In the technological age it seems unthinkable not being able to locate someone. You type a name in any search engine and immediately dozens of social network profiles appear. But it may happen that the person you are looking for is not after any of them and, after a long time without contact …. How do you know if a person has passed away?
You don’t have to be a certain age to have lost contact with someone. It seems logical that a grandfather remembers a friend from his youth and for the number of years that have passed he does not know what became of him. But it can happen to anyone, also being young. Maybe you met someone in college ten years ago, but haven’t heard from again. Or maybe you keep a nice memory of your childhood friend who moved to another city and you never saw her again. You turn to social media first. However, when you do not find results, doubts assail you. Would the name be changed? Will you use a pseudonym? Has he died? It won’t be easy to find out, but here are some tools to try to find out.
Do your research on social media
It is possible that the person you are looking for has not even created an account on social networks, so you cannot locate their profile. Or it may be that he uses a pseudonym, that he has changed his name, or that today he is no longer who you remember. But, you know each other. You may have contacts in common. Have you investigated in the friend lists of your friends? It may surprise you.
If you’ve found a profile that fits who you’re looking for, it might be theirs. But if he doesn’t answer you, to the best is a person who has passed away and whose family members have been unwilling or unable to delete their accounts.
Check the obituaries
Until a few years ago, obituaries were only published in paper newspapers. This would complicate the task of looking for an obituary without knowing when that person you are looking for could have died. But, today, there are many newspapers and web portals that publish obituaries and that allow easy access using a search engine no matter if a certain amount of time has passed. Simply enter their name to find out if a person has died.
Search for a certificate
If you know his name and surname and in which city he should reside, you have the option of asking at the Civil registration of the same a certificate of death, which can be positive if he is deceased or negative if he is still alive. It is another way to get out of doubt.
But asking for a death certificate may seem violent to you. In that case, don’t worry, you can also request a certificate of birth if you know the place and its full name. In it it will appear, in case the person has died, an inscription in the margin. If there is no registration, it means that you can keep looking: live!
Hire a detective to find out if a person has passed away
You don’t find that special someone on social media. You have asked your acquaintances and they have no news either. You don’t know his relatives and you don’t know where he might live. Or you have certain information, but you are too lazy to start with the red tape. So, hire a detective who will take care of your place of looking for that person to rule out or confirm his death.

Paul is a talented author and journalist with a passion for entertainment and general news. He currently works as a writer at the 247 News Agency, where he has established herself as a respected voice in the industry.