Courtesy of the Internet it's extremely easy to investigate online a variety of different things about a person's past, while getting a very good idea of their track record. As more and more government agencies bring their records online, the ability for anyone to look into someone's past is increasing.
While there are some great programs out there that can really make the processing involved in an online investigation go smoothly, it's important to remember to exercise caution when doing background checks. When you investigate online, you're looking into a person's history generally for the purpose of making a big decision. Whether it's for hiring, dating or extending credit or more, an online investigation shouldn't be taken lightly.
Before you make decisions based on the information you find online, it's important to make sure:
* You have the full name of the person you're looking into. Without this and some other important identifying information you cannot be assured the information you're getting is accurate for the person in question. Professional decisions made without correct identifying information can get you and/or your business in trouble, so do be certain.
* Have the date of birth. This is one of the biggest identifying factors along with the name to help in a good online investigation. If you investigate online without these, the information returned can be about almost anyone.
* Social Security number. This is an absolute must when you investigate online in some regards. If you're investigating a job applicant or a potential loan client, this information will be easy to obtain. If it's for a potential boyfriend or girlfriend, it might not be so easy.
* Address. This might not be necessary for every online investigation, but every identifying factor can help eliminate chances the findings returned will be in relation to a different person.
Even with all the correct information in hand, it's important to approach an online investigation with caution. Decisions made based on information found can be big ones that have a real impact on a person's life, so it's vital to be certain the information is correct and it's valid for the person in question.
Steer clear of sites that offer "personal insights" into people's backgrounds. Sites that allow former friends, former girlfriends or husbands and so on to weigh in on with opinions are suspect in and of themselves and should not be used for making serious decisions of a business nature. They might be useful for personal decisions, but should not be brought into a professional arena as evidence of a person's character one way or another.
As you investigate online using a program to do so or going it alone, remember to check the authenticity of the agencies that are providing information and be certain to give a person a chance to answer charges found.
The most reliable sources to investigate online are through actual government agencies and credit bureaus. These, too, however can have bad information once in a while or misfiled information. This is where it can be very smart to give the person in question a chance to respond to documentation found.
Searching for a lost love or a missing person? Investigating a cheating spouse or checking someone's background? Or are you simply attempting to find an address or phone number? If this is what you are trying to do, then the next few paragraphs will help you succeed. In this article, I will describe how to use one of the longest standing internet detective sites: Net Detective.
Believe it or not, before doing any online investigation, the first step is actually done OFFline! Gather as much information as you can about the person your looking for. This will make your session with Net Detective much more productive. For example, if it is an old girlfriend your looking for, then try to find:
1) Old phone numbers or current phone number 2) Old Address or current address 3) Full name including middle initial 4) Maiden and/or married name 5) Current or previous neighbor's names and/or addresses 6) Social Security Number
Basically, any identifying information that you can find. Look at old envelopes, letters, yearbooks, bills, etc...
Now it is time to log in to Net Detective. If you aren't already familiar with Net Detective, it is an online investigation site (or internet detective site). The nice thing about Net Detective is that they've been around since 1996 so they are reliable and thorough.
Once you've logged in to Net Detective, you will see a space for first name, last name, and state. Try typing in the information that you have. Hopefully, you'll get your answer on the first try. Unfortunately, in this day and age, many people have to be very careful with their personally identifiable information. So their information may not be in Net Detective's database, or it might be harder to find. One trick is to enter the first initial instead of the whole first name. Instead of typing "Jack Smith," type "J Smith." Often, if you didn't find anything with the entire first name, you will find it with the first initial.
If all you have is an old phone number then Net Detective can still help. Click on the tab entitled "Search By Phone #." Then enter the phone number. It's that simple! Hopefully, the name you are looking for will pop up, and then you can click on it to cross reference more in-depth information.
If you do find the person that you are looking for, but you want more in-depth information like,
1) E-mail Addresses 2) Employment Info 3) Income Info 4) Other Persons in Household 5) Date of Birth 6) Marital Status 7) As well as much more information
then you can upgrade to Net Detective Plus, for law enforcement grade resource tools.
That's it. Hopefully by using these tips with Net Detective, you will be able to find the person that you've been looking for. Good Luck!
Both Ray La Foy & Scott Fromherz are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.