| If you need to locate an old friend, relative, | | | | - Do you know your subject's occupation. Possibly |
| associate or lover who you haven't seen in | | | | you can locate him/her through his professional |
| months or years, read on. | | | | association or licensing board.. |
| People search is one of those search areas where | | | | - Might your subject be deceased? Check the |
| the Internet really shines. If you know the | | | | Master Death Index. |
| person's name and some other identifying info | | | | Telephone Techniques |
| about him/her, you can probably locate him via | | | | If your online searches didn't pan out, you've got |
| the Internet pretty quickly. | | | | a hard case but don't give up. Try these |
| If the person is deceased, you can find that out, | | | | telephone techniques. |
| too. | | | | + Call the Department of Motor Vehicles in his |
| But be careful, it's not as easy as just a question | | | | her likely state of residence and ask to have a |
| of Googling the person's name. You have to have | | | | name search run while you wait. This one's a |
| a bit of knowhow in online people-search. Here are | | | | favorite of private investigators and nearly always |
| a few of the possible problems you can run into | | | | works, provided his/her state-of-residence |
| -- | | | | permits this type of search. (California, among a |
| -Your subject has a common name -- Smith, | | | | few others, doesn't.) |
| Jones, Wilson, Mitchell, etc. | | | | + Call his former employer and ask to be |
| -Your (female) subject has gotten married and | | | | connected to the Human Resources Department. |
| has a new name. | | | | Explain that you need to locate the person and |
| -He/she doesn't want to be found. Maybe the | | | | ask if they can tell you his/her present employer. |
| person is hiding from creditors, for example. It's | | | | Most employers won't provide this information but |
| not uncommon, which is why there's a huge skip | | | | some will. It's worth a try. |
| tracing industry out there. | | | | +Call the utility company (e.g., the electric |
| -The person is in the military. | | | | company) and ask the customer service rep if |
| -Your subject is deceased. | | | | your subject is listed as one of their customers; if |
| I'll suggest ways to deal with these complications | | | | so, request his address. Be open about your |
| later in this article. However, be aware there's | | | | reasons for the request. Addresses are public |
| never an absolute guarantee you'll find your man | | | | information, so the rep should comply with your |
| or woman. It's a fact that some people just can't | | | | request. |
| be found. Most can, though, with a little informed | | | | + Call relatives and neighbors. You can locate |
| searching. | | | | former neighbors using a reverse-directory |
| By the way, did you know the phrase people | | | | website like However, read the following section |
| search is one of the most commonly searched | | | | for a few pointers on how to handle the call. |
| keyword phrases entered on Google? Every day | | | | Finer Points of the Trade |
| thousands of people try to find someone, usually | | | | Skip-tracing is in fact a finely-honed art which has |
| an old acquaintance, school friend, military buddy, | | | | been around for many decades. Traditionally, it's |
| or girl/boyfriend using an Internet search engine. | | | | been done almost entirely via the telephone by |
| Yet most never locate their subject this way. | | | | people who've made a profession out of it. |
| You'll only find him/her using a search engine if the | | | | Almost always, the purpose of the skip trace has |
| person is noteworthy in some way -- has written | | | | been financial - locating a skip who has |
| a book, has their name on a web site, has been in | | | | disappeared owing debts. |
| the news, etc. Probably 19 out of 20 people can't | | | | Although readers of this Guide will probably be |
| be found just using a search engine. You usually | | | | searching for friends or relatives, not financial |
| need other types of online tools. | | | | deadbeats, it's worth going over a few of the |
| Free Online People-Search Tools | | | | tried-and-true principles of skip tracing (e.g., people |
| OK, notwithstanding what I just said, go ahead | | | | search), especially if you will need to use the |
| and run a quick Google search, maybe you'll get | | | | telephone in your searching. Here's what veterans |
| lucky. But even if you find someone with your | | | | of skip tracing advise -- |
| subject's name listed on Google, are you sure it's | | | | - When speaking to a possible source of |
| the person you're looking for? If the name is at all | | | | information, always remember to start by saying, |
| common, you probably aren't. Identification can be | | | | "I wonder if you could help me." This puts the |
| a problem. Stop and think. What do you know | | | | person in a cooperative, nondefensive frame of |
| about your subject other than his/her name? Do | | | | mind. |
| you know the city the person lives in or probably | | | | - When placing a call to the skip's last known |
| lives in (or used to live in)? That narrows your | | | | address, ask in a casual tone of voice to speak to |
| search down a good deal right there. What about | | | | him/her -- for example, "Hi, I'd like to speak to |
| date of birth or age? Either of those identifiers | | | | Bill." If the person who answers the phone says |
| can be important if your subject has a common | | | | he's not there or doesn't live there, then ask if |
| name. What about a former street address? That | | | | the person knows where he lives. |
| can be helpful should you need to go to more | | | | - Always strive to enlist allies in your search, say |
| advanced methods of search later (as I'll discuss | | | | the pros. Be personable and courteous to a fault |
| below). | | | | to whomever you speak. Never take an |
| If you subject has a very uncommon name, or if | | | | adversarial approach. Always aim at establishing |
| you know his/her likely city or even state of | | | | good will and cooperation. |
| residence, you can try using one of the online | | | | Points to Keep in Mind about People-Searching |
| directories. | | | | -People searching used to be nearly impossible for |
| Two good ones are , and Just enter whatever | | | | the average person. Nowadays, thanks to the |
| information you have -- name, city, state, etc. | | | | Internet, you can usually find your subject in |
| and give it a try. If you get a likely-looking hit, | | | | minutes. |
| give him/her a call or send a letter explaining your | | | | -That said, not everybody can be found, even if |
| purpose and that you're not sure you've got the | | | | you work long and hard at it. |
| right person. See what reaction you get. | | | | -Always start your search in the most obvious, |
| But the online directories often don't work. For | | | | simple way. For example, if you know your |
| various reasons, your subject isn't listed. So what | | | | subject lives in Minneapolis, just call Minneapolis |
| do you do then? Here are some other free online | | | | long-distance telephone information and ask for an |
| people-search tools to try: | | | | area-wide search. Or try a free online search |
| - If you think he/she may be in the military, visit | | | | service like, |
| - If you know the person's high school, try | | | | -If that doesn't work, try to remember what you |
| - Is your subject into fishing or hunting (as | | | | know about the person and then use specialized |
| one-third of adult males are)? Check to find out if | | | | searches. Did he have a hunting license? What |
| he/she has a fishing or hunting license. | | | | college did he/she go to? Etc. etc. |
| - Try a news search. For this you'll have to guess | | | | -Still looking? Try using the telephone techniques |
| your subject's likely city-of-residence, then search | | | | suggested above if finding the person is important |
| archives of a local newspaper in that city or | | | | to you. |
| region. Just go to | | | | -If you can't find your subject despite your best |
| - Check voters registration records. Again, you | | | | efforts or if you're in a hurry, consider using a |
| have to guess at your subject's most likely area | | | | paid people-search service. Even these are not |
| of residence. Many people don't realize that voters | | | | 100% effective but they do have access to |
| registration records are public information, so | | | | many proprietary databases you can't use and |
| even if they're trying to keep a low profile they | | | | may be able to find him/her for you right away. |
| can often be found in this way. | | | | |