Try to recall as much as you can about a long-lost relative before you start looking for them online. Think about what they did for a living, where they went to school, or any interests or hobbies they had. The more data you have about your lost loved one, the simpler they will be to find.
Use a Background Check Service
Use a background check site to search for your lost relative once you have gathered all the details you can remember. These sites search social media, blogs, company websites, and others that might contain your relative’s name.
Be aware of any specifics in terms of spelling. If all you have is a common name, it’ll be like searching for a needle in a haystack. Add the city or state where they last lived and where or when they were born.
How that you have all this data, your chances of finding them through a background check site improve.
Search Social Networks
Search Instagram, Facebook, and other major social media using variations of your relative’s full name and nicknames, if any. Social networks offer one of the best ways to search for people onlineat no cost.
Search their state and city on Facebook. It will help narrow results down if they have a common name, as long as they have a profile with these details. Send a direct message if you come across a profile that might be theirs. Don’t send a friend request.
LinkedIn is also worth a shot if you know their last job or what they did for a living. The social medium for professionals is a rich source of info. It can help achieve so much more than finding work-related connections.
BRB Publications
This platform is a leading publisher of references and websites used to find public records in the US. Their books and electronic items include access to over 3,000 public record processors and 30,000 state agencies. You can search for publicly available information through them.
BRB is also the most reliable and accurate source for government websites and vendors you can use to find public records nationwide.
Family Links
The Family Links Network helps people find lost loved ones from whom they separated due to natural disasters, war, forced migration, and other conflict situations. The network runs with the support of the International Red Cross. Its staff is particularly attentive to relatives of unaccompanied minors, people with disabilities, and members of vulnerable groups in general.
You need to fill out a trace request form to begin searching with Family Links. This form should have your contact information and as many details about your relative as possible.
The network operates by matching the information in your form with other information collected, such as data that state agencies have shared. It can include lists of captive, deceased, or injured persons.
Establish Your Expectations
Maybe you ultimately found your long-lost relative, but will they be just as happy about the fact? To ensure the best outcome, make an action plan for your first meeting.