There are many reasons you may want to find people online. They could be an old friend you’d like to catch up with, a new friend you met the other day or a potential new love.

Whatever your reasons, with the right tools at hand, finding someone on the internet is not so hard at all…

Trying to track down an old friend? Read more on The Ultimate Guide to Finding an Old Friend.

Getting prepared: Jot down what you know about the person

Finding a person online is not so overwhelming as it appears, especially if you make some preparations and know where to look. So first, brainstorm a list of all the information you know about the person. You can start from most identifiable information such as:

• Name (their first name, last name; possibly names of their family),
• Phone number(s)
• Email address(es)
• Username on social networks
• Current/past home address(es)
• Vehicle VIN/License plate number
• Business name/website name
• Photos etc.

so that you can use it to track down the friend. Identifiable details are most crucial and this post will cover all searching methods with these details.

Smaller details may also help if more than one results turn up in your search. For example, you can easily spot out the 30ish brunette Betty from Nebraska that you’ve been looking for instead of the high school Asian teenage Betty. Sometimes it is the most insignificant detail that helps you hunt down the person you’ve been searching for all along.

Below is a list of relevant details that help jog your memory:

• Age,
• Approximate date of birth, age and place of birth
• Schools attended
• Known employers, and years of employment
• etc.

1. BeenVerified – Most versatile people search engine

BeenVerified is our favorite people search engine out of the market and it’s got lots of reasons.

As an all-in-one people search tool, it allows you to search by name, phone number, email address, physical address, social media username, vehicle VIN & license plate number, website name/company name, and more. Then it searches its database and delivers to you all publicly available information about the subject.

So whenever you want to trace a person on the internet, chances are high that a single search at BeenVerified will help you get the “scoop” you need about that individual.

Here is how to use BeenVerified to search the information about someone:

1. Go toBeenVerified People Search.
2. Pick a search type of your preference, then type the query into the box and hit SEARCH.
   
3. Wait a bit as BeenVerified scours its billions of records in its database. Once finished, you’ll receive a detailed report about the individual who you wish to search.
   
   

2. Spokeo – Uncover most social media profiles

Spokeo is a people search engine specially optimized for unlocking people’s social network profiles. It puts over 12 billion data records at your fingertips by aggregating them from 120+ social networks, the public as well as the governments.

Only know a person’s first name? Don’t worry. Spokeo allows you to plug in just a person’s first name, then optionally you can provide other accompanying details such as city name to run a search. Then you’ll be presented with free basic information such as photos so that you can put a face on and pinpoint the one you wish to find out about.

Here is how to use Spokeo to discover social profiles and other pertinent information about a person.

1. Go to the Spokeo Official Website.
2. Enter the name/email/phone/address of the subject and hit SEARCH NOW.
   
3. Spokeo will start retrieving owner information for the query you search and compile it in an easy-to-read report. The report may include all publicly available details, including their name, age, locations, relations, social profiles and more.
   
   Spokeo delivers the basic information for free, but if you wish to uncover the full report, you’ll be required to pay a membership. Again, you can opt into the 7-day membership trial for just $0.95. During the period, you’ll be able to run unlimited searches and access unlimited reports.
   

3. PeopleLooker – Quick, no-hassle people search

PeopleLooker features both a web-based and mobile app versions for you to uncover information about someone online. The service prides itself on providing most up-to-speed information and no-hassle people lookup. The process is broken down into steps, so that you know what to expect while the engine is gathering its data.

Here is how to use PeopleLooker to search people online:

1. Go to PeopleLooker People Search.
2. Type in the name/phone number/email address/property whose identity you wish to search and click Search.
   
3. Wait as PeopleLooker searches its database and gathers in-depth information for you.
   
   During the process, you’ll be prompted with a special offer that allows you to get your hands on PeopleLooker for only $1.

4. PeopleFinders – Very affordable people lookup

As an older cousin in town, PeopleFinders has been in business since 1999.

It allows you to provide name/phone/email/home address of someone and dig out in-depth information about the person. The lookup engine won’t require you to sign up (which means no logs of your search), and the process is quick – all it takes is just a couple of minutes. And best of all, it’s one of the most affordable phone number lookup services (The trial costs only $0.95).

1. Go to the PeopleFinders Reverse Phone Lookup page.
2. Type in the name/phone/email/address you know about the person and hit Search.
   
   Hint: You can also click Advanced Search to narrow down your search and get more accurate results.
3. Wait a while as PeopleFinders generates a report of all up-to-date information about the person in search.
   
   

5. Perform a manual search

The above-recommended tools should have no problems in helping you track down a person. In case they don’t, or you feel like playing detective on your own, you can perform a manual search yourself to discover the identity of someone.

Google

Google needs no introduction. If the person has left his or her trail online, a Google search will lead you up to it. But the search engine giant may provide you with more information than you actually need, so you may wantd to refine your search so that you don’t get overwhelmed.

Here are two tips to keep in mind.

• Wrap the query in quotation marks so that Google will search its database for results containing the exact query in the exact order (if any), eliminating all vague matches.
• Add a few more criteria to narrow down further. Sure, there may be hundreds of Bettys in the world, but a tech entrepreneur hailing from Nebraska with former experiences in Google and married to Johnson Donalds? Not many.

Google reverse image search

Google’s reverse image search allows you to search a person by photo. So if you have got hold of a photo of your friend’s, you can upload it to see if the same photo appears in other websites or platforms.

Here is how to do it:

1. Go to Google reverse image search.
2. Click the camera icon.
   
3. You can click to paste the URL of the image or upload the photo from your computer. Once the photo has been uploaded, click Search by image.
   
4. See if Google returns to you the same or similar photos. Then click on each link to see if you can trace down the source of the photo.

Search on social networks

Social media is yet another way to gather information about someone. To do so, first think about the most possible networks the person will be active on, then hop on the networks and search with name/username/phone number etc. Once you find out the profiles of the person, simply scroll through their bio and posts until you get hold of all the information you’d like to know about him/her.

Note that not everyone’s profile is public and you may hit a dead end if that specific person hasn’t divulged much of their personal information on these platforms.

Methodology

When trying to find someone online, it is important to have a systematic approach to increase your chances of success. Here are the key steps:

1. Gather as much identifying information as possible beforehand. This includes full name, phone number, email address, home address, workplace, school attended, etc.
2. Search the person’s name in quotation marks on Google to find exact name matches. Also, try variations of their name.
3. Check social media sites like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram by searching their name, email, phone number, or usernames. Look for identifying details to confirm it is the right person.
4. Use online people search engines like BeenVerified, Spokeo, and PeopleFinders. Enter the personal details you have to find comprehensive background checks and public records.
5. Upload the person’s photo to Google Reverse Image Search to find where else it appears online. This can reveal social media profiles and other information.
6. Search your own social network contacts in case you have a mutual friend who knows the person and can connect with you.
7. If hits are coming up blank, expand parameters from past places lived, maiden names, and relatives’ names which may have more results.
8. Cross-reference details found on various platforms and searches to corroborate and build a fuller profile.
9. Respect privacy, and use information ethically. Do not misuse personal details found online to stalk, harass, or discriminate.

Image Credits:

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