Let’s be honest—no one goes around yelling, “Hey, I’ve been arrested”. Most people will do anything to hide it, unless it’s something ridiculous enough to turn into a funny story.

But when time passes and you start catching weird vibes…a few prison jokes here, a sketchy message there, but no real explanation, you know it’s time to do a little digging. That’s when a mugshot search comes in.

I’ve researched and tested several platforms that help you find people’s mugshots online. Below, I’ll break down the best ones and how to use them.

1. ProFaceFinder – Most Affordable And Accurate

All you need is a photo—seriously, that’s it. And honestly? That makes ProFaceFinder even more accurate. If they gave you a fake name, it won’t matter. Are they using someone else’s pic? You’ll find out in seconds.

Here’s how to use it:

1. Download the photo you want to check.
2. Upload it to ProFaceFinder.
3. Pick a plan: just $5 for 2 deep scans, or $10 for 7.
4. Check the results—boom, done.

ProFaceFinder provides results from a wide range of public sources. If there’s a mugshot tied to that face, it’ll show up along with extra details from the original sources.

Maybe they casually admitted they’d been arrested and brushed it off like it was no big deal, but with ProFaceFinder, you can check the real story. What they called a “petty mistake” might turn out to be something serious.

Also, the person you’re looking up won’t be notified, and your uploaded photo will be deleted after the scan. Best part? It works globally. No matter where you or the person is from, ProFaceFinder will dig out dirt.

2. BustedNewspaper.com – Free and Very Reliable

Think of it as an open mugshot catalog. Unlike ProFaceFinder, which lets you search with a photo, BustedNewspaper works with names only, but you can also browse manually by location.

It’s super easy to navigate. Mugshots are sorted by state and county, and the newest ones appear right at the top. They’re updated regularly, so you’re likely to catch both old and new ones.

Click on any mugshot, and you’ll see detailed info like: name, age, birthdate, charges, race, location, and the exact date and time of the arrest. 

They might say they “just made a mistake”, but BustedNewspaper will show you if that “mistake” involved minors.

Now, since it’s free, there are a few downsides:

• It only covers U.S.-based mugshots.
• There are some ads, but not too many.
• The image quality can be low.

3. Google Search – Free & Surprisingly Useful

It’s not always a hit, but when Google works, it really nails it. The best part? You can search using both a name and an image, which increases your chances of finding a mugshot or other details about the person.

For name searches, just type their full name followed by keywords like “mugshot” or “criminal record”. For image searches, upload a clear photo that shows their full face. 

– Avoid full-body pics because Google might focus more on the background or outfit than the actual face. It’s not built specifically for mugshots, but since Google pulls from tons of public sources, you may hit the jackpot.

Say a local news site covers a recent robbery and includes the burglar’s name and photo. When you search for that person, Google will pull up that article, and boom! You’ve got your source and straight-up facts.

It’s free, fast, and a little too good at digging up people’s pasts. Basically the gossip queen of the internet.

4. Mugshots.com – Loaded With Details

This site is built around—you guessed it—mugshots. But it’s not just about looking up a random person; it offers 16 unique categories, including celebrities, gang members, FBI Most Wanted, missing persons, and terrorist suspects.

Categories like Missing Persons help raise awareness, while FBI Most Wanted and Terrorism are worth checking occasionally, just in case that “mysterious guy” you’ve been texting ends up being international news.

If someone told you only their first name, you can still browse by first initial or arrest year. Most entries focus on serious crimes like molestation, sexual assault, and child exploitation, so this platform isn’t exactly light reading.

What sets Mugshots.com apart is the amount of detail: you’ll often see tattoos, scars, aliases, and even release dates. And while it pulls info from external links for deeper details, their own database is fairly solid too.

There are a few catches: It only covers the U.S. Also, searching manually is free, but searching by name redirects you to BackgroundChecker.ai, which requires an account and payment.

Subscription plans include:

• $10 for a 3-day trial.
• $40/month for 10 reports per day.
• $59/month for unlimited reports.

Paid reports get you everything from social media handles to address history, phone numbers, court records, and even related people, which is useful if you’re trying to reconnect with a long-lost relative…family reunion, but FBI-style.

5. Local Police Department Websites – For Recent Arrests

If you’re looking for a very recent arrest, there’s a chance it hasn’t been added to major databases yet. In that case, your best bet is to visit local police department websites, but don’t stop there.

Some police departments skip websites altogether and post updates on Facebook instead. It’s often the fastest way they inform the community about recent crimes or arrests.

– Here’s what to do: Search for the city and state where the person was arrested, followed by “police department” or “mugshots”. From there, you can browse the department’s official site or Facebook page manually.

Here’s a Texas-based website and Facebook page I found that regularly posts mugshots:

Mugshots Aren’t the Full Story

Not every mugshot means someone’s guilty—people get arrested for all sorts of reasons, and some are even cleared later. Not to mention that not every criminal has been arrested.

But if you’re getting obvious red flags (dodgy stories, shady behavior, weird vibes), roll up your sleeves and investigate. Your safety is worth a little detective work.

– The cyberspace is the perfect place to hide criminal records! That’s because shady people can choose what they let on and what not, but there are clues you should consider, even over text:

• Keeping a lot of important secrets.
• Violent speech/tendencies.
• Pushy and very aggressive behavior.
• No social media presence (e.g., photos or friends).

In the end, trust your gut, but back it up with facts.