What public records for an individual can I search on the internet?

[Stephanie]

Say I wanted to be my own P.I. and find out more about someone who is, shall we say, reticent with personal information

All I have is a name (assuming he gave me the real one), a city (ditto), a yahoo address (useless, right?) and a cell number (that goes straight to VM, doesn't show up on reverse directory, and could be just a blackberry VM box?). I am looking for property records, marriage/divorce records, or anything like that, to see if the person is who he says he is.

You can probably see where I am going with this. Suffice to say I am not as smart as I look. :cry:

Any ideas? Google is no help.

[Guy Fawkes]

1. There are a few things you should know.

First, it costs money. Even finding *public* records online will cost anywere from $1-15 USD. Second, it can be considered stalking. Third, it is an invasion of privacy, even if they are public records.

If you still want to find records online, PM me.

[Stephanie]

2. Thanks

But why is it stalking? For instance, if someone says they are divorced (ahem), and you search for a public record to verify that, that is stalking?

I have had my own personal stalker and that is the last thing I want to do to someone else.

Now I feel bad.

[ima_sinnic]

7. there is no charge here n Alachua County, FL

to search public records on their very accessible website.
And all that is needed is a name. How can it be "stalking"? Public records are public records. I own rental property and run prospective tenants through a public records search just to satisfy my own curiosity. Of course, the geographic range is limited to this county. For state records I believe the fee is $15.
I think that a basic check of divorce and property-owning records is valid and warranted these days--I was conned once, years ago, by a guy who said he was divorced--I was too trusting (& probably also didn't really want to know the truth) and fell for it--his wife of 25 years did NOT appreciate that, but she finally did get fed up and divorce him.

[Guy Fawkes]

8. In recent years..

there have been a number of internet stalking cases involving these background check websites. For that reason, many were shut down because they could be used to stalk others. Back in 2001 (I think) there was a case where a man stalked a girl and killed her, all with information he got for $10 at a background check site.

[TNDemo]

3. For property records go to the county you think property

might be in. You can usually search under the owner's name. For marriage and divorce records you have to pay a fee and usually know the year of the wedding, etc. You can also just put the name into Google and find things.

[Stephanie]

5. Thanks for the tip.

Google yields nothing, though.

[RobertSeattle]

4. Many counties have online public record searches

In example, Seattle's County, King, you can do various search for public record online:

http://www.metrokc.gov/recelec/records/

Just last night someone pointed me to what apparently is Bush's Faux Ranch records:
http://64.123.138.51/StaticANSWER.asp?account_number=220748000015000

[chuck555]

6. County records are on the net.

Criminal,divorce,property,etc.

[iconoclastic cat]

9. Here's a scary one:

http://www.glr.com/stalk.html