Have you ever wondered what happened to, what was his name, that old friend from high school that you lost touch with when he moved to California? Thanks to the Internet, finding someone who's lost is easy - if you know where to look.
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Method 1 of 3: Finding an Address Using Google
Step 1. Search for their address on Google
Of all the ways to find someone, searching using Google is probably the easiest. However, finding their address takes a bit more effort compared to just looking up their name.
- For example, we will use the name Dave Wilson, who was a drummer for the Cascades band in the 60s. In the Google Search field, we will simply enter the name "Dave Wilson", in quotes. Using quotes will force the search to use both words consecutively, so we won't get results that include "Dave Whickershnaker loves to play volleyball, but he only uses the Wilson brand".
- As we can see right away, we have to narrow down the options. Google turned up nearly 900,000 results!
Step 2. Narrow your search
We will do this by adding a unique keyword related to Dave Wilson - his band, the Cascades. Now we have found what we were looking for.
We now know what happened to Dave Wilson - he died in 2000
Step 3. Use the deeper search tool
Sometimes, the easy way does nothing. It's possible that the person you're looking for has changed his name, has gone "off the grid" or may have died before he had a chance to leave a trace. When this happens, there are several alternatives.
- Do a "people search" on Google and you'll be presented with a list of sites that will help you find the person you're looking for, many of which advertise search for free.
- Be aware that "free" often means that they'll take you part way there-and then you'll pay for the actual contact information.
Method 2 of 3: Finding an Address with Other Websites
Step 1. Find them on Facebook
With nearly '1 billion' Facebook subscribers, your chances of finding someone alive are pretty good-and a little more difficult than going the Google route.
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Start by searching for their name. At this point, let's look for John Smith. In the search field, type John Smith and instantly, a menu will populate with the top results.
Facebook is smart enough to highlight people who are in your location and whether or not your friends are in general. But we know that John Smith doesn't live here, so we need to expand our search a bit. Either by clicking the magnifying glass to the right of the search bar or at the bottom of the menu, selecting "See more results for John Smith". This will take you to a more comprehensive search page
Step 2. Don't forget to use the Facebook search filter
If a generic search can't find it, dig a little deeper. From here, in our quest for John, we can further narrow things down by using the site tools on the left side of the screen. By clicking on the Pages filter, we'll find the John Smith we're looking for - apparently he owns a band and lives in England.
Step 3. Be a professional
Sometimes, the person you are looking for is not listed. In this case, you can visit a public listing information site and pay for the information you want. A good example is Intellius.
- Professional sites will generally offer a one-time fee for either simple contact information or a background report-ideal if you're looking for the history of a potential employee or business associate.
- The price and quality of people search services can vary widely. U. S. Search and Intellius are the highest-ranked services, but like any online service, your experience is likely to be different depending on what and who you're looking for. Check out these tips on how to narrow down your choices.
Step 4. Look in the virtual white paper
You know, a book that is usually on your doorstep or one you can get at the supermarket that is white and yellow and full of very small writing? A book with all the information about your neighbors and local shops? That's a phone book. Now the book can be found online!
Whitepages.com has a large number of search tools. You can also perform reverse phone and address searches. If you fill in the most basic information, they will give you everything they know
Method 3 of 3: Finding an Address the Alternative Way
Step 1. Call a friend in common
OK, so it's likely that your target is one of those people who belong to the network who are very anti-social and proud of themselves for not being in Google's search results. What will you do then?
Organize your thoughts. Who do you know who might have a clue? Do you two hang out with Edwin, from your sophomore year of college every Wednesday over beer and pizza? Maybe he knows where John is! You may have to meet an old friend, who you haven't spoken to in years, but the effort can pay off
Step 2. Track them directly
So it seems you can't think of any common friends, who know the whereabouts of your mysterious person. Chances are you'll have to do the dirty work now. This will work best if your target is still in the local area.
Think about the places where they last lived, worked and saw each other, that you know. If the government can track and find people, chances are you can too! See if you can meet someone who knows them, with them re-stepping. Chances are they can point you in the right direction
Step 3. Hire a Private Detective
OK, so it's likely going to be a little pricey, but if you have the money to burn, why not? A private detective can do all the dirty work, while you can sit back and enjoy the process of sifting through Google results.
A private detective can have a hefty fee and it's likely that some people won't be too happy to find out they were being followed by someone you've paid to do so. This option is valid only in the most extreme cases
Tips
- If you're looking for an old classmate, try Classmates.com or Reunion.com, where you can search by year of graduation.
- For a comparison of people search companies, visit TopTenReviews.com.
