Modern technology and the use of databases to store every conceivable type of information has made searching for information more accessible but also more difficult to find exactly what you are looking for. Billions of records and documents available mean that you are typically searching for a needle in a haystack to find what you need. This is where the art of the search comes in.
Private investigators are experts at utilizing databases containing billions of pieces of data to find exactly what is needed. The golden rule is simpler than you might expect: less is more. More often than not, putting in more generic information can actually get you better data than using highly specific info. Here are some more tips from an expert on searching for specific information:
Place of Employment: Using a social security number to search for someone’s place of employment seems like the best way to get that information. But not all sources contain social security numbers in their listings, so you are likely to miss quite a few listing. Try using first name, last name, city and/or state.
License plate recognition: If you’re searching for a registered car, you may think to use the address on file for their vehicle. But a better way to look for a car is actually to use the vehicle VIN or plate number, which will give you listings of all sightings of that vehicle.
Address searches: If you need to find an address, a utility search will let you find out where your subject’s electricity, cell phone and internet are connected.
Notification alerts: Don’t waste time running the same search about a subject every day, hoping for new information. Set up a notification alert to automate this process as much as you can. You can also used saved searches features in many browsers to save time.
These are just a few tips and tricks to use as you begin your search for data. A private investigator will often use these tricks and many others to make the process of searching for information as efficient and easy as possible. A knowledge of how to search for specific information and what databases to use is also important and helpful in finding out data quickly.