Although technology connects us more than ever, keeping in contact with friends, family, and old acquaintances isn't always easy. People move, change phone numbers, and switch email addresses and social media profiles.
Maybe you want to reconnect with a childhood friend, reach out to your prom date, or catch up with a cousin you haven't spoken to in years, but you don't know where to start because their contact information has changed.
TruthFinder, an online people search tool, offers a solution for those looking to revive lost contacts. With an average of 9 million monthly users and over 350 million public records searched*, it's become a go-to for those who want to resume relationships. This guide will walk you through how to use TruthFinder to find phone numbers, email addresses, and social media profiles of people you've lost touch with.
What Is TruthFinder?
TruthFinder compiles publicly available information from a number of sources, such as criminal and traffic records, social media profiles, and census data. It then aggregates this information into detailed, simple-to-navigate reports on individuals.
Here's a basic overview of the process:
- User Search: You enter the name and last known state of residence of the person you're looking for. You can narrow results based on age, middle initial, and city as necessary.
- Data Collection: TruthFinder gathers information from public records.
- Report Generation: TruthFinder creates a detailed report that may include contact information, location history, social media profiles, and more.
Advantages Over Search Engines
While the internet is full of powerful search engines like Google® and Bing®, TruthFinder offers several potential advantages when it comes to finding specific information about individuals:
- Data Aggregation and Structured Results: Unlike Google, which provides a broad range of results, TruthFinder focuses specifically on detailed information about people. It collates data from multiple sources into a single, clear background report, saving you the time and effort of piecing together information from various websites.
- Access to Public Records: TruthFinder can access and compile information from public records that may not be easily discoverable through a standard Google search and that could be costly and time-consuming to compile. This includes court records, property information, and other documents sourced from government or other public sources that can provide valuable insights.
- Identity Resolution Process: While Google results can include information from sources regardless of their legitimacy and from a particular snapshot in time, TruthFinder aims to provide the last known data available in public records and uses its proprietary identity resolution engine that matches elements from reliable data sources to compile background reports. This can be particularly useful when searching for up-to-date contact information.
- Privacy and Discretion: TruthFinder searches are confidential and offer a discreet way to find information about individuals without notifying the search subject.
Reconnecting with Different Types of Contacts
TruthFinder could be a valuable tool for reconnecting with a wide range of lost contacts, including:
Friends: Over time, we often lose touch with friends, especially those from childhood or college. Sometimes, social media channels are good enough to find who you're looking for, but many times, there are gaps. A friend might not have a public LinkedIn or Instagram account, for example. Or they might often ignore friend or connection requests on social platforms, while an email could catch their attention.
TruthFinder can help by providing more direct avenues of contact. When you enter a friend's name and their last known location into the search, TruthFinder scours the public record to pull up current contact information. Whether you're planning a reunion or simply want to catch up, having access to up-to-date contact information can help bridge the gap between long-lost friends.
Family Members: Family ties can weaken due to geographical distances or life's unexpected turns. Whether you're looking for a cousin you've never met or wish to reconnect with an estranged sibling, TruthFinder can help you find phone numbers, addresses, email addresses, and social media profiles for more personal contact.
Offering a more comprehensive profile of a family member can provide a chance to try different channels of communication. An older family member might not be on social media or doesn't check their email regularly, but sending a letter to their home address could be the key to reconnecting. It might not be clear which social media profile for a long-lost cousin's name is their real profile—a TruthFinder search may identify the correct one. Or a family member might not remember you and ignore surface-level social media friend requests, but a voicemail or an email could jog their memory.
Finding contact info for family members could be particularly helpful for organizing large family reunions or tracing your ancestry. A TruthFinder search can start the process of gaining a deeper understanding and reconnection with your roots.
Former Partners: While reconnecting with an ex-partner requires sensitivity, there are situations where it might be necessary or desired, such as closure, reconciliation, or dealing with unresolved practical matters regarding shared property or accounts. TruthFinder could provide contact information discreetly, allowing you to reach out in a respectful manner. It's important to approach this process with caution, respecting the other person's privacy and boundaries.
Responsible Reconnection
TruthFinder offers a wide-ranging solution for those looking to reconnect with lost contacts. With its aggregation and reporting on information from various public sources, it provides a streamlined way to find multiple channels of connection. Whether you're trying to reunite with old friends, long-lost family members, former colleagues, or past partners, it can be a valuable tool in your search.
However, it's crucial to use such services responsibly and ethically. Always respect others' privacy and be prepared for the possibility that some people may not wish to reconnect. Remember, while a TruthFinder search can provide the means to reach out, building and maintaining relationships requires mutual interest and effort. Also, keep in mind that TruthFinder operates in a regulated space, and its reports cannot be used for employment, credit, or tenant screening.