A digital detective is actually a job; the official title is “digital forensic investigator.” They are cybersecurity professionals and computer scientists in equal measure. They use their tech skills to find out what the data breach entailed, how a cybercrime was committed, and who committed it. They also investigate electronic crimes like computer fraud and others.
Suppose you had a company and someone hacked the computer network and stole customers’ credit card details. In that case, you’d hire a digital forensic investigator to recover the breached data and identify the perpetrator.
You don’t need to become a digital detective to find a person online, but it helps to share the traits typically associated with these professionals, like diligence and patience.
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Search for and find someone online
You might want to reconnect with a lost relative, reunite with an old friend, scope out a love interest, identify a mysterious caller, etc. This article shares some ways to find someone online with a few basic instructions.
Start on Google
A Google search is among the easiest ways to find someone online. Google has the highest number of users, with over 1 trillion searches every year. It’s not the only option. Bing, a lesser-known search engine, sees just under a million searches a year.
Searching for people online effectively isn’t necessarily limited to looking up their names. Search engines alone won’t provide all the details you need if you apply only this strategy.
You should use Google to find someone by searching not only for their name but also their address, phone number, or other information. To get an exact match for your query, use quotation marks.
If you sign up for Google alerts, you’ll know if the person you’re looking for has appeared in a news story. Google uses preset keywords to find people online this way. It informs you when those keywords appear.
To create a Google alert, enter the person’s name and any other information into the search box. Change the settings to determine how often to receive alerts, where you want to search, and where you’d like the alerts to be sent.
Finally, click on “Create Google Alert.” Once it’s been set up, you’ll be informed if the person appears in a news story or elsewhere online. It’s very helpful if used effectively.
Use a people finder
If an unknown number repeatedly calls you, you can look up the number online to find out who they are. This is also known as a reverse phone number search. You might find out who the number is registered to and other details associated with it.
The people finder will pull up all the data linked to that number. The most reliable tools provide thorough and current information about unknown callers. For a fee, you’ll get access to information such as criminal and court records, current and past addresses, social media, and more.
Check public records
Any information about someone that has been publicly documented is part of their public record. You can check these records to find information about a potential nanny or before going out with someone. It’s not snooping when you want to protect your safety and that of your loved ones. Public records typically contain the following details:
- Physical address information
- Criminal history
- Marriage and divorce statuses
- Business Information
- Birth records
- News records
Find people on social media
There are few people without a social media presence, if any. To find people online, start with the biggest media, including Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and Pinterest. You need to have some basic information about your search subject.
To increase your chances of finding a person on Facebook, log out of your account and search for their Facebook profile using a search engine.
Do an inmate search
You can do an inmate search if your search target seems to have disappeared. Social networks and Google alerts might not yield results if someone is in prison.
The Federal Bureau of Prisons database is free to use and intuitive. However, you must know the person’s full name, gender, age, and race. A paid people search site can also help you access criminal history and prison records.
Final tips
If you’re not getting far, search for relatives or friends of the person. When you find someone, ask them for contact details.
Some social media accounts are “invisible” to internet users in certain geographical regions. You can hide your IP address using a VPN.
