How to Identify the Owner of a PO Box

imes as a PI you'll be asked to locate and orowner into revealing their identity. These mailings
identify the physical address for the owner of ashould always include a trap line phone number
PO BOX or Postal Mail Box (PMB).with call capture. Call capture is also known as
There could be many reasons why is informationautomatic number identification (ANI). This will
is required. Fraud investigation, service of process,reveal the callers identifying information even if
debt collection, auto repossession. The list is asthey have caller ID blocked If the mail box owner
endless as the types of cases you run across in acalls you'll get their information and can trace
career.them that way.
This can often be accomplished with an instantIn rare cases when all else has failed you can try
database search if you have access to creditsurveillance. Stake out the box and wait for the
headers. When people have a PO Box they willowner to come by and pick up his mail. This could
often use that address for their bills or carprove to be very expensive as not all mail box
payments etc and the PO Box will appear onusers check their box every day or even every
there credit headers as an alternate address.week
Another effective method is a simple googleThis may sound like a lot of work for a simple PO
search of the PO box address. This could turn upBOX Break. Setting up trap lines , obtaining credit
some identifying information or reveal clues toheaders, printing up pretext post cards. Many
pursue in your efforts.investigators like to out source this type of work
If it's not there you may be able to contact theand purchase the information from an investigator
PO using a form available on the USPS web site.that's already set up to routinely obtain this kind
This form requires you to disclose the reason youof information.
need the information. The USPS will only revealMany investigators find that it's far more cost
the information if you are attempting to serveeffective to subcontract this kind of routine work
legal service in proper person. They even requireout to other investigators often called information
a case number.brokers. These brokers have sources for all kinds
Sometimes these methods will still fail. It could beof information through a network of sources they
that the owner of the box has relocated sincecultivate over many years.
they opened the box and no longer live at theA busy investigator can concentrate on the main
address they provided the USPS. It's also possiblefocus of their investigation, client relations and
the the PO Box owner used false ID and a falsecase preparation. Let the information broker
address to set up the box in the first place.handle the routine phone breaks or PO Box
You can try to pretext the PMB owner by mailingbreaks. Save yourself time, energy and money in
them professional looking material, free offers,the long run.
maybe even a love letter, anything to trick the