How to Find People in the United States

There are many ways, online and off, to locate people living in the United States

Finding people in the United States can be simple, but not necessarily easy. With a little effort and some basic information, you can get closer to finding contact info for almost anyone. Online resources like social networks and public records are a good place to start. Once you've narrowed your search, you can use the phone and your feet to get more current information. If needed, professionals can come in to help you track down someone who flies below the radar of the conventional, free searching services.

Things You'll Need

• Last name of the person you're seeking
• State of residence
• Internet access

Instructions

1. Start your search simply and cheaply by looking online. Pipl is one search tool for finding individuals on the Internet. Currently in beta testing, Pipl is up and running for free as they revise and streamline their services, which uses the so-called "deep web" to find leads that traditional search engines can't access. All you need is a last name to draw up results. You can then narrow your Pipl search by first name, initial, city or state.

2. Search public government databases if basic online searching doesn't lead you to the person you're seeking. Local real estate tax records are readily available online for most counties in the United States. If the person you're looking for has ever owned property, you can find them and the address they owned in the tax records. Most information is available online going back several years. Long ago tax records may require a trip to the local tax assessors office. If the person you're after doesn't or has never owned property, go back to basics and look for him, his family members or known acquaintances on social networking sites like Facebook, MySpace, Google Buzz and LinkedIn.

3. Take your search off the screen and into the street. By now you should at least have found a name and possible current or past address for the person you're looking for. But if basic and more elaborate Internet searches have come to nothing, get on the phone. In some places, especially rural areas or small towns, local information directories will be able to provide you a phone number for listed residents. An old fashioned call to information can be a great help in finding out if you're on the right track.

4. Find information about the person's family and possible location by consulting geneaology resources. Family histories for lineages all over the United States have been painstakingly researched by their members, and you can sometimes use this information to locate people. FamilySearch is a free internet service from the Church of Latter Day Saints, currently in beta testing, that helps interested people put together their family trees. You can use FamilySearch's simple search feature to find information on the person. Past and contemporary birth, marriage, and death records are all part of the pool of information FamilySearch uses to find matches to the name you enter.

5. Employ a professional. When all else fails, and none of the modern or classic person finding methods have worked, you may find yourself ready to call in professional help. Private investigator services like the Advanced Surveillance Group use professional skills and resources to locate addresses and often phone numbers of living adults in the United States, often in less than one day. The benefit of using a service like this is that you can tell the investigator everything you know, and what you want to find out, then they can tailor their investigation to your needs.

Tips & Warnings

• Make phone calls. Call past associates, family, anyone who might be able to help you in your search, and be honest and friendly with them when explaining who you are seeking and why. Even with all of our virtual relationships and technological advances, your best resources may still be the people you know.

• Avoid spending money for online records retrieval services, or for "advanced results" offers. If you're willing to spend money on finding someone, use a professional, live service that operates on the ground, not just online.

References

• Illinois State University: Finding People on the Internet
• FamilySearch.org
• Advanced Surveillance Investigations: Locating People
• Pipl: People Search