Becoming an Internet Sleuth

There are many situations where you might want to find information about a person online. It could be a long-lost friend, tinder date, unknown caller, weird neighbor, etc. Whatever your reason is, I’ve gathered some tricks I use to dig up someone’s online presence.

TruePeopleSearch

TruePeopleSearch is a website that aggregates public records and allows anyone to query by name and location.

Since it’s already public (sigh), I’ll use myself as an example. If you search for my name and zipcode you’ll receive addresses I’ve lived at, my age, names of my relatives, and it even lists possible associates such as my ex-girlfriend. It’s obvious why I think this site is so powerful.

However, the best feature here is the capability to do a reverse phone search. Have you ever gotten a random “Happy Birthday” from a number you don’t recognize? Just do a reverse phone search and in most cases you’ll be able to figure out whose number you never saved. There are many sites that advertise this service but this one is actually free and works.

Sherlock

This one might be my favorite. Sherlock is a python script that queries hundreds of sites for accounts with a particular username. It’s likely that people reuse a username on most websites. Do you know someone’s instagram handle? Well, now you know their snapchat, pintrest, soundcloud, chess.com, and etsy. Pretty powerful stuff.

Determination

The last trick isn’t an online tool or program, it’s your own brain. If you encounter a dead end in your research, think outside the box. Have you exhausted searches on their friends and family? Utilize anything you know about the person to full advantage. It’s incredible what you’ll find if you broaden your search space.

Final thoughts

The purpose of this post is not to endorse malicious behavior or stalking. It’s to help you and keep you safe. Think of it as a free background check or a way to find and connect with old friends.