Easton Secure Solutions

Think You’ve Disappeared? How USPS and PI Databases Still Reveal the Truth

Sep 09, 2025By Easton Secure Solutions

ES

Ever felt like someone just vanished without a trace? Maybe it’s an estranged family member, a former tenant who left overnight, or someone you need to locate for a legal case. In today’s world, disappearing seems easier than ever — delete your social media, sign up for a data broker removal service, and suddenly your online trail is gone.

But here’s the catch: erasing yourself from the internet doesn’t erase the deeper records that private investigators access every day. While public-facing sites may lose track of someone, regulated databases — including USPS forwarding data — still reveal where life continues behind the scenes.

At Easton Secure Solutions LLC, we specialize in skip tracing in New York City and Long Island, uncovering the hidden trails that others miss. And importantly: this type of skip tracing is only conducted for legal, permissible purposes, such as civil litigation, debt recovery, and other lawful investigations — never for missing persons outside of legal context.

Why Public Data Removal Doesn’t Make Someone Invisible

The internet is full of companies promising to “erase” your personal information from public databases. These services — often marketed as data broker removals — are helpful if you don’t want your home address or phone number floating around on sites like Whitepages, Spokeo, or BeenVerified.

The problem? Those are Tier 3 data sources — marketing-driven, open-to-anyone websites that scrape public records. When you pay to have your info deleted there, you’re only removing the most superficial layer.

The deeper data — the kind that matters in real investigations — doesn’t vanish so easily. Licensed private investigators use regulated databases that fall under GLBA (Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act) and DPPA (Driver’s Privacy Protection Act) compliance. These aren’t accessible to the public, and they provide a completely different level of detail.

The Three Tiers of Data: What You Can and Can’t Erase

To understand why hiring a PI matters, let’s break down how data is categorized.

  • Tier 3: Public Data Brokers
    • Open to anyone.
    • Includes scraped public records, marketing lists, and social media profiles.
    • Sites like Whitepages, Spokeo, or PeopleFinder fall into this category.
    • Can be erased with consumer “opt-out” or removal services.
    • Problem: Often outdated, incomplete, and unreliable.
  • Tier 2: Professional Investigative Databases
    • Accessible only to licensed professionals.
    • Pulls from semi-restricted public records like property ownership, business filings, bankruptcies, liens, judgments, and past addresses.
    • Offers associate and neighbor connections.
    • Difficult to erase because the information is compiled from official government filings.
  • Tier 1: Restricted, Compliance-Based Data
    • Requires a PI license or law enforcement credentials.
    • Governed under GLBA and DPPA for permissible use.
    • Includes:
      • Driver license records (restricted, not public).
      • Utility connection and subscriber data.
      • Financial identifiers like bank account headers.
      • Real-time credit header information (address, DOB, associated phone numbers).
      • USPS forwarding data (NCOA).

👉 This is where private investigators make the difference. Even if someone wipes Tier 3 data, the deeper Tier 1 and 2 data — which the public cannot access — still creates a map to where they are now.

The USPS Factor: Why Mail Can’t Hide You

One of the biggest blind spots for people trying to avoid detection is the U.S. Postal Service. Here’s why:

  1. NCOA (National Change of Address): When someone moves and files a change-of-address form, USPS keeps that record for up to four years. Licensed vendors and regulated databases can flag this, showing where mail is being sent today.
  2. Address Verification: USPS tools confirm whether an address is real, vacant, or actively receiving mail. That means if someone tries to give a false address, it’s easy to spot.
  3. The Catch: Data broker removal services can’t touch USPS records. Erasing yourself from people-search sites won’t erase the fact that your mail is still forwarding.

For skip tracing, that’s gold. If a person thinks they’ve gone “off-grid” but they’re still getting bills, government notices, or Amazon packages at their new place, USPS forwarding data ensures they’re not as invisible as they think.

A Real-World Example (Client Story)

Not long ago, we were contacted by a landlord in Long Island. Their tenant vanished in the middle of the night, leaving behind months of unpaid rent. The landlord had already tried Google searches and even hired a subscription to a public data broker site — but nothing came up.

We stepped in. By combining Tier 2 property data with USPS forwarding insights, we quickly identified where the tenant had relocated — an apartment in Queens, under a new mailing address. Within days, the landlord had the information they needed to begin legal recovery.

The takeaway? Public searches hit dead ends. Licensed investigators connect the missing pieces.

Why Private Investigators Outperform DIY Searches

Trying to find someone on your own often leads to frustration — or worse, misinformation. Here’s why professional skip tracing works better:

  1. Accuracy: We pull from verified, regulated sources.
  2. Depth: Tier 1 & 2 data is inaccessible to the public.
  3. Speed: What might take you months of dead ends, we can uncover in days.
  4. Legal Compliance: We operate under strict federal and state laws to ensure every investigation is both effective and lawful.

At Easton Secure Solutions LLC, we handle everything with discretion and precision, whether it’s locating individuals for legal purposes, skip tracing for civil cases, or other permissible investigations.

When to Hire a PI for Skip Tracing

Skip tracing is valuable for:

  • Locating debtors or former tenants.
  • Finding witnesses for legal cases.
  • Serving individuals in civil litigation.
  • Identifying parties avoiding financial or legal obligations.

Important note: Skip tracing through restricted databases is only conducted for legal, compliance-approved purposes. It is not used for personal missing persons searches outside of lawful investigations.

Our Pricing (Transparent and Straightforward)

At Easton Secure Solutions LLC, we keep our pricing simple and upfront:

  • Basic Skip Trace: Subject search via advanced data aggregators; remote locate with dual address report.
    • $169 per subject
  • Deep Skip Trace: Four-hour investigation: online research, proprietary databases, USPS checks (NCOA, ACS), DMV data, OSINT, court & incarceration searches, social media insights, utility checks, and a final report.
    • $399 per subject
  • Premier Skip Trace: Everything in the “Deep” package, plus in-person locate, surveillance, witness interviews, and real-time alerts.
    • $105 per hour

Every case is unique, and we always start with a consultation to determine the best approach.

Please review our Person Locate Service Page = HERE

Conclusion: The Truth Always Leaves a Trail

At the end of the day, disappearing completely is nearly impossible. People leave digital, financial, and physical trails — and while consumer data brokers may erase the surface layer, they can’t touch the deeper regulated databases that licensed investigators use.

Whether you’re dealing with a missing tenant, a civil dispute, or someone avoiding financial responsibility, skip tracing with a professional PI brings clarity and results.

👉 Let Easton Secure Solutions LLC help you get the answers you need.

☎️ Call us today: (516) 962-1267
✉️ Email: [email protected]
💻 Visit: https://eastonsecuresolutions.com
📅 Schedule a consultation: Book a 30-Min Call