A paid search is always an option but I personally don’t recommend pursuing this avenue until all other possibilities have been exhausted. If you do choose to hire a paid searcher, I would like to provide you with some guidelines for choosing one.

There are many searchers out there and doing some home work, obtaining references, and educating yourself before making a decision will serve you will. There are many paid search services out there and some are reasonably priced and some are very expensive. Some can get results quickly and some... more

There may be a time during your search you may consider the help of a professional searcher. You may have seen ads for companies that do searchers for a flat rate or you may have been approached by people offering to do certain search tasks for a fee.

Below are a few rules of thumb when considering a PI or data company.

The first is to use careful judgment Ask a lot of questions. Below is a list of a few questions you may want to consider when considering hiring a PI.

Is he or she currently a licensed PI? In what state or states?... more

Another option in your search choices is the use of a private investigator. Private investigators are usually less expensive than ISC's, but the disadvantage is that they are seldom trained in adoption search, which is a very unique search of 'missing persons'. If you choose this route, unless the investigator specifically specializes in adoption searches only utilize their services in the event that you have a name that your search is centered around, and have been unable to turn up anything yourself. Private Investigators are often skilled in this regard. As always, it is important to obtain references.

You might also consider the choice of a company that advertises adoption searches... more