Are you looking for a long lost friend or even a relative that youve fallen out of touch with? If so, online People Finders are one way to help you get started with your search. But with so many online services out there, it can get a little overwhelming. And you dont want to get ripped-off either if you decide to go with a pay service.

One of the problems, even with the free people finder services, is that theyll supply you with a city of residence, but not much else; if you want more information, you have to pay for it. In some instances, the name of the town they live in may be just enough information for you to call the local information service in that area, and if your party doesnt have an unlisted number, youll at least get a phone number.

WhitePages.com is one site that will actually give you the street address and telephone number for free when you enter the persons first and last name. City and/or state is helpful here, and as long as your party has a listed number in their local phone directory, youll able contact them this way.

Peoplefinders.com is another free online services that provides you with a current city of residence and actually every location that person has lived in for more than the past ten years. By entering the persons first and last name with middle initial and birthday if you know it, the site responds with their present city of residence and even any AKAs theyve had in the past like maiden names or original last names if theyve ever changed it. It also supplies you with their mothers last name and age.

Usa-People-Search is a site that is similar to PeopleFinders where you can go to enter the persons full name in the search window, and the site will then supply you with all of people matching that first and last name, their age and what town they live in. Youll have to pay to get exact address here also but at least youve got a starting point with the basic info they give you.

If youve browsed around at some of the people finder sites and just cant seem to get anywhere, you may want to think about an online service where you pay to get more data. But do yourself a favor first and take a look at one website called the OnelineReviewBoard that has researched this subject at great length to get some advice about what to do and not to do to protect yourself. The link to their Truth Behind Online Investigation Services page is: http://www.onlinereviewboard.com/bestonlineinvestigation2005.htm. Good Luck!