How to Help a People Tracing Agent
What Information You Should Provide
When it comes to locating a missing person in the UK, whether it’s an old friend, a debtor, a beneficiary to a will, or a long-lost family member, professional people tracing agents like Find UK People® can make the difference between a successful search and a dead end.
But what many clients don’t realise is just how significantly the quality of information they provide at the start can improve the speed, accuracy, and ultimate success of a people trace. Even the most sophisticated people tracing techniques, including access to credit agency data, public domain information, and proprietary person tracing platforms, are only as effective as the inputs used to initiate the investigation.
This article explains exactly what details you should gather and submit when placing a people tracing instruction, and how each piece of data contributes to increasing the likelihood of locating the correct person, quickly, accurately, and within GDPR compliance.
Why Accurate Information Is Critical
Tracing agents rely on complex systems that connect identifiers such as names, dates of birth, past addresses, and contact data to build a confident match to a current address. But if the starting information is incomplete, vague, or ambiguous, it can lead to:
- Multiple potential matches
- False positives
- Delays in verification
- Or worse, no trace found at all
By contrast, clients who take a few extra minutes to compile a thorough and well-structured trace request dramatically increase the odds of success.
Key Information to Provide for a Successful Trace
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Full Legal Name – Including Middle Name Where Possible
Providing the exact legal name of the person you are trying to trace is essential. This includes:
- Full first name
- Middle name(s)
- Surname (last name)
- Any known aliases or former names (such as maiden names)
A middle name might seem trivial, but in databases containing thousands of individuals with similar names (e.g. “John Smith”), it can be the defining differentiator. Especially when cross-referenced against other data, a middle name helps isolate the correct subject from other similar profiles.
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Date of Birth – Full or Partial
A full date of birth (DD/MM/YYYY) is ideal. It’s a critical cross-referencing tool used in credit data, Companies House records, electoral registers, and internal tracing platforms.
But even a partial date of birth, for instance, the month and year, can be extremely helpful. This can narrow down hundreds of potential results to a small handful. Month and year of birth are especially valuable when available through:
- Old employment records
- Company directorships (via Companies House)
- Social media or online mentions
- Legal records and ID documents
Partial DOBs often unlock key identifiers in credit agency databases, particularly when combined with other fields such as names and address history.
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Previous Addresses – The More, the Better
A full history of known past addresses is a goldmine for tracing professionals. Each previous address provides potential connection points in UK credit bureau data (Experian, Equifax), which can then be used to link the subject to:
- Current financial activity
- Address redirections
- Electoral roll entries
- Utility and telecoms data
Even addresses that are 10 or 15 years old may still hold residual links. People often leave data footprints, bank accounts, mobile contracts, or dormant credit records, that persist in background databases and can be used to build forward links to their current whereabouts.
The more addresses you supply, the higher the chance of uncovering a chain of address connections that leads to their current residence.
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Previous Telephone Numbers and Email Addresses
Many clients believe that if a telephone number or email address is no longer active, it’s not worth submitting. In fact, these are often incredibly useful.
Inactive phone numbers and email addresses can still:
- Be cross-checked against credit reference agency records
- Be linked to utility accounts or broadband contracts
- Show up in historical databases (even if no longer in service)
- Help identify social media accounts or online profiles
- Enable reverse searches through specialist telecoms data
These details give tracing agents multiple avenues to explore and triangulate the identity of the person in question, especially if other data points are weak or outdated.
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Employment History or Business Involvement
If you know the subject’s current or past:
- Employer name
- Job title
- Limited company name (e.g. if they were a director)
These can lead to valuable traces via:
- Companies House records
- PAYE linkages
- Business registration details
- Professional databases
This is particularly helpful for self-employed individuals or people who have held director positions, as these public records often include partial or full dates of birth, registered service addresses, and filing histories.
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Social media profile and online footprints
While highly regulated databases form the backbone of professional people tracing, an individual’s online presence can also offer valuable supplementary information.
If you are aware of any of the following, be sure to include them in your instruction:
- LinkedIn profiles
- Facebook or Instagram accounts
- Online usernames or aliases
- Forum handles or gaming tags
Even if the subject is inactive, these accounts may include:
- Location tags
- Life events (e.g., moves, job changes, name changes)
- Recent photos that provide geographic clues
- Connections to known associates, partners, or family members
People tend to reuse usernames and email addresses across platforms. A single known handle or profile URL can assist tracing agents in linking the subject to more recent digital activity, or even verifying their current location through associated contacts or updates.
Tips for Submitting an Effective Trace Instruction
To streamline your tracing instruction, follow these best practices:
- Double-check spellings: Mistakes in surnames or street names are a common cause of failed traces.
- Avoid nicknames: Always use the full legal name.
- Provide context: A short sentence on how you know the person (e.g. ex-tenant from 2021, friend from university, etc.) can help the agent prioritise and interpret the data.
- Include all known data, even if you think it’s “too old” or “no longer valid.”
- Submit legal basis information: If you’re tracing someone for debt recovery, probate, or legal service, state this clearly to support GDPR-compliant data processing.
How Find UK People® Uses This Information
At Find UK People®, we combine human expertise with GDPR-compliant access to the UK’s top tracing tools, including:
- Experian and Equifax credit agency data
- Open-source intelligence (OSINT)
- Proprietary people tracing systems
- Internal review by experienced tracing professionals
Our team does not rely on automation alone. Every case is assessed manually by trained personnel who cross-check input data, identify potential matches, and validate residency through corroborated indicators. The more precise the information you provide, the more likely we can return a verified address, often within just 24 hours.
Final Thoughts: The More You Provide, the More We Can Do
In summary, the best way to help your people tracing agent and ensure a fast, accurate outcome is to arm them with as much verifiable data as possible. Even details that seem minor or outdated may become the very threads that unravel a person’s current location.
If you’re unsure what to include, ask yourself:
“If I were trying to find this person after five years, what details would help me recognise or verify them?”
That’s your starting point. Submit as many relevant data points as possible, and let the professionals take it from there.
Need Help Tracing Someone?
If you’re trying to trace a person in the UK whether for personal, legal, or business reasons Find UK People® can help. Our expert team specialises in locating people fast, confidentially, and in full GDPR compliance.
🕵️♂️ Start your trace today
