| People searches are an increasingly popular way | | | | some return no results or return too many for |
| to conduct business and reconnect with old | | | | the person to identify their query with any |
| friends. But a people search is only useful if it is | | | | certainty. The people search company's customer |
| accurate. There are three areas - data quality, | | | | service can make the difference between a |
| customer service, and company history - where | | | | fruitless and successful search. |
| consumers can look to be confident that the | | | | Most people search companies only offer email or |
| searches will contain information they need. | | | | online support. Look for a people search company |
| Point 1: Data Quality | | | | that provides an "about us" page and direct |
| The main factor for data quality is completeness. | | | | contact information, including a phone number. A |
| Completeness means the number of search | | | | live service representative can explain difficult |
| resources, update frequency, and how far back | | | | portions of the search report or help with |
| the data goes, and also how much information is | | | | technical problems. Some better people search |
| included in the search report. People search | | | | companies even provide an extra service to work |
| companies are essentially data aggregators which | | | | directly with search experts who conduct manual |
| access a huge range of public and private records | | | | searches based on custom criteria. Better service |
| to compile the search report. Determining data | | | | can translate into much better accuracy for a |
| quality can be difficult, but there are some general | | | | person search. |
| questions to ask before running a search:o How | | | | Point 3: Company History |
| frequently are their records updated? The | | | | The threshold to become a people search |
| databases which the people search company use | | | | company is low - essentially just buying a CD of |
| have to be updated often in order to provide | | | | old public records and setting up a website. The |
| accurate information. A good search company | | | | only way to determine whether the company is |
| updates their records at least every two | | | | reputable is to do a little research. Look for a few |
| months.o How far do those records go back? | | | | different kinds of company information:o Better |
| Many state and federal records go back to the | | | | Business Bureau ratings. Many people search |
| 1950s, while some phone databases are only good | | | | companies have "unsatisfactory" ratings with the |
| for that year. Make sure that the people search | | | | Better Business Bureau because of poor data |
| company's data goes back far enough to provide | | | | quality or customer experiences. A good rating |
| a complete history.o How many, and what type, | | | | with the Better Business Bureau indicates better |
| of resources do they use for a search? This | | | | quality.o Time in business. Many people search |
| information is almost always confidential, but they | | | | companies have been in business less than a year. |
| should be able to tell you in general whether they | | | | The more time a company is in business, the |
| have state-by-state information, national | | | | better their resources and experience.o Company |
| databases, and what kinds of databases they | | | | standards and code of ethics. There are no |
| access.o Is their information tested for accuracy? | | | | standards or industry groups for people search |
| A reliable people search company conducts | | | | companies. Each company sets its own standards, |
| independent tests for the quality of source | | | | so check out its website for defined limits, such |
| information they use. The exact testing | | | | as not performing searches for minors, celebrities, |
| procedures are different between companies; ask | | | | or law enforcement personnel. |
| what process they use to verify that their data | | | | What to Search For |
| sets are accurate.o How much information is | | | | Doing research - or just asking direct questions - |
| included in the search report? Some people search | | | | about a people search company provides a |
| companies only provide the last three mailing | | | | measure of certainty the people search report will |
| addresses and no phone number; others provide | | | | contain accurate data. Checking the data quality |
| all data available for the past ten years, plus | | | | before running a report increases the likelihood |
| current contact information. Request a sample | | | | that you receive the information you're looking |
| report to find out whether you will get enough | | | | for, while checking into the company's background |
| information to work with. | | | | and service policies ensure that you have a |
| Point 2: Customer Service | | | | satisfactory experience. |
| Not every search is successful at the beginning; | | | | |