1.
HOW DO I FIND MY MOM?
FOLLOW THESE EASY STEPS

2.
Mother’s Day is
approaching. But if
you have lost
touch with your
mom, or never
knew her at all, we
don’t have to
remind you.

3.
This is a
parIcularly
difficult 6me of
year for anyone
who doesn’t have
a rela6onship with
their mother.

4.
But if you’re ready
to reach out to her,
Instant Checkmate
can help.

5.
STEP 1:
WHY DO I WANT TO FIND MY MOM?
The first thing you need to do is ask yourself why
you want to find your mom.

6.
STEP 1:
WHY DO I WANT TO FIND MY MOM?
The first thing you need to do is ask yourself why
you want to find your mom.
Be honest with yourself about what you hope to
get out of the experience.

7.
Everyone has a
different story, but
there’s a lot you
can gain by
reconnecIng with
your mom.

8.
You can ask her about the following things:
• Family members you’ve never met
• Family history and medical informaIon
you may need to know
• Why your mom leO in the first place

9.
Even if you aren’t
quite ready to
reach out, we can
help you find
informaIon so that
eventually, you can.

10.
STEP 1: Gather
What You Know
Your mom’s name,
the city she was
last living in, the
city you were born
in, and her age.

11.
STEP 1: Gather
What You Know
Even if you don’t
know her name, or
where she is now,
start with the
informaIon on your
birth cerIficate.

12.
If you were adopted,
there are a few extra steps to take:
• Talk to your adop6ve parents and ask
what they know about your mom.
• Join a reunion registry, like AdopIon
Registry Connect.

13.
If you were adopted,
there are a few extra steps to take:
• Contact the adop6on agency or
aRorney that handled your adopIon.
Even if it was a closed adopIon, they
may be able to release non-idenIfying
informaIon that can help your search.

14.
STEP 2:
RUN A BACKGROUND CHECK
Once you have a name, you can run an Instant
Checkmate background check to find more
informaIon about your mom.

15.
STEP 2:
RUN A BACKGROUND CHECK
An Instant Checkmate membership comes with
unlimited searches, so you can look up as many
reports as you want.

16.
STEP 3: Narrow
Down Your Search
If you just can’t
seem to find your
mom, try searching
other family
members or
friends that might
know your mom.

17.
STEP 3: Narrow
Down Your Search
A good start
could be your
father’s name, or
even your own!

18.
STEP 3: Narrow
Down Your Search
When you search
your own name,
take a look at the
potenIal relaIves. If
you see any
unfamiliar names,
pull a background
report…

19.
It could be your mom.

20.
Searching for
informaIon on
Instant Checkmate
is completely
anonymous.

21.
Your mom, or
anyone else you
look for, will have
no idea that you
searched for them.

22.
This privacy means
that when you’ve
found your mom,
you’ll be the one
who decides
whether or not to
contact her.

23.
STEP 4:
REACH OUT TO YOUR MOM
So, you found your mom on Instant Checkmate.
Now what?

24.
STEP 4:
REACH OUT TO YOUR MOM
There are a few different ways you can
approach your first contact.
What matters most is that you’re
comfortable taking the next step.

25.
Even if you
found her
address, test
the waters
first with an
email or
phone call.

26.
Make sure it’s
clear why you’re
reaching out.
Do you want to
start a
relationship?
Or do you just
want to ask
about your
medical history?

27.
AN ABSENT PARENT DOESN’T
HAVE TO BE ABSENT FOREVER
A background check can help you
find the informaIon you need.
www.instantcheckmate.com

28.
DISCLAIMER: It is PROHIBITED by law to use our service or the
informaIon it provides to make decisions about consumer credit,
employment, insurance, tenant screening, or for any other purpose subject to
the Fair Credit ReporIng Act, 15 USC 1681 et seq. Instant Checkmate does
not provide consumer reports and is not a consumer reporIng agency. The
informaIon available on our website may not be 100% accurate, complete,
or up to date, so do not use this informaIon as a subsItute for your own
due diligence, especially if you have concerns about a person’s criminal
history. Instant Checkmate does not make any representaIon or warranty
about the accuracy of the informaIon available through our website or about
the character or integrity of the person about whom you inquire. For more
informaIon, please review Instant Checkmate Terms of Use.