CHAPTER 14 ACCURINT 14.0 OVERVIEW

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1 EXTENDED SERVICE OPTIONS CHAPTER OVERVIEW Accurint is a skip tracing service that provides access to a comprehensive consumer database of over 20 billion records compiled from more than 400 sources. At a minimum, these sources confirm existing records and offer multiple telephone, name and address records. Requests are submitted to Accurint by batch files created in Debt$Net. Debtors are flagged for inclusion in the batch file by status code, client number, collector number, or by returned mail or missing phone number. When Accurint returns new data to Debt$Net, this data updates fields and saves in extended references and/or in debtor notes in the same manner as when a manual change is made. Using the Accurint involves: 1. Creating the output file 2. Sending the output file to Accurint 3. Receiving the return input file from Accurint 4. Reviewing the input file to update debtor records Copyright 2002 The Computer Manager, Inc. 14-1

2 EXTENDED SERVICE OPTIONS 14.1 INSTALLATION To install Accurint, insert the Accurint Extended Service Option disk into your disk drive and select Install ESO s from the Agency Management Submenu under the Administrative Menu (Figure 14-1). Figure Install Eso s Menu Option. The Select Directory Window displays, prompting you to select the drive where the ESO disk is located. If the displayed location is incorrect, specify a new location using the Drive drop down list at the bottom of the form. After selecting the correct drive, click the Select button to begin installation. Installation of the Accurint ESO updates the Debt$Net ESOs Menu Copyright 2002 The Computer Manager, Inc.

3 EXTENDED SERVICE OPTIONS 14.2 CREATING THE OUTPUT FILE After determining the debtors to include in the Accurint search, you must create an output file of those debtor records. Create the output file through the Accurint Services Submenu (Figure 14-2), located under the ESO s Menu. Figure Accurint Services Submenu. Copyright 2002 The Computer Manager, Inc. 14-3

4 EXTENDED SERVICE OPTIONS To create the output file, select Create Accurint Output File from the Accurint Services Submenu. The Accurint Interface ESO Window (Figure 14-3) appears. Figure Accurint Interface Window. Select the criteria for the Accurint search. You can include and exclude Status, Client, and/or Collector numbers by separating each entry with a comma. You may also right-click within these fields to display a drop-down menu of eligible criteria. Checking the Include Debtors previously checked? box will allow you to include debtors that have been previously submitted to Accurint. NOTE Debt$Net 5.0 Users: You must enter 5 characters for the Client Include/Exclude fields; 3 characters for the Collector fields. Do this by preceding your client or collector numbers with spaces. For example, creating an Accurint Interface file for clients 76 and 168 would be entered as ***76,**168, and collectors 6 and 15 would be entered as **6,*15, where * is a blank space Copyright 2002 The Computer Manager, Inc.

5 EXTENDED SERVICE OPTIONS After setting the criteria for the Accurint search, select Continue to generate the file. The message XXXX###X.CSV created with N debtors displays, where XXXX###X is the agency s name plus a date code, and N is the number of debtor records flagged and included in the request file. Make a note of the filename before selecting OK. The file is now ready to be transferred to Accurint. After creating the output file, Debt$Net updates Debtor Notes for each debtor record included in the Accurint file with the message MM/DD/YYYY - Accurint Check TRANSFERRING THE OUTPUT FILE CSV files can be sent to Accurint through the internet via an FTP process. When Debt$Net creates this file, it is placed in your Debt$Net folder located on your server or shared drive. To submit a.csv file to Accurint, you must first contact Accurint for information on accessing their FTP site and logging into their server. 1. Put the.csv file on your computer s desktop 2. Go to the FTP site and login 3. Double-click the Incoming folder. 4. Drag and drop the.csv file into the Incoming folder 5. Click the X in the upper right-hand corner to close the window. Contact the Accurint batching department for alternate file transfer options or if you have problems transferring the file to Accurint. Copyright 2002 The Computer Manager, Inc. 14-5

6 EXTENDED SERVICE OPTIONS 14.4 RECEIVING THE INPUT FILE After Accurint processes the file, any matching records return via an input file. This file is ready for input within 24 hours, and you will receive an notification when the file is ready for you to download. To retrieve the input file, 1. Login to the Accurint FTP website. 2. Go to the Outgoing folder. 3. Select the.txt file (appears with the Microsoft logo, vs the.csv file which has a MS Excel logo). 4. Drag and drop the appropriate.txt file to your desktop or save to your Debt$Net folder. You can retrieve old.txt files at any time. Accurint does not delete previous searches. File naming for the.txt is the same as the.csv file. You must upload a text (.txt) file into Debt$Net in order to capture new debtor information within your debtor files. Contact the Accurint batching department if you have problems with retrieving the.txt file from Accurint Copyright 2002 The Computer Manager, Inc.

7 EXTENDED SERVICE OPTIONS 14.5 PROCESSING THE INPUT FILE The data from the file returned by Accurint needs to be processed into debtor records in Debt$Net. More than one input file may be processed at the same time. To process input files, select Input Accurint Update File from the Accurint Services Submenu (Figure 14-4). Click Continue to process the Accurint file, or to display the Open Window, prompting you to select the drive and Accurint file to input. Debt$Net automatically defaults to open a.txt file from your Debt$Net directory. Figure Input Accurint Interface File. Debt$Net processes the files for updating debtor information and displays the Debt$Net Printer Selection Form. Select whether to print the Accurint Update Report to the screen, to a file or to a printer. NOTE: After Debt$Net processes input files, the file extensions changes from.txt to.dne. Copyright 2002 The Computer Manager, Inc. 14-7

8 EXTENDED SERVICE OPTIONS 14.6 DISPLAY OF DATA 14.7 FILE CLEAN UP New and updated debtor information saves to Debt$Net in the debtor file fields, extended references, and notes fields within the debtor records. Fields are updated within the records only when Accurint returns a verified phone number, social security number, and/or a verified address from a Return mail Accurint search. The possible messages saved to the debtor notes after uploading the Accurint file include: No Accurint Hits MM/DD/YY - Accurint Update Accurint verified phone number: Accurint verified address: New Phone: 999/ Possible Phone: 999/ New Social: Possible Social: Possible Best Social: Accurint Relatives added: Accurint AKAs added: Accurint Previous address added Accurint Others added Accurint Associates added Deceased: MM/DD/YY Accurint input and output files save to the Debt$Net directory. As time passes you may wish to delete old files in order to conserve space. To delete old input and output files, open Windows Explorer and sort by file types. Processed Accurint input files will have a.dne extension and may be deleted. Accurint output files will be named according to the file structure outlined in section 14.3 Creating the Output File Copyright 2002 The Computer Manager, Inc.