracing.

According to the Oxford Dictionary, skip tracing is “the act or practice of locating missing persons or people who owe debts, particularly as a professional.” While traditional skip tracing may involve searching for physical data like home addresses or phone numbers, social media skip tracing leverages the digital information available on social media platforms, such as Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Twitter.

Skip tracing is one of the most challenging types of investigation due to limited information or data related to the target’s last known activity or location. However, advancements in technology and the popularity of social media offer new opportunities to locate individuals attempting to disappear from the radar.

Millennials, Gen Z, and Social Media Activity

Today, we live in an era where Millennials and Gen Z dominate the workforce population. According to Pew Research Center, around 80% of Millennials are active on at least one social media platform. If an employee committing fraud and disappearing is a Millennial or Gen Z, the chances of tracking their trail are higher. Why is that?

Based on numerous studies and classifications, Millennials are generally categorized as individuals born between 1980 and the early 1990s. One of the most notable characteristics of Millennials is their familiarity with communication technology, digital platforms, and media. Meanwhile, Gen Z includes individuals born between the mid-1990s and early 2010s. Unlike Millennials, Gen Z is the first generation to have grown up entirely within the digital age. They are often referred to as digital natives due to their deep familiarity with digital devices and social media.

Research and articles on Millennials and their online activities (especially on social media platforms) reveal that Millennials and Gen Z are highly dependent on social media and its engagement — likes, comments, and shares. They share various things online and are generally unconcerned with their security and privacy. A survey shows that 56% of Millennials are likely to share their location. Millennials are highly active on social media as they seek popularity. This behavior provides a way to find them (if they disappear or flee due to fraudulent acts) through social media surveillance.

Social Media Surveillance

Norris and Armstrong, in their book The Maximum Surveillance Society: The Rise of CCTV, define surveillance as the process of monitoring and observing individuals or populations. Surveillance is a core activity in skip tracing. After obtaining information about the target’s location, surveillance can begin. However, traditional surveillance methods can be resource-intensive. Today, there is a new way of conducting surveillance — social media surveillance.

Christian Fuchs, in an academic article titled Social Media Surveillance, describes social media surveillance as the monitoring of profiles containing information from various social contexts. It also involves collecting collaborative identification constructions through images, comment walls, and other means. Such information (published online on someone’s social media account) can be accessed by the public, allowing for surveillance based on freely available information.

Millennials typically share their location by commenting or updating their status about their activities and other relevant information, which becomes key in social media surveillance.

How Social Media Skip Tracing Works

The use of social media for skip tracing involves several investigative methods:

1. Public profile search

Much information can be extracted directly from a person’s public profile. This may include current locations, close friends or family, and even daily habits. For instance, a missing person might have friends who regularly tag them in photos or status updates.

2. Image analysis and geotagging

Photos uploaded to social media often contain metadata, including the location where the photo was taken. This information can be used to estimate the person’s last known whereabouts.

3. Monitoring digital activity

Observing recent activities such as likes, comments, and shares can provide clues about a person’s location. Activities performed at specific times or interactions with other accounts can be significant indicators.

4. Collaboration with social media platforms

In some cases, investigators may seek official assistance from social media platforms to obtain more specific user data, although this requires a strong legal basis.

Why Use a Professional Investigation Service

1. Risk of misidentification

Social media skip tracing involves analyzing unstructured data such as usernames, photos, or interactions. This can lead to misidentification, especially when there are multiple individuals with the same name or fake profiles. Third parties have experience in validating data to ensure the correct identity.

2. Compliance with Legal and ethical standards

Investigations using social media may face legal constraints, including data privacy laws and cyber regulations. Third parties have knowledge of applicable laws and can ensure that skip tracing is conducted legally and in compliance with relevant regulations, avoiding legal risks for the company.

3. Expertise in data analysis and interpretation

Properly interpreting social media data requires specialized expertise. Experienced third parties can identify patterns, relationships, and critical indications from data that might be missed by less experienced internal investigators.

PT. Integrity Indonesia offers comprehensive business investigation services, including both online and offline skip tracing methods that effectively track down missing individuals. Contact us today for tailored investigative solutions to protect your company’s assets from unforeseen risks.