Learning to search for someone is not a difficult task. Those who are not skilled detectives may feel that the only way to track down a person is to hire a private investigator, but this is not necessarily true. Sure an IP can certainly get the job done, but at what cost to you and how long will this process take? Therefore, if you are working with a budget and time constraints, you will find that it is possible to do your own research effectively.

How? It is essentially about becoming a detective using common sense combined with practical information and internet resources. The information he will need depends on the search tools he uses online. For example, here are some popular methods in which he can perform his search:

Direct search: At a minimum, you’ll need the person’s last name. For a more refined search with better results you will want to include your name, state, city or zip code. This resource can provide you with a person’s landline phone number and address details.

Social Networking Site – There are a variety of networks on the web that you can research and try. Each will provide you with various search options to find one of their members. Although they may differ, many sites typically include the following search options: name (real name, nickname, alias, etc.), email, school, profession/career, and interests. If you’re lucky and find that the people you’re looking for are members, you’ll need to create your own membership and request to see their profile before you can access any information on your personal page.

Reverse Phone Looks: You will need a ten digit phone number. This is entered into the search field on the site and then a phone book will provide you with results including the identity of the owner, place of residence/business, and telecommunications provider. This particular tool is unique because no other source allows you to search for someone using their number code. In addition, you can check both landline and wireless numbers; it is not unique to ten-digit numbers published in the public telephone directory.

As a final helpful tip, keep in mind that it’s always smart and you can save a lot of time if you look up a phone number first with a reverse lookup directory. Usually it will give you all the answers you need without all the guesswork involved.