We’ve all heard of those romantic experiences that seem to be taken straight out of fairy tales; you meet and fall madly in love, you’re inseparable, but fate seems to have another idea. You go your separate ways, never to see each other again. It’s a romance that makes the Notebook seem dull, and you haven’t stopped thinking about it lately. But tracking a long-lost love down isn’t impossible. With a bit of time, persistence, and dedication, you can find out what happened to the person that changed your life forever.
Most search methods are minimal cost but may require considerable amounts of time to perform. Other methods may have a fee attached but may lessen the time necessary to find the person you’re seeking.
Start By Googling the Name of Your Long-Lost Love
One of the first places to look up people online is a search engine. Most search engines will scan the internet for any potential matches of the name, but it may not be enough to track down the person you want to find. If you happen to know any identifying details about the person, like the high school they attended, any employers they’ve worked for, enter those details into the search too. You want to include as many important details (individually) into the search function. Make sure to scan all popular search engines, as different domains will offer different results.
Take a Peek at LinkedIn Profiles
LinkedIn is known for being the largest professional social media platform, which is the perfect place to find your previous love. If you happen to know any employer or career information about the person you’re trying to find, start searching the network with the name and keywords you know. Many times, multiple results may appear, depending on name popularity and employer information.
If you find the person you’re looking for, contacting them may not be free. LinkedIn offers a paid membership that allows individuals to message one another without being contacts. To avoid this, you can establish a connection to the person first before reaching out.
Look Into School Networks
If your long-lost love dates back to high-school or university days, a quick Google search can often identify any alumni groups online. These may be connected to social media accounts, private forums, or specific websites established by like-minded people. Reach out to the alumni and explain the situation and who you’re trying to contact. Leave your name, email address, phone number, and other relevant details and ask them to forward your information to the person in question.
Try to Find Them on Social Media
Social media profiles are prevalent, making it the perfect situation to try and reconnect with someone. If you know the name and city, the individual resides in, test the search functionality. If the search fails to come up with the profile in question, try entering any of your lost love’s friends. Close friends in high school have likely reconnected after graduation, making them the perfect middle person to reach out to in your search.
If you’ve gotten married (and divorced), let them know your maiden name as well to see if they remember you. Contacting close friends and family members can start with a simple conversation about “the good old days” and reminiscing. Once you’ve opened the lines of communication, asking after the person you’re trying to find won’t seem out of place.
Start Searching Public Records
Public records are available for anyone to search at any time. Some databases are available online, while others require a manual request. These search requests are not instant and can take some time to process through the National Center for Health Statistics. You can also check various newspaper databases, obituaries, or articles for relevant information. To search newspaper articles, simply visit the newspaper’s main page and enter the person’s first and last name in their search bar. Any previous articles or features containing that name will appear.
Keep in mind, this may not have relevant information in your search, especially if your goal is to contact the individual. You may find alternate details; however, that can help you in your inquiry. Family members, business information, birth notices, and similar information can connect pieces you may miss.
Purchase a Background Check Online
While this method may cost money initially, the time and energy saved through the service are notable. That’s because a background check website will look through public records, databases, social media websites, driver’s abstracts, and the deep web to find the most accurate information on your behalf. Whether you know the individual’s married name, maiden name, or current city, a background check website automates the search process to find them.
When the report is formulated, you’ll be able to see all information about your long-lost love, including methods of contact. To improve the search effort, any details you have about the individual will help with the search; name, address, phone number, or birthdate can prove extremely useful. Once you have your completed report, confirm it’s the person you’re looking for by reviewing the file.
