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This is the most critical point of the search the beginning..
If you make a mistake here, or start out with bad information, you will probably
not succeed. . The person conducting the search is so anxious for information,
that all too often they blindly accept as fact, all manner of mis-information.
Most of the time this bad information comes from well meaning relatives who
repeat as fact, unverified rumors and stories.
The most damaging bad information is probably spelling errors. You must do everything
possible to verify spelling.
Start by looking for official documents. If all you have is a birth certificate
that gives your date and place of birth, start with that. Let that be the STARTING
POINT of your search. It may not take you very far, but it will your investigation
in the right direction.. Once you go off in the wrong direction, you are doing
nothing more than wasting money and precious time.
Your first objective is to get the name of the person for whom you are looking
-- and it must be spelled correctly. This sounds obvious, but all too often
the spelling of the name is phonetic and nicknames are often accepted as Gospel
by the searcher. That is a recipe for failure!
Sometimes, the only thing the searcher knows for certain is a first name!Those
are very hard if not impossible searches and more information needs to be gathered
and this can be accomplished by sending to the Agency which handled your adoption
a request for non-identifying information.. The important thing is accurate
information.
A lot of times the information supplied the agency itself will not be accurate.
But usually there are a "FEW FACTS" in the non-id that turn out to
be accurate once a reunion has been accomplished and the parties compare the
data they were given.
Even small amounts of accurate information can be helpful. Inaccurate information
can be nothing but damaging if you use it. Evaluate every bit of information
you have. Most of the time a failure in judgment in such an evaluation can cause
serious problems.
What if you do not have a reliable source of information about the person for
whom you are searching?
The answer is simple -- do not hire a PI! Hire a lawyer! Before you spend another
cent on this search, hire a lawyer to petition the court, in the state where
the adoption took place, for an unsealing of the records. If you cannot afford
to hire an Attorney then you better start doing some research and learning through
informative adoptee advocate groups such as ABORN who can be found online at
http://aborn.webring.tripod.com/
temporarily and will soon be located at www.ABORN.ORG.
Or by sending a query letter to ABORN Rt 4 Box 361 Adrian Missouri 64720
This group can supply you with all the basic information you need to start a sound search and will also educate you on the laws pertaining access to records and other important Adoptee Activist Information.
You will either have to talk to a lawyer about whether
your petition will be granted by the courts of that state , or get in touch
with information sources such as the Aborn Group to learn what the laws are
in the state that finalized YOUR adoption. Ideally, find a lawyer who has a
record of success in this type of action if you are going to utilize an attorney.
The one scenario that comes to mind is the case of the female child who was
given up for adoption. She is now an adult and is about to have children herself.
Her physician says that the family health history is necessary to give her and
her baby proper care. That type of petition might release enough information
to get you started.
Most people who run the services to assist in searches
such as licensed investigative agencies are honest, and hope to provide you
with something of value. However, you must keep in mind that you are very emotionally
involved in this search. For that reason, you are more vulnerable than normal
to be victimized. Here is a short list of the types of thing to look out for.
REGISTRIES
Once you have signed up -- or even before that, you may get pitched by a person
who calls himself or herself a "tracer", a "searcher", an
"information broker", a "researcher" or even an "investigator".
Before you sign anything or give them any money, call the PI licensing authority
in your state. Find out from the PI licensing authority if a PI license is required
for the service that you are thinking of buying. If it is, and the person making
the sales pitch to you is not licensed by the PI licensing authority, do not
give that person a dime! The licensing laws are there to protect you from con
artists and others with a criminal record. However, the law cannot protect you
from your own blunders and poor judgment! If the person you are dealing with
is even half way legitimate, he or she will give you the name and the phone
number of the PI licensing authority. More to the point, in most states it is
against the law to conduct such an investigation without a PI license. Don't
let any smooth talking con artist tell you otherwise!
HERE IS A LIST OF PI LICENSING AGENCIES BY STATE
From: Investigatemystery@onelist.com
STATE INVESTIGATIVE
LICENSING AGENCIES LIST
Alabama
There is no state licensing for private investigation agencies in the state
of Alabama. Check your local county/city rules.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Alaska
At this time there is no P.I. Licensing requirements in Alaska. There is a Process
Server Lic. Requirement through Alaska DPS. The only License a P.I. needs in
Alaska is a State Business Lic. Bob Nesvick, Ketchikan, Alaska <bnesvinv@ktn.net>
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Arizona
Dept. of Public Safety, Licensing, P. O. Box 6328, Phoenix, AZ 85005. (602)
223-2361.
Web Site: http://www.dps.state.az.us/mq/dpsmqpi.htm
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Arkansas
Arkansas Board of Private Investigators and Private Security Agencies
#1 State Police Plaza Dr. Little Rock, Arkansas 72209,
(501) 618-8600
Cpl. Wes Adams, Administrator
Web Site: http://www.state.ar.us/asp/asp.html
State Law: http://www.azleg.state.az.us/ars/32/title32.htm
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
California
Licensing Division, Bureau of Security and Investigative
Services, P.O Box 989002, West Sacramento, CA 95798-9002, (916) 445-7724 (800)
952-5210.
Web Site:http://www.dca.ca.gov/bsis/
State Law: http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/calaw.html
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Colorado
There is no statewide control over persons who seek to operate a Detective business,
nor any bonding requirements.
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Connecticut
Dept of Public Safety, Division of State Police, 294 Colony St., Meriden, CT
06450-2098
Web Site: http://www.state.ct.us/dps/special.htm
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Delaware
Detective Licensing, Delaware State Police, P. O. Box 430, Dover, DE 19903,
(302) 736-5900.
WEB SITE:http://www.state.de.us/govern/agencies/pubsafe/dsp/indxdsp.htm
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
District of Columbia
Security Officers Mgmt Branch, Metro Police, Security Unit 2000, 14th St. NW,
Washington, DC 20009. (202) 939-8722.
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Florida
Dept of State, Div of Licensing, P.O. Box 6687. Tallahassee, FL 32314-6687.
(904) 488-5381.
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Georgia
State Board of Private Security Agencies, 166 Pryor St. SW Atlanta, GA 30303.
(404) 656-2282.
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Hawaii
Board of Private Detectives & Guards, DCCA, PVL, Licensing Branc, 1010 Richards
St., P.O. Box 3469, Honolulu, HI 96801. (808) 586-3000 or (808) 586-2701.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Idaho
There is no Licensing Regulatory Agency in the state of Idaho.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Illinois
Illinois Department of Professional Regulation, 320 West Washington Street,
3rd Floor, Springfield, IL 62786
WEB PAGES:http://www.state.il.us/dpr/
STATE LAW:http://www.state.il.us/dpr/who/ar\DETECTVE.HTM
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Indiana
Private Detective Licening Board, 302 West Washington St., Room E-034, Indiana
Government Center South, Indianapolis, IN 46204. (317) 232-2980.
State Law: http://www.law.indiana.edu/codes/in/25/ch-25-30-1.html
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Iowa
Administrative Services Div., Iowa Dept of Public Safety, Wallace State Office
Bldg, Des Moines, IA 50319. (515) 281-3211.
STATE LAW: http://www.state.ia.us/government/dps/iowacode/cd9780a.htm
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Kansas
Office of the Attorney General, 2nd Floor, Kansas Judicial Center, Topeka, KS
66612-1597.
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Kentucky
Bush Building, 2nd Floor, 406 Wapping St., Frankfort, KY 40601. (502)564-7554.
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Louisiana
Secretary of State, P.O. Box 94125, Baton Rouge, LA 70804-9125. (504)925-4704.
Web Pages: http://www.intersurf.com/~lsbpie
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Maine
State Police Licensing Div., State House Sta #164, Augusta, ME 04333. (207)
624-8775.
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Maryland
Maryland State Police, PI Licensing Division, Jessup, MD, Phone: 410/799-0191
ext. 331.
The full text of Title 13 regarding PI licensing in Maryland is available on
the Maryland State Police website at:
http://www.inform.umd.edu:8080/UMS+State/MD_Resources/MDSP/license.html
Handgun permit info, approved handguns in Maryland, machine
gun and
assault rifle info, special police commissions, etc. all are covered
on this site.
STATE LAW:http://www.inform.umd.edu:8080/UMS+State/MD_Resources/MDSP/title13.txt
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
.Massachusetts
Massachusetts State Police, Special Licensing Unit, 20 Somerset St., Boston,
MA 02108, 617-727-6128
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Michigan
Michigan
Dept of State Police, Private Security & Investigative Section, 4000 Collins, PO Box 30635, Landsing, MI 48909-8135. Phone:(517)336-3440.
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Minnesota
Dept of Public Safety, Private Detective & Protective Agent Services Board,
444 Cedar Street, St. Paul, MN 55101. Phone (612) 215-1753
STATE LAW:http://www.revisor.leg.state.mn.us/arule/7506/
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Mississippi
None
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Missouri
P.O. Box 720, Jefferson City, MO 65102.
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Montana
Board of Private Security Patrolmen & Investigators, 11 North Jackson, Arcade
Building
PO Box 200513, Helena, MT 59620-0513. Phone: (406)444-3728
Fax: (406)444-1667
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Nebraska
Secretary of State, Suite 2300 State Capitol, Lincoln, NE 68509. (402) 471-2554.
Web Site: http://assist.ded.state.ne.us/privdet.html
State Law: http://assist.ded.state.ne.us/privdet.html
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Nevada
Private Investigator's Licensing Board, Office of the Attorney General, 198
S. Carson St. Carson City, NV 89710. (702)687-5534.
State Law: http://www.leg.state.nv.us/NAC/NAC-648.html
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
New Hampshire
State Police, Div of Licenses and Permits, Hazen DR., Concord, NH 03305. (603)271-3575.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
New Jersey
State Police, Dept of Law & Public Safety, Private Detective Unit, P. O.
Box 7068, W. Trenton, NJ 08688-0068. (609) 882-2000.
Web Site: http://wnjpin.state.nj.us/OneStopCareerCenter/JobSeeker/LicensedCareers/lic851.htm
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
New Mexico
Bureau of Private Investigators, P.O. Box 25101, Santa Fe, NM 87504. (505)827-7172.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
New York
Department of State, Division of Licensing Services, 84 Holland Avenue, Albany,
NY 12208-3490 Web Site: http://www.dos.state.ny.us/lcns/pimain.html
State Law: http://www.dos.state.ny.us/lcns/piwgpg/art7.html#70
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
North Carolina
Private Protective Services Board, P. O. Box 29500, 3320 Old Garner Rd., Raleigh,
NC 27626-0500. Phone: 919-662-4387 Fax: 919-662-4459. Adminstrator: Mr. W. Alden
"Doc" Hoggard, Vice-Chairman M. Gregory Scott
Web Site: http://www.jus.state.nc.us/Justice/pps/pps.htm
State Law: http://www.inform.umd.edu/UMS+State/MD_Resources/MDSP/license.html
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
North Dakota
Private Investigative & Security Board, P.O. Box 7026, Bismarck, ND 58505.
(701)222-3063.
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Ohio
Ohio Dept of Commerce, Division of Licensing, 77 South High St., Columbus, OH
43266-0546. (614)466-4130.
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Oklahoma
Council on Law Enforcement Education & Training, Private Security Div.,
P. O. Box 11476-Cimarron Station, Oklahoma City, OK 73136-0476. (405)425-2775.
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Oregon
Oregon Board of Investigators,445 State Office Bldg.,800 NE Oregon Street #33,
Portland, OR 97232. Phone: (503) 731-4359 FAX 731-4366 Email: piboard@state.or.us.
Michael Jacobs, Executive Director The complete text of the Oregon Revised Statutes
which covers private investigators can be found at: http://landru.leg.state.or.us/ors/703.html
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pennsylvania
State Law: http://www.apduli.com/pa_pd_act.html
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Puerto Rico
Police, GPO Box 70166, San Juan, PR 00936. (809) 781-0227.
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Rhode Island
State of Rhode Island ad Providence Plantations, 345 Harris Ave., Providence,
RI 29221. (402) 277-2000.
State Law: http://ww2.rilin.state.ri.us/generallaws/title5/5%2D5/s00003.htm
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South Carolina
State Law Enforcement Div., Regulatory Services, P. O. Box 21398, Columbia,
SC 29221-1398.
Phone: (803) 737-9000 Fax: (803) 896-7041
State Law: http://www.lpitr.state.sc.us/bil95-96/507.htm
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
South Dakota
The Dept. of Commerce and Regulation Does not License Private Investigators.
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Tennessee
Private Protective Services Div., Dept of Commerce & Insurance, 500 James
Robertson Pkway, Nashville, TN 37243-1158. (615) 741-6382.
Web Site: http://www.state.tn.us/commerce/rblist.html
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Texas
Board of Private Investigators & Private Security Agencies, P. O. Box 13509,
Capitol Station, Austin, TX 78711. (512) 463-5545.
WEB SITE:http://www.texas.gov/agency/467.html
STATE LAW: http://www.sos.state.tx.us/tac/22/XX/index.html
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Utah
Dept of Public Safety & Law Enforcement Services, Bureau of Regulatory Licensing,4501
South 2700 West, Salt Lake City, UT 84119. (801) 965-4461
State Law: http://www.le.state.ut.us/~code/TITLE53/53_09.htm
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Vermont
Board of Private Investigative and Armed Security Services, Office of Professional
Regulation, 109 State St., Montpelier, VT 05609-1101. (802) 828-2837.
State Law: http://www.leg.state.vt.us/statutes/title26/chap059.htm
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Virginia
Department of Criminal Justic Services, Private Security Section P.O. Box 10110,
Richmond, Virginia 23240-9998 804-786-4700
Licensing law and regulation can be viewed at:
http://leg1.state.va.us/000/src.htm
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Washington
Dept. of Licensing, Professional Licensing Services, Private Detective Licensing,
2424 Bristol Ct., SW, Olympia, WA 98504. P.O. Box 9045, Olympia, WA 98507-9045.
Access to the Washington State Department of Licensing Private Investigator
Law requirements can be viewed at the Pacific Northwest Association of Investigators
web site: http://www.pnai.com
State law: http://www.pnai.com/pnai_law
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West Virginia
Secretary of State, Private Investigator, Licensing Division Charleston, WV
25301
Web Site: http://www.state.wv.us/sos/default.htm
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Wisconsin
Dept of Regulation & Licensing, P.O. Box 8935,, Madison, WI 53708. (608)
266-0829.
Web Site: http://badger.state.wi.us:80/agencies/drl/Regulation/html/dod124.html
We came across a "searcher" a few years ago who lied when he said
that a PI license was not required for such work. He even conned a newspaper
reporter into writing a favorable article on the "successes" that
he had. Clearly the reporter had not verified her facts before she wrote the
story. The scammer actually made his money as a full time equipment operator.
The computer he used for his "searches" was an antique with neither
a CD Drive or a modem! He charged $500 for his services and promised that he
would "never give up".
Once one of these services get your name, expect to receive all sorts of solicitations
to buy goods and services that will purport to help you succeed in your search.
You can expect to be asked to buy magazines, join organizations, take courses,
subscribe to services, get psychic readings and hire "experts", all
in the name of helping you succeed in your search.
You must remember that there are con artists out there just waiting to pounce
on a situation of a particular kind. Look for example, how vulnerable an older
parent can be searching for a child given, or taken away decades earlier. Think
about how easy it might be for an unscrupulous individual to impersonate a long
sought after child -- and thus become heir to the unwitting birth-parent's estate.
Think about how credible such an impersonation might be made if the birth-parent
first revealed a lot of personal facts to a psychic or "searcher"
or database operator who was in league with the impersonator!
So there you have just a few of the reasons I worry about using Adoptee/Missing
Persons Registries, Databases & Locating Services, yet fall short of telling
you not to use them. PIs are licensed and have been investigated by the state,
while the others have not. PIs have been screened for honesty and integrity.
As a group, PIs have a much cleaner history than the population in general.
However, since there is no PI, as far as I know, who maintains a clearing house
for persons searching for a birth-parent or a child given up for adoption, I
cannot ignore the possible benefits of the Adoptee/Missing Persons Registries,
Databases & Locating Services.
Our advice is, if you do decide to register with an Adoptee/Missing Persons
Registries, Databases & Locating Services , is to involve a friend, relative,
clergyman, attorney , every step of the way. The idea here is use the judgment
of somebody, who unlike yourself, is not clouded by emotion. Above all, keep
your eye on the money, and run as fast as you can if they try to sell you anything
at all!
In what may be a partial solution to balancing the risks and benefits of an
Adoptee/Birth Parent Registry, some states have created and administer such
registries. You might wish to make inquiry to see if your state has such a program.
I'm afraid that you will find that in some, if not all states, the names on
the registry are not publicized and the only way a match is made is for both
parties to register. I do not doubt that this would be a less effective tool
than a list published on the Internet. Nevertheless, it would be prudent to
place your name with a state managed registry if one exists. If your search
of the Internet fails to tell you if such a registry exists, try phoning the
State Department of Health or the Bureau of Vital Statistics in the State where
the birth took place.
And also be sure to register with the International Soundex
Reunion registry .
It's free, donations only, and its the largest offline registry. There have
been many matches made by the ISSR.
Send a Self-
Addressed Stamped Envelope to:
I.S.R.R.
P.O. Box 2312
Carson City, Nevada
89702-2312
New Updated number for the ISSR IS 775-882-7755
Well those are the things you need to keep in mind in starting your search. The internet has a lot of online registries that you can sign up on for free and ABORN has a WEBRING online that will connect you to members webpages some of which contain registries that are all FREE.
Good Luck in your pursuits.
JEEP
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