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Identify the person being investigated. See what's been written about the person. Gather information through public records. Look up the individual's employment history. Verify any licenses. Reach out to people associated with the individual.
If you work in journalism, you might be asked to compile a dossier on a person of interest in an ongoing investigation. The first step to the process is identifying the individual.  Make sure you have the correct spelling of the person's first, middle, and last time. Small spelling errors can make a big difference when seeking out information.  Try to find a date of birth, or at least a range of time in which the person was likely born. This makes finding certain documents easier down the road. If you're writing an article about an individual, you do not want to rehash information that's already out there. Search online and through newspapers, magazines, and tabloids for existing stories about the individual. Not only does this prevent you from publishing a redundant piece, it adds to the array of information you have on the individual. Use public records to your advantage to build your profile. Using a variety of outlets, scan public records for important information.  Local records are a good start, even if the individual isn't originally from your location. Go to city hall, the county clerk's office, and any local branch of state and federal offices. Look through permits, power of attorney, liens, building permits, deeds, licenses, driving records, and anything else that turns up.  Look through court records. Any history of court appearances can be found online, but you might have to go to the court house to actually view the records.  Check with local police and sheriff's offices for any past criminal activity. Also check local, state, and county jail records. Some information may be hard to find, depending on your state's open record laws. You should look into the individual's employment history to check for any surprises or inconsistencies.  Make direct phone calls to past and current employers. Ask for employment verification and if they ask why you're calling, simply tell them the truth. Usually, whoever you're speaking to will comply.  You can see if you can get a copy of the individual's resume through past and current employers. Oftentimes, the person you're investigating will be in a professional field that requires a license. He might be a dentist or a psychiatrist, for example. Try to verify that license to check for fraud. Also, investigate every claim on his resume, such as where he went to school, grants and awards he claims to have received, and any certificates he lists. Compile a list of friends, enemies, neighbors, spouses, family members, former lovers, and other people who've had contact with the individual. Contact them and ask questions relevant to your investigation.