Help locating bank accounts
April 19, 2010 11:49 AM   Subscribe

I need recommendations for or against bank account location services.

I have been awarded a default judgement against an individual. My attorney recommends garnishing his bank account, but I don't know where he banks. In the interest of saving money, I'd like to discover this information myself if possible, rather than pay the attorney $275\hr to do it for me. There are numerous sites which claim to be able to deliver this information, but I'm wary thay they are scams. If you have experience good or bad with these services, or another way of getting the information, please let me know. The accounts are in the state of Massachusetts.
posted by anonymous to Work & Money (4 answers total)
 
First thought that pops to mind:

If you know the individual's address, then get a friend/associate to write a "business looking" check in a smalla mount to the individual you have a judgement against, under the pretense of a prize award/refunded bill overpayment/etc.

Mail the check to them.

When they cash the check, you will know their bank, at least, and also very likely their account number from the processed check that comes back.
posted by de void at 12:33 PM on April 19, 2010


I did this for a friend via pretexting, with a local business she had been awarded a judgment against. I pretended to be a high school senior (I named a high school in the area near his location, which happened to be his, so he was more than wiling to help) and said I was doing a project on the economy. I had a list of questions to ask, like "How large is your company?", "On a scale of 1 to 5, what is your level of concern regarding the economy?" and "With the number of banks failing, are you concerned about your bank going under?". Eventually I led into it with a question about whether they use a credit union or a national or local bank, and then asked the name. By this point they'd gotten so used to answering my questions that they didn't think twice about it. YM(and legality)MV.
posted by sephira at 12:50 PM on April 19, 2010


You might be able to DIY here, but I have to tell you, the $275/hr looks to me like a bargain, considering that you can probably tack it on to the amount to be collected. If you decide to DIY, this seems to outline the process: http://www.mass.gov/courts/courtsandjudges/courts/districtcourt/wonsccase.html
posted by deadmessenger at 12:51 PM on April 19, 2010


IANAL, but I'm pretty sure you *can't* tack it on to the amount to be collected.
posted by meta_eli at 4:23 PM on April 19, 2010


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