How can I find out the identiy of a person? He gave me his passport #?

Question

I have been chatting with him for 8 months. I am very interested in him, but I am having doubts that this person is not the person he says he is. He gave me his passport # and told me to look him up. Does anyone know a free website where I can enter his passport # and find out who he is? Is there a phone # I can call to get this information. He is in somekind of serious trouble and has asked me to contact the Irish Embassy and tell them about him so that they can help him to get out of Nigeria where he is working. His name is Brett Liebb. If you know him, tell me if he is a legitmate person or has he stolen someones identity. I started doubting him when he asked for money for help to get out. I think he is a fake and has probably pulled this scam on several women. He states he has 2 daughters and wife was killed in a car crash. Says he lives in Greenville, Michagan. If you know Brett Liebb and he has told you the same story and asked you for money too, please contact me.

Answer 1

Federal regulations and privacy laws prohibit you from legally obtaining the information you are requesting.  Aside from that, you are being scammed.  Can you really imagine ever sending someone YOUR passport number and telling them that they can check you out?  It is a blind - they know you can't get anywhere with it.

Still not convinced?  If Brett is in contact with you, why can't he simply contact the Irish embassy on his own?  Their website offers the following contact information:

Diplomatic and Consular Information for Nigeria

EMBASSY: Embassy of Ireland, Plot 415 ***** Crescent, Maitama District, Abuja

Telephone:[phone], Fax: [phone]. Ambassador His Excellency Joe Lynch

HONORARY CONSUL: R.C. Irving & Co. Ltd., 3-5, Sinari Daranijo Street, Victoria Island Annex, P.O. Box 7272, Lagos Telephone: [phone], Fax: [phone].

Honorary Consul Francis Cecil Quinn

If you were to contact the embassy on Brett's behalf, they would simply groan, knowing that there is yet another time wasting scam on their hands.

If you are dead set on giving your money away in Africa, send it to a reputable children's fund.

Answer 2

There is absolutely no service that will allow you to do this. It is highly confidential information.

You do know about the email scams that come out of Nigeria, don't you -  if not put Nigeria email scams into google.

If you really must do something, copy all his emails, and send it with a covering letter including the passport number to the Secretary of State, Washington DC. If they want, they will look into it.

I wouldn't hold your breath.

If he has asked you for any money, it has to be a scam.

Added: If you know how to read email headers, find the IP address of his outgoing computer and ask someone to see what country it is coming from.

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