Blood is thicker than water, and not knowing where one of your family members is can be very troubling. For many, there is no length they won’t go in order to gain closure about the location or fate of a loved one.
Fortunately, today there really is no reason to accept the uncertainty, as you can use many different tools to try and solve the mystery. Here are five of the best ways to do so:
Collect as Much Information as You Can
The internet contains a ton of information about virtually anyone. It’s a great first resource for you to turn to with whatever information you might already have about your family member. Putting their name into any popular search engine should return results, but you can also search institutions they might have belonged to, or social media groups that they might have been interested in.
Gravitate to where their interests lie and chances are you can find enough info to at least encourage you to continue the search.
Conduct a People Search
Even if you have the best intentions when conducting a general internet search, it can be overwhelming. There are so many research tools out there that deciding which of them to use is a challenge in and of itself. And even if you are able to get a handle on what’s available, the sheer time commitment you need to sift through the results can prove infeasible.
For that reason, there are a number of online people search services that will do the heavy lifting for you, ensuring you get all the information out there without having to sacrifice a week of your life to do it.
Use Social Media
An important part of finding someone is getting the word out that you are looking. Use social media channels like Facebook and Twitter to spread the word. People are very altruistic when it comes to reuniting family members, and if your story gets noticed by the right people, it can exponentially increase the number of eyes in the search.
Don’t forget to target social media groups dedicated to your loved ones’ interests. Oftentimes the person you’re searching for will have friends in an online community.
Use the Missing Person’s Database
In addition to a people search, law enforcement can also help locate loved ones. By registering with the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUS), you can set up an information pipeline for police departments around the country to notify you if they find anything.
Keep at It Until You Find What You’re Looking For
As you are searching, make sure to keep good records of everything that you have done, including the date that you did it. This will help you avoid double work, and to space out repeat searches over time.
It can be disheartening to continue a search without producing meaningful results, but it’s important to keep at the search over an extended period. You never know when something is going to change that will provide information that wasn’t previously available. So don’t get discouraged, and keep looking until you find closure.
