When it comes to meeting someone new, you can never be too careful.If you are hiring someone to watch your kids, dating someone you've met online, or are looking for a sensitive job, this is important.While you can still hire a private investigator to find dirt, using a variety of online tools can provide a lot of information and insight.Don't put too much stock into what you read.
Step 1: Know what to expect.
You are only getting a small portion of the larger picture when searching public records.The details are almost never included in an arrest record.The reports come from different sources with different data at different times.Do your best to verify information through other means, and always take everything you read with a large amount of salt.Information such as the person's favorite movies or music could be incorrect.Five years ago, they may have made that list.
Step 2: Understand what is made public.
Simple things such as name, address and phone numbers can be obtained from public records.Marriage and divorce records can be searched in some areas.Licenses, property information, and a number of other records are kept by the government.
Step 3: You can use a public records search.
There are a number of websites that will allow you to search for public records for free or for a fee.All public records are not free, and getting the appropriate permit and authorization can take a lot of time.Any records that a site returns may be incomplete.You can find public records from any state or federal level on this site.If the record can't be found by the search, you'll be told who to contact to get it.You need to know where the person is.You can search for sex offenders by name or location on the site.It's important to remember that details are often not provided, which can contribute to an unwarranted negative view.Most states will allow you to search for criminal records.If you search for "yourstate> department of corrections" you will get there quickly.
Step 4: A paid search can be used.
If you put the time in contacting the various agencies, you can get all of the records you need for a paid public records search.Paying for a search may be a better use of time and money if you don't have time to do this.
Step 5: Use a search engine for people.
Several search engines focus on retrieving information from a person's public social network profiles and online activity.Most of the time, these searches are free, but they offer advanced searches for a fee.A more complete picture may be painted by using multiple services.Social network information, age, and location will be returned for free on this site.You can narrow it down by adding a location, but you need to enter a name.A lot of results will result from a common name.Quick links to paid searches for phone numbers and addresses can be found on this search site.
Step 6: A few different web search engines can be used to perform a search.
You can find a lot of information about a person from a quick web search.You can get more results from the search if you know more about that person.You can use multiple search engines to find more results.The basic search will return social network profiles and mentions in the local press.You can search by email.If you search by the person's email address, you can get results from sites that don't have their name.You may not find much with this search, but it may help fill in the gaps.A search for a person's name.If you don't have the domain, try searching for the person's email address.If the person's email is coolcat74@example.com, you would just search for it.People will register for websites and forums with their standard usernames.You can get some insight into what the person thinks by looking at the forum posts.
Step 7: You can cross-reference your result.
You are likely to get a wide range of search results.It is best to assume that the information you find is false or incomplete.See what sort of patterns and consistencies emerge when you compare your results against each other.This can make sure that what you're looking at is accurate.
Step 8: A fake Facebook account can be created.
You can use this method to create a fake profile and request to be that person's friend.First, it will be helpful to have some friends.All of their private information will be given to you when you become a friend.If you feel you have to, you should only do this if you think this is a massive invasion of privacy.If you get caught, you will face serious consequences and be labeled a stalker.
Step 9: Talk to the person.
Only talking to the person directly will allow you to truly verify any information.If you're interviewing for a job, you should be able to address any issues without raising eyebrows.If you're investigating someone on a personal level, you may need to be more tactful about how you bring things up.