What to Do If Someone You Know Goes Missing

When someone you know goes missing, the first few minutes and hours can feel overwhelming.

You may not know whether to call someone, wait a little longer, check nearby places, post online, or contact police. In that moment, it is easy to freeze or panic.

The most important thing is this:

If you believe someone is missing, in danger, or cannot be safely located, contact law enforcement right away.

You do not have to wait 24 hours to report someone missing. If there is immediate danger, call 911. For a missing child, the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children says to immediately call your local law enforcement agency, and after reporting to law enforcement, call NCMEC at 1-800-THE-LOST / 1-800-843-5678.

1. Contact law enforcement first

If someone is missing and you are concerned for their safety, start with law enforcement.

Call 911 if there is immediate danger, a child is missing, the person may be injured, the disappearance is suspicious, the person has a medical condition, or there is any reason to believe they cannot safely care for themselves.

When you contact law enforcement, be ready to provide as much information as possible, including:

• Full name
• Age and date of birth
• Recent photo
• Height and weight
• Clothing last seen wearing
• Last known location
• Time and date last seen
• Vehicle information, if relevant
• Phone number and social media accounts
• Medical conditions or safety concerns
• Any people they may have been with
• Any places they may go

For missing children, NCMEC also recommends having identifying details ready, including physical description and unique identifiers such as glasses, braces, piercings, tattoos, or other key attributes.

2. Search immediate safe areas

If the person may still be nearby, check places where they could reasonably be found.

For a missing child at home, NCMEC recommends searching places like closets, piles of laundry, in and under beds, large appliances, vehicles, trunks, and anywhere else a child may hide or crawl.

For adults, check practical locations too:

• Their room or home
• Nearby streets or parking lots
• Work or school
• Friends’ homes
• Hospitals
• Usual walking routes
• Favorite stores or public places
• Recent rideshare, transit, or vehicle locations

Do not put yourself in danger while searching. If something feels unsafe, wait for law enforcement.

3. Preserve information that may help

Try not to delete, edit, or disturb anything that could help investigators.

Helpful information may include:

• Text messages
• Call logs
• Voicemails
• Social media messages
• Recent posts
• Location-sharing history
• Email activity
• Photos or videos
• Vehicle details
• Notes about recent behavior
• Names of people they were last with

Write down a simple timeline:

When were they last seen? Who saw them? Where were they? What were they wearing? What happened next?

Even small details can matter later.

4. Ask for a case number and point of contact

After filing a report, ask for:

• The agency name
• Case number
• Officer or detective name
• Contact number
• Instructions for submitting tips or updates

This helps keep communication organized and gives you official information to include when sharing a flyer.

5. Create and share a clear missing-person flyer

A missing-person flyer should be simple, readable, and source-connected.

Include:

• Name
• Age
• Recent clear photo
• Last seen date
• Last seen city/state
• Clothing last seen wearing, if known
• Physical description
• Agency contact information
• Case number, if available
• Official source link, if available

Avoid adding rumors, theories, accusations, or unverified details. The flyer should help people recognize the person and know where to send information.

That is one reason CaseTrace exists: to help missing-person flyers stay easier to find, easier to share, and connected to available source information.

Share the flyer. Check the source. Avoid rumors.

6. Share responsibly on social media

Social media can help spread awareness quickly, but it can also spread misinformation just as fast.

When posting online:

• Share the official flyer or a source-connected flyer page
• Include the law enforcement contact
• Ask people not to post tips publicly
• Avoid naming suspects unless law enforcement has done so
• Avoid theories or speculation
• Update posts if the person is found or the case changes
• Remove outdated information when needed

A good post is simple:

“Please share for awareness. If you have information, contact the agency listed in the flyer. Please avoid rumors or speculation.”

7. Contact national resources when appropriate

For missing children in the United States, after reporting to law enforcement, contact the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children at 1-800-THE-LOST / 1-800-843-5678.

For missing persons cases, NamUs can also be an important national resource. NamUs describes itself as a national centralized repository and resource center for missing, unidentified, and unclaimed persons cases across the United States.

NamUs also provides tools for family members of missing persons to enter and search case information and connect with criminal justice professionals.

8. Keep a record of everything

Start a simple document or notebook.

Track:

• Dates and times
• Who you spoke with
• Case number
• Officer or detective contact
• Search areas checked
• Flyers posted
• Social media groups contacted
• News outlets contacted
• Any tips received
• Any updates from law enforcement

Do not rely only on memory during a stressful situation.

9. Be careful with online comments and messages

When a missing-person case is shared publicly, people may send tips, rumors, screenshots, or opinions.

Take information seriously, but do not investigate dangerous leads on your own. Forward possible tips to law enforcement.

Do not publicly accuse people. Do not post private addresses. Do not encourage harassment. Do not turn the case into speculation.

The goal is visibility, not chaos.

10. Keep the person visible

Some missing-person cases receive major attention. Others disappear from the feed within hours.

That does not mean the person matters less.

Keep sharing responsibly. Refresh the flyer when new official information becomes available. Ask local groups, community pages, news outlets, and advocates to help share the flyer.

One share may feel small, but missing-person awareness often depends on getting the right information in front of the right person at the right time.

Final reminder

If someone you know is missing, do not wait around hoping the situation fixes itself.

Call law enforcement. Gather information. Preserve details. Share carefully. Keep the flyer connected to a reliable source.

And remember:

Share the flyer. Check the source. Avoid rumors. Help keep them seen.

Explore missing-person flyers on CaseTrace: https://casetraceapp.com/explore

Explore CaseTrace

Browse the live case feed, search the Explore page, or open a flyer to share a case responsibly.