There are several ways to get back in touch with a lost love or a long lost friend. If you don't know where the person lives, their current surname, and you forgot their contact information, it can seem very difficult to find the person. Here are a few pointers that should help you start your search.
First, use the person's first and last name to perform a simple Google search. You may find that your old flame has a whole website complete with his or her own domain name. Starting with a Google search, or any other search engine, could possibly save you a lot of time and frustration. If your search engine search doesn't turn up any useful information, then there are other steps you can take.
You can go to the main page of the larger email providers such as Hotmail, Aol or Yahoo, to name only a few, and see if the website will allow you to search for an email account by first and last name. If the person you are searching for has an email account with one of those email clients and registered for that account with their first and last name- then you should be able to find their email address. Unfortunately, some people do not sign up for email accounts using their real or full names out of concern for their privacy and security.
One more thing you can try on your own is to do an internet search for the high school your lost love or friend attended. Many high schools have their own websites now, and you might be able to get in touch with the class's reunion committee. While you may be able to find out how to contact the person through more direct means this way, the committee may not have a current email address. Some of the websites that specialize in reuniting high school students might be a good place to look, although you'll likely have to pay for a membership to get any information, and if the person hasn't also registered, this could also be a dead end.
If none of these options provide you with the email address you're looking for, a better option may be to contact and online business that specializes in retrieving contact information. These websites can provide all kinds of information, from current contact information to background checks. You may be able to get some information from a free search, but you generally have to pay small fee for contact information. As another option, you can also pay a bit more for a membership and have an unlimited amount of information at your fingertips.
If you decide to contact one of these companies, the more information you can provide to them, the better. If you remember the person's full name, birth date, their parents' names, and the town where you last knew they resided, you are more likely to find the information about the specific person you are looking for.