Every year, more than 600,000 people are reported missing in the United States. Many cases go unsolved simply because witnesses don't know how to report what they've seen — or assume someone else already has.

If you believe you've spotted a missing person, your report could be the lead that brings them home. Here's exactly what to do.

Step 1: Don't Approach — Observe Safely

Your safety comes first. Do not approach the person or confront anyone who may be with them. Instead, note as many details as possible from a safe distance:

  • Physical description — height, build, hair color, distinguishing features
  • Clothing — colors, logos, footwear
  • Location — exact address or cross-streets, business name if applicable
  • Time — when you saw them
  • Direction of travel — on foot, in a vehicle (note make, model, color, plate if possible)
  • Who they were with — alone, or with others (describe)

Take a photo if you can do so safely and discreetly. Do not put yourself at risk.

Step 2: Call 911 Immediately for Active Emergencies

If you believe the person is in immediate danger — showing signs of distress, being held against their will, or in a medical emergency — call 911 right away. Give the dispatcher your exact location and everything you observed.

For non-emergency sightings (you saw someone who matches a missing person's description, but they appeared safe), you can contact the local non-emergency police line. Search "[your city] police non-emergency number."

Step 3: Report to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC)

NCMEC operates the national missing persons database and coordinates with law enforcement across the country. You can submit a tip online at missingkids.org or call their 24/7 hotline at 1-800-THE-LOST (1-800-843-5678).

NCMEC tip submissions are forwarded directly to the investigating agency for the case. Include as much detail as possible — even partial information helps investigators narrow their search.

Step 4: Contact the Investigating Agency Directly

Each missing persons case has a specific law enforcement agency handling the investigation. If you know which agency filed the report, contact them directly — they have the most complete case file and can act fastest on new leads.

Agency contact information is often listed on the NCMEC case page or the person's entry in state databases like the FindThem state directory.

Step 5: Submit a Sighting Report on FindThem

FindThem collects community sighting reports and routes them to the relevant agency contacts on file. You can submit anonymously — no account required, no personal information collected.

The process takes under 60 seconds:

  1. Find the missing person's case in our state directory or search by name in the FindThem app
  2. Tap the orange "Seen this person? Report a Sighting" button
  3. Your GPS location is captured automatically
  4. Add any notes about what you observed
  5. Submit — your report is sent to the case's agency contacts

Not sure which case it matches? You can submit a general sighting report and our team will follow up with investigators.

What Happens After You Report

Law enforcement takes every credible sighting tip seriously. After you submit:

  • The investigating agency is notified with your location data and notes
  • Investigators may attempt to follow up if contact information is provided (optional)
  • Your tip is cross-referenced with other sightings to identify patterns

You don't need to wait for confirmation that your tip "mattered." Submit what you saw and let investigators determine relevance. A tip you think is minor may be the one that breaks a case open.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Don't wait. The first 24–48 hours after a sighting are most critical. Report immediately, not when you get home or "have time."

Don't assume someone else reported it. Multiple independent reports from the same area actually help investigators — they corroborate each other and establish patterns.

Don't post to social media before reporting to authorities. Sharing photos publicly can tip off people involved in a disappearance. Report through official channels first; post after.

Don't discard "uncertain" observations. If you're not sure whether it was the same person, report it anyway and note your uncertainty. Investigators would rather evaluate ten uncertain leads than miss one real one.

Start Here: Browse Missing Persons Near You

Before you can report a sighting, you need to know who's missing in your area. FindThem aggregates 2,100+ active cases from NCMEC, WI DOJ, TX DPS, NamUs, and the Charley Project — all searchable by state.

Browse missing persons in your state →

You can also enable proximity alerts in the FindThem app to be notified when you're near a location where a missing person was last seen.

Every sighting report helps. If you've seen someone — report it now.