| name | privateinvestigator |
| description | Ethical people-finding using 15 parallel research agents (45 search threads) across public records, social media, reverse lookups. Public data only, no pretexting. USE WHEN find person, locate, reconnect, people search, skip trace, reverse lookup, social media search, public records search, verify identity. Use when this capability is needed. |
| metadata | {"author":"danielmiessler"} |
Customization
Before executing, check for user customizations at:
~/.claude/PAI/USER/SKILLCUSTOMIZATIONS/PrivateInvestigator/
If this directory exists, load and apply any PREFERENCES.md, configurations, or resources found there. These override default behavior. If the directory does not exist, proceed with skill defaults.
🚨 MANDATORY: Voice Notification (REQUIRED BEFORE ANY ACTION)
You MUST send this notification BEFORE doing anything else when this skill is invoked.
-
Send voice notification:
curl -s -X POST http://localhost:8888/notify \
-H "Content-Type: application/json" \
-d '{"message": "Running the WORKFLOWNAME workflow in the PrivateInvestigator skill to ACTION"}' \
> /dev/null 2>&1 &
-
Output text notification:
Running the **WorkflowName** workflow in the **PrivateInvestigator** skill to ACTION...
This is not optional. Execute this curl command immediately upon skill invocation.
PrivateInvestigator - Ethical People Finding
Core Principle
PUBLIC DATA ONLY - No hacking, pretexting, or authentication bypass. All techniques are legal and ethical.
Workflow Routing
When executing a workflow, output this notification:
Running the **WorkflowName** workflow in the **PrivateInvestigator** skill to ACTION...
When to Activate
Direct People-Finding
- "find [person]", "locate [person]", "search for [person]"
- "reconnect with [person]", "looking for lost contact"
- "find an old friend", "locate a former coworker"
Reverse Lookup
- "reverse phone lookup", "who owns this email"
- "reverse image search", "find person by username"
Investigation
- "background check" (public data only)
- "what can you find about [person]"
- "research [person]"
Available Workflows
| Trigger | Workflow | Action |
|---|
| "find person", "locate" | FindPerson.md | Full investigation using parallel research agents |
| "social media search" | SocialMediaSearch.md | Cross-platform social media investigation |
| "public records" | PublicRecordsSearch.md | Government and official records search |
| "reverse lookup" | ReverseLookup.md | Phone, email, image, username searches |
| "verify identity" | VerifyIdentity.md | Confirm correct person match |
Research Strategy
MANDATORY: Extensive Parallel Research
Every investigation uses 15 parallel research agents (5 types × 3 each):
Agent Types:
- ClaudeResearcher (3 agents) - People search aggregators, professional records, location intelligence, comprehensive identity, public records, education/alumni
- GeminiResearcher (3 agents) - Alternative identities, multi-perspective synthesis, historical context
- GrokResearcher (3 agents) - Social media deep search, contrarian analysis, real-time intelligence
- CodexResearcher (3 agents) - Username enumeration, Google dorking, technical profiles
Each agent executes 3 sub-searches = 45 parallel search threads per investigation
Launch Pattern: All 15 agents launch in a SINGLE message with multiple Task tool calls.
Core Capabilities
1. People Search Aggregators
| Service | Type | Best For |
|---|
| TruePeopleSearch | Free | Best free option, fresh data |
| FastPeopleSearch | Free | Basic lookups, no signup |
| Spokeo | Freemium | Social media aggregation (120+ networks) |
| BeenVerified | Paid | Comprehensive background data |
2. Social Media Investigation
- Facebook: Google x-ray searches, mutual friends, groups
- LinkedIn: Boolean search, alumni networks
- Instagram/Twitter/TikTok: Username patterns, cross-platform correlation
3. Public Records
- Voter Registration: Most states publicly available
- Property Records: County assessor/recorder sites
- Court Records: PACER (federal), state court portals, CourtListener
- Business Filings: Secretary of State websites
- Professional Licenses: State licensing boards
4. Reverse Lookup
- Phone: CallerID, NumLookup, carrier lookup
- Email: Epieos, Holehe, Hunter.io
- Image: PimEyes, TinEye, Google/Yandex Images
- Username: Sherlock, WhatsMyName, Namechk
5. Google Dorking
site:linkedin.com "John Smith" "Software Engineer"
site:facebook.com "lives in" "Austin" "marketing"
filetype:pdf resume "Jane Doe" "San Francisco"
Investigation Methodology
Information Hierarchy
Tier 1: Foundation Data
- Full name (and variations/maiden names)
- Approximate age or date of birth
- Last known location
- Context (school, workplace, relationship)
Tier 2: Primary Research
- People search aggregators
- Social media presence scan
- Google dorking
Tier 3: Deep Investigation
- Public records searches
- Reverse lookups on discovered info
- Cross-platform correlation
- Associate/family network mapping
Tier 4: Verification
- Multi-source confirmation
- Timeline consistency check
- Photo verification
- Confidence scoring
Confidence Scoring
| Level | Criteria | Action |
|---|
| HIGH | 3+ unique identifiers match across independent sources | Safe to contact |
| MEDIUM | 2 identifiers match, timeline consistent | Verify before contact |
| LOW | Single source or name-only match | Needs more investigation |
| POSSIBLE | Partial match, requires verification | Do not act without more data |
Dealing with Common Names
- Add Specificity - Include location, age, employer, school
- Cross-Reference - Match DOB + address patterns across sources
- Family Connections - Verify through known relatives
- Timeline Analysis - Does the life history make sense?
- Multiple Identifiers - Require 3+ matching data points
Legal & Ethical Boundaries
GREEN ZONE (Allowed)
✅ Search public records (property, court, voter, business)
✅ Access publicly posted social media content
✅ Use people search aggregator sites
✅ Perform reverse lookups on public data
✅ Google dorking with public search operators
RED ZONE (Never Cross)
❌ Access data behind login walls without authorization
❌ Bypass authentication or security measures
❌ Use pretexting or impersonation
❌ Access private databases (credit, financial, medical)
❌ Stalk, harass, or intimidate subjects
❌ Access PI-only databases without license
When to STOP
- If the purpose shifts to harassment or stalking
- If the subject has clearly opted out of contact
- If investigation requires illegal methods
- If you suspect the requestor has malicious intent
Examples
Example 1: Finding an Old College Friend
User: "Help me find my college roommate from 2005, John Smith from Austin"
→ Routes to FindPerson.md
→ Launches 15 parallel research agents
→ Cross-references people search + LinkedIn alumni + property records
→ Verifies identity through timeline analysis
→ Reports findings with HIGH confidence
Example 2: Reverse Phone Lookup
User: "Who called from 512-555-1234?"
→ Routes to ReverseLookup.md
→ Runs phone through CallerID, NumLookup
→ Cross-references with people search aggregators
→ Reports owner name, location, carrier
Example 3: Social Media Investigation
User: "Find Jane Doe's social media, she's a marketing professional in Denver"
→ Routes to SocialMediaSearch.md
→ LinkedIn Boolean search + Google x-ray
→ Username enumeration if handle discovered
→ Reports all accounts with MEDIUM/HIGH confidence
Related Documentation:
- Complete workflow details in
Workflows/ directory
- Integration with Research skill for parallel agent orchestration
Source: danielmiessler/Personal_AI_Infrastructure — distributed by TomeVault.
