Type in the person’s full name and last known resident state into the search bar on Facebook or Myspace. [1] X Research source

This will only work if you are friends with the person, have a mutual friend who can look for you, or their security settings allow people who are not friends to see their posts.

This will only work if you are friends with the person, have a mutual friend who can look for you, or their security settings allow people who are not friends to see their posts.

It’s a good idea to tell your child that s/he is being monitored and why. This will help avoid your child feeling like you have broken his or her trust. The laws are more complicated when people are not legally minors. In many cases, installing a tracking app on an adult’s phone is illegal without telling him or her.

You own the car or property or track a minor child (and you are the parent or legal guardian). The GPS is visible and accessible. You could get the same information by physically following the car. Please consult with an attorney if you are unsure whether using a GPS tracker in your situation is legal.

PeekYou - a good site for finding people online that searches over 60 different social networking sites, blogs, websites, and other online sources. UserSearch - A simple-to-use website for searching thousands of social networks to find a single user profile. [4] X Research source . The site is free and provides an additional service for searching dating websites. WhitePages - an easy-to-use site to search for someone’s address in the United States. Zabasearch - This comprehensive search engine allows you to look up someone’s address and phone numbers, including any unlisted addresses or numbers. Pipl - this search engine claims to dig up information Google may miss by looking for someone on the “deep web”. [5] X Research source The initial results are free, but there are fees for more in-depth information. PrivateEye - this site can provide someone’s name, address, phone number, marriage certificates, bankruptcy records, and more. The site gives out information like full name, city, state, age, and possible relatives for free, but additional details like a phone number or address require the user to pay a fee. PublicRecordsNow - This site can search for someone using their phone number, name, email, or address using public records.

These sites cost less money, in the range of $5 to $10, than full-service people tracking websites. They will search for tracking parameters like name, location, email, address, phone number, Social Security Number (SSN), and license plate.

These sites can charge anywhere from $50-$100 a search, but they will likely provide the most in-depth information on the person you are looking for. [6] X Research source

Use an online search engine like PInow. com[8] X Research source to look up pre-screened, vetted, and qualified investigators. You also can and should ask your potential PI for references you can call and check with before hiring them.

The only states that don’t require licensing for private detectives are Colorado, Idaho, Mississippi, South Dakota, and Wyoming. [10] X Research source

If the investigator only works out of restaurants or over the phone, this is a bad sign. You need to be sure you can easily locate the investigator at any time during the search at an office.

Double check that the investigator has insurance. Most serious PIs are insured for up to a few million dollars. While insurance is not necessary for all jobs, if something were to happen during the work, as the employer, you would be held liable if the investigator has no insurance coverage. [11] X Research source

Expect to pay a higher fee for investigators with extensive expertise and training. Discuss if the investigator has a flat fee for basic searches like a background check, personal research work like a cell phone number search, a criminal record check, or a vehicle registration search, as well as a bug sweep of a home or car and GPS monitoring. [12] X Research source Inquire about the investigator’s hourly fee. These can vary by expertise and by the amount of information the investigator needs to look for. Fees can range from approximately $40 to $100 per hour. [13] X Research source

Factors like travel time, estimated number of surveillance hours, urgency, and accommodation costs will affect the deposit or retainer fee. If you are using a private investigator’s service through an attorney, there will usually be no retainer required as long as the attorney takes responsibility for paying the private investigator. [16] X Research source

The contract should also require the investigator to document all search activities, as well as a record or itemized list of work completed by the investigator. [18] X Research source

Record the person’s age or approximate age. Write down the last known address for the person. Add anything you have encountered that may indicate that the person is now in another geographic location. For example, a former neighbor may provide information that the person left Massachusetts for a job in California.

Try to identify as many former friends and family members of the person as you can. The person may be traceable through them.

Search engines also can link the person to social networks, blogs, professional networks, and special interest networks. To search for someone on Google, type in the person’s name and the state they currently live in, if you have this information, for example: “Jane Doe Idaho”. If they have a very common name, it helps to narrow down the search by searching their full name, their current resident state, and any other personal information you may have. [20] X Research source You can also type the person’s phone number into google to get their full name and address if you have this information.