---
title: ToolRouter — Tool Detail
description: Detailed documentation for a ToolRouter tool including skills, parameters, and examples.
url: https://toolrouter.com/tools/people-search
---
# People Search

Find anyone online from an email, username, name, or phone number. deep_search cross-references identifiers, generates username variations, and scans 500+ sites. Individual skills offer focused lookups by email, username, name, or phone. Works globally.

- **Version:** 0.05
- **Categories:** search, data
- **Workflow:** deep_search → osint_search → search_by_email → search_by_username

## Skills (11)

### Deep Search (`deep_search`)

Multi-phase search taking any combination of identifiers. Cross-references all sources, scans 500+ sites, generates username variations, and enriches with web results. Best for hard-to-find people or building a complete profile from minimal starting info.

**Parameters:**

| Name | Type | Required | Description |
|------|------|----------|-------------|
| `name` | string | No | Full name (e.g. "Jane Smith"). Used to search GitHub, generate username variations, and web search. |
| `email` | string | No | Email address. Used for Gravatar, GitHub, DNS MX, breach checks, and cross-referencing. |
| `username` | string | No | Username to scan across 500+ sites and enrich with GitHub/Reddit profiles. |
| `phone` | string | No | Phone number in any format. Parsed for country detection and E.164 formatting. |

**Returns:** Comprehensive profile with social profiles across 500+ sites, platform enrichment, breach exposure, username variations, cross-referenced identifiers, and web mentions

**Examples:**

*Search with name and email:*

```json
{
  "name": "John Smith",
  "email": "john@example.com"
}
```

*Search with just a username:*

```json
{
  "username": "johndoe"
}
```

*Search with everything available:*

```json
{
  "name": "Jane Doe",
  "email": "jane@example.com",
  "username": "janedoe"
}
```

### Search by Email (`search_by_email`)

Search for a person by email address. Checks profile databases, developer platforms, email validity, and breach databases. Enriches with web search results when available.

**Parameters:**

| Name | Type | Required | Description |
|------|------|----------|-------------|
| `email` | string | Yes | Email address to search for |

**Returns:** Unified profile with avatar, social links, developer matches, email validation, breach exposure, and web mentions

**Examples:**

*Search by email address:*

```json
{
  "email": "user@example.com"
}
```

### Search by Username (`search_by_username`)

Search a username across 500+ websites and social platforms. Returns matching profiles categorized by type (social, coding, gaming, forums). Enriches with full profile data from developer and social platforms.

**Parameters:**

| Name | Type | Required | Description |
|------|------|----------|-------------|
| `username` | string | Yes | Username to search for (letters, numbers, dots, hyphens, underscores) |
| `depth` | string | No | Search depth: "quick" checks ~60 top sites, "standard" checks all 500+ sites (quick, standard) [default: "standard"] |

**Returns:** List of found profiles grouped by category, with enriched data from developer and social platforms

**Examples:**

*Comprehensive username search:*

```json
{
  "username": "johndoe"
}
```

*Quick search on top sites:*

```json
{
  "username": "johndoe",
  "depth": "quick"
}
```

### Search by Name (`search_by_name`)

Search for a person by name with optional location and company filters. Searches developer profiles and enriches with web search results including professional network matches.

**Parameters:**

| Name | Type | Required | Description |
|------|------|----------|-------------|
| `name` | string | Yes | Full name or partial name to search for |
| `location` | string | No | City, state, or country to narrow results (e.g. "San Francisco", "UK") |
| `company` | string | No | Company name to narrow results (e.g. "Google", "Microsoft") |

**Returns:** Developer profiles, web search results, and professional network matches for the given name

**Examples:**

*Search by full name:*

```json
{
  "name": "John Smith"
}
```

*Search with location and company:*

```json
{
  "name": "Jane Doe",
  "location": "San Francisco",
  "company": "Google"
}
```

### Search by Phone (`search_by_phone`)

Analyze a phone number to detect country, format in E.164, and search for web mentions. Supports international numbers with country code detection for 60+ countries.

**Parameters:**

| Name | Type | Required | Description |
|------|------|----------|-------------|
| `phone` | string | Yes | Phone number in any format (e.g. "+1-555-123-4567", "07700900123", "+44 20 7946 0958") |

**Returns:** Parsed phone details (country, E.164 format, digit count) and web mentions

**Examples:**

*US phone number:*

```json
{
  "phone": "+1-555-123-4567"
}
```

*UK phone number:*

```json
{
  "phone": "+44 20 7946 0958"
}
```

### Check Breaches (`check_breaches`)

Check if an email address or username has been exposed in known data breaches. Returns breach sources, dates, and types of exposed data fields.

**Parameters:**

| Name | Type | Required | Description |
|------|------|----------|-------------|
| `query` | string | Yes | Email address or username to check for breaches |

**Returns:** Breach status with source names, dates, and exposed field types

**Examples:**

*Check email for breaches:*

```json
{
  "query": "user@example.com"
}
```

*Check username for breaches:*

```json
{
  "query": "johndoe"
}
```

### OSINT Search (`osint_search`)

Investigative search running targeted queries in parallel across professional networks, resumes, social media, business records, news, forums, academic papers, and public documents. Best for people with minimal online presence.

**Parameters:**

| Name | Type | Required | Description |
|------|------|----------|-------------|
| `name` | string | No | Full name of the person to investigate (e.g. "Jane Smith") |
| `email` | string | No | Email address to trace across the web |
| `username` | string | No | Username to find real identity and other accounts |
| `phone` | string | No | Phone number to find where it appears publicly |
| `company` | string | No | Company name to narrow results (e.g. "Acme Corp", "Google") |
| `location` | string | No | City, state, or country to narrow results (e.g. "London", "New York") |

**Returns:** Categorized findings from targeted web searches: LinkedIn profiles, social accounts, resumes/documents with contact details, news mentions, business records, and forum posts

**Examples:**

*Investigate by name and company:*

```json
{
  "name": "Jane Smith",
  "company": "Acme Corp",
  "location": "London"
}
```

*Find real identity behind a username:*

```json
{
  "username": "janesmith_dev"
}
```

*Trace where an email appears publicly:*

```json
{
  "email": "jane@example.com",
  "name": "Jane Smith"
}
```

### Reverse Image Search (`search_by_photo`)

Find where a photo appears online. Searches the image URL across the web and provides direct links to Google Lens, TinEye, Yandex, and Bing. Use for identity verification or finding the source of a photo.

**Parameters:**

| Name | Type | Required | Description |
|------|------|----------|-------------|
| `image_url` | string | Yes | Direct URL to the image to reverse search (must be a publicly accessible http/https URL) |

**Returns:** Reverse search engine URLs (Google Lens, TinEye, Yandex, Bing), web pages containing the image, and visual matches

**Examples:**

*Reverse search a profile photo:*

```json
{
  "image_url": "https://example.com/profile.jpg"
}
```

### Business Records Search (`search_business_records`)

Search corporate registrations for directorships, officer appointments, SEC filings, and business associations. Covers UK Companies House, US SEC EDGAR, and OpenCorporates (170+ jurisdictions).

**Parameters:**

| Name | Type | Required | Description |
|------|------|----------|-------------|
| `name` | string | Yes | Full name of the person to search for in business records |
| `country` | string | No | Country to focus search: "uk", "us", or "all" (default: all) (uk, us, all) [default: "all"] |
| `company` | string | No | Company name to narrow results (e.g. "Acme Corp") |

**Returns:** SEC EDGAR filings, UK Companies House directorships, OpenCorporates records, and business web mentions

**Examples:**

*Search business records globally:*

```json
{
  "name": "Elon Musk"
}
```

*Search UK company records:*

```json
{
  "name": "Jane Smith",
  "country": "uk"
}
```

### Court Records Search (`search_court_records`)

Search court cases, legal filings, and criminal records. Queries CourtListener RECAP archive (US federal and state courts) plus web search for broader court records and legal proceedings.

**Parameters:**

| Name | Type | Required | Description |
|------|------|----------|-------------|
| `name` | string | Yes | Full name of the person to search in court records |
| `jurisdiction` | string | No | State or jurisdiction to narrow results (e.g. "California", "New York", "Federal") |

**Returns:** CourtListener case records, court filing web results, and criminal record web results

**Examples:**

*Search all court records:*

```json
{
  "name": "John Smith"
}
```

*Search in specific jurisdiction:*

```json
{
  "name": "Jane Doe",
  "jurisdiction": "California"
}
```

### Social Media Deep Dive (`search_social_media`)

Search 10 major platforms by real name to find profiles, posts, and mentions on LinkedIn, Twitter/X, Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, YouTube, Reddit, GitHub, Medium/Substack, and Pinterest/Tumblr. Finds accounts even when usernames differ from the real name.

**Parameters:**

| Name | Type | Required | Description |
|------|------|----------|-------------|
| `name` | string | No | Full name to search across social platforms |
| `username` | string | No | Known username to include in searches |
| `location` | string | No | City or country to narrow results (e.g. "London", "USA") |

**Returns:** Profiles found on each platform with URLs, grouped by platform, plus a unified list of all discovered profile URLs

**Examples:**

*Find social profiles by name:*

```json
{
  "name": "Jane Smith",
  "location": "London"
}
```

*Find profiles by name and username:*

```json
{
  "name": "John Smith",
  "username": "johnsmith"
}
```

## Quick Start

```bash
# Via CLI
TOOLROUTER_API_KEY=tr_live_xxx npx -y toolrouter-mcp call people-search deep_search --name John Smith --email john@example.com

# Via REST API
curl -H "Authorization: Bearer tr_live_xxx" \
     -d '{"tool":"people-search","skill":"deep_search","input":{"name":"John Smith","email":"john@example.com"}}' \
     https://api.toolrouter.com/v1/tools/call
```

## Frequently Asked Questions

### Can I start with just an email, username, or phone number?

Yes. `deep_search` cross-references any combination of name, email, username, and phone, and scans 500+ sites to build a fuller profile.

### How is username search different from the deep search?

`search_by_username` focuses on one handle across 500+ sites and lets you choose a faster `quick` pass or a full `standard` pass.

### Can I narrow a name search by location or company?

Yes. `search_by_name` accepts location and company filters, and `osint_search` expands into LinkedIn, resumes, news, forums, academic papers, and public documents.

### Can it check breaches or other public records too?

Yes. `check_breaches` looks for email or username exposure, `search_social_media` scans 10 major platforms, and `search_business_records` and `search_court_records` add corporate and court context.

---

## Get Started with ToolRouter

**Already connected?** Call any tool with `use_tool({ tool, skill, input })`. Browse tools with `discover` or visit https://toolrouter.com/llms-full.txt

**New to ToolRouter?** Connect with one command (no API key needed — auto-provisions on first use):

```bash
# MCP (Claude Code, Codex CLI)
claude mcp add toolrouter -- npx -y toolrouter-mcp

# MCP (Cursor, Windsurf, Cline, VS Code, Gemini CLI, Claude Desktop)
{"mcpServers":{"toolrouter":{"command":"npx","args":["-y","toolrouter-mcp"]}}}

# Claude Chat / Claude Cowork / Claude Mobile — add as a connector:
# Settings → Connectors → Add custom connector → URL: https://api.toolrouter.com/mcp

# ChatGPT — add as an app:
# Settings → Apps → Advanced settings → enable Developer mode → Create app → MCP Server URL: https://api.toolrouter.com/mcp

# CLI (works instantly, no restart needed)
npx -y toolrouter-mcp tools                    # browse all tools
npx -y toolrouter-mcp search "seo"             # search by keyword
npx -y toolrouter-mcp call seo analyze_page --url https://example.com
```

Free tools work immediately. For paid tools, visit https://toolrouter.com/claim to add credits.

All platforms: https://toolrouter.com/connect | Full catalog: https://toolrouter.com/llms-full.txt | Docs: https://toolrouter.com/docs