Just a friendly reminder to google your prospects thoroughly and immediately. You never know what you’ll find. If you need to, ask for a last name; and if they ask why, just tell them you’re googling them. If they don’t want you finding them, there’s probably a reason so block and delete.

The last guy I researched turned out to have multiple arrests, INCLUDING DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, and from the nature of the charges he likely had an alcohol problem. You never would’ve guessed from his profile: young, educated, clean cut, good job, good looks, the works. I was able to un match him immediately, before even talking to him. Bullet. Dodged.

Some Tips:

Reverse image search can help you find their social media. This can help give you more information about them or even a last name if you don’t have it yet (found out a guy had kids this way lol)

Some local jails keep online registries of their arrestees. This varies from place to place but is becoming more common. If it doesn’t come up in the google search, plug in their name directly into the jail website.

The local Clerk’s website may keep records online and open to the public. This can include criminal and civil cases. (A fellow FDS member found out a guy was MARRIED this way).

LinkedIn can give you specifics on where they work. And if you know the company, it might be a good idea to peruse the website. You may be able to find them listed and confirm what they do, or even learn they have massively oversold their professional endeavors 😬

Finally, family tree now is a terrible website that farms everyone’s information so I would recommend that you “opt out” if you find that your information is listed there and use it to aid in your research if they haven’t “opted out” themselves yet.

P.S. A lot of this is based on personal experience so it will obviously skew based on my location, but please add more tips below. I used to naively not research people before and now that I do the stuff I’ve learned about people scares the daylights out of me. I can’t believe I naively went in blind before. Well, you live and you learn. Stay safe ladies!