Have you ever had to track someone down? Using people finder directories can feel intimidating, but it can also be fun to solve the mystery!
Why Would You Use a People Finder Site?
You’d use a search people directory for a number of reasons:
- You may need to perform a people lookup search to locate relevant people or learn more about them;
- You may need to check potential clients or vendors/partners as part of your due diligence before a transaction;
- In the event of a lawsuit, you may want to conduct research to determine if the person has any assets you can claim against;
- You want to fill up knowledge gaps about someone you’re dealing with;
- You want to reconnect with an old friend;
- You need to serve legal papers to someone during a divorce or dispute.
What Are Public Records?
Public records seem to imply that the knowledge is freely available online and easy to obtain anywhere. That’s not necessarily the case. There are billions of public records out there, and you need to choose the right database to narrow your search down.
Some directories charge hefty fees, others exist offline only, and a few are restricted in terms of the information they can share. If you need to search for someone by name, don’t just use the first search people directory you find.
Different Search People Directories
There are many different forms of people directories on the market:
Paper and electronic records
Some public records are digital but digitizing paper records can take a long time. If records aren’t available in digital form, you will have to go to the court, agency, or library in person to conduct a search.
Free, Freemium, and Subscription records
Some online sources are entirely free to use but require money to access more detailed information. Others require an ongoing subscription.
Aggregators
Some public records services combine all the information available online, combining public records with social media and search engine results. This is the most effective and up-to-date way of finding someone.
Tips For Conducting a Search
Sometimes you are lucky and can find someone instantly, especially if that person has an uncommon name or if you know a lot of information about them. If you are trying to conduct a search and coming up short, try the following tips:
- Search for known aliases and nicknames.
- Try alternative spellings and misspellings.
- If you are searching for a hyphenated name or surname, try changing the other or using only one name.
- Search for maiden names.
- Try to look up social media profiles for their last known location.
- Consult obituaries and prison records to make sure the person hasn’t passed away or been incarcerated in the meantime.
- Look up property records and compare them with known addresses.
Common names and surnames (e.g., “John Smith”) might result in a false-positive result. Try to refine your search with any information you may have about that person, including their job titles, their geographical location, their marriages, or other records at your disposal.
When you do find information about someone, try to verify it against another source. It may be outdated or inaccurate.
What Information Can You Find on a People Search Directory
People’s search directories can vary dramatically and allow you to look up a lot more than just a name and their contact information. A good people search directory will allow you to look up:
- Public information about someone for background checks
- Criminal record checks
- Reverse Phone Lookups for registered numbers
- Sex Offenders Reports
- Reverse Address, Associated Number and Registered Organization searches to find anyone
- Email Lookups to find other information about a person
- Property Checks, including commercial property information
- Business Background Checks, including credit risk scores, bankruptcies, and financial records.
If you ever need to track someone down, a good people finder site like Radaris.com is your best bet. Always opt for a detailed, online people finder that utilizes public records and online search to deliver the best possible results. Then, you can verify the information against other sources or widen your search even more. It’s an easy and quick way of finding what you are looking for every time.