Before executing, check for user customizations at:~/.claude/skills/CORE/USER/SKILLCUSTOMIZATIONS/PrivateInvestigator/
If this directory exists, load and apply any PREFERENCES.md, configurations, or resources found there. These override default behavior. If the directory does not exist, proceed with skill defaults.
π¨ MANDATORY: Voice Notification (REQUIRED BEFORE ANY ACTION)
You MUST send this notification BEFORE doing anything else when this skill is invoked.
Send voice notification:
curl -s -X POST http://localhost:8888/notify \
-H "Content-Type: application/json" \
-d '{"message": "Running the WORKFLOWNAME workflow in the PrivateInvestigator skill to ACTION"}' \
> /dev/null 2>&1 &
Output text notification:
Running the **WorkflowName** workflow in the **PrivateInvestigator** skill to ACTION...
This is not optional. Execute this curl command immediately upon skill invocation.
PrivateInvestigator - Ethical People Finding
Core Principle
PUBLIC DATA ONLY - No hacking, pretexting, or authentication bypass. All techniques are legal and ethical.
Workflow Routing
When executing a workflow, output this notification:
Running the **WorkflowName** workflow in the **PrivateInvestigator** skill to ACTION...
When to Activate
Direct People-Finding
"find [person]", "locate [person]", "search for [person]"
"reconnect with [person]", "looking for lost contact"
"find an old friend", "locate a former coworker"
Reverse Lookup
"reverse phone lookup", "who owns this email"
"reverse image search", "find person by username"
Investigation
"background check" (public data only)
"what can you find about [person]"
"research [person]"
Available Workflows
Trigger
Workflow
Action
"find person", "locate"
FindPerson.md
Full investigation using parallel research agents
"social media search"
SocialMediaSearch.md
Cross-platform social media investigation
"public records"
PublicRecordsSearch.md
Government and official records search
"reverse lookup"
ReverseLookup.md
Phone, email, image, username searches
"verify identity"
VerifyIdentity.md
Confirm correct person match
Research Strategy
MANDATORY: Extensive Parallel Research
Every investigation uses 15 parallel research agents (5 types Γ 3 each):
Agent Types:
ClaudeResearcher (3 agents) - People search aggregators, professional records, location intelligence, comprehensive identity, public records, education/alumni
GeminiResearcher (3 agents) - Alternative identities, multi-perspective synthesis, historical context
GrokResearcher (3 agents) - Social media deep search, contrarian analysis, real-time intelligence
CodexResearcher (3 agents) - Username enumeration, Google dorking, technical profiles
Each agent executes 3 sub-searches = 45 parallel search threads per investigation
Launch Pattern: All 15 agents launch in a SINGLE message with multiple Task tool calls.
Core Capabilities
1. People Search Aggregators
Service
Type
Best For
TruePeopleSearch
Free
Best free option, fresh data
FastPeopleSearch
Free
Basic lookups, no signup
Spokeo
Freemium
Social media aggregation (120+ networks)
BeenVerified
Paid
Comprehensive background data
2. Social Media Investigation
Facebook: Google x-ray searches, mutual friends, groups
3+ unique identifiers match across independent sources
Safe to contact
MEDIUM
2 identifiers match, timeline consistent
Verify before contact
LOW
Single source or name-only match
Needs more investigation
POSSIBLE
Partial match, requires verification
Do not act without more data
Dealing with Common Names
Add Specificity - Include location, age, employer, school
Cross-Reference - Match DOB + address patterns across sources
Family Connections - Verify through known relatives
Timeline Analysis - Does the life history make sense?
Multiple Identifiers - Require 3+ matching data points
Legal & Ethical Boundaries
GREEN ZONE (Allowed)
β Search public records (property, court, voter, business)
β Access publicly posted social media content
β Use people search aggregator sites
β Perform reverse lookups on public data
β Google dorking with public search operators
RED ZONE (Never Cross)
β Access data behind login walls without authorization
β Bypass authentication or security measures
β Use pretexting or impersonation
β Access private databases (credit, financial, medical)
β Stalk, harass, or intimidate subjects
β Access PI-only databases without license
When to STOP
If the purpose shifts to harassment or stalking
If the subject has clearly opted out of contact
If investigation requires illegal methods
If you suspect the requestor has malicious intent
Examples
Example 1: Finding an Old College Friend
User: "Help me find my college roommate from 2005, John Smith from Austin"
β Routes to FindPerson.md
β Launches 15 parallel research agents
β Cross-references people search + LinkedIn alumni + property records
β Verifies identity through timeline analysis
β Reports findings with HIGH confidence
Example 2: Reverse Phone Lookup
User: "Who called from 512-555-1234?"
β Routes to ReverseLookup.md
β Runs phone through CallerID, NumLookup
β Cross-references with people search aggregators
β Reports owner name, location, carrier
Example 3: Social Media Investigation
User: "Find Jane Doe's social media, she's a marketing professional in Denver"
β Routes to SocialMediaSearch.md
β LinkedIn Boolean search + Google x-ray
β Username enumeration if handle discovered
β Reports all accounts with MEDIUM/HIGH confidence
Related Documentation:
Complete workflow details in Workflows/ directory
Integration with Research skill for parallel agent orchestration