Find mugshots free online and have them taken down. If your arrest records or mugshots are on online databases, they could be doing damage to your digital reputation.
Anyone who has been arrested faces the issue of having their personal information, public record, arrest records, and mugshots online and accessible to whoever wants to find them. When this information appears in Google search results, it could cause damage to your personal or professional reputation.
This can make it difficult to do anything from trying out online dating to getting a new job or growing a business you’ve put your heart and soul into.
Online mugshot websites proudly display recent mugshot images for anyone and everyone to access. If someone is able to find mugshots of you, it can destroy that stellar first impression you want to make. Add to that the negative impact that arrest records and mugshots could have on your dating, employment, and housing opportunities, and it becomes clear why you need to remove your mugshots online.
Today, people can find information on any topic you can imagine, including your arrest records and criminal history.
First, it’s easy to Google someone’s name and add “arrest” or “mugshot” to the search. Second, data broker websites and mugshot websites list all sorts of personal information. That includes your address, social media accounts, criminal history, and even financial information. As long as the user is willing to spend around $10 to get information on you, it can be in their hands in seconds.
In this article, we’ll explain how to find mugshots so you can have them removed or suppressed in order to save your online reputation.
If you need help finding mugshots immediately, fill out the form below to contact us.
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Why Can People Find Mugshots of Me So Easily?
Years ago, you might have had to walk into your local county clerk’s office or law enforcement agency to look at someone’s arrest records or their court record. In many cases, you had to pay a physical visit to the clerk, sheriff’s office or police department to conduct a background check or to search for jail records, convicted individuals or mugshots.
Today, though, you don’t even need to leave the couch to conduct that type of research. Gone are the days when you needed to visit a law enforcement agency to gain access to personal documents.
A quick internet search is all a user needs to conduct a background check, potentially revealing embarrassing information that can harm your reputation as well as interfere with your ability to find employment, rent a house or take out a loan.
Here are two of the biggest reasons why it’s so easy to find mugshots and other sensitive information online.
Popular Websites Help People Find Mugshots
Websites that specialize in posting personal information and publish mugshots have taken off in popularity in recent years. In some cases, public entities operate these websites, while others are privately owned and operated.
Celebrity mugshots have become a popular addition to the web, giving fans from around the world access to find mugshots of their favorite movie or television actors.
Users can search millions of records using all sorts of parameters, like:
- Criminal activity
- First and last name
- Location
- Prison records
- When an arrest occurred
All it takes is a few clicks of the mouse to find mugshots and all sorts of other personal information.
Law Enforcement Agencies Post Your Public Records
Law enforcement agencies and public records clearinghouses may have to post your mugshot online, along with arrest and criminal details, including damaging personal information. There are even inmate locator sites, often associated with state or county corrections websites, where anyone who is facing criminal charges may appear. Again, these unflattering images may be part of the public record, and many law enforcement agencies don’t have a choice about whether or not to post them.
Law enforcement entities, such as your local police department or sheriff’s office, are often required by municipal, county or state laws to make their records public. Along with mugshots, other public records information online includes:
- The name of the person arrested and for what crime
- The bond amount of the arrested person
- Date of birth of the arrested individual
- Location of the sheriff’s office or police station where the individual is being held
On the federal level, the U.S. State Department typically does not post information about those arrested for a crime. In fact, the government often supports initiatives to protect individual privacy. Still, laws in effect on the state level can allow anyone with web access to search for details on others and find mugshots, potentially violating their right to privacy.
Laws Vary by State
Every state has its own laws regarding access to mugshots. For example, when it comes to free mugshots, Ohio makes it as easy as possible. You can view and obtain Ohio mugshots for free, but you may need to make your request in writing in other states.
Another government entity that may post this type of information and host mugshots is an agency tasked with managing the state sex offender registry. Sex offenders typically have a wide range of details available about them on the sex offender registry websites operated by local or state governments.
How To Find Mugshots Free and Remove Them
After working in content removal for more than ten years, we have perfected the art of digital content removal. We quickly find both county and state records — including mugshots — and help you remove these images from the web for good.
Here are a few steps you can take on your own, but keep in mind that working with an experienced online reputation management company is the best way to ensure negative information gets suppressed so people can’t find mugshots of you any longer. Contact us today at 844-461-3632 to speak with an expert.
Start With a Basic Google Search
Are you wondering where you can find mugshots for free to start the process of cleaning up your online reputation?
Your first step should be to Google your name. If you aren’t able to find mugshots, your court record, or arrest records online in the top results, search for something like “[your name] + arrest” or “[your name] + mugshot” to see if that brings up more targeted results.
Anyone can do this sort of basic mugshot search, and you may be able to find arrest records and mugshots in a matter of seconds this way, especially if your local sheriff’s office or police department has them accessible online.
However, know that it may be difficult to find your criminal record or mugshot with a basic online search if you have a common name. In that case, add the location where the arrest took place, like this: [your name] arrest [city, state]
You can also find criminal records using other identifying information, like the location of the arrest or your birth date. Police departments typically include this information with arrest details, and it makes your search easier if you have a common name.
Keep Track of the Results
Once you find a few internet resources featuring your mugshot online and other arrest details, create a spreadsheet to keep track of all the web pages where your information occurs. This will make the process of requesting mugshot removal easier and more streamlined.
What you don’t want to do is continue to search for your personal information online and click the same sites over and over because you didn’t keep a running list. All of that engagement can signal to Google that those results are popular, which will make it more difficult to suppress that negative content when it’s time to.
Contact Website Owners to Remove Your Mugshots
Once you create your spreadsheet, get in touch with every website where you were able to find a mugshot. Use a tool like DomainTools or ICANN WHOIS to locate the contact information of each website owner.
This procedure can be extremely time-consuming and frustrating, as these websites are not obligated to remove your mugshots, criminal records or public records. In fact, without a compelling legal reason to do so, many website owners will not even entertain removal requests. Still, it is imperative that you make a request.
Alternatively, you can work with removal experts who will find your mugshots and contact official websites and private websites on your behalf. Call us today at 844-461-3632 to discuss your options, and read more about these services below.
Use Online Reputation Management Services to Suppress Negative Content
Ultimately, arrest records and inmate records, including mugshots, are free public information available on the web. Anyone can search for this information. A mugshot search takes only seconds and can reveal details that harm your digital reputation.
When you’re unable to have mugshots and other types of records removed, the next best strategy is to suppress those negative results. ORM specialists are able to create online platforms, like websites and social media profiles, where fresh content can be regularly published about you.
Over time and by using the right SEO and content marketing strategies, you can push those negative results down, including those on local news websites, so they’re not found nearly as easily as before.
FAQ About Mugshots and Public Records Online
Is publishing arrest records legal?
Unfortunately, yes. There aren’t laws that prevent websites from publishing your arrest information or helping people find mugshots. This allows anyone to find your mugshots online for free. While some local and state governments have outlawed the practice for private website owners, these laws are rare.
In most cases, the government in your town, city or state has a legal obligation to post public records. Many mugshot sites are organized by county or town records, too. This makes it even easier to search an online database containing mugshots and many other public pieces of information.
Do employers look for arrest records and public records?
Most employers search for publicly available information during the hiring process.
Why? Because searching for a mugshot on a website is a completely free and quick method to get information about anyone. It means that employers can find the information they want without waiting for a background check to clear. Most formal criminal checks cost money and may take days or weeks to be completed. And though most sites have disclaimers that the records can’t be used during the hiring process, that doesn’t stop employers from doing exactly that.
This is comparable to a potential employer looking you up on Facebook or other social media platforms. If information about you is out there, you can be assured that a potential employer will find it.
It’s hard to defend yourself once an employer finds arrest information or your mugshots online. This is exactly the type of situation in which your past mistakes can come back to haunt you and negatively impact your future.
Are mugshots ever deleted?
Unless you actively seek to have mugshots removed from online databases, they’re likely to stay up and accessible indefinitely. People search websites host an enormous amount of personal data, and the people who run those sites don’t necessarily remove information and mugshots once they’re posted, even if the data is outdated or incorrect.
How do I remove mugshots from Google Search?
While you can request that Google remove a mugshot if there’s a privacy issue, it’s not common for Google to take down information that’s part of the public domain. The best way to have your mugshots removed from Google Search is to have them removed from the source. That means contacting the people search websites that post the information and asking that they remove it. Once the information is taken down, you can contact Google to ask that they update search results to match what’s actually available online.
Find Mugshots With Net Reputation
NetReputation has removed or suppressed online criminal records for over a decade, delivering satisfying results for thousands of clients. We offer a 100% money-back guarantee in case we’re not able to deliver the results you’re after.
The experts at NetReputation use a reliable process to get rid of unwanted online content. That way, nobody will be able to find mugshots of you again. We’re here to help you restore the reputation that means so much to you and your business prospects.
Contact us today at 844-461-3632 or fill out the form below for a free consultation.
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by Net Reputation