| Investigators' Guide to Sources of Information (Other Written Prod.,
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GAO presented an investigative tool for identifying sources of
information about people, property, business, and finance. The guide
includes an index to locate sources of information about a topic that
may be discussed in one or more places in the guide, and a chapter on
how to use the Internet to gather information valuable to the
investigative process. In many cases, information in the sources cited
may be privileged or confidential and, therefore, unavailable.
--------------------------- Indexing Terms -----------------------------
REPORTNUM: OSI-97-2
TITLE: Investigators' Guide to Sources of Information
DATE: 04/01/97
SUBJECT: Investigations by federal agencies
Data bases
Information centers
Clearinghouses (information)
Local governments
State governments
Federal agencies
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Cover
================================================================ COVER
Office of Special Investigations
April 1997
INVESTIGATORS' GUIDE TO SOURCES OF
INFORMATION
GAO/OSI-97-2
Investigators' Guide to Sources of Information
(600415)
Abbreviations
=============================================================== ABBREV
ALR - Art Loss Register
ATF - Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms
CFTC - Commodity Futures Trading Commission
CIS - Central Index System
CLASS - Consular Lookout and Support System
CRS - Congressional Research Service
CTR - Currency Transaction Report
DCII - Defense Central and Investigations Index
DEA - Drug Enforcement Administration
DECA - Development of Espionage Counterintelligence and
Counterterrorism Awareness
DLR - Division of Labor Racketeering
DOD - Department of Defense
DOJ - Department of Justice
EDGAR - Electronic Data Gathering and Retrieval
EFF - Electronic Frontier Foundation
e-mail - electronic mail
EPIC - El Paso Intelligence Center
ERISA - Employee Retirement Income Security Act
EX-ImBank - Export-Import Bank of the United States
FAA - Federal Aviation Administration
FBI - Federal Bureau of Investigation
FCC - Federal Communications Commission
FDA - Food and Drug Administration
FDIC - Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation
FERC - Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
FHWA - Federal Highway Administration
FinCEN - Financial Crimes Enforcement Network
FIRS - Fingerprint Identification Records System
FMS - Financial Management Service
FPDC - Federal Procurement Data Center
FTP - File Transfer Protocol
GAO - General Accounting Office
GILS - Government Information Locator System
GPO - Government Printing Office
GSA - General Services Administration
HHS - Department of Health and Human Services
IBIS - Interagency Border Inspection System
IBM - International Business Machines
ICTS - International Criminal Police Organization Case-Tracking
System
IFAR - International Foundation for Art Research
III - Interstate Identification Index
INS - Immigration and Naturalization Service
INTERPOL - International Criminal Police Organization
IRC - Internet Relay Chat
IRS - Internal Revenue Service
JMIE - Joint Maritime Information Element
LESC - Law Enforcement Support Center
MAGLOCLEN - Middle Atlantic-Great Lakes Organized Crime Law
Enforcement Network
MOCIC - Mid-States Organized Crime Information Center
NADDIS - Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs Information System
NAIL - NARA Archival Information Locator
NAILS - National Alien Information Lookout System
NARA - National Archives and Records Administration
NASA - National Aeronautics and Space Administration
NCIC - National Crime Information Center
NCMEC - National Center for Missing and Exploited Children
NCUA - National Credit Union Administration
NESPIN - New England State Police Information Network
NFIC - National Fraud Information Center
NICB - National Insurance Crime Bureau
NIIS - Nonimmigrant Information System
NLETS - National Law Enforcement Telecommunications System
NRC - Nuclear Regulatory Commission
NTC - National Tracing Center
OSI - Office of Special Investigations
RISS - Regional Information Sharing System
RMIN - Rocky Mountain Information Network
ROCIC - Regional Organized Crime Information Center
SBA - Small Business Administration
SEC - Securities and Exchange Commission
SPICIN - South Pacific Islands Criminal Intelligence Network
SSA - Social Security Administration
TECS - Treasury Enforcement Communications System
USDA - U.S. Department of Agriculture
USMS - U.S. Marshals Service
USNCB - U.S. National Central Bureau
VA - Department of Veterans Affairs
WAIS - Wide Area Information Server
WHD - Wage Hour Division
WSIN - Western States Information Network
WWW - World Wide Web
Letter
=============================================================== LETTER
April 1997
This 1997 Investigators' Guide to Sources of Information is published
as a service to the investigative community by GAO's Office of
Special Investigations. It is intended to be a useful investigative
tool for identifying sources of information about people, property,
business, and finance. This year's guide is organized so that all of
the information about a single source is located in a single
definitive category. An index has been added to locate sources of
information about a topic that may be discussed in one or more places
in the guide. Finally, to make the guide useful in an increasingly
electronic environment, we have added Internet addresses wherever
possible and a chapter on how to use the Internet to gather
information valuable to the investigative process.
Additionally, for the first time, this year's guide will be
accessible electronically from GAO's home page ( http://www.gao.gov )
by first selecting "Special Publications and Software" and then
"Investigators' Guide to Sources of Information (GAO/OSI-97-2)." From
this screen, certain sections of the report are interactive, enabling
the investigator to initiate national and international links to a
wide range of organizations. These links can be established by
"clicking on" either an underlined and highlighted agency name or a
specific Internet address in the guide.
The information provided in this guide is current as of the date of
publication. As with the two previous editions of the guide, we
request your assistance in updating and improving the guide
periodically. Please submit any updates or suggestions on how the
guide can better meet users' needs directly to us by e-mail at
soiguide.osi@gao.gov or by fax at (202) 371-2442. You may also write
to us at the Office of Special Investigations, U.S. General
Accounting Office, 441 G Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20548.
Donald J. Wheeler
Acting Director
ABOUT THE GUIDE
============================================================ Chapter 0
The 1997 Investigator's Guide to Sources of Information contains five
chapters, four on information sources and a fifth on how to access
information through the Internet.
The first four chapters--on local and state governments; federal
agencies; directories, reference works, and other sources; and
electronic databases--discuss selected information sources in
definitive categories that investigators will find helpful. The
guide's descriptions of information found in specific electronic
databases were furnished by the organizations that administer the
databases and have not been validated by GAO. Depending on their
specific needs, users of the guide may want to independently validate
the currency and accuracy of information in the databases. Tables in
chapters 1 and 2 provide details on topics discussed in the chapters.
Chapter 5 is a guide to using the Internet for investigative
purposes. In addition to sections on how to access the Internet and
the tools and functions available for Internet interaction, chapter 5
contains a sample search that may be of particular interest to the
novice Internet user. Chapter 5 also informs the user about the
types of information available from the Internet. For specific
information on the Internet and specific web browsers, please consult
applicable software manuals, local bookstores and libraries, and/or
various Internet service providers.
Chapters 2 and 5 list selected Internet addresses for investigators'
use, including addresses for federal agencies and electronic
databases. Because Internet addresses change frequently, GAO will
periodically update the electronic version of the guide to reflect
such changes.
The guide's table of contents, supplemented by its index, should help
users to locate specific subject matter. While major topics such as
federal government agencies, federal contracting, state and local
government, and directories are listed in the index, subtopics such
as counterfeiting, criminal history, income tax, and driver's
licenses are also listed.
This guide is not intended to be an exhaustive compilation of all
sources of information available to investigators. There are many
other sources of valuable information that may be useful for
investigative purposes. The specific sources of information
identified in the guide exemplify the types of information available
to investigators, many of which have proven useful in the past. The
inclusion of specific products or services should not be viewed as an
endorsement by GAO.
The images in the "SEARCHING THE NET" section of chapter 5 are
reprinted with the permission of the copyright owners.\1
--------------------
\1 Figures 5.1 through 5.10 of this guide contain images that are the
property of Netscape, copyright 1997 Netscape Communications
Corporation, all rights reserved. Netscape is a trademark of
Netscape Communications Corporation, which is registered in the
United States and other countries. The images in figures 5.1 through
5.10 are reprinted here with the permission of Netscape.
Figures 5.1 and 5.2 of this guide contain images that are the
property of C | net, copyright 1996-97, all rights reserved, and are
reprinted here with permission.
Figures 5.3 through 5.10 of this guide contain images that are the
property of Cornell University Legal Information Institute and are
reprinted here with permission.
-------------------------------------------------------- Chapter 0:0.1
As a user of this guide, you should be aware that, in many cases,
information in the sources we cite may be privileged or confidential
and, therefore, unavailable. Generally, the Privacy Act, 5 U.S.C.
552a (1994), prohibits federal agencies from disclosing a record from
"system of records" from which information may be retrieved by
individual identifier, e.g., name, number, or symbol. However,
federal agencies may disclose a record to another agency or
governmental instrumentality for a lawful civil or criminal law
enforcement activity. To receive a record, the head of the
requesting agency must request the record in writing from the agency
that maintains the record, specifying the portion of the record
desired and the law enforcement activity for which the record is
sought. The Privacy Act imposes criminal penalties on agency
employees who wrongfully disclose protected information and on any
person who wrongfully requests or obtains protected information under
false pretenses. (5 U.S.C. 552a(i)).
LOCAL AND STATE GOVERNMENTS
============================================================ Chapter 1
LOCAL GOVERNMENT
---------------------------------------------------------- Chapter 1:1
BUILDING INSPECTOR
-------------------------------------------------------- Chapter 1:1.1
The following information is available from a building inspector's
office:
-- building permits, which generally show the name of the
applicant, the address of construction, the estimated cost of
construction, and the name of the builder or contractor;
-- blueprints and plans, which show construction details and are
often submitted with applications for building permits; and
-- building inspectors' reports, which contain information
regarding compliance with construction specifications.
CORONER/MEDICAL EXAMINER
-------------------------------------------------------- Chapter 1:1.2
Coroner registers generally contain the name or description of the
deceased; date of inquest, if any; property found on the deceased and
its disposition; and the cause of death.
COURT CLERK
-------------------------------------------------------- Chapter 1:1.3
Court clerks often maintain court files on such civil actions as
liens, name changes, and divorces. These files generally include the
complaint (identifying the plaintiff(s), the defendant(s), and the
cause of action); the answer to the complaint; and the judgment
rendered. Also, depositions introduced as exhibits become part of
the court records. The court clerk's minutes or the file jacket may
indicate whether a transcript of the proceedings was taken.
Divorce case complaints usually identify the plaintiff and defendant;
place and date of marriage (which points to the appropriate county
recorder's records); date of separation, if applicable; names, ages,
and birthdates of any children; community property; and grounds or
charges, if any; and the attorneys retained by the parties. The
plaintiff's signature is usually on the complaint and the defendant's
signature can be found on the cross-complaint or answer.
Probate indexes will list probate actions alphabetically, by name of
the estate or petitioner, and will give the filing date and the
docket number. Individual case files often list causes of action and
rulings regarding the estate, and status of potential beneficiaries
who may be minors, adopted, incompetent, or insane.
Court clerks also maintain criminal court files, which may contain
information describing the crime and the charges in an indictment.
These files may also contain the complainant's signature (exemplar);
a transcript of the preliminary hearing (usually consisting of
testimony of the complainant, defendant, witnesses, and arresting
officer); the names of the prosecuting and defense attorneys; the
probation officer's report, with complete background investigation of
the defendant; and any subpoenas issued in the case.
HEALTH DEPARTMENT
-------------------------------------------------------- Chapter 1:1.4
Health departments often license and inspect properties, identify and
investigate local health problems, educate businesses on local health
issues, and provide direct emergency services.
Death certificates are usually available at health departments. A
death certificate provides the decedent's name; address; sex; age;
race; social security number; birthplace; birthdate; and date, place,
and time of death. Additionally, a death certificate generally
provides the medical and coroner's certificate and information about
the decedent's parents, including their occupations.
PERSONNEL DEPARTMENT
-------------------------------------------------------- Chapter 1:1.5
Personnel departments maintain the following information:
-- personal history statements on employees and political leaders;
and
-- employment records, efficiency reports, and records of salary
liens on employees.
PUBLIC SCHOOLS
-------------------------------------------------------- Chapter 1:1.6
Public schools maintain the following information:
-- student records showing grades, disciplinary actions, and, in
some school districts, biographies; and
-- teacher biographies showing personal background, education, and
former employment.
RECORDER
-------------------------------------------------------- Chapter 1:1.7
Recorder offices maintain the following information:
-- documents pertaining to real estate transactions, including
deeds, grants, transfers, mortgages, releases of mortgages,
powers of attorney, and leases that have been acknowledged or
approved;
-- mortgages on personal property;
-- wills admitted to probate;
-- Uniform Commercial Code filings;
-- official bonds;
-- notices of mechanics' liens;
-- transcripts of judgments that are made on real estate liens;
-- notices of attachment of real estate;
-- papers pertaining to bankruptcy;
-- certified copies of decrees and judgments of courts of record;
-- Department of Defense DD 214 forms that are recorded by some
veterans as evidence of veteran status, particularly in those
states that grant veterans reduced property tax rates; and
-- marriage licenses and certificates that can provide the names,
ages, cities of residence, and places of birth of the licensees;
date and place of marriage; names of witnesses to the marriage
and their residence; and names of the cleric, judge, or justice
of the peace who performed the ceremony.
REGISTRAR OF VOTERS
-------------------------------------------------------- Chapter 1:1.8
Registrars of voters may maintain the following:
-- affidavit of registration, which includes the registrant's name
and age, occupation, and address at the time of registration,
and
-- nomination papers of candidates for public office.
REGULATORY AGENCIES
-------------------------------------------------------- Chapter 1:1.9
Applications for business licenses, which are filed by local
regulatory agencies, have valuable information on certain types of
businesses and professions. Also, such applications often have
useful information about individuals engaged in those businesses or
professions. In many cities, the following types of businesses and
professions would be regulated and their owners and/or practitioners
would be required to apply for licenses:
-- businesses seeking liquor licenses;
-- professionals, including those trained as certified public
accountants, dentists, doctors, plumbers, electricians, and
optometrists;
-- businesses that health and fire departments periodically
inspect, including restaurants, bars, and night clubs; and
-- businesses operating under names other than the owners' names
(such businesses must register under assumed names and are
included in the "doing business as" files).
SURVEYOR
------------------------------------------------------- Chapter 1:1.10
Surveyor offices maintain maps of elevations, baselines, landmarks,
important sites, roads, rights of way, and easements.
TAX ASSESSOR
------------------------------------------------------- Chapter 1:1.11
Tax assessor offices maintain maps of real property, including
information on a property's dimensions, address, owner, taxable
value, and improvements.
TAX COLLECTOR
------------------------------------------------------- Chapter 1:1.12
Tax collector offices maintain the following information:
-- names and addresses of payers of property taxes, including
payers who are not the apparent owners;
-- legal descriptions of property;
-- amounts of taxes paid on real and personal property;
-- delinquency status of taxes; and
-- names of former owners of property.
WELFARE COMMISSION
------------------------------------------------------- Chapter 1:1.13
Information filed by welfare commissions is gathered by social
workers, psychologists, and physicians. Generally, the information
gathered--frequently provided by welfare recipients--is not verified.
Welfare commission files contain such information as the recipient's
address, previous employment, prior earnings, and property owned.
Welfare files also contain information on (1) the property owned by
the recipient's relatives and (2) the relatives' health and criminal
records.
STATE GOVERNMENT
---------------------------------------------------------- Chapter 1:2
ATTORNEY GENERAL
-------------------------------------------------------- Chapter 1:2.1
State attorneys general are good sources of information on (1)
efforts made in the areas of statewide criminal justice, civil
enforcement, and consumer protection and (2) the functions or
administrative structure of the state offices responsible for these
areas. The following table lists addresses and telephone numbers for
state attorneys general.
Table 1.1
State Attorneys General
Telephone
State Address number
------------------------------- -------------------------------- -------------
Alabama State House, 3rd Fl. (334) 242-
11 South Union Street 7300
Montgomery, AL 36104-3760
Alaska Post Office Box 110300 (907) 465-
Diamond Court Building 3600
Juneau, AK 99811
123 Fourth Street, 6th Fl.
Diamond Court House
Juneau, AK 99801
Arizona 1275 West Washington Street (602) 542-
Phoenix, AZ 85007 4266
Arkansas 323 Center Street (501) 682-
200 Tower Building 2007
Little Rock, AR 72201
California 1300 I Street (916) 323-
Post Office Box 944255 5370
Sacramento, CA 94244-2550
Colorado 1525 Sherman Street, 5th Fl. (303) 866-
Denver, CO 80203 4500
Connecticut 55 Elm Street (860) 566-
Post Office Box 120 2026
Hartford, CT 06141-0120
Delaware Carvel State Office Building (302) 577-
820 North French Street 8338
Wilmington, DE 19801
District of Columbia Office of the Corporation (202) 727-
Counsel 6248
441 4th Street, N.W., Rm. 1060
North
Washington, D.C. 20001
Florida The Capitol Building (904) 487-
Plaza Level, Suite 01 1963
Tallahassee, FL 32399-1050
Georgia 40 Capitol Square (404) 656-
Atlanta, GA 30334-1300 4585
Hawaii 425 Queen Street (808) 586-
Honolulu, HI 96813 1282
Idaho 700 West Jefferson Street (208) 334-
Post Office Box 83720 2400
Boise, ID 83720-0010
Illinois James R. Thompson Center (312) 814-
100 West Randolph Street, 12th 2503
Fl.
Chicago, IL 60601
Indiana Indiana Government Center South, (317) 233-
8th Fl. 4386
402 West Washington Street
Indianapolis, IN 46204
Iowa Hoover State Office Building, (515) 281-
2nd Fl. 3053
Des Moines, IA 50319
Kansas Judicial Building (913) 296-
301 S.W. 10th Street 2215
Topeka, KS 66612
Kentucky Capitol Building, Suite 116 (502) 564-
700 Capitol Avenue 7600
Frankfort, KY 40601
Louisiana 300 Capitol Drive (504) 342-
Post Office Box 94005 7013
Baton Rouge, LA 70804
Maine Six State House Station (207) 626-
Augusta, ME 04333 8800
Maryland 200 Saint Paul Place (410) 576-
Baltimore, MD 21202-2021 6300
Massachusetts One Ashburton Place (617) 727-
Boston, MA 02108 2200
Michigan Law Building, 7th Fl. (517) 373-
Post Office Box 30212 1110
525 West Ottawa Street
Lansing, MI 48909-0212
Minnesota 102 State Capitol (612) 296-
St. Paul, MN 55155 6196
Mississippi Post Office Box 220 (601) 359-
Jackson, MS 39205 3692
450 High Street
Jackson, MS 39201
Missouri Post Office Box 899 (573) 751-
Jefferson City, MO 65102 3321
207 W. High Street
Supreme Court Building
Jefferson City, MO 65101
Montana 215 N. Sanders (406) 444-
Post Office Box 201401 2026
Helena, MT 59620-1401
Nebraska 2115 State Capitol Building (402) 471-
Lincoln, NE 68509 2682
Nevada 198 South Carson Street (702) 687-
Carson City, NV 89710 4170
100 North Carson Street
Carson City, NV 89701-4717
New Hampshire 33 Capitol Street (603) 271-
Concord, NH 03301 3658
New Jersey Dept. of Law and Public Safety (609) 292-
Office of Attorney General 4925
Richard J. Hughes Justice
Complex
CN 080
Trenton, NJ 08625
New Mexico Post Office Drawer 1508 (505) 827-
Santa Fe, NM 87504-1508 6000
407 Galisteo Street, #260
Santa Fe, NM 87501
New York N.Y. State Dept. of Law -the (518) 474-
Capitol 7330
Albany, NY 12224
North Carolina Post Office Box 629 (919) 733-
Raleigh, NC 27602-0629 3377
2 E. Morgan Street
Raleigh, NC 27601
North Dakota State Capitol (701) 328-
600 East Boulevard Avenue 2210
Bismarck, ND 58505-0040
Ohio Rhodes Tower (614) 466-
30 East Broad Street, 17th Fl. 4320
Columbus, OH 43215
Oklahoma 2300 North Lincoln Boulevard (405) 521-
Suite 112 3921
Oklahoma City, OK 73105
Oregon 1162 Court Street, NE (503) 378-
Salem, OR 97310 6002
Pennsylvania Strawberry Square, 16th Fl. (717) 787-
Harrisburg, PA 17120 3391
Rhode Island 150 South Main Street (401) 274-
Providence, RI 02903 4400
South Carolina Post Office Box 11549 (803) 734-
Columbia, SC 29211-1549 3970
1000 Assembly Street
Columbia, SC 29202
South Dakota 500 East Capitol (605) 773-
Pierre, SD 57501 3215
Tennessee 500 Charlotte Avenue, Suite 114 (615) 741-
Nashville, TN 37243 6474
Texas Post Office Box 12548 (512) 463-
Austin, TX 78711 2191
209 W. 14th Street
Austin, TX 78701
Utah 236 State Capitol (801) 538-
Salt Lake City, UT 84114 1326
Vermont 109 State Street (802) 828-
Montpelier, VT 05609-1001 3171
Virginia 900 East Main Street (804) 786-
Richmond, VA 23219 2071
Washington 1125 Washington Street S.E. (360) 753-
Post Office Box 40100 6200
Olympia, WA 98504-0100
West Virginia State Capitol, Building 1, Rm. (304) 558-
E26 2021
1900 Kanawha Boulevard East
Charleston, WV 25305-0220
Wisconsin Post Office Box 7857 (608) 266-
Madison, WI 53707-7857 1221
114 E. State Capitol
Madison, WI 53702
Wyoming 123 Capitol Building (307) 777-
Cheyenne, WY 82002 7841
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
BUREAU OF VITAL STATISTICS
-------------------------------------------------------- Chapter 1:2.2
Bureaus of Vital Statistics have birth certificates on file and are
an excellent source of information about people. Birth certificates
can provide a child's name, sex, date of birth, and address of place
of birth; the names of the attending physician, midwife, and/or other
assistants; the parents' names, ages, addresses, race, places of
birth, and occupations; the mother's maiden name; and the number of
siblings. (In some states, birth certificates may be found at the
local level, such as at the health department.)
DEPARTMENT OF MOTOR VEHICLES
-------------------------------------------------------- Chapter 1:2.3
State Departments of Motor Vehicles maintain information on driver's
licenses, vehicle registrations, titles, automobile transfers and
sales, car dealers, car salespersons, emission inspection facilities,
and--in some states--auto repair businesses. Of those states
requiring that photographs of licensed drivers appear on their
licenses, most maintain the photographs. Many states are changing to
digital photographs.
REGULATORY AGENCIES
-------------------------------------------------------- Chapter 1:2.4
Departments and agencies that regulate individual and business
activities within a particular state can be valuable sources of
information. Individuals obtain licenses for activities such as
driving, hunting, and fishing and for such professions as medical,
legal, and public accounting. Businesses are also often required to
obtain licenses and permits to operate and file periodic reports such
as for worker's and unemployment compensation, sales tax, and state
income tax. The following state regulatory departments and agencies
maintain information valuable to investigators:
-- Bureau of Professional and Vocational Standards or Department of
Licensing;
-- Controller/Treasurer;
-- Department of Agriculture;
-- Department of Industrial Relations;
-- Department of Natural Resources;
-- Gambling Commission/Horse Racing Board;
-- Secretary of State;
-- Department of Corrections;
-- Liquor Commission;
-- Lottery Commission;
-- Securities Commission; and
-- Utility Commission.
FEDERAL AGENCIES
============================================================ Chapter 2
CABINET-LEVEL DEPARTMENTS AND
ASSOCIATED AGENCIES
---------------------------------------------------------- Chapter 2:1
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
(USDA)
-------------------------------------------------------- Chapter 2:1.1
Various USDA agencies maintain information on
-- meat or poultry companies;
-- feedlot owners or operators, livestock brokers, and meat packers
or canners; -- rural electric or telephone cooperatives;
-- logging (tree harvesting) companies that remove timber from
national forests;
-- certain improvements to farmland;
-- the import or export of agricultural commodities, animals, or
plants; and
-- current or former USDA employees.
Some USDA agencies maintain--or have access to--financial records at
the state and local levels concerning
-- contracts with the agency;
-- recipients of various benefits, such as food stamps;
-- retail grocery stores authorized to accept food stamps; and
-- free or reduced-price school lunch meals.
Other USDA agencies maintain data on applicants/recipients of
agriculture loans, such as
-- loan applications and financial statements,
-- bank account particulars,
-- crop yields and business profits,
-- applications for and indemnities paid by federal crop insurance,
and
-- plats of property and location of other assets.
In addition, USDA has information--including certain financial
data--concerning the ownership, management, and operation of farms
and ranches that participate in various USDA programs.
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
-------------------------------------------------------- Chapter 2:1.2
The Department of Commerce has information on international trade,
social and economic statistics, patents, trademarks, ocean studies,
domestic economic development, and minority businesses.
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE (DOD)
-------------------------------------------------------- Chapter 2:1.3
To obtain information concerning military pay, dependents,
allotments, deposits, and other financial information, contact
Defense Joint Military Pay System; Director, Military Pay
Directorate, Room 404; Defense Finance and Accounting Service -
Headquarters; Crystal Mall #3; 1931 Jefferson Davis Highway;
Arlington, VA 22202 or at (703) 607-1373.
Records--that survived a July 1973 fire--concerning the personnel and
medical histories of former military personnel are located at the
Military Personnel Records Center; General Services Administration;
9700 Page Boulevard; St. Louis, MO 63132-5100. To obtain such
information, contact the Army at (314) 538-4122; the Air Force at
(314) 538-4218; and the Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard at (314)
538-4200. Records destroyed in the fire may be reconstructed. If
you wish to have a record reconstructed, call (314) 538-4144.
For information on DOD investigations, see the discussion on the
Defense Central and Investigations Index in chapter 4.
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
-------------------------------------------------------- Chapter 2:1.4
FEDERAL ENERGY REGULATORY
COMMISSION (FERC)
------------------------------------------------------ Chapter 2:1.4.1
Electric utility and natural gas companies are required to file
annual reports with FERC. The reports provide excellent financial
pictures of the companies as well as other information, e.g., names
of officers, directors, and stockholders who own more than 10 percent
of the company. FERC also maintains license and permit information
concerning companies within its regulatory control.
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND
HUMAN SERVICES (HHS)
-------------------------------------------------------- Chapter 2:1.5
FOOD AND DRUG
ADMINISTRATION (FDA)
------------------------------------------------------ Chapter 2:1.5.1
FDA is an enforcement agency of HHS. FDA investigators in the field
conduct investigations of drug firms under the jurisdiction of the
FDA.
DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE (DOJ)
-------------------------------------------------------- Chapter 2:1.6
DRUG ENFORCEMENT
ADMINISTRATION (DEA)
------------------------------------------------------ Chapter 2:1.6.1
DEA maintains information on individuals and businesses licensed to
handle narcotics obtained under the Controlled Substances Act and
persons in violation of federal drug laws and regulations.
DEA administers the El Paso Intelligence Center and the Narcotics and
Dangerous Drugs Information System, both of which are discussed in
chapter 4.
FEDERAL BUREAU OF
INVESTIGATION (FBI)
------------------------------------------------------ Chapter 2:1.6.2
FBI can provide information on criminal records and fingerprints, as
well as nonrestricted information pertaining to criminal offenses and
subversive activities. It also can provide information about foreign
fugitives and wanted, missing, and unidentified persons.
FBI administers the National Crime Information Center which maintains
information on a variety of subjects, such as stolen vehicles,
license plates, and guns. See chapter 4 for more information on the
Center.
FBI also maintains the following indexes:
-- State Criminal History Records,
-- Criminal History Records of Federal Offenders,
-- National Stolen Property Index (stolen government property), and
-- National Fraudulent Check Index.
See also the entries on the Fingerprint Identification Records System
and the Interstate Identification Index in chapter 4.
IMMIGRATION AND
NATURALIZATION SERVICE
(INS)
------------------------------------------------------ Chapter 2:1.6.3
INS retains the following information: alien registration records in
effect since August 27, 1940 (from July 1, 1920, to August 27, 1940,
immigrants were given identification cards); lists of passengers and
crew on vessels from foreign ports; passenger manifests and
declarations (ship, date, and point of entry); naturalization records
(names of witnesses to naturalization proceedings and acquaintances
of the individual); records of deportation proceedings; and financial
statements of aliens and persons sponsoring their entry.
See chapter 4 for information on INS' Central Index System, Law
Enforcement Support Center, National Alien Information Lookout
System, and Nonimmigrant Information System.
U.S. MARSHALS SERVICE
(USMS)
-------------------------------------------------------- Chapter 2:1.7
USMS maintains (1) information on individuals wanted as fugitives by
the federal government and (2) records on the seizing, managing, and
selling of assets forfeited by drug traffickers and other criminals.
U.S. NATIONAL CENTRAL
BUREAU FOR THE INTERNATIONAL
CRIMINAL POLICE ORGANIZATION
(USNCB-INTERPOL)
-------------------------------------------------------- Chapter 2:1.8
USNCB represents the United States in INTERPOL, operating
continuously to provide international support for U.S. law
enforcement. USNCB provides an essential communications link between
the U.S. police community and its counterparts in over 176 foreign
member countries. USNCB, therefore, can request information
regarding ownership, previous investigations, vessels possibly
involved in narcotics trafficking, cultural property and art work
that might have been stolen, and any other information legally
releasable from any of the INTERPOL member countries around the
world. The degree of information available is determined by the laws
of the countries from which the information is requested. USNCB can
place an INTERPOL international lookout for persons who have
committed an extraditable offense in the United States and are
believed to have fled to another country.
Seventeen federal and state law enforcement agencies are part of
USNCB, and all 50 states have established INTERPOL liaison offices.
The following agencies are part of USNCB: Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco
and Firearms; Criminal Division, DOJ; Environmental Protection
Agency; Office of the Inspector General, USDA; Diplomatic Security
Service, Department of State; DEA; FBI; Federal Law Enforcement
Training Center; Massachusetts State Police; INS; Internal Revenue
Service; Naval Criminal Investigative Service; Office of the
Comptroller of the Currency; U.S. Customs Service; USMS; U.S.
Postal Inspection Service; and U.S. Secret Service. For information
about the liaison offices, contact USNCB at (202) 616-1051 or
1-800-743-5630.
See chapter 4 for information on the INTERPOL Case Tracking System.
DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
-------------------------------------------------------- Chapter 2:1.9
The Department of Labor has information about the Federal Employees
Compensation Act, Job Partnership Training Act, Occupational Safety
Health Act, and Mine Safety Health Act. The Department conducts
programs under these acts and retains substantial data on businesses
that participate in special work programs with the agency.
Labor organizations must submit to the Department annual financial
reports, which include statements of assets and liabilities and
statements of receipts and disbursements. They must also complete
supporting schedules: loans receivable; other investments; other
assets; other liabilities; fixed assets; loans payable; sales of
investment and fixed assets; disbursement to officers; disbursement
to employees; purchases of investment and fixed assets; benefits; and
contributions, gifts, and grants.
The Department's Pension and Welfare Benefits Administration conducts
inquiries into irregularities and complaints on transgressions of
pension law.
The Department's Employment Standards Administration, Wage Hour
Division (WHD) works to achieve compliance with labor standards
through enforcement, administrative, and educational programs to
protect U.S. workers. WHD enforces federal minimum wage, overtime
pay, recordkeeping, and child labor requirements of the Fair Labor
Standards Act. It also enforces the Migrant and Seasonal
Agricultural Worker Protection Act, the Employee Polygraph Protection
Act, the Family and Medical Leave Act, wage garnishment provisions of
the Consumer Credit Protection Act, "whistleblower" provisions of
several environmental impact laws, and a number of employment
standards and worker protections as provided in several immigration
related statutes. Additionally, WHD administers and enforces the
prevailing wage requirements of the Davis Bacon Act, the Service
Contract Act, and other statutes applicable to federal contracts for
construction and for the provision of goods and services.
The Division of Labor Racketeering (DLR) is a component of the
Department's Office of Inspector General. DLR maintains information
about labor unions, benefit plans, and related investigations. DLR's
mission is to aggressively identify and reduce labor racketeering and
corruption in employee benefit plans, labor-management relations, and
internal union affairs. Major emphasis is placed on investigations
involving benefit plans.
Primary violations investigated by DLR include
-- payoffs from management to labor officials (Taft-Hartley Act
violations);
-- embezzlement or misapplication of a union's general funds or
assets;
-- Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations statute
violations;
-- false reports on Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA)
required documents (ERISA is a comprehensive codification of
federal law pertaining to employee benefit plans);
-- use of violence to deprive union members of their
rights--including the right to nominate and vote for candidates,
attend membership meetings, participate in benefit plans, and
examine books and records;
-- embezzlement from an employee benefit plan, including the
participation of ineligible people and payment of charges for
services not provided;
-- illegal payment (kickbacks) to influence the operations of an
employee benefit plan by, for example, providing the
administrator of the plan payment in exchange for fund business;
and
-- extortion--obstruction of interstate commerce by threat or
violence.
DEPARTMENT OF STATE
------------------------------------------------------- Chapter 2:1.10
The Department of State maintains information on passport records and
import and export licenses. The Department's Bureau of Diplomatic
Security has information on previous investigations conducted by that
office.
See chapter 4 for information on the Consular Lookout and Support
System.
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
------------------------------------------------------- Chapter 2:1.11
FEDERAL AVIATION
ADMINISTRATION (FAA)
----------------------------------------------------- Chapter 2:1.11.1
FAA maintains records reflecting the chain of ownership of all civil
aircraft in the United States. These records include documents
relative to the manufacture, sale, transfer, inspection, and
modification of an aircraft, e.g., bill of sale, sales contract,
mortgage, and liens.
FAA also maintains records on pilots, aircraft mechanics, flight
engineers, and other individuals that it certifies for flight safety
positions. These records include information on certificates held by
airmen and the medical and law enforcement histories of airmen.
The FAA Compliance Enforcement Program will provide a microfiche
listing of registrants and their aircraft tail numbers (N number).
This Office can provide the registration history of a given aircraft
using the aircraft tail number, serial number, or registrant's name.
It can also provide airworthiness information and lien and previous
owner data.
U.S. COAST GUARD
----------------------------------------------------- Chapter 2:1.11.2
The Coast Guard is the primary federal agency with maritime authority
for the United States. It is a complex organization of people,
ships, aircraft, boats, and shore stations that responds to tasks in
several mission and program areas, including interdiction of drug
smugglers and illegal immigrants.
The U.S. Coast Guard maintains the following information:
-- records on documented U.S. vessels,
-- names of merchant mariners on U.S. vessels and investigative
records pertaining to them,
-- records relating to maritime drug smuggling, and
-- records on criminal investigations.
See chapter 4 for information on the Joint Maritime Information
Element, which the Coast Guard manages.
FEDERAL HIGHWAY
ADMINISTRATION (FHWA)
----------------------------------------------------- Chapter 2:1.11.3
FHWA, Office of Motor Carriers, licenses, regulates, inspects, and
registers all motor carriers operating in interstate commerce. It
keeps records of its inspections of motor carriers and a history of
violations of each carrier.
DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY
------------------------------------------------------- Chapter 2:1.12
BUREAU OF ALCOHOL,
TOBACCO AND FIREARMS
(ATF)
----------------------------------------------------- Chapter 2:1.12.1
ATF retains (1) data on distilleries, wineries, breweries,
manufacturers of tobacco products, wholesale and retail dealers of
alcoholic beverages, and certain other manufacturers, dealers, and
users of alcohol; (2) investigative reports on alleged violations
under its jurisdiction; (3) data on federally licensed firearms
manufacturers, importers, and dealers; and (4) data on federally
licensed explosive manufacturers, importers, and dealers.
ATF can trace firearms that have a serial number and that were
manufactured or imported--from the manufacturer or importer--to the
retailer after 1968. It can trace explosives materials from the
manufacturer to the distributor and/or user. ATF also maintains
records on federal firearms and explosive license holders, including
manufacturers, importers, and dealers.
See chapter 4 for information on ATF's National Tracing Center.
BUREAU OF ENGRAVING AND
PRINTING
----------------------------------------------------- Chapter 2:1.12.2
The Bureau of Engraving and Printing can assist law enforcement with
tracking currency from its printing offices to federal reserve banks.
The Bureau maintains computer files on all currency research that is
done at the request of law enforcement agencies. If a match is made,
e.g., by serial numbers, the Bureau will notify the law enforcement
agency of the match. Currency search requests should be sent to the
Office of Security, Investigative Branch; Bureau of Engraving and
Printing; Room 510-A; 301 14th Street, S.W.; Washington, D.C. 20228.
BUREAU OF THE PUBLIC DEBT
----------------------------------------------------- Chapter 2:1.12.3
The Bureau of the Public Debt maintains information on purchased and
redeemed U.S. savings bonds (registered bonds), marketable
securities, and special securities. Information maintained includes
the series of bonds involved and the surname, given name, middle name
or initial, and address of each person in whose name bonds were
purchased. The following table shows the period during which various
series of bonds were sold.
Table 2.1
Sale Dates of U.S. Savings Bond Series
Government Bond Series Period Bond Offered
----------------------------------------- ---------------------------
A March 1935 through December
1935
B January 1936 through
December 1936
C January 1937 through
December 1938
D January 1939 through April
1941
E May 1941 through June 1980
EE January 1980 to present
(ongoing)
F May 1941 through April 1952
G May 1941 through April 1952
H June 1952 through December
1979
HH January 1980 to present
(ongoing)
J May 1952 through April 1957
K May 1952 through April 1957
----------------------------------------------------------------------
FINANCIAL CRIMES
ENFORCEMENT NETWORK
(FINCEN)
----------------------------------------------------- Chapter 2:1.12.4
FinCEN--an organization established by the Department of the
Treasury--collects, analyzes, and disseminates intelligence on
financial crimes. Its mission is to provide a governmentwide,
multisource intelligence and analytical network to support law
enforcement agencies in the detection, investigation, and prosecution
of financial crimes. The participating agencies are the ATF, DEA,
FBI, Internal Revenue Service, U.S. Customs Service, USMS, U.S.
Postal Inspection Service, and U.S. Secret Service.
FinCEN uses the majority of its resources to assist agencies in their
investigations of financial aspects of the illegal narcotics trade.
FinCEN then prioritizes investigations of such nonnarcotic crimes as
money laundering offenses, Bank Secrecy Act violations, and other
offenses of a financial nature, e.g., tax and tariff violations;
corruption; treason; and bankruptcy, financial institution, and
government contract fraud. In both the narcotic and nonnarcotic
areas, FinCEN concentrates on investigations of national or
international criminal organizations.
FinCEN produces two types of products--tactical support and strategic
analysis. Its tactical support reports either (1) provide
information and leads on criminal organizations and activities that
are under investigation by law enforcement organizations or (2)
proactively identify previously undetected criminal organizations and
activities so that investigations can be initiated. These FinCEN
reports will assist agencies in identifying assets for seizure and
forfeiture purposes and in supporting ongoing investigations. During
its strategic analyses, FinCEN collects, processes, analyzes, and
develops intelligence on the merging trends, patterns, and issues
related to activities such as financial crimes and money laundering.
FinCEN's financial database has information from reports that are
required to be filed under the Bank Secrecy Act, including the
Currency Transaction Report, Report of International Transportation
of Currency or Monetary Instruments, Currency Transaction Report by
Casinos, and Reports of Foreign Bank and Financial Accounts.
Furthermore, FinCEN has access to data from Internal Revenue Service
Form 8300 (Reports of Cash Payments Over $10,000 Received in a Trade
or Business).
FinCEN can be contacted at (800) SOS-BUCK (767-2825) or (703)
905-3520.
FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT
SERVICE (FMS)
----------------------------------------------------- Chapter 2:1.12.5
FMS reconciles all government checks paid by the U.S. Treasury and
processes all subsequent claims of forgery and non-receipt. It
maintains photocopies of canceled U.S. government checks. However,
original checks that have been determined to be forgeries are
maintained by the U.S. Secret Service, also a Treasury bureau. When
information must be obtained for the issuing disbursing office, the
investigation may be expedited by asking that office to obtain the
photocopy of the original check. In lieu of the original check, FMS'
Check Claims Branch can provide a certified microfilm copy of the
check which is recognized and accepted in most courts of law. FMS
charges a nominal fee for providing check copies.
INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE
(IRS)
----------------------------------------------------- Chapter 2:1.12.6
There are two distinct law enforcement functions within the IRS: the
Criminal Investigation Division and Internal Security.
The Criminal Investigation Division investigates allegations of
violations of the Internal Revenue Code as it relates to income tax,
the Bank Secrecy Act, and money laundering statutes. The division's
special agents possess financial investigative abilities that enable
them to solve crimes by following the money trail. Armed with these
financial investigative skills and clearly defined statutory
jurisdiction, this IRS division works closely with federal, state,
and local law enforcement organizations to solve crimes such as
public corruption, telemarketing fraud, health care fraud, income tax
evasion, and those that are narcotics-related.
IRS Internal Security inspectors work for the Chief Inspector. Their
mission is to protect the integrity of the IRS, its system, and its
employees. They do this by investigating allegations of attempts to
bribe IRS employees and allegations of employee misconduct.
OFFICE OF THE COMPTROLLER
OF THE CURRENCY
----------------------------------------------------- Chapter 2:1.12.7
The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency regulates national
banks and maintains information concerning them. National bank
examinations are made to determine banks' financial positions and to
evaluate bank assets. Bank examiners' reports contain information
about bank records, loans, and operations.
In view of their purpose and the basis on which they are obtained,
reports of national bank examinations and related correspondence and
papers are considered confidential. Requests for these documents
should include the subject's name and address, the information
desired, the reason it is needed, and the intended use.
U.S. CUSTOMS SERVICE
----------------------------------------------------- Chapter 2:1.12.8
Customs retains the following data:
-- names of businesses that are involved in imports and exports,
-- lists/records of importers and exporters,
-- lists of suspects,
-- records of seized smuggled property, and
-- declaration forms.
Customs' Office of Investigations investigates alleged violations of
import and export practices. The office's special agents participate
in the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force.
See chapter 4 for information on the Treasury Enforcement
Communications System, which is managed by Customs.
U.S. SECRET SERVICE
------------------------------------------------------- Chapter 2:1.13
The Secret Service is responsible for investigating the
counterfeiting of currency and securities; forgery and altering of
government checks and bonds; thefts and fraud relating to Treasury
electronic funds transfers; financial access, telecommunications,
computer, and telemarketing fraud; fraud concerning federally insured
financial institutions; and other criminal and noncriminal cases.
The Secret Service investigates financial systems crimes, including
bank fraud; access device fraud; telemarketing and telecommunications
fraud (cellular and hard wire); computer fraud; crimes involving
automated payment systems, teller machines, and direct deposits;
forgery; alteration, false personation, or false claims involving
U.S. Treasury checks, U.S. savings bonds, U.S. Treasury notes,
bonds, and bills. The Secret Service also investigates electronic
funds transfers, including Treasury disbursements and fraud within
Treasury payment systems; fraud involving U.S. Department of
Agriculture food coupons and Authority to Participate cards; Federal
Deposit Insurance Corporation investigations; Farm Credit
Administration violations; and fraud and related activity in
connection with identification and seizure. Further, the Secret
Service coordinates the activities of the U.S. Secret Service
Organized Crimes Program and oversees money laundering
investigations.
The Secret Service has concurrent jurisdiction with DOJ to
investigate fraud against any federally insured financial
institution. Agents of the Secret Service review thousands of
criminal referrals submitted by Department of the Treasury
regulators.
The Secret Service maintains records pertaining to counterfeit,
forgery, and U.S. security violation cases. The Secret Service's
central files in Washington, D.C. contain about 100,000 handwriting
specimens from known forgers. An electronic information retrieval
system facilitates the comparison of questioned handwriting with the
examples on file, for identification purposes.
As part of the 1995 Crime Bill, Congress mandated the Secret Service
to provide forensic/technical assistance--to federal, state, and
local law enforcement agencies, the Morgan P. Hardiman Task Force,
and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children--in
matters involving missing and sexually exploited children. Much of
the forensic assistance is used in the United States by the Secret
Service's Forensic Services Division. The forensic technology allows
the document examiner to scan and digitize text and writings, and
later search that material against previously recorded writings. As
a result, Secret Service created a national handwriting repository
for comparison purposes for handwritten letters in these types of
cases.
The Forensic Services Division also operates a hybrid Automated
Fingerprint Identification System, the largest of its kind, which is
composed of remote latent fingerprint terminals providing connection
to fingerprint databases with access to more than 25 million
fingerprints. Division staff can search latent fingerprints,
developed in cases involving missing and sexually exploited children,
through this system for identification purposes.
Other services offered by this program are polygraph consultation or
assistance; photographic, graphic, age progression/regression; and
voice and image enhancement technology.
DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS
AFFAIRS (VA)
------------------------------------------------------- Chapter 2:1.14
VA retains records of loans, tuition payments, insurance payments,
and nonrestricted medical data related to disability pensions. These
records are available at regional offices in several specific large
metropolitan areas throughout the country. The data, including
photocopies, may be obtained by writing or visiting the appropriate
regional office.
All requests should include a statement covering the need and
intended use of the information. The statement should clearly
identify the veteran and, if available, include the veteran's VA
claim number, date of birth, branch of service, and enlistment and
discharge dates.
FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS AND
RELATED FEDERAL ADMINISTRATIONS
AND CORPORATIONS
---------------------------------------------------------- Chapter 2:2
BANKS
-------------------------------------------------------- Chapter 2:2.1
The relationship between banks and their customers is confidential
and privileged. Generally, information from banks may be obtained
only by subpoena. The release of information may be subject to the
Right to Financial Privacy Act (12 U.S.C. 3401-3422).
The following types of records and information are available from
banks.
-- Central master files of customers (depositors, debtors, and
safe-deposit box holders) are maintained by the bank. The bank
usually requires the customer's consent, a search warrant, or a
court order before an authorized bank official can open a
safe-deposit box. A record of entry to a safe-deposit box can
be obtained by subpoena.
-- Bank account applications can provide handwriting samples and
certain personal information about the customer, depending on
the type of account. Bank account records reflect date of
deposit, amounts of currency and checks, and dates and amounts
of withdrawals.
-- When currency in excess of $10,000 is deposited in a bank
account, the customer is required to complete a Department of
the Treasury Form 4789, Currency Transaction Report (CTR). The
CTR specifies the depositor's name, address, social security
number, and birthdate, and records the total amount of the
transaction and various other information. The bank is to
retain CTRs and forward copies to the Department of the
Treasury.
EXPORT-IMPORT BANK OF THE
UNITED STATES (EX-IM BANK)
-------------------------------------------------------- Chapter 2:2.2
Ex-Im Bank is an independent U.S. government agency that helps
finance the overseas sales of U.S. goods and services. Its mission
is to create jobs through exports. It provides guarantees of working
capital loans for U.S. exporters and it guarantees the repayment of
loans or makes loans to foreign purchasers of U.S. goods and
services. Ex-Im Bank maintains information about U.S exporters and
foreign buyers who are in good standing or who have defaulted on
payments.
FARM CREDIT ADMINISTRATION
-------------------------------------------------------- Chapter 2:2.3
The Farm Credit Administration is the independent federal regulator
responsible for examining and ensuring the safety and soundness of
all Farm Credit System institutions. The agency is funded by the
lending institutions it regulates. The Farm Credit System is a
nationwide financial cooperative that lends to agriculture and rural
America, providing more than $60 billion in loans to some 500,000
borrowers, including farmers, ranchers, rural homeowners,
agricultural cooperatives, rural utility systems, and agribusinesses.
FEDERAL DEPOSIT INSURANCE
CORPORATION (FDIC)
-------------------------------------------------------- Chapter 2:2.4
FDIC is a federally chartered corporation with two major functions:
(1) to determine the safety and soundness of financial institutions
and (2) to solve the problems created by insolvent institutions and
recover funds through the management and ultimate sale of the
institutions' assets. FDIC maintains information on FDIC-regulated
banks and failed FDIC-insured banks, including their ownership and
officers, the identities of loan borrowers, and previous
investigations. In addition, FDIC is the successor organization and
custodian of records for the former Resolution Trust Corporation, a
similarly chartered corporation that liquidated the assets of failed
savings institutions from August 1989 until December 31, 1995.
FDIC-insured banks and FDIC savings associations are examined
periodically by FDIC examiners. Each examination includes an
appraisal of management, directors, officers, and staff. The reports
of examination contain an alphabetical list of all directors,
officers, and principal employees. The examiner also comments on the
capabilities of each individual, gives his/her approximate age, and
cites other business affiliations. Additionally, the examiner
completes a form on each individual, setting forth his/her estimated
net worth, par value of stock owned, and salary.
Inquiries regarding types of records available to the public
(including records available under the Freedom of Information Act)
should be directed to the appropriate FDIC regional office or to the
Office of the Executive Secretary, which can be contacted at (202)
898-3687.
FEDERAL RESERVE SYSTEM
-------------------------------------------------------- Chapter 2:2.5
The Federal Reserve System is a valuable source of information on
banks and bank holding companies. The Federal Reserve has
supervisory responsibility over domestic and international operations
of all member banks, Edge Act and agreement corporations, U.S.-bank
holding companies, and over many of the U.S. activities of foreign
banking organizations. The Federal Reserve conducts joint
examinations with state agencies or alternates annual examinations
with those agencies and cooperates with the states in other areas to
reduce duplication and overlap in the examination and supervision of
state-chartered banks.
The examination of a depository institution generally entails (1) an
appraisal of the soundness of the institution's assets; (2) an
evaluation of internal operations, policies, and management; (3) an
analysis of key financial factors such as capital, earnings,
liquidity, and interest rate sensitivity; (4) a review for compliance
with all banking laws and regulations; and (5) an overall
determination of the institution's solvency. In addition to these
examinations for the general safety and soundness of state member
banks and bank holding companies, the Federal Reserve conducts
special examinations of state member banks in certain areas such as
consumer affairs; activities of trust departments, stock transfer
agents, and municipal securities dealers; and electronic data
processing. The Federal Reserve also is the primary supervisor for
bank holding companies.
In addition to quarterly reports on condition (which are available to
the public), banks and bank holding companies examination reports may
be requested for official agency use under the Federal Reserve Board
of Governor's rules regarding availability of information.
NATIONAL CREDIT UNION
ADMINISTRATION (NCUA)
-------------------------------------------------------- Chapter 2:2.6
NCUA regulates, insures, and supervises all federal credit unions, as
well as state-chartered credit unions that apply for its insurance.
NCUA has two reporting requirements: federally insured credit unions
with more than $50 million in assets must file quarterly reports and
those with assets totalling less than $50 million must file
semiannually.
INDEPENDENT AGENCIES AND
GOVERNMENT CORPORATIONS
---------------------------------------------------------- Chapter 2:3
COMMODITY FUTURES TRADING
COMMISSION (CFTC)
-------------------------------------------------------- Chapter 2:3.1
CFTC maintains the following information:
-- registration information concerning firms and individuals,
-- administrative and injunctive actions filed by CFTC against
firms and individuals,
-- financial reports filed by CFTC registrants, and
-- consumer complaints filed against CFTC registrants.
The National Futures Association, a self-regulatory organization
authorized by the Commodity Exchange Act, operates under the
supervision of the CFTC and is a one-stop information source for
registration and disciplinary information regarding firms and
individuals in the futures industry. This information includes
registration status and employment history; disciplinary actions
filed by the association, the CFTC, and the commodity exchanges; and
customer complaints filed under the CFTC's reparations program. The
association's information center can be contacted at (800) 621-3570
or, in Illinois, at (312) 781-1410.
FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS
COMMISSION (FCC)
-------------------------------------------------------- Chapter 2:3.2
FCC regulates interstate and international communications by radio,
television, wire, satellite, and cable. It investigates and studies
all phases of communication problems and the best methods of
obtaining the cooperation and coordination of radio and wire
communication systems, including those relative to police, fire, and
forestry.
The FCC staff is organized, by function, into six operating bureaus:
Mass Media, Cable Services, Common Carrier, Compliance and
Information, Wireless Telecommunications, and International. The
various bureaus maintain data on licensees and users of communication
frequencies that include the licensing of radio/telephone circuits
and their assigned frequencies for operations.
FEDERAL MARITIME COMMISSION
-------------------------------------------------------- Chapter 2:3.3
The Federal Maritime Commission investigates applicants for licenses
to engage in oceangoing freight-forwarding activities. Applicants
provide information to the Commission covering many aspects of their
history, including the names and residences of all corporate officers
and directors, names of partnership members or individual
proprietors, names of direct holders of five percent or more of
company stock, names of stockholders with beneficial interest in
shipments moving in U.S. foreign export commerce, and employment
history of license applicants.
GENERAL SERVICES
ADMINISTRATION (GSA)
-------------------------------------------------------- Chapter 2:3.4
GSA has considerable information on architects, engineers, personal
property auctioneers, real estate appraisers, construction
contractors, sales brokers, and businesses that contract with GSA.
GSA also maintains a computerized List of Parties Excluded from
Federal Procurement and Nonprocurement Programs.
See chapter 4 for discussions on the List and the Federal Procurement
Data Center.
NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND
SPACE ADMINISTRATION (NASA)
-------------------------------------------------------- Chapter 2:3.5
Over 85 percent of NASA's multibillion dollar budget goes to NASA's
contractors. Procurement files maintained by its procurement office
contain information about individual firms and their employees.
NASA requires that contractors submit with the proposals their
qualifications and resumes of the personnel who will be directly
assigned to the project. The resumes should include each person's
educational background, work experience, length of service with the
firm, and work projects.
NATIONAL ARCHIVES AND
RECORDS ADMINISTRATION
-------------------------------------------------------- Chapter 2:3.6
The National Archives and Records Administration operates federal
records centers throughout the country, including the National
Personnel Records Center in St. Louis, Missouri, and the Office of
the Federal Register in Washington, D.C. It also operates regional
archives and the presidential libraries.
The Federal Register is the medium for notifying the public of
official agency actions; all federal regulations must be published in
it. The Office of the Federal Register provides a periodic workshop
on the use of the Federal Register as an information source. A
handbook on the uses of the Federal Register is also available. For
information, call (202) 523-5240.
NATIONAL RAILROAD PASSENGER
CORPORATION (AMTRAK)
-------------------------------------------------------- Chapter 2:3.7
Amtrak maintains information on passengers' reservation histories,
method of payment, and dates of travel; the railroad industry;
railroad contractors, subcontractors, and vendors; and train routes
and schedules.
Amtrak police have access to records of all Amtrak employees. To
contact Amtrak police regarding the Amtrak National Communications
Center or investigation and police report records, call
1-800-331-0008.
NUCLEAR REGULATORY
COMMISSION (NRC)
-------------------------------------------------------- Chapter 2:3.8
NRC regulates commercial nuclear power reactors; nonpower research
reactors; fuel-cycle facilities; medical, academic, and industrial
uses of nuclear materials; and the transport, storage, and disposal
of nuclear materials and waste. NRC also maintains applications and
licenses of persons and companies that export nuclear material and
equipment from the United States.
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE
COMMISSION (SEC)
-------------------------------------------------------- Chapter 2:3.9
SEC maintains public records of corporations with stock and
securities sold to the public. These records include the following:
-- financial statements,
-- identification of officers and directors,
-- identification of owners of more than 10 percent of a
corporation's stock,
-- a description of the registrant's properties and businesses,
-- a description of the significant provisions of the security to
be offered for sale and its relationship to the registrant's
other capital securities,
-- identification of events of interest to investors,
-- identification of accountants and attorneys, and
-- a history of the business.
SEC maintains files on individuals and firms that have been reported
to it as having violated federal or state securities laws. The
information contained in these files pertains to official actions
taken against such persons and firms, including denials, refusals,
suspensions, and revocations of registrations; injunctions, fraud
orders, stop orders, and cease and desist orders; and arrests,
indictments, convictions, sentences, and other official actions.
The Securities and Exchange Commission Summary lists the changes in
beneficial ownership by officers, directors, and principal
stockholders of securities listed and registered on a national
securities exchange or those relating to public utility companies and
certain closed-end investment companies.
Copies of the documents maintained by SEC are available at its
regional or branch offices in the following cities: Atlanta,
Georgia; Miami, Florida; Boston, Massachusetts; Chicago, Illinois;
Cleveland, Ohio; Detroit, Michigan; St. Louis, Missouri; Denver,
Colorado; Salt Lake City, Utah; Fort Worth, Texas; Los Angeles,
California; San Francisco, California; New York, New York; Seattle,
Washington; Washington, D.C.; and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Corporate filings include the following:
-- Annual Report of Publicly Traded Company (Form 10-K)--excerpts
or complete report via DIALOG or LEXIS databases, both of which
are discussed in chapter 4;
-- Quarterly Report of Publicly Traded Company (Form 10-Q)--same as
Form 10-K;
-- Special Events in Re Publicly Traded Company (Form
8-K)--transactions resulting in change of controlling interest;
-- Registration of Security (Form 8-A)--prospectus, data relative
to the issuer;
-- Registration of Security by the Successor to (Form 8-B)--name of
issuer, relationship to primary registrant/issuer;
-- Special Events in Re Foreign Security (Form 6-K)--information
similar to Forms 10-K and 8-K, except the security is registered
under other U.S. law; and
-- Report of Acquisition of Beneficial Ownership of 5% or More of
Capital Stock of Public Company (Form 13-D)--identity of each
person or firm acquiring beneficial ownership of 5 percent or
more of capital stock or constituting a group that acquires such
beneficial ownership; description of security; agreements or
other undertakings by reporting entity; whether acquisition
results in change of control; background on each person
reporting; and sources of funds for acquisition, purpose of
acquisition, and relationship of parties.
See chapter 4 for information on SEC's Securities Information Center.
SMALL BUSINESS
ADMINISTRATION (SBA)
------------------------------------------------------- Chapter 2:3.10
SBA guarantees loans made by commercial lenders to eligible small
businesses; makes loans to businesses and individuals following
federally-declared disasters; and licenses investment companies to
provide venture capital to eligible small businesses. SBA also (1)
connects small firms owned by socially and economically disadvantaged
Americans with contracts set aside by other federal agencies and (2)
seeks to increase federal contract opportunities for small businesses
in general. SBA-guaranteed loans are made by private-sector lenders,
with SBA promising to reimburse a specified percentage of any amount
lost by the lender. By law, the amount of SBA's guaranty under its
most popular and least restricted lending program is limited to
$750,000 and the loan maturity to 25 years.
SBA may be the best source of financial and other information about
the small businesses (and their principals) to which it provides
assistance; many of them are exempt from public disclosure laws
because of their smallness. Records on businesses and individuals
that have received SBA assistance are maintained by the division that
administers the program involved. The local SBA district office
maintains most records. Contact the local office of SBA's Office of
Inspector General, Investigations Division, for assistance in
obtaining records and other information.
SOCIAL SECURITY
ADMINISTRATION (SSA)
------------------------------------------------------- Chapter 2:3.11
SSA retains original applications for social security numbers.
Applications list an applicant's name (maiden and married names for a
female), birthdate, birthplace, sex, race, parents' names, and
address at time of application.
The first three digits of a social security number indicate its
assigned area of issuance. The following table lists the states and
their assigned social security numbers. (Note that some states and
Puerto Rico have more than one series of numbers.)
Table 2.2
Designated Geographic Areas for Social
Security Number Issuance
Number(s)\a Area\b Number(s)\a Area\b
--------------------- ---------------------- ------------- ------------------
001-003 New Hampshire 425-428, 587, Mississippi
588\c
004-007 Maine 429-432, 676- Arkansas
679\c
008-009 Vermont 433-439, 659- Louisiana
665\c
010-034 Massachusetts 440-448 Oklahoma
035-039 Rhode Island 449-467, 627- Texas
645
040-049 Connecticut 468-477 Minnesota
050-134 New York 478-485 Iowa
135-158 New Jersey 486-500 Missouri
159-211 Pennsylvania 501-502 North Dakota
212-220 Maryland 503-504 South Dakota
221-222 Delaware 505-508 Nebraska
223-231, 691-699\c Virginia 509-515 Kansas
232 -236 West Virginia 516-517 Montana
232, 237-246 North Carolina 518-519 Idaho
247-251, 654-658\c South Carolina 520 Wyoming
252-260, 667-675\c Georgia 521-524, 650- Colorado
653
261-267, 589-595 Florida 525, 585, New Mexico
648-649
268-302 Ohio 526-527 Arizona
303-317 Indiana 525-529, 646- Utah
647
318-361 Illinois 530, 680\c Nevada
362-386 Michigan 531-539 Washington
387-399 Wisconsin 540-544 Oregon
400-407 Kentucky 545-573, 602- California
626
408-415, 756-763\c Tennessee 574 Alaska
416-424 Alabama 575-576, 750- Hawaii
751\c
577-579 District of Columbia 586 American Samoa
580 Virgin Islands 586 Northern Mariana
Islands
580-584, 596-599 Puerto Rico 586, 617 Philippine Islands
586 Guam 700-728\d Railroad Board
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\a Any number beginning with 000 will never be a valid social
security number.
\b When an area is shown more than once, it means that either (1)
certain numbers have been transferred from one state to another or
(2) an area has been divided for use among certain geographic
locations.
\c New areas allocated, but not yet issued.
\d Issuance of these numbers to railroad employees was discontinued
July 1, 1963.
U.S. POSTAL SERVICE AND
U.S. POSTAL INSPECTION
SERVICE
------------------------------------------------------- Chapter 2:3.12
The U.S. Postal Service maintains the names and addresses of post
office box holders and change of address information. It can verify
that an individual is receiving mail at a particular address.
Requests for photocopies of postal money orders may be made through
the local office of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. Information
concerning the mailing addresses, telephone numbers, and fax numbers
of U.S. Postal Inspection Service offices nationwide is available on
the U.S. Postal Inspection Service home page on the World Wide Web.
Information concerning missing U.S. and Canadian money order forms,
counterfeit Canadian money order forms, and Invalid Express Mail
Accounts can be found on the U.S. Postal Service home page on the
World Wide Web.
The Postal Inspection Service, through the Judicial Officer, is
empowered under 39 U.S.C. 3005 to issue false presentation orders
and cease and desist orders in cases where the mail is being used to
obtain money from the public by means of false and fraudulent
statements. The orders (1) require mail to be returned to the
sender, (2) forbid payment of postal money orders connected to the
scheme, (3) require the return of money to those who purchased the
money orders, and (4) require that cited schemes cease.
Postal regulations require commercial mail-receiving agencies to
complete a PS Form 1583, Application for Delivery of Mail Through an
Agent. The data from that form, which includes personal
identification information and references for a specific individual,
can be made available to federal, state, and local law enforcement
agencies. The mailing addresses, telephone numbers, and fax numbers
of Postal Inspection Service offices nationwide are available on the
World Wide Web.
LEGISLATIVE BRANCH AGENCIES
---------------------------------------------------------- Chapter 2:4
U.S. GENERAL ACCOUNTING
OFFICE (GAO)
-------------------------------------------------------- Chapter 2:4.1
GAO's World Wide Web home page provides access to recent GAO audit
products and Comptroller General decisions, as well as information on
how to order paper copies of both recent and older GAO products. In
addition, GAO audit products from fiscal year 1995 forward and recent
decisions are available in electronic form at the Government Printing
Office's Internet site. GAO products, including those not available
on the Internet, may also be ordered by calling (202) 512-6000 or TDD
(301) 413-0006.
GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE
(GPO)
-------------------------------------------------------- Chapter 2:4.2
GPO produces and procures printed and electronic publications for the
Congress and federal departments and establishments. It prepares
catalogs and distributes and sells government publications in printed
and electronic formats. Electronic databases prepared for printing
are premastered for CD-ROM replication and are used to provide
on-line access.
GPO sells--through mail orders and government
bookstores--approximately 20,000 different printed and electronic
publications that originate in various government agencies. Orders
and inquiries concerning publications and subscriptions for sale
should be mailed to Superintendent of Documents, GPO, Washington,
D.C. 20402 or called in to (202) 512-1800. GPO also administers the
depository library program through which selected government
publications are made available, free of charge, in approximately
1,400 libraries throughout the country.
The GPO Access service provides on-line access to key publications of
the federal government, including the Congressional Record and the
Federal Register, through the Internet. For information about this
service, contact the GPO Access support team at (202) 512-1530.
JUDICIAL BRANCH
---------------------------------------------------------- Chapter 2:5
FEDERAL COURTS
-------------------------------------------------------- Chapter 2:5.1
The federal court system has three basic levels: the Supreme Court
of the United States, the U.S. Courts of Appeals (by circuits), and
the U.S. District Courts.
The U.S. District Court has exclusive jurisdiction in bankruptcy,
maritime and admiralty, patents, copyright penalties, fines under
federal law, and proceedings against consuls and vice consuls of
foreign states. In addition, it has jurisdiction when the United
States or a national bank is a party and when the law specifically
states that the U.S. District Court has original jurisdiction.
In addition, some special courts, such as the following, handle
specific matters.
-- The U.S. Tax Court adjudicates controversies involving
assessment and payment of various taxes.
-- The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces is an appellate
criminal court that serves as the final tribunal to review
court-martial convictions of all the Armed Forces.
-- In the federal bankruptcy courts, bankruptcy judges preside over
all cases under Title 11, United States Code, in addition to
other bankruptcy matters referred by the district court.
The table below lists federal courts throughout the United States and
their postal addresses.
Table 2.3
Directory of U.S. Courts
Location Postal Address
-------------------------------------------------- ------------------
COURTS OF APPEAL
Federal Circuit Washington, D.C.
(United States) 20439
District of Columbia Circuit Washington, D.C.
(District of Columbia) 20001
First Circuit Boston, MA 02109
(Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode
Island, and Puerto Rico)
Second Circuit New York, NY 10007
(Connecticut, New York, and Vermont)
Third Circuit Philadelphia, PA
(Delaware, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and the 19106
Virgin Islands)
Fourth Circuit Richmond, VA 23219
(Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina,
Virginia, and West Virginia)
Fifth Circuit New Orleans, LA
(Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas) 70130
Sixth Circuit Cincinnati, OH
(Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, and Tennessee) 45202
Seventh Circuit Chicago, IL 60604
(Illinois, Indiana, and Wisconsin)
Eighth Circuit St. Louis, MO
(Arkansas, Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, 63101
North Dakota, and South Dakota)
Ninth Circuit San Francisco, CA
(Alaska, Arizona, California, Hawaii, Idaho, 94102
Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Washington, Guam, and the
Northern Mariana Islands)
Tenth Circuit Denver, CO 80294
(Colorado, Kansas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Utah, and
Wyoming)
Eleventh Circuit Atlanta, GA 30303
(Alabama, Florida, and Georgia)
DISTRICT COURTS
Alabama
Northern District Birmingham, AL
Middle District 35203
Southern District Montgomery, AL
36101
Mobile, AL 36602
Alaska Anchorage, AK
99513
Arizona Phoenix, AZ 85025
Arkansas
Eastern District Little Rock, AR
Western District 72203
Fort Smith, AR
72902
California
Northern District San Francisco, CA
Eastern District 94102
Central District Sacramento, CA
Southern District 95814
Los Angeles, CA
90012
San Diego, CA
92101
Colorado Denver, CO 80294
Connecticut New Haven, CT
06510
Delaware Wilmington, DE
19801
District of Columbia Washington, DC
20001
Florida
Northern District Tallahassee, FL
Middle District 32301
Southern District Jacksonville, FL
32201
Miami, FL 33128
Georgia
Northern District Atlanta, GA 30303
Middle District Macon, GA 31202
Southern District Savannah, GA 31412
Guam Agana, GU 96910
Hawaii Honolulu, HI 96850
Idaho Boise, ID 83724
Illinois
Northern District Chicago, IL 60604
Southern District East St. Louis, IL
Central District 62202
Springfield, IL
62701
Indiana
Northern District South Bend, IN
Southern District 46601
Indianapolis, IN
46204
Iowa
Northern District Cedar Rapids, IA
Southern District 52401
Des Moines, IA
50309
Kansas Wichita, KS 67202
Kentucky
Eastern District Lexington, KY
Western District 40596
Louisville, KY
40202
Louisiana
Eastern District New Orleans, LA
Middle District 70130
Western District Baton Rouge, LA
70802
Shreveport, LA
71101
Maine Portland, ME 04101
Maryland Baltimore, MD
21201
Massachusetts Boston, MA 02109
Michigan
Eastern District Detroit, MI 48226
Western District Grand Rapids, MI
49503
Minnesota St. Paul, MN 55101
Mississippi
Northern District Oxford, MS 38655
Southern District Jackson, MS 39201
Missouri
Eastern District St. Louis, MO
Western District 63101
Kansas City, MO
64106
Montana Billings, MT 59101
Nebraska Omaha, NE 68101
Nevada Las Vegas, NV
89101
New Hampshire Concord, NH 03301
New Jersey Newark, NJ 07102
New Mexico Albuquerque, NM
87103
New York
Northern District Syracuse, NY
Eastern District 13261
Southern District Brooklyn, NY
Western District 11201
New York, NY
10007
Buffalo, NY 14202
North Carolina
Eastern District Raleigh, NC 27611
Middle District Greensboro, NC
Western District 27402
Asheville, NC
28801
North Dakota Bismarck, ND 58502
Northern Mariana Islands Saipan, N. Mar. I.
96950
Ohio
Northern District Cleveland, OH
Southern District 44114
Columbus, OH 43215
Oklahoma
Northern District Tulsa, OK 74103
Eastern District Muskogee, OK
Western District 74402
Oklahoma City, OK
73102
Oregon Portland, OR 97205
Pennsylvania
Eastern District Philadelphia, PA
Middle District 19106
Western District Scranton, PA
18501
Pittsburgh, PA
15230
Puerto Rico Hato Rey, PR 00918
Rhode Island Providence, RI
02903
South Carolina Columbia, SC 29201
South Dakota Sioux Falls, SD
57102
Tennessee
Eastern District Knoxville, TN
Middle District 37901
Western District Nashville, TN
37203
Memphis, TN 38103
Texas
Northern District Dallas, TX 75242
Southern District Houston, TX 77208
Eastern District Tyler, TX 75702
Western District San Antonio, TX
78206
Utah Salt Lake City, UT
84101
Vermont Burlington, VT
05402
Virgin Islands St. Thomas, VI
00801
Virginia
Eastern District Alexandria, VA
Western District 22320
Roanoke, VA 24006
Washington
Eastern District Spokane, WA 99210
Western District Seattle, WA 98104
West Virginia
Northern District Elkins, WV 26241
Southern District Charleston, WV
25329
Wisconsin
Eastern District Milwaukee, WI
Western District 53202
Madison, WI 53701
Wyoming Cheyenne, WY 82001
----------------------------------------------------------------------
INSPECTORS GENERAL
---------------------------------------------------------- Chapter 2:6
The Inspector General Act of 1978, as amended, created offices of
Inspector General at federal agencies. Also, some legislative branch
agencies, such as GAO, have established offices of inspector general.
Their mission is to increase the economy and efficiency of agency
programs and decrease fraud, waste, and abuse in federal departments,
agencies, and designated entities. Offices of inspector general are
sources of information about businesses and related individuals they
have investigated or audited. Most offices of inspector general
maintain centralized index and case file systems. IGnet, hosted by
SBA, provides centralized Internet access to information about the
federal inspectors general and links to related Internet sites. The
following table lists inspectors general and provides their
addresses, telephone/fax numbers, and hotline numbers.
Table 2.4
Federal Inspectors General
Telephone Hotline
Federal Entity/Mailing Address\a Number Fax Number Number(s)
--------------------------------- --------------- ------------ --------------
Agency for International (202) 647- (202) 647- (800) 230-
Development 7844 5948 6539
320 21st Street, N.W., Room (703) 875-
5756NS 4999
Washington, D.C. 20523
Agriculture, Department of (202) 720-8001 (202) 690- (800) 424-
1400 Independence Avenue, S.W. 1278 9121
Room 117-W (202) 690-
Washington, D.C. 20250-2301 1622
Hearing
Impaired
(202) 690-
1202
Amtrak (202) 906-4600 (202) 906- (800) 468-
400 North Capitol Street, N.W. 4564 5469
Washington, D.C. 20001-1511
Appalachian Regional Commission (202) 884-7675 (202) 884- (800) 532-
1666 Connecticut Avenue, N.W. 7691 4611
Room 215 (202) 884-
Washington, D.C. 20235 7667
Central Intelligence Agency (703) 874-2553 (703) 734- None
Washington, D.C. 20505 9649
Commerce, Department of (202) 482-4661 (202) 482- (800) 424-
Room 7898C 0567 5197
14th & Constitution Avenue, (202) 482-
N.W. 2497
Washington, D.C. 20230-0002 Hearing
Impaired
(800) 854-
8407
Commodity Futures Trading (202) 418-5110 (202) 418- (202) 418-
Commission 5522 5510
3 Lafayette Centre
1155 21st St., N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20581
Consumer Product Safety (301) 504-0573 (301) 504- (301) 504-
Commission 0107 0573
4330 East West Highway
Bethesda, MD 20814-4408
Corporation for National Service (202) 606- (202) 565- (800) 452-
1201 New York Avenue, N.W. 5000 2795 8210
Suite 8100 ext. 445
Washington, D.C. 20525
Corporation for Public (202) 879-9669 (202) 737- (800) 599-
Broadcasting 2902 2170
901 E Street, N.W. (202) 783-
Washington, D.C. 20004-2037 5408
Defense, Department of (703) 604-8300 (703) 604- (800) 424-
400 Army Navy Drive 8310 9098
Arlington, VA 22202-2884
Education, Department of (202) 205-5439 (202) 260- (800) 647-
600 Independence Avenue, S.W. 3821 8733
Washington, D.C. 20202-1510 (202) 205-
5770
Energy, Department of (202) 586-4393 (202) 586- (800) 541-
1000 Independence Avenue, S.W. 0948 1625
Washington, D.C. 20585 (202) 586-
4073
Environmental Protection Agency (202) 260-3137 (202) 260- (202) 260-
401 M Street, S.W. 0711 4977
Washington, D.C. 20460
Equal Employment Opportunity (202) 663-4379 (202) 663- (800) 849-
Commission 7204 4230
1801 L Street, N.W., Room 3001 (202) 663-
Washington, D.C. 20507 7020
Farm Credit Administration (703) 883-4030 (703) 883- (800) 437-
1501 Farm Credit Drive 4059 7322
McLean, VA 22102-5090 (703) 883-
4316
Federal Communications (202) 418-0470 (202) 418- (888) 863-
Commission 2811 2244
1919 M Street, N.W. (202) 418-
Washington, D.C. 20554 0473
Federal Deposit Insurance (202) 416-2026 (202) 416- (800) 964-
Corporation 2906 3342
801 17th Street, N.W., Room
1096
Washington, D.C. 20434-0001
Federal Election Commission (202) 219-4267 (202) 501- (202) 219-
999 E Street, N.W., Room 940 8134 4267
Washington, D.C. 20463-0001
Federal Emergency Management (202) 646-3910 (202) 646- (800) 323-
Agency 3298 8603
500 C Street, S.W., Room 825
Washington, D.C. 20472-0001
Federal Housing Finance Board (202) 408-2544 (202) 408- (800) 276-
1777 F Street, N.W. 2972 8329
Washington, D.C. 20006-5210 (202) 408-
2900
Federal Labor Relations (202) 482-6570 (202) 482- (800) 331-
Authority 6573 3572
607 14th Street, N.W. (202) 482-
Washington, D.C. 20424-0001 6570
Federal Maritime Commission (202) 523-5863 (202) 566- (202) 523-
800 North Capitol Street, N.W. 0043 5865
Room 1072
Washington, D.C. 20573-0001
Federal Reserve Board (202) 973-5001 (202) 973- (800) 827-
20th and Constitution Avenue, 5044 3340
N.W. (202) 452-
Mail Stop 300 6400
Washington, D.C. 20551-0001
Federal Trade Commission (202) 326-2800 (202) 326- (202) 326-
601 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W. 2034 2800
Room H-494
Washington, D.C. 20580
General Accounting Office (202) 512-5748 (202) 512- (202) 512-
441 G Street, N.W. 2539 7470
Washington, D.C. 20548 (800) 424-
5454
General Services Administration (202) 501-0450 (202) 208- (800) 424-
18th and F Streets, N.W. 7607 5210
Washington, D.C. 20405 (202) 501-
1780
Government Printing Office (202) 512-0039 (202) 512- (800) 743-
Building 3, Room C551 1352 7574
732 North Capitol Street, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20401
Health and Human Services, (202) 619-3148 (202) 619- (800) HHS-
Department of 0521 TIPS
330 Independence Avenue, S.W.
Room 5250
Washington, D.C. 20201
Housing and Urban Development, (202) 708-0430 (202) 401- (800) 347-
Department of 2505 3735
451 7th Street, S.W. (202) 708-
Washington, D.C. 20410-4500 4200
Interior, Department of the (202) 208-5745 (202) 219- (800) 424-
1849 C Street, N.W. 3856 5081
Mail Stop 5341 TDD
Washington, D.C. 20240 (800) 354-
0996
(202) 208-
5300
International Trade Commission, (202) 205-2210 (202) 205- (202) 205-
U.S. 1859 2217
500 E Street, S.W., Room 515
Washington, D.C. 20436
Justice, Department of (202) 514-3435 (202) 514- (800) 869-
950 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W. 4001 4499
Room 4706
Washington, D.C. 20530
Labor, Department of (202) 219-7296 (202) 219- (800) 347-
200 Constitution Avenue, N.W. 5130 3756
Washington, D.C. 20210 (202) 219-
5227
Legal Services Corporation (202) 336-8830 (202) 336- (800) 678-
750 First Street, N.E., 10th 8955 8868
Floor (202) 336-
Washington, D.C. 20002-4250 8936
National Aeronautics and Space (202) 358-1220 (202) 358- (800) 424-
Administration 2767 9183
300 E Street, S.W., Room 8V69
Washington, D.C. 20546
National Archives and Records (301) 713-7300 (301) 713- (800) 786-
Administration 7320 2551
8601 Adelphi Road, Room 1300 (301) 713-
College Park, MD 20740-6001 6667
National Credit Union (703) 518-6350 (703) 518- (703) 518-
Administration 6349 6357
1775 Duke Street (800) 778-
Alexandria, VA 22314-3428 4806
National Endowment for the Arts (202) 682-5402 (202) 682- None
1100 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W. 5649
Room 528
Washington, D.C. 20506
National Endowment for the (202) 606-8350 (202) 606- (202) 606-
Humanities 8329 8423
1100 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W.
Room 419
Washington, D.C. 20506
National Labor Relations Board (202) 273-1960 (202) 273- (800) 736-
1099 14th Street, N.W., Room 2344 2983
9820
Washington, D.C. 20570
National Science Foundation (703) 306-2100 (703) 306- (703) 306-
4201 Wilson Boulevard, Room 0649 2004
1135
Arlington, VA 22230-0002
Nuclear Regulatory Commission (301) 415-5930 (301) 415- (800) 233-
Mail Stop T5D28 5091 3497
Washington, D.C. 20555-0002
Office of Personnel Management (202) 606-1200 (202) 606- (202) 606-
1900 E Street, N.W., Room 6400 2153 2423
Washington, D.C. 20415-0001 Health
insurance
fraud -
(202) 418-
3300
Panama Canal Commission (in (800) 622-2625 None (800) 622-
Panama) ext. 272-3142 2625 ext. 272-
Unit 2300 7801
APO AA 34011-2300 Pan. 272-7801
Peace Corps (202) 606-3320 (202) 606- (800) 233-
1990 K Street, N.W. 2459 5874
Washington, D.C. 20526
Pension Benefit Guaranty (202) 326-4030 (202) 326- (800) 303-
Corporation 4033 9737
1200 K Street, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20005
Postal Service, U.S. (202) 268- (202) 268- (202) 268-
475 L'Enfant Plaza, Room 2016 5600 5623 6686
Washington, D.C. 20260-0020
Railroad Retirement Board (312) 751-4690 (312) 751- (800) 772-
844 North Rush Street, Room 450 4342 4258
Chicago, Illinois 60611-2092 (312) 751-
4336
Securities and Exchange (202) 942-4460 (202) 942- None
Commission 9653
450 5th Street, N.W. (11-7)
Washington, D.C. 20549
Small Business Administration (202) 205-6586 (202) 205- (800) 767-
409 3rd Street, S.W., Room 7150 7382 0385
Washington, D.C. 20416-0005 (202) 205-
7151
Smithsonian Institution (202) 287-3326 (202) 287- (202) 287-
955 L'Enfant Plaza, S.W., Room 3017 3676
7600
Mail Stop 905
Washington, D.C. 20560-0001
Social Security Administration (410) 966-8337 (410) 966- (800) 269-
6401 Security Boulevard, Suite 9201 0271
300 SSA employee
Altmeyer Building (800) 772-
Baltimore, MD 21235 1213
SSA program
State, Department of (202) 647-9450 (202) 647- (202) 647-
Room 6817 7660 3320
2201 C Street, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20520-0001
Tennessee Valley Authority (423) 632-4120 (423) 632- (800) 323-
400 West Summit Hill Drive 4130 3835
Knoxville, TN 37902-1499
Transportation, Department of (202) 366-1959 (202) 366- (800) 424-
400 7th Street, S.W., Room 9210 3912 9071
Washington, D.C. 20590 (202) 366-
1461
Treasury, Department of the (202) 622-1090 (202) 622- (800) 359-
1500 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W. 2073 3898
Main Treasury Building
Room 2418
Washington, D.C. 20220-0002
Veterans Affairs, Department of (202) 565-7702 (202) 565- (800) 488-
810 Vermont Avenue, N.W. 7630 8244
Washington, D.C. 20420-0001 (202) 565-
8644
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\a Federal Inspectors General may also be reached via the Internet on
IGnet (http://www.sbaonline.sba.gov/ignet/internal/iglist.html).
The following table provides web addresses for federal agencies, most
of which are discussed in this chapter.
Table 2.5
Federal Agency Internet Addresses
Federal Agency Internet Address
---------------------------------------- --------------------------------------
Cabinet-Level Departments and
Associated Agencies
Department of Agriculture http://www.usda.gov
Department of Commerce http://www.doc.gov
Department of Defense http://www.dtic.dla.mil/defenselink
Department of Education http://www.ed.gov
Department of Energy
Federal Energy Regulatory http://www.fedworld.gov/ferc/
Commission ferc.html
Department of Health and Human http://www.os.dhhs.gov
Services
Food and Drug Administration http://www.fda.gov
Department of Housing and Urban http://www.hud.gov
Development
Department of the Interior http://www.doi.gov
Department of Justice http://justice2.usdoj.gov
Drug Enforcement Administration http://www.usdoj.gov/dea/deahome.htm
Federal Bureau of Investigation http://www.fbi.gov
Immigration Naturalization http://www.usdoj.gov/ins/245.htm/
Service #257
United States Marshals Service
http://www.gopher.usdoj.gov/bureaus/
usm.html
Department of Labor http://www.dol.gov
Department of State http://www.state.gov
Department of Transportation http://www.dot.gov
Federal Aviation Administration http://www.faa.gov
U.S. Coast Guard http://www.dot.gov/dotinfo/uscg
Department of the Treasury http://www.ustreas.gov
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and http://www.ustreas.gov/bureaus
Firearms
Bureau of Engraving and Printing http://www.ustreas.gov/bureaus
Bureau of Public Debt http://www.ustreas.gov/bureaus
Federal Law Enforcement http://www.ustreas.gov/bureaus
Training Center http://www.ustreas.gov/bureaus
Financial Crimes Enforcement http://www.ustreas.gov/bureaus
Network
Financial Management Service http://www.ustreas.gov/bureaus
Internal Revenue Service http://www.ustreas.gov/bureaus
Office of the Comptroller of the http://www.ustreas.gov/bureaus
Currency
Office of Thrift Supervision http://www.ustreas.gov/bureaus
U.S. Customs Service http://www.ustreas.gov/bureaus
U.S. Mint http://www.ustreas.gov/bureaus
Treasurer of the United States http://www.ustreas.gov/bureaus
U.S. Secret Service
Veterans Affairs http://www.va.gov
Banks and Related Federal
Administrations and Corporations
Export-Import Bank http://www.exim.gov
Federal Deposit Insurance http://www.fdic.gov
Corporation
Federal Reserve System http://www.bog.frb.fed.us
National Credit Union http://www.ncua.gov
Administration
Independent Establishments and
Government Corporations
Commodity Futures Trading http://www.cftc.gov/cftc
Commission
Federal Communications http://www.fcc.gov
Commission
General Services Administration http://www.gsa.gov
National Aeronautics and Space http://www.nasa.gov
Administration
National Archives and Records http://www.nara.gov
Administration
Amtrak http://www.amtrak.com
Nuclear Regulatory Commission http://www.nrc.gov
Securities and Exchange http://www.sec.gov
Commission
Small Business Administration http://www.sba.gov
Social Security Administration http://www.ssa.gov
U.S. Postal Service http://www.usps.gov
U.S. Postal Inspection Service http://www.usps.gov/websites/depart/
inspect/
jurisdic.htm
Legislative Branch Agencies
General Accounting Office http://www.gao.gov
Government Printing Office http://www.gpo.gov
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
DIRECTORIES, REFERENCE WORKS, AND
OTHER SOURCES
============================================================ Chapter 3
DIRECTORY ABOUT DIRECTORIES
---------------------------------------------------------- Chapter 3:1
DIRECTORIES IN PRINT
-------------------------------------------------------- Chapter 3:1.1
This annual publication thoroughly describes and indexes about 15,000
directories of all kinds, including business and industrial
directories, professional and scientific rosters, state and city
directories, and foreign and international directories. Arrangement
is by broad subject category, and indexing is by subject,
title/keyword, and alternative (electronic) format. A mid-year
supplement adds approximately 700 titles per year. Directories in
Print is available electronically through a commercial database.
DIRECTORIES FOCUSING ON
BUSINESSES
---------------------------------------------------------- Chapter 3:2
AMERICA'S CORPORATE FAMILIES
-------------------------------------------------------- Chapter 3:2.1
Volumes 1 and 2 of this 3-volume annual Dun & Bradstreet directory
list approximately 11,000 parent companies and over 79,000 subsidiary
companies and divisions owned by the parent companies. Parent
companies must have at least two locations, 250 employees, and one
subsidiary to be included in volumes 1 and 2 of the directory.
Volume 3 is the international companion to volumes 1 and 2 and lists
ap |