How to Find Someone’s Location: Expert Tips and Tricks
Cindy Ellis - July 9, 2022
With the pace of technology and the fast pace of living, it’s becoming more and more common to lose contact with people. Finding someone’s location online used to be unheard of, but now there are tools and tips you can use to easily find someone you’ve lost touch with, track down a lost relative, or verify that annoying scam caller.
While using these tools is easier than ever, there are plenty out there that over-promise and under-deliver, and lots of tips you need to know to navigate them. Read on to learn how to find someone’s location online using any method.
Reasons to Find Someone’s Location
There are many reasons to find someone out where someone is. For example, you could want to know where someone is to find family or lost relatives or see if someone’s safe. You may also want to check up on a scam call or mail, preventing you from wasting time and money.
Below are the most common reasons to find out someone’s location:
- Using a child’s phone location to see if they’re safe
- Making sure spouses and family members are safe
- Finding lost relatives
- Finding old friends
- Identifying potential scammers
- Learning more about private numbers
- Verifying a company’s location
- Catching spoofed phone numbers
Depending on your situation, you might have other reasons for finding someone. That said, any reason is alright if you follow the laws.
Is It Illegal to Find Someone’s Location?
It’s not illegal to find someone’s location, but you need to follow the rules provided by the Fair Credit and Reporting Act. So, you can use a people search, reverse phone number, or email lookup to check in on family members or discover who contacted you, but you can’t look up someone who doesn’t want to be contacted. Additionally, you can’t use these tools to perform background checks on employees, steal identities, or review tenants.
As long as you follow the rules, finding someone’s location is legal, possible, and simple.
How to Find Someone Using a Phone Number
There are a few ways to find someone’s location with a phone number. While having other information helps, many websites and social media applications can point you in the right direction. However, Information.com’s phone number lookup tool is the best method for finding someone’s location.
Reverse Phone Lookup
By inputting someone’s phone number into a reverse phone lookup, you will receive a full report on the owner of that number, including name and address. Often, you’ll even receive information like possible relatives, former addresses, and a criminal record—if applicable. This is a great way to verify that the person on the other end of the line is who they say they are.
Whitepages and Yellow Pages
Whitepages is another tool you can use to find someone’s location. Whitepages is an online database that can give you someone’s name, address, and phone number. You can also learn about family members and past addresses. Like Whitepages, you can also use traditional people search tools like Yellow Pages, which is a physical phone number lookup book.
While Whitepages is a decent method of finding someone, it’s unreliable. Whitepages doesn’t always have up-to-date information, so you might not find what you’re looking for; this also applies to the Yellow Pages, which is even worse. Therefore, you should use information.com’s search tool to verify anything you find on Whitepages. You’ll also get a more comprehensive report.
Social Media
Social media is also an effective method for finding someone using a phone number. Some social media platforms like Facebook and LinkedIn have search tools that allow you to type in a phone number. The sample applies to Instagram and some other social media platforms like Snapchat. All you need to do is type the phone number into the search tool, and if the person’s number is linked, their page will pop up.
While social media can help you find someone with a phone number, it won’t help you find their location. You’ll have to input the information you find in a proper people search tool to learn more about the person and their location. Social media platforms are also unreliable because profiles can be outdated. Plus, some social media websites like LinkedIn alert users when you view their profile. So, you won’t be able to find their location anonymously.
Caller ID Name (CNAM) Lookup Tools
Using a caller ID name (CNAM) lookup tool is an effective method for finding information about someone with a phone number. You can learn about their address, city, state, and sometimes their exact location. While CNAM tools are effective, they should only be used as a last resort.
We recommend against starting with CNAM tools because you need to pay for the information gathered in the report. Depending on the service you use, the fee can be big or small. Additionally, robocalls and scammers have found ways to install CNAM blockers. These blockers prevent you from tracking their phone numbers. With CNAM tools, you also won’t be able to reveal private phone numbers.
How to Find Someone’s Location Using a Name
If you have someone’s name, you can begin the process of finding their location immediately. There are a few methods to find someone’s location, but a people search engine gives you the best result. One of the best people search tools available is information.com; it’s easy for anyone to use.
People Search
A people search engine is a tool that’s used to find information about someone. You can learn about individuals, companies, and even your family members. These search engines use databases that are up-to-date with current information. When using one, all you need is their name to get started. Keep in mind a people search tool works the same way as a traditional search engine. Therefore, it’s best to input as much information as possible.
How to Perform a People Search
People searches are easy to use if you’re using the right one. A simple people search tool to use is Information.com; it doesn’t require technical knowledge or additional research skills. While you might have to scroll through a handful of options, the person you’re looking for is most likely the individual at the top of the list.
To perform a people search, follow the steps below.
- Enter someone’s first and last name.
- Enter their city (if you have it).
- Enter their state (if you have it).
- Click the “Search” button.
- Access the report.
- Scroll around until you find the person you’re looking for (typically the first search result).
- Click “Open Report.”
After you open the report, give the tool time to process the information and follow the rest of the instructions.
You might also be asked to check boxes about friends or relatives to narrow down the information.
What Information Can You Get From People Search Engines?
When you perform a people search on someone, you can gather a lot of information. You can find their exact location and even locations they frequent. Furthermore, you can find past addresses and additional phone numbers.
Some information you can find with the information.com people search engine includes:
- Family members
- Close friends
- Address
- Criminal history
- Financial assets
- Employment status
- Past addresses
- Online dating accounts
- Traffic information (violations like speeding)
- Education history
- Social media accounts
- Age and birth certificate
- Relationship status
Depending on who you’re looking up, these are only some of the things you can find with information.com’s people search tool. Some people may have more information than others based on past actions.
When Should You Use a People Search Tool?
People search tools can be useful for many situations. You can use these tools to identify people you’re speaking to or to keep an eye on someone you love. These tools are also useful for finding someone from the past who you might have lost contact with.
Below are some good times to use people search tools:
- Identifying if someone who’s calling is a scammer
- Reaching out to lost relatives
- Reaching out to old friends
- Verifying if a number is spoofed or stolen
- Mailing a gift to someone without asking for their address directly, which can be embarrassing
- To check on loved ones
- Learn about who called you
- Check on information about yourself
These are some of the reasons to use a people search tool.
When Should You Not Use a People Search Tool
People search tools are legal to use, but there are some rules you need to follow. Using these tools for the wrong reason can get you into legal trouble, so it’s not always a good idea to find someone by phone.
Below are situations where you should avoid using a people search tool:
- Employee background checks
- Attempting to steal someone’s identity
- Stalking people
- Reviewing tenants
- Harassing someone
- Checking for financial qualifications
- To search for information about domestic help
- To contact someone who doesn’t want to be contacted by you
As long as you avoid these practices, using a people search tool is acceptable.
Google Search
Performing a Google search is another way to find someone’s location by name. Google searches can help you learn their address and provide you with links to social media platforms. Still, search engines like Google and Bing aren’t always reliable. Information can be outdated, and you won’t find out anything personal.
So, if you find anything through a Google search, we recommend putting that information into a people search engine to get a full report. Otherwise, it will be hard for you to find their exact location.
How to Find Someone’s Location Using an Email Address
While reverse email searches aren’t always as reliable as a people search or a reverse phone number lookup, they are a helpful tool to use if an email address is the only thing you have to go on. To do a reverse email search, input the address into the search bar and click “Search.” You should receive a detailed report with a name, physical address, and more if it is an established address.
If the report isn’t as thorough as you would like, there are other clues you can use in the email address to find someone’s location. Most emails have a person’s name in the email or domain, so you can see their name that way. If you can’t find their name in the email address, you can check the email signature, which is located at the bottom of an email. In some cases, the signature of an email will include their name, company name, address, and phone number.
That said, you won’t always be able to find someone’s name from just the email address. So, you can perform a Google search on the email or search the email on social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn. Once you have their first and last name, you can enter them into a people search tool to learn more about them—including their location.
You can also trace their IP address to discover their exact location, but this method is unreliable. While you’ll get their estimated location, you won’t get their exact location.
Get the Information You Need Today
Finding someone’s location can give you the peace of mind you need. You can discover lost relatives, rekindle relationships with people from your past, and make sure you and your family aren’t being scammed. That said, you should always go about finding someone in the safest way possible.
While there are many ways to find someone’s location, using a people search tool is typically your best bet. Using a people search tool allows you to learn about someone while remaining anonymous, so you don’t expose yourself to potential risks. Information.com has everything you need to find out what you need to know about someone, so don’t hesitate to find someone today.
