The Expert Podcast

So what exactly does the open-source intelligence ENT give you for a bank account search and for the bank account number? The way ENT research works is that, unlike many other types of record searches like for vehicles or real estate, it's not a direct search of any actual direct banking records. As you know, banking records are very private—they're not anything anybody can access directly. Those are private between the bank and the depositor, the account holder. What ENT does is it searches for references to those bank accounts in other areas where they may have been disclosed or revealed or indicated.

For example, if a person uses their bank account for direct deposit, a wire transfer, or even paying for things like insurance, that transaction may have revealed the existence of that banking relationship in the open-source intelligence community. By searching for other records, you may find references to that bank account. The banking institution or financial institution identity may be identifiable. Sometimes the banking institution is identified through patterns, like geographic patterns or usage patterns, which may not be a direct reference to the bank. Open-source intelligence may also have false positives or false negatives on banking records. The routing number is pretty much accurate because routing numbers are specific to a bank. However, the account number may also be developed or projected using the same open-source method, using patterns or extrapolation.

Your video will be back in 8 seconds. In the meantime, remember you have access to live one-on-one consultation and the undivided attention of a licensed, certified expert in this subject and many others. We want to listen to your story, hear your questions, and give you expert advice on your options. We want to tell you what we know about your situation and what options you have. Now, back to your video.

That's why a lot of times the end is truncated with x’s. It does give you a good starting point if you want to file garnishments or other requests to that bank to get more information or to confirm it. At least now you have a starting point. Open-source intelligence records for bank accounts are not the end result of the search; it's usually a good place to start doing inquiries to that bank to find out more, such as prior activity, account tracing, asset tracing, or to verify the exact correct account number. Use the ENT as a means to get the account records, as they're not available by any other legal method.

It is a method that is GLB (Graham-Leach-Bliley Act) compliant, which you want to ensure anytime you're searching for private information. You must always be compliant with federal laws to avoid violating privacy or doing something that could get you in trouble for searching them the wrong way. Obviously, if you get records about a bank using an illegal method, you won't be able to use them anyway. If you use them in court or for garnishment, you can get in trouble, and they can be thrown out. Check with your attorney or seek qualified legal advice about how all that works.

You can use ENT or open-source intelligence to at least give you a peek into possibilities for banking records. From there, you can proceed further along with other records for assets like vehicles, real estate, corporate assets, or intellectual property, putting together a picture of what that person may be holding in terms of asset value, wealth, or other worth on their balance sheet.

If you like this video, be sure to click on a few others on our channel to see if there's additional information that might be helpful to you on this subject or other related topics that could assist with resolving your issue.