Whether you’re looking for someone interested in the same hobby you are, or you want to touch base with an old classmate, the internet offers many free tools for how to find someone online. There are numerous ways to find people and when connecting online, it’s always important to remember safety precautions. Don’t give your phone number or address out to people unless you can verify with 100% certainty they are who they say they are and you know them already.
How to Find Someone on the Internet
Use search engines
When you are trying to find someone, search engines are a great first step. Our best advice is to learn how to find someone on google. Simply enter the person’s name into a reputable search engine such as Google. If you know where the person lives or works, add city and state information to the search to narrow down results.
Social media search
Connect with anyone else who has a Twitter or Facebook profile. On Facebook, simply enter the person’s name in the search box. A person will only show up if he or she made a profile viewable in public searches and used a real name, though. You can search by name on Twitter as well, and the person will show up in listed results if the name is included in his or her profile.
White pages search
Not everyone has a search engine presence or social media page. Use WhitePages.com like a virtual phone book. Enter as much information as you know about a person to find an address and phone number. As with a printed phone book, some people do opt to have an unlisted number or address, so you may not get all the information you’re looking for.
Use a dating site
Find someone for a romantic outing by searching a dating site. Play it safe by selecting reputable sites such as Match.com and eHarmony, and follow common sense guidelines when meeting in person. Select well-lit, crowded, public meeting places.
Join a meet-up site
Locate a person or people who are interested in the same things you are, or who are dealing with similar life issues, through group meet-up sites. Meetup.com lets you sign up and connect with groups such as homeschoolers, moms, bikers, runners, book clubs, travelers, model train enthusiasts and many others. If a group related to your interest or situation doesn’t exist locally, you can create one on Meetup.com to attract others.
Search for old classmates
Find old high school or college classmates through sites such as Classmates.com or AlumniOnline.org. Sign up for a free account, find your high school, and enter some basic information, such as the year you graduated. The sites work like social media sites, allowing users who have accounts to search for and connect with other user.
Search for new roommates
Find someone to split the rent with through services and listing sites such as Roommates.com or Roomster.com. Some roommate listing sites are free while others charge for the service, so make sure you understand applicable fees before you provide a credit card number. As with online dating sites, you should take precautions when meeting potential roommates for the first time.
Use Craigslist
Craigslist is the bastion of online swapping, selling, and meeting. Use the personals section to find potential romantic partners, platonic friends, or people you used to know. Craigslist’s discussion forums offer a place to connect online with like-minded folks in your area, which could also lead to in-person meet ups. There’s even a section for listing roommate needs or sublets.
Connect with colleagues
If you’re looking to connect with people in your business niche — or past coworkers — LinkedIn is the network for you. It can be harder to start on LinkedIn than on other social networks because of the restrictions many people put on their accounts. However, once you connect with a few people, you can begin expanding your connections to people they know or are linked to. In addition to finding past coworkers online, you’ll also build a professional network that can help you perform your job, seek new employment, or change your career.
Searching online for people is a great way to connect with old friends or make new friends. Try out a number of search options to find the one that works best for you, and don’t be afraid to connect with someone. They just might be thinking about connecting with you!
