A checklist for verifying a contact claim

This checklist helps organize a contact claim; it does not let a family independently certify identity or replace an official process. Use it to prepare a clear handoff to the responsible authority or suitable caseworker.

Record the source

Write down who contacted you, through which channel, and when. Explain whether you already knew the person or whether the contact was unexpected. Keep the original message available privately for appropriate review.

Distinguish “the person contacted us directly” from “someone says they know where the person is.” They require different follow-up.

Prepare the main questions

• What exactly is being claimed?
• What is the source of that knowledge?
• Has a responsible authority or caseworker been informed?
• Is the person said to need urgent assistance?
• Is the caller requesting money, documents, secrecy, or travel?
• What independent contact route is available?

Do not post the answers publicly. Do not pressure a vulnerable person to prove themselves in a video broadcast or reveal a private address.

Record the outcome narrowly

An acknowledged message is not verified contact. A possible identification is not necessarily a completed safe reunion. Note the actual conclusion supplied by the responsible professional and the next agreed step.

If the claim remains unresolved, keep that uncertainty in family updates. When contact is established, agree on what can be shared, who should be notified, and how public appeals should be updated. Verification should lead to a safe process, not simply to a confident announcement.