It may not be a secret that the location information on your smartphone is being used by companies to deliver weather updates, traffic reports, and restaurant recommendations. This information is also being sold to marketers.
Tracking another person without their consent is illegal. However, there are a number of ways to find out where someone is without breaking the law.
2. Track the Person Through Current Social Networking Websites
There are numerous websites and apps that track your location through GPS. They are designed to show you ads based on your location and interests. These apps and sites can also sell your information to marketers. Many of these companies claim to do this for legitimate reasons. However, some do it for nefarious purposes. This is known as “user tracking.”
Social media apps like Facebook, Instagram and Snapchat use GPS technology to track users’ locations and market cafes, stores and even friends who are in the area. These media platforms can also use your Google search history, Facebook likes and Twitter posts to generate a general idea of your interest and location so they can market ads to you accordingly.
If the person you’re looking for has a lot of mutual acquaintances, try to identify some of them. Search for them on Internet search engines and look for special interest blogs, forums and websites that they are a member of or that they have posted content on. These sites can link to personal websites, professional networks and other online sources of information.
3. Identify Friends or Mutual Acquaintances
If you suspect someone knows your location and has access to a tracking service, document when and where they’ve been showing up. Also, find out if they have any friends or acquaintances who know their whereabouts or use apps that request and share the user’s location.
Identifying friends from mutual acquaintances can be difficult, but you can try asking them about their interests or hobbies, which can lead to a social network, blog, or special interest website. Additionally, look for the person on Internet search engines to see if they’ve been linked to social networks, blogs, or professional sites.
Watch for “check-ins,” where a person posts a tag of their location on their social media account, such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, or Foursquare. This method will only work if you’re already friends with the person or they have loose privacy settings.
4. Search the Person on Internet Search Engines
There’s no sure-fire way to know if someone is searching for you online, but you can use tools like Google Alerts to monitor when new information is published with your name. These searches can be for a variety of reasons, from companies screening job applicants to stalkers with malicious intent.
Most people search engines allow you to enter a person’s name along with other relevant details to locate them. These websites typically collect data from a variety of sources, including social media profiles and phone directories. Many also offer advanced searches that use a combination of search engines to improve accuracy and speed up results.
FastPeopleSearch, for example, scours public records and social media profiles to find the person you’re looking for. Its database is updated regularly, allowing you to track the person’s history and see if any legal action is pending. Other popular people search engine options include Zabasearch and BeenVerified. Both have a subscription model, with one-month and three-month packages available. BeenVerified will dig deep into multiple data sources to provide you with a detailed report that may include criminal records, addresses, dates of birth, and other personal details.
5. Look for the Person’s Last Known Address
Whether you are tracking down a former neighbor or someone who owes you money, the person’s last known address is one of the most important pieces of information to know. Fortunately, cutting-edge technology has made it possible to locate a person’s current address online for a minimal cost.
There are many ways to discover a person’s last known address, including using a search engine such as Zabasearch or BeenVerified, contacting family members or acquaintances, and employing a private investigator. Depending on your specific situation, you can also ask them to reveal their current address if they are willing to do so.
When you open up a TruthFinder report for the person whose address you are looking for, click on the “Locations” section. You will see all of the places they have resided in the past, sorted by their most recent dates of residency. These locations include both work and personal addresses. If you have their phone number, a full database search will usually turn up both their present and previous addresses in a matter of minutes.