How does one go about finding a long-lost half sister?

Meowster · Mon 03/04/2006 15:53:30

I've got the following information:

Where she was born (may still reside there)
When she was born
Her name
Her Mother's name
Her son's name
Her age

Once, she contacted us on AIM... unfortunately, my Dad scared her away by being a wee bit of the prick that he is

(this is why she's never met her father)

So I know she uses the internet, yet I haven't been able to find any information about her... I've checked FriendsReunited, Genesreunited, Myspace, Livejournal... googled extensively... also ICQ... erm... probably other stuff..

I can't think of what else to do. There must have been ways to find people before the internet. Or other ways of finding people on the internet. Does anyone have any ideas?

PS I can't get any more information on account of not having spoken to my father in a very long time

even if I did he wouldn't give me any because he's a psychotic.

SSH · Mon 03/04/2006 15:56:29

I'd be interesting in being able to find a person too, as I'd like to be able to contact my father-in-law who hasn't been in contact with her since my wife was 9...

nihilyst · Mon 03/04/2006 15:57:40

You might check the phone book of her hometown, where she maybe still resides.

Nikolas · Mon 03/04/2006 16:20:09

Hem... I'm not too sure, but, if you know someones first and last name you could probably find some information through various ways.

I mean, if she's above 18 she will be probably in a college, will have a credit card maybe, a bank account, internet connection. There are soooo many things that can track us down in the end. I mean if you type my name in google or Yahoo, you will get various things. My website, some posts in forums here and there. So you will eventually get more info. Plus maybe her e-mail could have something to do with her name.

Meowster · Mon 03/04/2006 16:26:40

Heh... first thing I did was google!

How could I use her bank account/credit card/internet connection to find her? What? Â¬Â¬

Radiant · Mon 03/04/2006 16:32:01

Tricky. Most non-geeks don't google well. I would suppose you could get somewhere by contacting a last known address; such people generally know where the last occupant went. Failing that, check governmental records for birth and such. Depending on where you live, that information may or may not be freely accessible.

Spoiler

Failing that, call Jerry Springer...

[close]

Anarcho · Mon 03/04/2006 16:33:05

What country your sister living in? I could probably find her if she was in the US, but I'm guessing this isn't the case...

ManicMatt · Mon 03/04/2006 17:26:28

I don't even think I want to find my long lost half sister! (Yes, I do seriously have one too)

I hear she borrowed money and never gave it back, and lied about my family to others!

Was your sister a nice person, do you know?

But it makes me wonder.. I heard a rumour that she is married. Technically I could be an uncle!

Meowster · Mon 03/04/2006 17:37:17

I'm in the UK, Anarcho.

...ManicMatt, I know nothing about her... she could be awful for all I know!

She lives in Margate I think... any Margatian people here? Or Kent or something...

Afflict · Mon 03/04/2006 19:24:28

Heres a daft question cant you locate her on AIM again?

Anyway you gave us nothing to work with to find her...

We dont know any detials unles you may want to pm us to try and help.

And yes there are means and ways.. IMO you have enough info.

Anarcho · Mon 03/04/2006 19:25:53

Well, I'm not familiar with how you do things there, if this was someone over here & I knew what city/county the person lived in, I'd look up county records and see if they own property. Maybe your sister is too young...and maybe land records aren't public in the UK. In the US you can search tax assessment records by name in just about every county in the country (often online) & find out the person's home address.

MarVelo · Mon 03/04/2006 20:56:27

You could try here.

http://uk.dir.yahoo.com/Reference/Phone_Numbers_and_Addresses/

Squinky · Mon 03/04/2006 21:58:31

The evil Count Montebon has whereabouts of your sister, he was last seen in Tortuga....

m0ds · Mon 03/04/2006 22:05:50

Once she's 18 your best bet would be to search the electoral roll, or whatever it's called

Otherwise become a PI, get a lonesome run-down office and hope one of your clients is also looking for her.

Haddas · Tue 04/04/2006 05:58:49

is she called Carmen Sandiego? If so, you should ask at the airport, the docks or the hotel. She's probably in Buenos Aires. They always are.

RickJ · Tue 04/04/2006 06:25:09

You could try running some newspaper ads in the town where she last lived. Rent a mail box so that you don't bring every freak in the UK to your doorstep. Failing that, hire an investigator. A good one could porbably find her in an afternoon.

BOYD1981 · Tue 04/04/2006 06:27:47

give Friends Reunited a try...

Haddas · Tue 04/04/2006 09:23:37

Quote from: BOYD1981 on Tue 04/04/2006 06:27:47
give Friends Reunited a try...

Quote from: Yutzster on Mon 03/04/2006 15:53:30
... I've checked FriendsReunited, Genesreunited, Myspace, Livejournal... googled extensively... also ICQ... erm... probably

Afflict · Tue 04/04/2006 12:15:08

Geez people dont read i tell you.

http://www.locatepeople.org/

Ok heres the whole nine yards. You should be able to locate her...

o Alta Vista:
Digital Computer's Web Index and Usenet search engine.
http://www.altavista.digital.com

o Bigfoot
http://www.bigfoot.com

o Four-11:
White Pages. Search for e-mail address or web page. Allows search
for hobbies, past schools, research interests, etc.
http://www.four11.com

o GTE's Interactive Yellow Pages:
Business directories
http://yp.gte.net

o Inter-Links:
An index of sites for Finding People on the Internet
http://www.nova.edu/Inter-Links/phone.html

o Internet Address Finder
http://www.iaf.com

o LYCOS People Finder
http://www.lycos.com/pplfndr.html

o Okra
http://okra.ucr.edu/okra

o SwitchBoard:
Online version of a phone CD-ROM. Find people. Find businesses.
http://www.switchboard.com
http://www3.switchboard.com

Telephone Directories on the Web *International*, comprehensive index of links to online telephone, fax and business directories.

http://www.infobel.be/infobel/infobelworld.html

BOYD1981 · Tue 04/04/2006 13:26:55

oops, i meant the Friends Reunited "Trying to find" thingy at http://www.friendsreunited.co.uk/FriendsReunited.asp?wci=MemoryBoard&bb_type=L&CountryCode=GB
i left a message on it a while back when i was looking for an old friend of mine, nobody ever got in touch though...

How does one go about finding a long-lost half sister?

m0ds