Problem
A leading lender tasked Vcheck with vetting a commercial real estate developer seeking a large loan. The lender had previously tasked other investigation firms with the checks but believed that they missed potential liabilities as their research relied heavily on databases and not human-led research.
Solution
Vcheck uncovered that the individual had legally changed his name to hide more than $15 million in debt. By conducting a local search for civil petitions with county courts, we were able to uncover the alias that was not detected by typical databases like Lexis Nexis and TLO. Our human-led and broader search methodology helped us discover additional records associated with the borrower, despite a misspelling in a county court record. This comprehensive approach allowed us to reveal the hidden debts that our competitors had missed.
Impact
Vcheck’s public records research alerted the client to the red flags, allowing them to make a more educated decision about whether to proceed with the loan.