The internet can be a treasure trove of information if you know how to look for it. Whether you’re trying to verify a website’s credibility, gather information about your area, or find out what online data exists about you, a bit of technical know-how can be extremely advantageous.

Check out these simple yet effective methods to boost your investigative skills.

Find Information About Any Website

Imagine discovering a webpage offering a free trip to Hawaii. Sounds exciting, right? But it requests your personal data and credit card information. Before you take the plunge, ensure you’re not stepping into a scam.

A WHOIS lookup is a great tool for checking a database that contains details about domain names and their owners. This enables you to see who runs a website and whether they provide a valid business address and contact details.

How do you perform a WHOIS lookup?

◾ Navigate to a WHOIS lookup website. There are many options, and I recommend trying who.is.

◾ Input the website’s URL into the search box. This will reveal the owner of the site and their contact information, including address and phone number.

The next time you suspect a friend might be getting scammed, use this handy tech skill to help them dodge a financial trap or avoid embarrassment!

Your IP address: Knowing what it is and why protecting it is crucial for your privacy

Perform a Free Background Check

Your online footprint is visible to everyone, so how can you discover what’s out there about you? Here’s a quick guide:

◾ Search for your first and last name within quotes on Google. Check the results. People usually want to find your associated organizations, social media accounts, and any available images.

◾ Also, review your credit score. You can access a free credit report each year from Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. Just visit their respective sites. Don’t forget about Innovis, the fourth credit bureau.

◾ Curious about family history websites? They can be fun yet revealing. Explore FamilyTreeNow.com to see what you can find.

Get to Know Your Neighbors

Hi there! If you can’t meet your neighbors face-to-face, you can often find out information about them online using your county’s assessor website. These official sites provide property value assessments in specific regions.

Once you access the site, you can learn where your neighbors live, details about their homes or other properties, and much more. You can even view official papers, such as the deed to their house! No joke!

The easiest method to locate your county assessor’s website is to do a quick Google search. Just input your county’s name along with the word “assessor.” Alternatively, you can visit Publicrecords.netronline.com, which offers a directory of official state and county sites searchable by ZIP code.

Every county assessor’s website has its quirks, but here’s a general idea on searching in Maricopa County, Arizona.

Click on the Go to Data Online button next to the County Assessor option, then input a name or address to search. Press the magnifying glass icon to start your search, and you’ll uncover details like the address, owner, parcel number, and more. From there, click on the parcel number for even deeper insights and related documents.

Images Have Stories to Tell

While written data and profiles are helpful, what about photos of you? Try these sites to see what images pop up.

◾ Pimeyes: This site lets you upload a photo of yourself (or anyone else) to track where that image appears online. It’s a useful tool for finding your pictures, but be cautious — you might encounter distorted images linked to adult content.

◾ TinEye: A fantastic reverse image search resource that can provide additional results.

Consider Google Lens as a more advanced iteration of Google Images.

Take a Trip Down Memory Lane

Check out old Street View images using Google Maps to see how a place looked years ago. I have personally come across images from over a decade ago. Talk about a throwback!

◾ Launch Google Maps in your browser, input an address, and choose the photo that appears.

◾ Click See more dates to look through the pictures available.

Now, share this article to impress your friends with your new tech skills or to assist them in keeping away from scams. Either way, you’ll definitely stand out as the most knowledgeable person in the group!