One of the most terrifying things you can think of is having a loved one missing. Natural disasters and terrorist attacks, like the recent bombing in Russia´s Volgograd train station, always leave a number of families in the torment of not knowing whether their beloved have been killed or not. In this cases, authorities usually take care of finding the missing people and letting their families know what has happened.

Lots of other people are reported every day as missing. However, authorities do not always respond as people wish they would, either because the case is out of their scope or because they have a limited amount of time, resources or effort that they can spend. Many of these cases are migrants or refugees, who for some reason had to leave their birth land and were not seen or heard from again. Others have experienced a disappearance out of nowhere, a kidnap, an accident or something that has kept them from returning home. Others are parents or children who for different circumstances preferred to stay away from each other, and after a long time they wish to reunite. And, there is no shortage of people looking for an old girlfriend, or friend they’ve lost touch with.  In any case, hiring a private investigator is usually the best option.

If someone you care about is missing, consider the following:

Let the police know the person is missing. Many of the people reported as missing are travelers who suddenly stopped calling back home, stopped emailing and nobody knows what happened. The first thing you should do is call the police at the destination where the missing person was supposed to be. Russia is a safe destination for travelers, but travelers have been known to have problems or go missing.  If it is an adult, you might find authorities not very helpful, mainly because it is not illegal for an adult to go missing.

Try to keep a record of the details. Whether your case is related to someone recently missing or you just want to locate someone with whom you ceased contact long ago, records will always be helpful. Every detail counts, and the more information you have, the better your chances of finding the person.

Conducting a search on your own might not be the best idea. Of course you want to find this person, but professional skills are required in order to locate someone. This is even more true in Russia.  Time is essential, so discuss the case with a professional private investigator ASAP.

Many websites recommend to inform the media and the missing people databases. Before taking your case to the media or making it public somewhere else, consult with the police or investigators. Their expertise is important in order to determine if making it public will help or will just make matters worse.

Missing people cases are difficult, but often very rewarding for investigators and clients.  Stay positive, and if someone has gone missing or you’re simply trying to track down an old friend, consult a professional investigation company with investigators on the ground in Moscow.

C. Wright
© 2014 Russia PI™

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