How to Find a Specialist to Find Lost Friends

A professional, licensed investigator can help locate long-lost friends.

With the power of social networking and online search engines, finding lost friends and family members has never been easier. But what if these resources don't work? Older individuals or people who shun technology are much harder to find via the Internet. You may need professional help in order to locate them.



Using simple information such as full legal name and some basic estimates of the subjects age and state they reside in, a trained specialist can use their expertise to find a long lost friend, even if on-line leads have run dry.

Instructions

1. Using Google or a phone book, search "private investigators" for your city and state.

2. Contact a private investigator and ask if he is licensed as a professional investigator by the state, which is required to actively practice in the field. Ask to see a copy of his license.

3. Check his license number with your state's Department of Labor, to ensure that you will be hiring a qualified investigator.

4. Decide up front on a fee you will be willing to pay, regardless of the success of the search. Sign a contract stating this amount to avoid additional charges.

5. Provide the investigator with any personal information that you have on your lost friend, from her full name to birth date, high school attended and even names of her family members.

References

• Private Investigator Directory: Find an Investigator
• Private Investigator License Requirements by State