Reverse Username Search: How to Find Someone’s True Identity
Cindy Ellis - November 14, 2022
When it comes to tech, the online world is moving forward in giant-like strides. This new landscape can seem scary to some, especially if you feel like things are moving at too fast a pace. Social media, in particular, is such an integrated part of our lives now that it’s hard to imagine how we could ever get by without it. This is especially true when it comes to making new friends and even finding significant others.
So how do you know when someone is truly who they say they are behind their online persona? After all, many people use fake names, often called usernames, to mask their true identity. If you are very concerned about personal security and the online landscape, then subjects such as these are challenging to deal with.
There’s no such thing as being too careful nowadays, especially when your safety and privacy are always at stake. So this article will explain what reverse username searches are and how they can help to even the odds when looking up someone’s true identity online.
What Is a Reverse Username Search?
A reverse username search—sometimes called a reverse username lookup—is a search tool that can enable you to find out a person’s real name and identity on social media or some other form of website or app. You can use these tools to input someone’s internet handle on a website or social media site (commonly known as a username) and find out more about them.
A username can tell you a lot, especially if someone uses it consistently across several different platforms or apps, including places like TikTok or Snapchat, not just on social media. The search works by compiling a report about that specific username using information from publically available databases and social media sites.
What Are Some Things I Can Find Out With a Reverse Username Search?
A few things that a reverse username search can turn up are:
- Personal data such as name, age, relationship status, education, criminal history, and more.
- Contact information such as email, phone number, and even extended family.
- Location data, such as addresses (current and past) and even if the person owns property.
- More internet leads, such as other profiles on major social media sites and dating sites.
How Is a Reverse Username Search Useful to Me?
Not everything is as it seems on the world wide web. People can be whoever they want to be in the online realm. How can one even hope to identify truly genuine people from a wide swath of individuals with questionable intentions?
Many people use dating apps nowadays, and some users are deceitful about who they really are. If you are concerned about online truthfulness, you’re in good company. According to Psychology Today, a staggering 70% of people find dating profiles with obvious use of filters deceptive. So if someone is lying about their outer appearance, what else could they be hiding?
This is just a mere annoyance, though. What if the person you are interested in on this particular dating site is a criminal? Or, even worse, someone who simply wants to cause mental and possibly even physical pain to random people? Don’t be a victim. Do your research on a potential date first before committing to them.
A reverse username search can help to even the odds and give you the information you need to make informed decisions about total strangers you meet online.
3 Ways to Conduct a Reverse Username Search
Here are a few ways to start a reverse username search to determine if someone is being truthful about who they say they are.
1) Google Searches
Sometimes the most obvious things are hidden from us at first glance. Google is a fantastic resource to use when starting our username search; after all, it’s still one of the most powerful search engines on the net to this day. How does it work? Just google the username in question and find out what comes up in the first few pages of your search.
This method probably isn’t going to give you lots of details about who the person is, but it can be a foundational point for starting a more detailed online search. Just be aware that many social media sites, dating sites, and other commonly used interpersonal apps hide user data from the general public. This means that Google won’t pick up on many usernames because of this masking alone.
2) Social Media Searches
Lots of folks use a similar, if not same username for a good portion of their online accounts. Only will specialized things, such as bank accounts, be completely different. Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube have tons of users that utilize the same username across all of those platforms.
It might take some time, but by perusing social media sites for the username in question, you can find a lot of information about a person. You can potentially have access to photos to verify a person further, who their friends and family might be, and the circles they run in. This is a great way to ascertain who the person is before arranging an in-person meetup.
3) Specialized Reverse Username Search Tools
If you use the two methods listed above, you can merge your findings with a quality reverse search tool. Information.com is an online reverse search engine that empowers its users by giving them access to large amounts of public data sources. Criminal records, arrest records, and even previous residential histories are just some of the data sets at your disposal with Information.com’s advanced search tools.
It might take some time, but with a little sleuthing and the benefits of modern technology at your disposal, you will never get manipulated by shady individuals from the online world ever again.
How to Use a Reverse Username Search Successfully: Tips and Tricks
Here are some key tips for using reverse username searches to give you the best results possible.
Punch in the Same Username Every Time
People can be pretty lazy with usernames on the net. Many of them will use the same one across multiple social media profiles. When you conduct a reverse username search, be sure to type the username in question exactly. Copy and paste it if you feel it is necessary.
Many Usernames Are Similar
There are a lot of usernames on the internet that are similar, but it isn’t necessarily the same individual using them across multiple platforms. Sometimes there are minute differences, such as underscores, periods, or other unique ASCII signatures utilized in the username. This can make a username search quite a challenge. It is crucial to compare different scraps of information to determine if the person and the usernames match up properly.
Have an Email Address? Don’t Hesitate to Use It
If you have the person’s email address, don’t be afraid to use it to help narrow the results of a search. This is a rare possibility nowadays, as most email addresses are usually hidden in some way by social media sites, but if you can find it, you can run it through Information.com’s reverse email address search tool.
Reverse Image Searches Can Help Too
Don’t hesitate to use reverse image searching tools on profile photos as well to piece together things for your search. When searched this way, many images will reveal different platforms the user in question might be on, which can give you a new source of data that might aid you in your investigation.
It may also reveal if it’s a stock photo or if these photos were taken from someone else’s profile and are being used deceptively.
Are Reverse Username Searches Legal?
Privacy laws are not unilateral in the United States. Each state has its own rules and regulations regarding privacy and what you can or can’t do. It’s good to remember that reverse username searches grab information based on publicly-available data. Because of the public nature of this data, there’s nothing inherently illegal about conducting a reverse username search.
That being said, if you are conducting a username search for harassment and stalking, then there’s potential for a serious breach of the law.
Final Thoughts
You are not alone if you’re concerned about the ever-increasing risks of living in an online-dominant world. There’s a lot of room for people to masquerade as someone they are not. Prepare yourself accordingly by acquainting yourself with reverse username search tools like Information.com.
With a single username, you can find a wealth of information about a potential friend or dating partner. Everything from addresses to marital status and even their real name and phone number can potentially come up via these powerful search methods.
