There are many reasons you might need to find someone: a relative or friend you have lost touch with, a beneficiary named in a will, a witness for a legal matter, a person who needs to be served with documents, or someone who has moved on while owing money. This guide explains how a licensed private investigator locates people, what information helps, what the law allows, and what to expect.
Common reasons people need someone located
- Family and personal: reconnecting with a relative, an old friend or a biological family member.
- Estates: finding beneficiaries or next of kin for an executor or solicitor.
- Legal matters: locating witnesses, or a party who needs to be served with court documents.
- Money owed: finding a person or business that has moved without settling a debt or obligation, often called skip tracing.
- Business: confirming the current address or whereabouts of a former employee, tenant or customer for a legitimate purpose.
If you believe someone is missing and may be at risk, contact the police first. An investigator can work alongside a police report, but not instead of one.
How an investigator finds someone
- Starting with what you know: names, dates of birth, old addresses, phone numbers, workplaces, vehicles, friends and family.
- Research: public records, court and company records, property and lawful databases, and open online sources such as social media.
- Field enquiries: speaking with former neighbours, employers or contacts where appropriate.
- Confirming the location: where needed, surveillance in public places to confirm that the person actually lives or works at an address.
- Reporting: a clear, dated report of the confirmed address or whereabouts and how it was established.
What information helps
The more you can provide, the faster and more accurate the search tends to be: full name and any previous names, date of birth or approximate age, last known addresses, phone numbers and email addresses, workplaces or trades, vehicle details, social media accounts, and the names of family or associates. Even details that seem minor can open a new line of enquiry.
What the law allows
Locating people is regulated. Investigators must handle personal information lawfully and can’t obtain information by deception, such as pretending to be the person or a government agency to get their details from a bank, phone company or utility. A licensed investigator will also consider why you want to find someone. If a person doesn’t want to be found and there is a risk to their safety, for example where there is a history of family violence or an intervention order, a reputable investigator will decline the work or will not disclose the address. This is general information, not legal advice.
What to expect
- A confidential first conversation about who you need to find and why.
- A plan and written quote agreed before any work begins.
- The search, starting with desk research and moving to field enquiries if needed, with updates along the way.
- A clear report of what was confirmed.
Some people are found quickly; others take longer, especially when they have deliberately moved on. For more on choosing an investigator, see how to hire a private investigator.
Talk to Truth Investigations
Truth Investigations has been helping clients locate people since 2013. We hold investigator licences in New South Wales (Master Security Licence 410944186), Victoria, Queensland and South Australia, and work across Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, the Gold Coast, Adelaide and Canberra. See locating people.
The first conversation is free and confidential. Call 1800 878 847 or use our confidential enquiry form.
