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Original Question:

There is this older person (60+yrs) who is runs a business with internet presence yet when I do am internet search on him nothing pops up, not even photos!! How do I find out if he is a Government agent or somehow uses an alias?

Edit 10/21/14 for clarity:

In other words:

  1. Is/are there any centralized government agent lists I can browse?
  2. How do I search for a name change?
  3. How do I request a background check on the internet?
  4. How do I perform a business lookup on the internet
  5. Where can I hire a private investigator?
RoraΖ
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Evelyn
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2 Answers2

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If you are in the United States, each state government maintains a registry of businesses in that state. Do a Google search like this: "register business georgia" (or whatever state the business is in.) For many states, you can look at the business records on line; in some, you'll have to go to a government office. That will tell you who owns the business and may provide other details. I suspect, but do not know, that most other countries have similar registries.

Many people, including a member of my family, have no Internet presence. It just doesn't seem important to him; nothing sinister about it.

If you are concerned that someone may be a "government agent" because you're thinking about buying or selling something illegal, don't do it. Even if the business owner is an honest crook, it's a pretty safe bet that law enforcement knows about any illegal businesses operating on the Internet. Try a search for "silk road."

If you are concerned that you will be cheated in an otherwise legal transaction, do a search for the business name. Businesses that cheat people turn up in reviews all over the place.

Bob Brown
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Any normal business needs to register with the Chamber of Commerce or whatever it is called in the country from which he runs his business. So check there.

Even then - he can be a government agent!

SPRBRN
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