Using global identifiers
This section of the Help describes how to use global identifiers, including managing white and black lists.
Global identifiers
The Global identifiers feature allows you to view, search and filter all the identifiers, such as phone numbers, in your OSS-ESPA account that have Enable deconfliction (X-Case data search) selected. The feature also allows you to manage white and black lists.
This feature is only available to administrators, or users who have the Global identifiers manager permission selected on the Edit user screen.
What is a white list identifier?
White list identifiers are common identifiers that may provide you with useful case leads, for example, phone numbers of banks, airlines, or stores. The identifier's associated data is then included in OSS-ESPA and in OSS-SRN Express Portal's X-Case queries. This can provide you with useful leads to follow up on, for example a hotel phone number could indicate where a person is currently sleeping, or an airline number could provide the details of a booked flight. The names on the white list are used to identify the phone numbers throughout OSS-ESPA, such as on the ESPA analysis center screen, Sentinel screen, Case Management and IQ packets. CLEAR and Whooster public record requests do not request data for white list numbers.
Other examples of white list identifiers are:
-
SMS short codes
-
Service provider routing numbers
-
Service providers voice-mail numbers
-
Rental car companies
-
Local hotels and motels
-
Storage facilities
-
Correctional facilities
-
Probation/Parole officers
-
Schools Insurance companies
-
Government services
-
Courts
What is a black list identifier?
A black list identifier is one that you want to receive email notification for if any other OSS-ESPA or OSS-SRN Express Portal user adds the identifier to a case. No other user, other than your administrator, is aware of any identifiers you add to your black list, and any associated data you add to a black list identifier is never shared with any other user, for example it is not included in the OSS-SRN Express Portal's X-Case query, or used for PRTT and T3 monitoring. If a new case is created which includes a black list identifier then the case creator is not informed that the identifier is on the black list but if the identifier appears in other cases then the X-Case query includes the data from those cases. For example you could include a phone of a Confidential Informant on the black list.
Adding an identifier to a black list requires higher approval, therefore you must contact your administrator so that they can approve any addition you make. Once approved, you will then receive email notification if any other user adds the identifier to a case.
OSS-ESPA logs all additions, approvals, updates and deletions of black list identifiers, as well as logging all cases that include the identifier both as a target or an associate.
