How to Find Free Public Information on a Person

By Amanda Kondolojy

Overview

One of the great benefits of living in an Internet society is the ability to connect with old friends and family with whom you have lost touch. There are several targeted websites like Classmates and Facebook designed to help you find contacts by username or email, but you generally have to register, and finding public information on these sites can be a challenge. However, there are alternatives.

How to Find Free Public Information on a Person

Step 1

Collect all the Information you already have. A full name is the most important, but information like state and city of residence will be very useful in narrowing down your search.
Step 2

Do a local white page search. Use a white page service like Local D or AOL White pages. If the person you are looking for has a listing in the phone book, you will be able to find the information using these services.

Step 3

Use a targeted search engine. Sites like ZabaSearch and NetTrace provide listings beyond the traditional white page offerings. However, these records may not be current, and often list outdated records.
Step 4

If you cannot find information on a person using your name, you can also do a "reverse-listing" search by entering his phone number into a search engine and seeing if there is a matching name or address.

Skill: Moderately Challenging
Warning:
It is illegal to try and find out personal information like credit card numbers or Social Security numbers online.

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