How will they react when you find them?

This is a thorny one. When I first started in this business, I naively assumed that people would be pleased when I found them and let them know that I had been asked to find them by their family or friends. However, while some people are over joyed, this is not always the case.

When you begin a People Search you are dealing in very private, personal and sensitive information. It is understandable that some people become upset that you have been asking about them. It is important not to be excessive in your searches. It is also important not to use lies to try and get information out of people.

Remember that the person you are looking for may be very surprised that you found them and may take some time to get used to the idea of contact with you. It is obviously not in your interest that they be too prickly, so you should go very gently in the process of finding and contacting the subject of your search.

You might want to consider using a Mediation Service that can gently make contact for you and act as a go-between until you both feel ready to share your personal details.