| name | PrivateInvestigator |
| description | Ethical people-finding. USE WHEN find person, locate, reconnect, people search, skip trace. SkillSearch('privateinvestigator') for docs. |
Customization
Before executing, check for user customizations at:
~/.claude/skills/CORE/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.
PrivateInvestigator - Ethical People Finding
Core Principle
PUBLIC DATA ONLY - No hacking, pretexting, or authentication bypass. All techniques are legal and ethical.
Voice Notification
When executing a workflow, do BOTH:
-
Send voice notification:
curl -s -X POST http://localhost:8888/notify \
-H "Content-Type: application/json" \
-d '{"message": "Running the WORKFLOWNAME workflow from the PrivateInvestigator skill"}' \
> /dev/null 2>&1 &
-
Output text notification:
Running the **WorkflowName** workflow from the **PrivateInvestigator** skill...
Full documentation: ~/.claude/skills/CORE/SkillNotifications.md
Workflow Routing
When executing a workflow, output this notification:
Running the **WorkflowName** workflow from the **PrivateInvestigator** skill...
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
