IMPORTANT
!!!!!!!!!!!!!......... If you use a paid search / investigator, do not
pay any money up front, make sure they are licensed by the state and
get the license number,
S.C. state law required that an investigator licensed in S.C. to
provide a contract to the client that states total cost, time to complete,
information to be provided to the client, how often you will get a
follow-up, etc. We have recently been told of several
searchers/companies that people paid money to up front and did not get a
completed search. If you are interested in hiring a searcher,
please email us.
Get a Generic Email address such as Yahoo,
hotmail or Gmail. You may change your internet service provider
but these emails will not change. www.yahoo.com ,
www.hotmail.com or Gmail (contact
us for a gmail account - they are by invitation only)
Be sure that you check these email accounts regularly. Yahoo and
Hotmail will suspend the account if not checked. This is really
a help when you post to search sites, and your email is not the same if
someone is looking for you.
Start a notebook and keep record of
everyone you talked to, correspondence mailed, e-mail, etc. How to Tips
You are going to start making long
distance telephone calls, so make sure you have the best rates. The Registry can offer you long distance for as low as
2.7 cents a minute.
Get together all the papers that you might
have, adoption decree, your adopted birth certificate, and your
non-identifying information.
If your adoption went thru DSS, then there
is a registry that is with the state for this agency. There is a cost
for the registry but you can ask that it be waived. You will need to
contact DSS and ask them to provide you with a form. (this is only for
adoptions that went thru DSS)
If you do not have your non-identifying
information write for it from the agency or if you adoption went thru DSS
contact them (the wait time thru DSS for non-id could be as long as 2 years.
If you have a open communication with your
adoptive parents regarding search, let them share with you any information
that they know regarding your background.
If you decide to employ a professional
investigator/searcher - never pay money up front and get a no find no
fee guarantee . Always get
references from a professional and understand your contract
South Carolina law required a contact between a client and investigator.
A birth parent has the right to obtain the
delivery records from the hospital - so if you are unsure of the date
of birth, time or weight this is great alternative.
A birth parent should put a letter in the
adoption file at the at the agency or the state if handled by DSS.
This will speed up the search if the adoptee is searching.
If someone is helping you search without
charge, please send a SASE if you are asking for a reply, or accept a
collect call and reimburse them for charges, parking, copies, etc.
A lot of volunteers give their time and every little bit helps.
Keep a list of registry entries and advise
them when you have found.
If you are a birth parent you might
consider listing your maiden name in the telephone directory where the birth
occurred or when you were living at the time. The cost for doing
this is not that expensive and would help in trying to help an adoptee
locate you.
If you need additional search help,
we will be happy to discuss this with you.
NOTE: The
same area, when shown more than once, means that certain numbers have been
transferred from one State to another, or that an area has been divided for use
among certain geographic locations.
Any number beginning with 000 will NEVER be a valid SSN.
The information in the Social Security records about an individual is
confidential by law and cannot be disclosed except in certain very restricted
cases permitted by regulations. After an individual is
deceased you can obtain a copy of the Social Security Benefits and Copy of the
Application for a fee of $21.00 per request. -
