There are often many paths that can lead you to the subject of your search. But some subjects are just more difficult to find than others, whether it’s intentional on their part or not.
Everyone knows the usual steps such as searching social media, interviewing former neighbors, “googling” them, and stopping by the local courthouse for clues in the myriad of public records housed there.
But what about those lesser known methods that just might unearth the rock your subject has been hiding under?
Here are a few of my personal favorites you might try the next time you seem to be hitting brick walls:
- Check with the person’s high school reunion coordinator to inquire if he or she has current information on your target.
- Call all of the pizza delivery locations where you suspect the person may be residing. Give them the person’s name and/or phone number and they will generally ask if “you” are still residing at XYZ address.
- Look up voter registration records with the County Registrar of Voters. Just supply a name and a county to get an address and month/day of birth in return.
- Send mail via United States Postal Service to the person’s last known address with “address service requested” under your return address.
- If you suspect the person could require a license to operate professionally, look up the state’s professional licensing online. Every state is different in their requirements, but some common areas to check are health care professionals, psychologists, lawyers, teachers, private investigators, engineers, social workers, occupational therapists, architects, plumbers, electricians, bartenders, massage therapists, barbers, and hair stylists.
- Enter the person’s name into common gift registries such as Target, Babies R Us, Wal-Mart, etc. if you know they are engaged, were recently married, expecting a baby, or have a small child.
- Scan obituaries for known relatives. A lot of them give names and locations of children, grandchildren, aunts, uncles, and close friends.
- Don’t forget that newspapers and other media outlets can be great resources, especially in smaller towns.
If you have any favorites of your own, please share in the comments below. And happy hunting to all my fellow sleuths!