What to do if you find a missing person


Experience has told us that members of the public often report that they think they saw the missing person but were not sure. These tips tend to trickle in hours or days after the sighting, and take resources to track down. They are not useful.

If, as a member of the public, you would like to help, you must be proactive.

If you believe you have spotted the missing person:

  • check the alert posted on this web site.
  • follow the link to our alerting sources to check for updates.
  • talk to the person; ask them their name, or follow directions on the original alert.
  • if you are unsure, you can always take a photo.
  • call the number on the missing person alert post to report a sighting, being ready to quote the case number.