How do you find someone online?
This could be a missing family member or a long lost friend. It is common to start your search online but this can become overwhelming. A simple Google search might seem like a good idea. Finding the exact useful information from millions and millions of Google results can be confusing. A private investigator such as Howell Investigations has many online tools to assist in this search.
Start with Search for Social Media profiles.
Sites like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and classmates.com can help connect you with someone when you don’t have a phone number or address.
Search Professional Profiles on LinkedIn
LinkedIn is a social media platform used for professional networking, which means that most profiles use real names and current employment information. This is particularly useful if you've had issues tracking down information on Facebook or Twitter - it's often difficult to find someone on Facebook because they can use nicknames instead of legal names - but LinkedIn gets past this issue. Many of the profiles also include a clear, accurate profile picture, which is extremely helpful if you're trying to verify whether a profile is relevant to your search (for example, if you're sifting through John Smiths trying to figure out which one if any is the one you're looking for).
Search for Phone Numbers
Use a proper phone directory to find the information you're looking for. Many directories have good records for landlines. Cell phone information may only be available through paid databases which require licensing and cannot be accessed by the general public. Licensed private investigators have access to these types of databases.
Here are some online phone directories: White Pages, Yellow Pages (for potential business listings), Anywho, Spydialer, and Peekyou.
Run a Reverse Image Search
Reverse Image search can be used to link anonymous profile pictures to a person or public profile. This is a great tool to use if you meet someone online, and want to look into their background. You can link a profile photo of an anonymous online account to a real-world identity.
Search All Major Search Engines
Search engines are a great way to quickly find the information you're searching for. Google, of course, is the leading search engine, and a common household word these days- in fact, we use Google so often that the trademark “Google” is now a generic verb.
Google, Bing, Yahoo, AOL, and Duck Duck Go.
Accessing the dark web is a little more complicated.
A specific browser will most likely be required. Browsing on the dark web isn't illegal, but accessing some of the information is. A private detective known as a private investigator specializing in research are familiar with moving around on the dark web.
You can always hire a private investigator and give them the information you have found.
They can conduct the search for you. Howell Investigations are skilled at finding people and uncovering information quickly and efficiently. We do this for a living. From online searches to combing through paper records, we know how to track information as well as people down.