The Internet can be a useful tool for reconnecting with old friends or classmates, finding family members, or finding work. The categories of personal information available online are: public records, blog posts or social media profiles, or published information such as news articles, wedding announcements, or obituaries. An alternative to the internet is hiring a private investigator, especially if you want to find a missing person, confirm someone's identity, or obtain evidence to use in court. Ultimately, you must respect someone's privacy and be careful about seeking information that may be harmful to yourself or others.
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Method 1 of 4: Searching People Online
Step 1. Perform a general search
Search websites, such as Google or Bling, are easy-to-use and free tools. Start with a simple search, such as a person's name added to the city and/or state where you last knew the person lived.
- Look for it simply. Use quotation marks in the name of the person you are looking for. This method tells search websites to find the exact page containing that name.
- Focus first on gathering all the free information you can get your hands on. Bookmark or save a list of websites that are not free for your next search.
Step 2. Search for people using the online people search
You can look up your home address or phone number for free on Whitepages.com. If you're willing to pay, websites like Intelius.com or Spokeo.com provide access to a wider variety of resources and documents than traditional search engines or social media.
- You will need to know the person's full name, as well as the current or former state or city of residence.
- Intelius and Spokeo provide some information for free, such as name, address, landline number, age, and family members.
Step 3. Access online historical archives and census data
This may be useful if you are trying to find a family member, either living or dead. The U. S. GenWeb census project provided free United States census data for many states until 1940.
- Most census records are grouped by state, so it helps to know the state where the person was born, died, or lived.
- Contact the state or local historical association where the person you're looking for lives, especially if he died before the 1940s. Many historical documents, public records, and newspapers have not been digitized, and can only be accessed as written documents or on microfilm.
Method 2 of 4: Finding People Through Social Media
Step 1. Understand how social media can help you
More than 70% of adults aged 18 years or over are active in online social media. You can search major social media sites to see if the person you are looking for is an active member. In the United States, websites that are included in the most popular websites are Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.
- Most social media websites allow you to search for users or identify users who are associated with a particular company, institution, or geographic section.
- Information on social media is self-generated and as a result, may not be accurate. The creation of fake or scam accounts on social media sites is on the rise, which makes it difficult to know if you are in touch with the person you are looking for or with someone else.
Step 2. Find people on Facebook
People generally use social media sites like Facebook to connect with family or friends. Type the person's name along with additional information such as city of residence, place of work, or school in the search box.
Step 3. Search for people on LinkedIn
LinkedIn is one of the largest websites for professional networking. LinkedIn is a great tool for finding information about a person's career history and job interests. On the LinkedIn homepage, look at the bottom and next to “Looking for Colleagues” type the person's full name.
Step 4. Use social media to find someone from overseas
Although Facebook has the most users worldwide, this site is not the most popular social media in every country. The major social media sites that are specific to a country or region are OZone and Sina Weibo in China and VKontakte and Odnoklassniki in Russia and several former Soviet Union countries.
- Please be aware that this website and its contents may not be available in English.
- The content of this website may be monitored and censored by the government, particularly in Russia and China.
Method 3 of 4: Accessing Public Records Online
Step 1. Look for a state or state online public record store
Public records are created and maintained by government agencies. While the definition of public records varies from state to state, these public records are directed by law to be made publicly available, sometimes by formal request.
See if your state or country has a searchable online database of public records. In Google or Bing, type the name of the state or country plus “public records.” Next, look for specific public records (dates of birth, death, marriage, divorce, etc.) on state or county web pages
Step 2. Access important records through your state or state health department
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) provides links to state and state agencies that maintain important records (date of birth, death, divorce, marriage). Go to the CDC.gov website and search for "where to write for vital records".
Step 3. Search military service records through the National Archives
The National Archives provides a source for obtaining military personnel or medical records. The National Archives provides a searchable database of records and documents in its archives from before the First World War.
- Military service records may be requested by a veteran or relative.
- A list of victims and records of medals, awards and honors up to the war against Vietnam are also available on the web page of the National Archives.
Step 4. Search civil and criminal records online
Civil and criminal cases are handled at the county, state, and federal levels. So you need to ensure the relevant jurisdiction when looking for case data. Civil cases refer to acts of negligence or disputes between organizations or individuals, while criminal cases are cases that cause harm or violate privacy and security.
- Go to the county clerk's office to look for criminal or civil court records. The clerk's office maintains records for civil, petty charges, and even criminal cases decided at the district or county level. In a search engine, type in the name of the country and “criminal record” or “civil court record.” If known, you can also enter the defendant's name or case number.
- Track inmate records through the state Department of Corrections (DOC). In the search engine, type the name of the state and “Department of Repair.” In general, you should be able to find information such as the DOC number, location of detention, and date of detention of an inmate.
Method 4 of 4: Hiring a Private Investigator
Step 1. Hire a private investigator
Private investigators can be hired to find and analyze information regarding legal, personal and financial matters. They offer services such as background checks, verifying a person's identity, searching for missing persons, and recovering stolen items. In most states, a licensed Private Investigator has passed the private investigator examination, is at least 25 years old, and has completed 3 years of experience. They must also pass a criminal history and pass background checks provided by the Department of Justice and the FBI, and be licensed by the Department of Consumer Affairs.
Step 2. Choose a licensed private investigator
You need to be smart about hiring a private investigator. You can look up private investigative agencies in your area online or in the phone book. If you have no previous experience with a particular agency, try contacting a consumer support group (example: Better Business Bureau). Ask if there is a complaint and/or the nature of the complaint made against the agency. You can also search for reviews online from websites like AngiesList.com.
- Compare prices and services offered by different agencies.
- Conduct interviews with potential investigators. Ask them to show you their state private investigator ID. Write down your name, license number, and expiration date.
- Validate the business or personal license by contacting your state Department of Consumer Affairs.
Step 3. Make a contract
Once you have a private investigator, it is very important to get a written contract. The contract must include an agreement on the services to be offered, a list of fees and payment obligations, and the length of service time. The contract should also provide that the client can have access to the evidence (sound recordings, video recordings, etc.) collected during the investigation. Finally, the private investigator is required to provide a final case report which includes the results of the investigation, costs and time spent on separate aspects of the case (e.g. surveillance, additional investigators, special equipment, waiting time, etc.)
- Read the contract carefully and feel free to ask questions.
- Set a deadline for all work to be completed.
- Ask for a detailed estimate for the services offered as part of the contract, and ask the company to provide an official invoice and receipt.
- Keep copies of contracts, invoices, and receipts in one folder.
Tips
- Many of the sites you will find will require a fee. Consider the value they can provide you with the effect of spending money. Needless to say, you don't have to pay for them all.
- Copy the information to a computer file or write it down in a notebook. It may seem unimportant now, but it will come in handy next time.
- To view or search the content of social media sites, you may need to register yourself as a member. Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn are social media that are free to register and use, and you can edit your profile and your personal settings.
- Make sure you research your state or country's policies for accessing public records. Different agencies, departments, and divisions of government collect and maintain different types of public records.
- It's helpful to know basic information, such as the country or state where the person you're looking for was born, where they live now, or where they've lived in the past.
- When searching for public records, year of birth or distance is very important, but see how far you can go without using them.
Warning
- Some people are harder to find online than others. This is because there may be people who share the same name, change names or use aliases, use telephone numbers (mostly mobile phones) that are not registered or distributed, or have died.
- Report private investigators violating their contracts or engaging in illegal activities against FPI and the Department of Consumer Affairs
- There is always the possibility of finding information that may be distracting or upsetting to you and others.
- Beware of mistaken or fake identities – many people use aliases on social media instead of their real names. Search engines and social media sites will never be as trusted as official public records.
