Need to run a small scam

[Preacher]

I need to have someone play a character, or as the CIA calls it run a movie, in order to get information from a college registrar. I need the next of kin info the college has on file. I need to play a character that will get the info out of whoever is working the desk, let's say it is day time and there happens to be a student -a young black female- working the desk. What kind of character can i play to get her to give me the info i need?

[dios4vida]

Everyone responds to something different. A young woman who grew up with a healthy father figure would find a tall, dark, and handsome man appealing and would probably be willing to talk in hopes of a date - but a young woman who'd been abused or neglected by her father would find the same man intimidating and clam up. Some women instantly don't like attractive women on account of the fact that they feel threatened by another's sexual appeal - other women would hope for a sorority-sister type of bond and get all cozy with her. So a lot would depend on the background of the young black female in question.

Since it sounds like the desk-person is a minor character, you can mold her into the type of person who would respond to the type of role you want your protag to play - either because it's easy for them or difficult for them. I think that as long as you can drop clues throughout the encounter ("She turned away and suddenly because very busy when I walked in" - indicating she's nervous, or "She seemed to drop whatever she was doing and leaned across the desk, giving me a good view of her cleavage" - indicating she's interested) you should be fine.

[polymath]

A secretary for a college registrar is a problematic person to get private records from. Contemporary laws and protocols all but prohibit release of private information to third parties without the express written consent of the first party. Exceptions include subpoena duces tecum or equivalent imperative reasons. Nor do I think a registrar's secretary even if a student would be forthcoming with the information out of an abundance of caution for his or her job and college standing. They get those kinds of sieges frequently and are armored against them.

Options, number one most credible is to come with paperwork approving release of the information. A subpoena has other problems but could also succeed. Of course, I'm assuming the release or subpoena would be forgeries.

Next of kin notification information would likely not be listed with the registrar, except sponsoring parents, but would be listed with student medical services. HIPPA is invoked then, and again, express written release or subpoena are required to share that information with a third party.

[Preacher]

The forged paperwork is interesting and could work. This part of the scene is meant to be small and low on the problematic scale. Paperwork would solve it nicely. But, it might be fun to have my main character do a roleplay, molding the desk worker to what would work for me. Maybe he sees she is flustered by his appearance and he says he has something that belongs to the deceased and would love for the next of kin to have it, all the while using his charm to mold her to his will. The guy makes it clear they were only friends or lab partners or something and he may even suggest they go for coffee after she is off work or something like that. I suggest this because i do not want the scene to be all that problematic. The easiest way would have been to have the records hacked into. But, in this story the main character does not have access to a hacker. He has to do this and get the information on his own without a helper.

But, for the sake of the story and the amount of words i wish to use on this information gathering, it might be best to just get some forged release that would release the records to my main character. That part of the scene would be quick, painless, and non-problematic, allowing me to move on to the meat of the scene which takes place when the main character visits with this next-of-kin.

[polymath]

If a forged release is how you want to go, the least problematic method is to send it in in advance from the last known address of the first party. That and a Social Security number and a reasonably good signature are sufficient proof of identity in most circumstances to release private information to concerned third parties. Then going and picking it up would be all he'd have to do, of course, after presenting valid if forged ID too. Which could create a sufficient if small degree of complication to overcome for the sake of tension. I'm assuming he wants to leave as little evidence behind as possible though he seems to me a hard charger.