Not too long ago, if you wanted to find out where somebody lived or what their phone number was then you either had to look them up in the phonebook or simply ask them for that information directly. Nowadays, thanks to the internet, finding contact information on almost any person or business has become easier than ever. From social media profiles to business websites, most people have some sort of online presence that makes getting in touch with them quick and simple. However, if you're trying to find a person online, you may need to be a little more skillful than typing their name into Google and seeing what pops up. Here are four tiny bits of info that can really help you track down almost anybody online.
Email addresses
The problem with just typing in a person's name into Google is that, obviously, there are probably plenty of people around the world that share that person's name. To really hone in on the person you're looking for you'll need something that is totally unique to that individual. An email address, for example, is something that, if you enter it into a search engine or social media site, will probably bring back much more specific results.
Past schools
If you don't have the person's email address then don't despair. You can use other information about the person to help you out. For example, if you're looking for a former classmate then use the school you both attended in your search. You could simply type the person's name along with the school's name into Google or you could use Facebook to search other people that went to the same school as you did and who have Facebook profiles.
Court records
Do you know if the person you're looking for has had past problems with the law? If so, their name may come up in certain public records. If they have been incarcerated then using an inmate search may be able to help you. Remember, also, that a person's name may show up in court documents if they have been involved in lawsuits, such as a divorce. If you know the county or state where the person lives or used to live then searching through the relevant public records for those jurisdictions might be a good idea.
Employer
Finally, if you know the person's current or former employer then that information can really help you out. You could, for example, search for the name of the person along with the name of the employer on Google. Even if that person doesn't work for the same employer anymore, he or she may have listed that employer on a CV that was published online. You can also check out the company's website or social media pages to see if the person you are looking for is listed in those places.
Finding a person is a lot easier today thanks to all the tools and resources the internet provides. As the above article shows, so long as you have just a small bit of information on a specific individual then you can conduct a people search to quickly track down the info you're after.
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