Searchers: Paid vs. Volunteer
Buyer, beware. Absolutely. At present time enlisting the assistance of individuals who help people search for biological family is like buying a used, pardon me, a previously owned vehicle. As you know the vehicle can work like a dream or it can suck the last nickel out of owner. If you are in the position to actively search be sure to do your homework before acquiring a searcher to help you. Similar to the used car scenario, regardless of whether searchers are paid or unpaid, they can be really good, or not good at all.
I understand there is a lot of information out there on the internet and a lot to absorb. I understand you have been waiting an entire lifetime to search and your level of anxiousness to begin searching is off the charts..I get it! But you still have to be careful, finding a dependable and trust worthy searcher can be overwhelming and tedious! Not to mention, if you don't know what you are looking for in a searcher and don't understand what comes with the territory you could stand to lose a lot of money, or you can become so incredibly frustrated and upset with a searcher who doesn't know what they the are doing it leaves you with a very bad taste in your mouth. On another page we discuss the various stages of search, now let's distinguish the different types of searchers out there.
Private Investigators
Private investigators are licensed professionals who are required by State law to take tests and maintain their license and act within the scope of law provided by their State's law.
PI's are usually known to work independently and fees are typically hourly based without regard if they are successful at locating any biological family. The advantage is, they are highly skilled at tracking and monitoring people and of course locating them, however, it's an entirely different program locating a woman working off her maiden name that probably changed when she married back in the 1970s!
Disadvantage: With regard to the above scenario which is quite common for adoptees, you don't want to pay a PI $75 an hour to scour state birth indexes across the nation, SSI death index, or US Census for your possible grandparents between 1900 and 1940. And I highly doubt that PI's will be searching for birth mother's possible wedding announcements or her parent's obituaries for your mother's name. But searchers, or non-licensed people may.
Volunteer Searchers
...a/k/a "search angels" (SAs) is usually the way to go. The most obviously is that it won't cost anything monetarily. SAs are typically adoptees or birth mothers who became somewhat of an investigative expert originally beginning with their own search for biological family. Typically what occurs is that once an adoptee goes through the experience of searching extensively they usually turn around and begin helping other adoptees do the same...paying it forward if you will.
SAs have many upsides. Largely, they are empathetic to adoptees because they are an adoptee or birth mother and they understand fully the position a searching adoptee searching is in. SA's are also passionate, tenacious, have hands on experience, and will coach the adoptee along this leg of the journey as he/she treks into uncharted territory.
SAs aren't without a down side. The most obvious down side is skill. Because SAs gain "on the job" education and experience, skill level for searching can vary considerably from SA to SA. Additional dynamics to be aware of is that many SAs are human, they likely have full-time jobs, families, and life activities. Meaning that, although the adoptee may be in full-throttle search mode, the SA's primary attention may be on personal matters leaving the adoptee's quest to be secondary.
The other down side is, not every SA is in it with the adoptee interests first. Unfortunately there is a growing competitive trend amongst SAs to see who achieves the most finds. Sometimes there's nothing wrong with the zest of competition, but not at the expense of an adoptee. SAs of this nature have a tendency to push adoptees to move at a faster pace then they are ready to. Searching is not an event, it's a process. And a very very big process. Adoptee must be allowed to go at their own pace at all phases of searching. And above all, adoptees should never never never be pushed or even nudged to make contact with their birth mother. Making initial contact with birth family for the adoptee is an immense step, and one that should always be left up to the adoptee to make and never the search angel.
Paid Searchers
Are typically non-licensed individuals or groups who assist people search for biological family. Paid searchers don't have any specialized formal training to search for people who are off the radar, they typically learn from "on the job training" and is why searchers vary in skill level.
Paid searchers will have a fee structure and can vary from searcher to searcher. With paid searchers expect a non-refundable consult fee and if you decide to move forward with them anticipate a retainer fee. Additionally, don't rule out hourly rates after the retainer has melted away. And don't be shocked if fees are in the thousands of dollars and the cost is not contingent on finding the person(s) you are in search of.
Although far and few between, there are searchers who have a "No find, no fee" rule. A great rule, but good luck at finding this type of searcher.
RIARG is not criticizing paid searchers, conceptually. It's typically the merit in which they conduct themselves in. For many paid searchers, integrity becomes arbitrary and the mighty dollar becomes more important than the individual they are assisting.