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Follow Up: How To Catch A Thief

The simple answer, public records. The wealth of information available is literally a google search away. Don't assume that you are being told the truth. You are perfectly justified in wanting verification. If there is not total transparency, be suspicious. Ask for hard copies of all paperwork included in the matter. Requesting printed copies usually will have a minimal cost.

Tip: In my experience I have found a visit in person to make my requests for hard copies resulted in the clerk supplying knowledge I would have never known had I not been there in person.

Public information includes: birth certificates, death certificates, marriage certificates, land ownership, business licenses, statistical information, court records, warrant list, voting records, meeting minutes, just to name a few. You can access public records from all levels of government, state, county or city. The Sunlight Foundation advocates for open government. Stay in the know on the federal level by visiting their website.

Tip: A printed hard copy of an official record includes valuable information other than just a name.

Public records are so helpful when researching your family tree. A lot of the information that some websites charge a fee to see was information that was accessed for free from public records. Knowing where to look for this free information can be the hard part.

Tip: Family Tree Magazine is a superb site that lists a massive amount of free resource sites for free.

And now a word on prevention. Do not rely on others and their "knowledge" on anything. How do you know they received what they know from a reliable source. Do not blindly trust. That goes for family members, long time friends or some stranger you just met at the grocery store. Take the time and educate yourself. I promise you will not be sorry.

Just one more thing to mention. Do not allow others to take advantage of the system for their own personal gain. If you come across evidence of wrong doing, alert the proper authorities. If you see something, say something. That's why we are in the mess that we are in today.

If you have any questions, leave a comment or email me and I will be glad to clear things up for you.