In the Information Age, everybody leaves a digital trail. And if the person doesn't have one, well, let's look harder. With Google, Facebook, Tumblr, LinkedIn, and countless other social media sites, whoever you're looking for is bound to have some of their personal information online. Although sometimes creepy, it's easy to follow this trail all the way back to the person you've been looking for.
Write down all the vital information you know about this person. Trying to find somebody using their name alone will probably cast too wide a net. Make your hunt more targeted by including information such as:
• Full name and nickname
• Age and date of birth
• Schools attended
• Hobbies, likes and dislikes, team sports (especially at schools)
• Places of work
• Old addresses and phone numbers
• Friends, family members, and neighbors
Search for variations on the person’s name and/or nickname. Every time you find a page or clue that suggests other parts of the profile, write it down in the profile. For example, you might find "Bea Harrington" mentioned in a newspaper in Albany, NY and a “Beatrice R. Harrington” in a brochure in Dallas, TX. Write down both of those locations in the profile with question marks. If you find another indication that the person with that name is in one of those locations, put a tick next to that location every time.
Vary your online searches by including other details about the person. After you’ve done a full sweep on the person’s name and nickname, do a second with a slight modification such as their hometown, age, high school, former workplace, etc. Repeat as necessary.
• If you know of a particular website this person may be associated with, you can search within the site on Google with something like "site: stanford.edu Beatrice Harrington" to focus on those results.
Use a people search engine designed specifically to find people. These allow anyone to perform people search. Try a background check website, for example and find the person you are looking for. Use filters to narrow your results when applicable.
• Lost Trekkers is another place to find lost people. Choose the country, mode of transport or other option, and leave the details in the relevant forum. You will need to register to place an ad. You can search through existing posts to see who might be looking for you or the same person you're looking for.