Full name and nickname Age and date of birth Schools attended Hobbies, likes and dislikes, team sports (especially at schools) Places of work Old addresses and phone numbers Friends, family members, and neighbors
To pull up exact matches only, put quotation marks around each version of their name. (If you’re unsure as to spelling, don’t use quotation marks. ) Plug it into major search engines (Google, Yahoo, etc. ); the more variations and engines you try, the more info you’re likely to find. If you suspect that the person has gone to another country, especially one where a different language is spoken, try a foreign search engine. Many major search engines have different versions for different countries (Australia, China, etc. ). Try those. When searching for a woman who might have gotten married and changed her name, try adding “né” in the search box with every variation (née is a word used to indicate that the person is using their maiden name).
If you know of a particular website this person may be associated with, you can search within the site on Google with something like “site: stanford. edu Beatrice Harrington” to focus on those results.
Lost Trekkers is another place to find lost people. Choose the country, mode of transport or other option, and leave the details in the relevant forum. You will need to register to place an ad. You can search through existing posts to see who might be looking for you or the same person you’re looking for.
In the US, a phone’s three-digit area code can be traced back the location where a cell phone was issued, which might help you pinpoint another area where the person has lived or worked. The next three digits of the number are the exchange area; most exchange areas cover a small town, or a section inside a city, say a 10 x 10 block area. You can contact the phone companies in that area, or get a phone book from the area, and make a map of the exchange area, based on like exchanges in the book. If you have a phone number and ZIP code, you can cross over the maps and get an even smaller area to search.
Sometimes, searching by last name only will pull up a family member that you recognize. If the white pages show a list of associated people, you might find the person’s name listed there. This can be useful in cases where the person you’re looking for has changed their last name after marrying, for example. Search the person’s ZIP code if known. If you have a 9-digit ZIP code, it can be tracked to the exact block within a city or town. Now you can search in directories in that area for this person. If they are not in that directory, call directory assistance for that area. Many times people will have an unlisted number, which, while not in the book, is often in directory assistance.
Most states have court search websites where all you have to do is (after acknowledging the terms and agreements, of course) enter a person’s name and all their run-ins show up in a nice list. If nothing else, it’s juicy and may give you their location (if they’re in-state). If it’s been a while since you’ve seen hide or hair of this person, consider searching the SSDI – the Social Security Death Index. While there’s no national website, most states have records of their inmates. A quick Internet query will turn up what your state’s site is (make sure it’s . gov). The National Personnel Records Center is a pretty comprehensive list of military records. [1] X Research source
If you want a long-term ad, build a simple website that uses their name as a keyword. If they ever search their own name, your site might turn up. If you don’t know the person’s location but you do know which schools they went to, what their career is, or what hobbies/interests they pursue, try posting on forums and e-mail lists (“listservs”). Keep the person’s privacy in mind; don’t reveal any incriminating information that you know about them.
Be sure to explain why you’re looking for this person. They may not tell you anything to protect the person’s privacy, but they’ll probably tell the person that you’re looking for them, and the person might want to get in touch with you. Leave your name and phone number behind for that purpose.
This is also a good place to find people who may know something. If they can’t tell you exactly where the person is, they may be able to get you one step closer.
If the internet doesn’t or won’t do it, consider hiring a private investigator. If you’re having no luck, or you don’t have enough time to track this person down, it may be better to pay a professional to do this.
Be sure to be friendly and to appear sane. The world is so full of negative media nowadays that a stranger inquiring to us about a friend of ours comes off as really shady. You might get a few nasty responses, but you also may strike gold.
Fair warning, there may be a charge. It should be fairly insignificant. Just be glad they’re not handing out your public records, too, like candy.
Be sure to give them all the person’s information: age, height, weight, hair color, eye color, skin color, distinguishable features, what they were wearing when they disappeared, etc. Give them a current photo and their fingerprints (if you have them), too. [4] X Expert Source Saul Jaeger, MSPolice Captain, Mountain View Police Department Expert Interview. 21 February 2020.
There’s also the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, the National Alliance on Mental Illness, and the National Health Care for the Homeless Council – if your person fits into any of those categories, consider filing something on their respective sites.
Look at their friends’ profiles too – the information may be on there instead. If you’re so inclined, you may wish to contact these friends to ask if they’ve heard anything. Sometimes people seek refuge in others they don’t have to see face-to-face.
Include all the vital information (like what you gave the police) and be sure to include several contact phone numbers. Give at least your first name and stress that you can be called day or night.
When contacting hospitals, be sure to describe the person you’re looking for. They may not be in under their real name. Bring a current photo to make the process go more quickly.
If possible, contact these people with the information and a picture too. The ones who are acquaintances may need the picture to jog the memory.
Remember that everyone is on your side. There’s no need to be embarrassed, ashamed, or guilty to this situation. You are doing what you can to make sure this person returns home safely.
