Merlin Information Services and Experian have agreed to a long-term licensing arrangement that will bring credit header data to law enforcement agencies, according to the company.

The monthly updated file includes names and AKAs, phone numbers, up to eight previous addresses, birth dates, and Social Security numbers (truncated in some applications). Access to the data is restricted based on the provisions of the 1999 Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act that regulates financial privacy.

The Experian credit header has long been considered the industry's most current and complete skiptracing database and Merlin is proud to have passed Experian's rigorous qualification requirements to become a distributor, according to the company.

For qualified customers, Merlin incorporates the Experian credit header data into its Link to America products, the Investigator Background Report, and also offers it as a standalone credit header search. The data is managed in Merlin's data center, creating added control and flexibility.

In skiptracing, a credit header is the top portion of a credit bureau report. It does not contain any credit information and is therefore not restricted by the Fair Credit Reporting Act.

The data is searchable by any combination of name, address, SSN, or date of birth. Because each individual can have up to eight previous addresses, a search by name plus an old address will often produce a current address, making credit headers an excellent source for locating people.