subject: How to People Search Online [print this page] Author: Ged Clayson Author: Ged Clayson
Every year since I can remember, I get a christmas card from an older relative (my mother's cousin) and I always sent her one too. About 5 years ago my card was returned to me marked 'Not this Address'. She'd moved and forgotten to tell me her new address. She still sends me a card every year and always takes the trouble to write in it news of that side of my family, but never puts her address in it so I can't respond to it. I finally decided to do something about this and tried to find online help to search for her. To trace a person from the past can be a daunting task, but with today's technology and information available at your fingertips via the Internet, making a people search just got easier. A people search is conducted to find people and/or information about them. Maybe a loved one from the past with whom you have lost contact, or a friend or relative. Children, once of legal age, may wish to search to find their birth mother or father. People searches often yield excellent results, but results may also come back with information that can't be used by the search party or the most recent information is may no longer be relevant to the missing person. The 'hit or miss' results are a minor risk of performing a people search online and are far easily outweighed by the advantages. Few of us would have been able to attempt tracing a person using conventional off-line search methods. However, with online services now available, finding those with whom we wish to re-establish contact couldn't be easier. But if you want to trace a person you have long lost contact with or find the records of people you want to trace, there are a bewildering number websites now offering this type of service. Some are dedicated database search engines that can make specific and highly detailed searches while others, such as social networking or genealogy sites, can provide useful and highly relevant information. Choosing the right provider can be a lottery if you're not willing to spend a little time looking at all or most of the options available. As a guide, you need to be looking principally at: * The range and type of searches and search results offered * How many database records can be searched * Ease of use and cost. (Be aware that some can be very much more expensive than others). A little tip for you. Most of them advertise a free search. The search itself is free, but if they find a name match you will have to pay to see any information found. This is fair enough, they have their costs to cover but the various pricing structures they offer, and how they offer them, can make it difficult to make comparisons between them.About the Author:
In searching for a lost relative, I have looked at many people search sites and some of my research can be found at http://www.traceaperson.net where various online search options for searching for people are suggested. As well as providing more guidance on how to search for people online, this site also offers access to search over 1 billion USA records.
