Finding someone has never been easier. In the modern world, almost everyone leaves a footprint online or through public records. While a lot of information is public, people are also good at stealing identities and hiding who they are online. Finding information on someone can help you see who’s telling the truth and who’s lying, especially on the internet.
While there are dozens of methods to find information on someone, some methods are better than others. Ultimately, you want to use your time wisely and get accurate results without scrolling through hundreds of potential matches. Today, one can take the help of artificial intelligence network monitoring systems/software that help detect, track and find certain key information related to individuals that have left their footprints in different online platforms, including social media and the world wide web. That’s where we come in with the 10 best ways to find information on someone. Read on to learn more below.
10 Great Ways To Find Information on Someone
There are a handful of ways to find information on someone. Below are the most effective methods for finding information ranked in order. While some options are better than others, every method listed is viable.
Still, we recommend starting with a people search engine like Information.com to learn as much as possible about someone.
1. People Search Engine
One of the best methods to find information about someone is to use a people search engine. These are search engines that can help you find someone with only their first and last name. Websites like Information.com function as people search engines that provide you with comprehensive reports about the people you’re searching for.
When using a people search engine, all you have to do is enter their first and last name. While it helps to have their address, city, and state, you don’t always need it. However, with less information, you’ll have to scroll more to find who you’re looking for.
When using a people search engine, you can expect to find information like:
- Someone’s full name (including the middle initial)
- Date of birth
- A person’s criminal background (traffic violations, incarceration history)
- Family members
- Where someone lives
- Email addresses
- Phone numbers
- Social media profiles (photos)
- P.O. boxes
- Financial assets
- Marital status
- Court records
- Previous names
Depending on the person, you might find all of this information or only some of it. Though, the person you’re looking for will typically appear at the top of the search.
2. Reverse Address Lookup
Reverse address lookups are great tools to find information about someone. Like a people search engine, a reverse address lookup requires a little bit of information to provide you with everything you need to know. In this case, all you need is someone’s address or their alternate address.
Once you enter their address, you’ll find a list of names, phone numbers, and other information about the people residing at that location. From there, you can enter their name into a people search engine to find more information about someone. You can also probably enlist the help of land development companies such as django development company.
A reverse address lookup will be more effective if you also have someone’s first and last name or any additional information.
3. Reverse Phone Number Lookup
A reverse phone number lookup is a tool that allows you to search for someone with only a phone number. The tool can find information about someone’s name, address, city, state, and more. Once you find someone’s name and address, you can also perform a people search with a people search lookup like Information.com to learn more about them.
Reverse phone number lookup tools are also a great way to learn more about the types of people who are calling you. With millions of scam calls being made daily, performing a reverse number lookup can show you if a number is stolen or legit. Plus, if you know someone’s number, you can report it to your phone company or another agency to have it blocked.
For these reasons, a reverse phone number lookup is one of the most effective methods to find information about someone.
4. Reverse Email Lookup
Another tool similar to reverse phone number and reverse address lookups is a reverse email lookup tool. Reverse email tools allow you to search for someone with only their email. So, you can find a lot of information about someone as long as you have their email address.
Using a reverse email lookup tool is easy. All you have to do is input their email into the tool and search for them. The most likely owner of the email will be listed towards the top of the list. While more information helps, many people have a unique email, so reverse email lookups are effective.
A great tip before inputting someone’s email into a reverse email tool is to find more information about someone within the business email.
Look for things like:
- Their name in the domain
- Their company name in the domain
- Their name in the signature
- Their address in the signature
- Their company name in the signature
Some or all of this information might be included depending on where the email came from—like if it’s a professional address. With this information, you can perform a more in-depth people search or reverse email lookup.
5. Public Database Search
Believe it or not, thousands of public databases with information about people are available to you. These databases can be used to find someone’s birth certificate, physical address, social media accounts, email addresses, phone numbers, and more. In fact, many search engines are designed to operate within a specific database, which pulls up relevant information about someone.
Using a public database can help you find everything you need about someone. However, some states like California have placed limitations on public databases. For example, you can’t use a public database in California to find someone’s birth certificate.
Some other information is also excluded in California. For these reasons, it’s always better to use a traditional people search engine to find information about someone. Public databases can also turn up confusing or contradictory information, whereas a people search gives you an easy-to-understand report.
6. Social Media Search
Searching for someone on social media is another great way to find information about someone. Social media applications continue to become popular, with websites like Facebook having more than 4 billion members (more than half the world’s population). Plus, that’s just Facebook. Other social media platforms with millions of users include:
- Snapchat
Searching for someone’s name on these social media platforms can help you find out more about them. You can also use someone’s phone number, address, or email to find them on social media.
While social media is one of the quickest ways to learn more about someone, it comes with drawbacks. The issue with social media is that it depends on whether or not someone has their information connected to their account. For example, someone can make an account that doesn’t include their name, email, or address.
Therefore, using social media to find information about someone can be hit or miss. To make the most of social media, we recommend running the information you find through a people search engine like Information.com to ensure it’s accurate.
7. Google Search
Performing a Google search can also help you find information about someone. As one of the most prominent and well-known search engines in existence, Google is good at presenting you with information. While Google can help you find information, you need to be specific with the search tool. Because the search tool optimizes results by combining keywords, only having someone’s name is not enough information. Plus, if someone with the same name is famous, there’s almost no chance you’ll find the person you’re looking for.
On the other hand, if you have a lot of information about someone, a Google search can be effective. Entering someone’s name and address can help you find the results you’re looking for. However, Google will typically take you to websites like Whitepages, which charges a fee.
Additionally, Google searches can lead you to social media profiles that might be littered with inaccuracies. So, to make the most of a Google search, it’s a good idea to run the information you find through a more specific people search engine.
8. Criminal Background Check
Criminal background check tools are another great way to learn about someone. Criminal background checks can tell you more about someone’s criminal history and crimes. The things you’ll find in a criminal background check vary from traffic violations to criminal charges. With a background check, you can also check court records to learn more about potential lawsuits and other types of court cases.
Criminal background checks are effective, but you need to use the tool carefully. There are situations where you shouldn’t perform a background check on someone. These situations include checking the background of current employees, tenants, and domestic help. Checking the backgrounds of these groups and taking action against them because of what you find can get you in a lot of trouble.
9. Asking Friends or Family
You can always ask someone’s friends or family members to help. If you’re trying to learn more about a mutual friend, simply asking can be enough to learn more about someone. However, when asking for information about someone, it’s a good idea to make sure you keep it between yourself and the person you asked. Otherwise, you might look bad in front of them and ruin the anonymous aspect.
While asking friends can help you find information about someone, it’s one of the worst methods. This is because the risk of it getting back to the person increases. So instead, we recommend using a people search engine to find more information about someone.
10. Hiring a Private Investigator
Lastly, you can hire a private investigator (PI). Private investigators are typically retired police officers or detectives. These investigators are most often used for civil court cases to gather information about one or more parties. While there are restrictions, private investigators can look into paystubs, financial records, personal matters, and more. In fact, private investigators can even locate missing persons and help you find family members.
While private investigators can help you find a lot of information about someone, it’s one of the most expensive options. Plus, the information you might find isn’t always guaranteed. This means that you can spend thousands of dollars without learning anything about someone. Ultimately, starting with a people search engine is better because it’s more affordable, and the results are consistent.
Why It’s Important To Find Information on Someone
There are a few factors that make finding information about someone worth it. We’ll cover a few situations where finding information can help keep you safe when interacting with others. They’re listed below:
- Finding lost family members
- Verifying someone’s online dating profile before meeting up with them
- Getting in touch with former spouses of former relationships
- Finding lost friends
- Learning about an individual or company
- Identifying the owner of a property that’s for sale
- Finding someone’s email
- Finding someone’s phone number
- Figuring out who called you
- Blocking numbers
These are only a few of the benefits that come with using a people search engine.
When Should You Avoid Finding Information on Someone?
While finding information on someone can help in most situations, we have a few examples of when it’s not acceptable to find information on someone. These examples are listed below:
- To verify employment background and financial background
- To perform a background check on nannies, babysitters, and other types of domestic helpers
- Criminal background checks on employees
- Contacting people who don’t want to be found
These are personal situations, so always use your best judgment when using people search engines.
How To Find Information on Someone Today
Finding information on someone can help you learn more about them, identify if they’re telling the truth, and more. You can even find lost relatives and even rekindle old love. With only small bits of information you already know and using the search engines mentioned above, you can even get started finding out more about someone today.
That said, having access to information in the modern world is important for your safety. This is especially true when it comes to giving someone money, meeting with strangers, and more. So, always make sure you check someone’s information before learning more about them. It’s better to be one step ahead than one step behind.
