How to Find People in Mexico

By: Jennifer Moore

Toluca Mexico, Cathedra in Main square -Toluca Mexico image by Marcus from Fotolia.com

When you are trying to locate a person in the U.S. who you have not seen for years, you immediately turn to the Internet. In most developed countries this is an acceptable method, and many people have been found successfully in this way, either through online phone books, social networking sites, or because many people conduct some type of business online. However, many people in Mexico are still computer-illiterate, and most state government offices do not have full computerized databases. This means it often doesn't work to try to locate someone online in Mexico.

Telmex White Pages

Step 1

Go to the Telmex national white pages website (see Resources). Sign up on the site by adding your name and your phone number.

Step 2

Fill in the municipality, region, or state where the person you are trying to find lives. Type in the first name and last names of the person you are looking for in the appropriate form field. Remember that paternal last names come first, followed by maternal last names. Click "Buscar" (Find) and the site will find people with the last names you are looking for in the location you specified.

Step 3

Call families with the same last names that are listed in the white pages of the area where the person may live. Explain who you are looking for, as they may be able to help. Some families are large in Mexico and often you will find cousins, aunts, brothers or sisters of the person you are seeking. Ask how you can contact the person you are looking for and what is the best time to call.

Use Professional Help

Step 1

Hire a private investigator, or attorney from the area in which your loved one lives.

Step 2

Locate a professional private detective in online classified ad directories like OLX or ADOOS (see Resources). You can also check the Telmex yellow pages in the municipality in which the person lives.

Step 3

Ask the professional if he has ever done this type of work and what success rate he has had. Mexico does not have many regulations when it comes to professional private detectives. However, this is a more reliable way of finding someone than using an Internet service.