| Are you writing a story where your fictional PI, | | | | to do an online search of their archives. |
| law enforcement officer, or amateur sleuth needs | | | | 4. Conduct surveillance at locations where the |
| to track a missing person? Or maybe you're | | | | subject has been known to "hang out" (from bars |
| simply curious about how to start looking for that | | | | to exercise clubs to softball games). |
| long-lost friend? Here are 7 tips for finding people | | | | 5. Build a simple website to advertise who you're |
| that you or your fictional character can use: | | | | looking for. It's easy to build a simple, often free, |
| 1. Check the phone book or dial 411 (after all, | | | | website these days. Plus, many services will host |
| directory assistance has the latest, most | | | | advertise it at no charge. |
| up-do-date listings). If you're looking up a business, | | | | 6. Search the National Center for Missing Adults at |
| dial a "free" 411 service from Google: | | | | Theyaremissed.org. |
| 1-800-GOOG-411. | | | | 7. Search the National Missing and Unidentified |
| 2. Sign up with subscription-based services for | | | | Persons System (NamUs) at Namus.gov. |
| alumni organizations the person may have | | | | 9. Check the Social Security Death Index, which |
| belonged to (such as or Alumni.Net). Sometimes | | | | provides look up on whether a person is |
| high schools have their own alumni organization, so | | | | deceased |
| check the person's former high school's website | | | | As a practical matter, professional investigators |
| and contact the alumni listed there (who are | | | | often use the above techniques in combination. If |
| sometimes listed by years of graduation). | | | | you're writing a story with a fictional sleuth, your |
| 3. Put an ad in the local paper (and in the papers in | | | | character can employ bravado, intuition, and |
| surrounding areas) where the missing person may | | | | creativity while combining these different |
| reside. Some newspapers also provide the option | | | | techniques! |