Why Would Someone Be Looking For You?

Why Would Someone Be Looking For You?

Dr. Linda Hancock

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Dr. Hancock has written a regular weekly column entitled “All Psyched Up” for newspapers in two Canadian provinces for more than a dozen years. Over the years, her readers and clients have said that they have benefited from her common-sense solutions, wisdom, and sense of humour. Dr. Linda Hancock, the author of “Life is An Adventure…every step of the way” and “Open for Business Success” is a Registered Psychologist who has a private practice in Medicine Hat. She can be reached at 403-529-6877 or through email office@drlindahancock.com

Published

March 26 2011

I have been curious about recent internet and television ads that suggest you might like to know who is looking for you. Questions run through my mind. Why would anyone be looking for me? And why would I want to know this?

Well, I think there are several reasons:

1. You might be family - Because genealogy is a popular activity these days, there could be an enthusiast who believes that you are part of their family tree. They might hope that you not only hold the key to a whole new branch but also might have interesting stories to share. When I worked in post-adoption registry I would often reunite a woman and her adult child years after she had placed that child for adoption.

2. Someone has a gift or money to give you - Sometimes a lawyer or investigator is hired to find an individual who has inherited an estate or been left a gift from another person who lost contact with you over the years.

3. An organization is trying to update their membership list or data base - Sometimes a pension plan, university or club attempts to find members so that they can edit contact information for the future use. Perhaps they have a new project for which they want you support.

4. There is a reunion being planned - Schools usually value the past and usually want to honour it by gathering together groups on specific anniversary dates.

5. Someone with your name has committed or witnessed a crime - If it is the police who are looking for you, that might not be good news. Especially if they think that you have been involved in illegal activity.

6. A person with good memories of your past relationship wants to reminisce or reunite - Is there an old flame who thinks a lot about you even though you haven't seen each other for years? What about your best friend from school days?

7. It's a scam - A person or group of people might be pretending that they know you in order to build your trust and then take advantage of you.

If a person contacts you for any of the above reasons the best thing to do is move forward cautiously. Ask very good questions before you agree to answer theirs. Talk with wise friends or even consider hiring a professional to act as a liaison between you.

You see, unfortunately, not everyone who might be looking for you has the same values and honourable intentions as you might have.

On the other hand, once you are confident that the quest is legitimate, consider the fact that someone cared enough to look for you. This might even end up being the best thing that has happened to you in a long time!