How to use your computer to investigate people

Whether you are looking for an employee or looking for love, the Internet has made it easier than ever to investigate someone's background. All you need is a computer, an Internet connection and a little time and you can gain peace of mind, finding loads of information about someone who has piqued your interest.

Instructions

1. Gather all of the information your know about the person you are investigating. List all known names, current address, date of birth and current employer,

2. Using Google or another search engine, search for the person's name and one other identifier. Examples are their name and current address or name and current employer. Make a note of any relevant results. Continue this process with all known information.

3. Gather the information your have collected through your search engine work. Make note of any trends. Make a list of any states that the person you are investigating has worked in.

4. Visit the official state websites where the person has lived. More and more states are placing public records online. Check for any court filings, real estate records and marriage and divorce records. While financial records are often sealed, court proceedings can give important clues about past bankruptcies, garnishments and charge offs.

5. Check sex offender registries. Many states now offer online sex offender registries. These registries contain names, photos and current addresses. This step is especially important if the person will be around children.

Tips & Warnings

• Public records are usually available for free on the web. If not, a quick phone call can often result in paper copies of permanent records.

• <br>Some records many be sealed, including family court records.

• <br>Many people finders charge for their services, but they don't have access to any more information than anyone else.