How to Remove Yourself from ArrestFacts

What is ArrestFacts and Why Your Personal Information Appears There

ArrestFacts is a public records aggregation website that compiles and publishes arrest records, mugshots, and booking information from law enforcement agencies across the United States. Unlike official government databases, ArrestFacts operates as a commercial entity that profits from displaying this sensitive information online, often appearing prominently in Google search results when someone searches your name.

Your information ends up on ArrestFacts through automated data collection processes. The site continuously scrapes public records from county jails, police departments, and court systems that make arrest information available online. Even if charges were dropped, you were found not guilty, or the arrest was expunged from official records, ArrestFacts may still display outdated information that can damage your reputation for years.

The real problem isn't just that this information exists publicly—it's that ArrestFacts and similar mugshot websites create a permanent, easily searchable online record that follows you indefinitely. Potential employers, landlords, romantic partners, and anyone else who searches your name can find this information within seconds, often without the context of case outcomes or dismissals.

Understanding how to remove yourself from ArrestFacts is essential for protecting your digital reputation and preventing this information from interfering with employment opportunities, housing applications, and personal relationships. While the process requires patience and persistence, it's absolutely possible to delete your ArrestFacts profile and reclaim control over your online presence.

Step-by-Step ArrestFacts Removal Process

Removing your information from ArrestFacts requires following their specific opt-out procedure. Unlike some data brokers that make removal intentionally difficult, ArrestFacts does provide a removal mechanism, though it involves several verification steps to prevent abuse of their system.

Finding Your ArrestFacts Profile

Before you can request removal, you need to locate your specific listing:

• Navigate to ArrestFacts.com and use their search function
• Enter your full name exactly as it appears in arrest records (including middle name or initial)
• Add location filters such as state or county to narrow results
• Review all matching profiles carefully—there may be multiple entries if you've had more than one arrest or if records exist in different jurisdictions
• Copy the exact URL of each profile you want removed (you'll need this for the removal request)

Take screenshots of each profile page as documentation. This creates a record of what information was publicly displayed and provides proof if the listing reappears later.

Submitting an ArrestFacts Opt Out Request

The official ArrestFacts removal process involves these specific steps:

• Visit the ArrestFacts removal page by navigating to their website and looking for "Record Removal" or "Opt Out" links, typically found in the footer
• Locate the removal request form which may require you to verify you're not a bot through CAPTCHA
• Provide the exact URL of your profile page that you copied earlier
• Enter your full legal name exactly as it appears on the listing
• Submit a valid email address where you can receive confirmation and updates
• Complete identity verification which typically requires uploading a government-issued photo ID (driver's license, passport, or state ID card)

The identity verification step is crucial and non-negotiable. ArrestFacts requires this to prevent third parties from removing records without authorization. Your ID should clearly show your name matching the arrest record, and the image must be legible.

Important Verification Requirements

When submitting your ID for verification:

• Ensure the document is current and not expired—expired IDs may be rejected
• Make sure all text is clearly readable—blurry photos will delay processing
• Include the full document—don't crop out corners or edges
• Use adequate lighting—avoid shadows or glare that obscure information
• Submit in an accepted format—typically JPG, PNG, or PDF files under 5MB

Some users report that ArrestFacts may request additional verification if your current name differs from the name on the arrest record (due to marriage, legal name change, etc.). In these cases, you may need to provide documentation of the name change, such as a marriage certificate or court order.

Following Up on Your Removal Request

After submitting your removal request:

• Check your email for an automated confirmation that your request was received
• Wait for the verification email which typically arrives within 24-72 hours
• Click any verification links promptly—these often expire after a set period
• Respond to any requests for additional information or documentation immediately
• Keep all correspondence in a dedicated folder for your records

If you don't receive confirmation within 72 hours, check your spam folder before resubmitting. Multiple submissions can actually slow down the process by creating duplicate requests in their system.

What Information ArrestFacts Collects and Displays

Understanding exactly what data ArrestFacts publishes helps you assess the potential impact on your privacy and reputation. The site typically displays comprehensive arrest information that goes far beyond basic public records.

Personal Identifying Information

ArrestFacts profiles commonly include:

• Full legal name including any aliases or nicknames used at booking
• Date of birth and current age
• Physical description including height, weight, eye color, hair color, and identifying marks
• Race and ethnicity as recorded by law enforcement
• Booking number and case number
• Arrest date and time
• Arresting agency and jurisdiction

This information alone creates a detailed profile that's easily discoverable through search engines, often ranking highly for name searches due to ArrestFacts' search engine optimization practices.

Mugshot Photographs

The most damaging element of ArrestFacts listings is often the mugshot photograph. These booking photos capture individuals at their worst moment—often disheveled, injured, intoxicated, or emotionally distressed. Mugshots carry an implicit presumption of guilt in the public mind, regardless of actual innocence or case outcomes.

ArrestFacts displays these images prominently, and they're indexed by Google Images, making them appear in visual search results. Even after removal from ArrestFacts, cached versions may persist in search engines for weeks or months.

Charges and Alleged Offenses

ArrestFacts lists:

• All charges filed at the time of arrest, including those later dropped
• Charge classifications (misdemeanor, felony, etc.)
• Statute violations with legal codes
• Bond amounts set by the court

Critically, ArrestFacts typically does not update records to reflect case outcomes. If charges were dismissed, reduced, or you were found not guilty, this exonerating information rarely appears on the site. The listing creates a permanent record of the arrest without context about the resolution.

Location and Facility Information

Additional details often include:

• Booking facility name and address
• County and state of arrest
• Court jurisdiction information

This geographic data makes profiles appear in local searches, affecting your reputation within your community specifically.

How Long ArrestFacts Removal Takes

The timeline for removing your information from ArrestFacts varies based on several factors, but understanding the typical process helps set realistic expectations.

Initial Processing Time

After submitting a complete removal request with proper identification:

• Verification stage: 24-72 hours for ArrestFacts to review your ID and confirm your identity
• Removal processing: 3-5 business days once verification is approved
• Database updates: 1-2 days for the removal to propagate through their system

In total, most users see their profiles removed from ArrestFacts within 7-10 business days from initial submission, assuming no complications with verification.

Factors That Delay Removal

Several issues can extend this timeline significantly:

Incomplete or unclear documentation: Blurry ID photos, missing information, or expired documents require resubmission, adding 3-5 days to the process.

Name discrepancies: If your current legal name differs from the arrest record, you'll need to provide additional documentation like marriage certificates or court orders, potentially adding 1-2 weeks.

Multiple records: If you have arrests in multiple jurisdictions, each may require a separate removal request, though you can often submit these simultaneously.

High request volume: During periods when ArrestFacts receives many removal requests, processing times can extend to 2-3 weeks.

Technical issues: Occasionally, profiles are removed from the main site but remain in cached pages or search results, requiring follow-up requests.

Search Engine Persistence

Even after ArrestFacts removes your profile, the information may linger in search results:

• Google cache: 2-4 weeks for cached pages to clear
• Google Images: 4-8 weeks for mugshots to disappear from image search
• Other search engines: Bing, DuckDuckGo, and others may take 1-3 months to fully update

You can accelerate this by requesting URL removal through Google Search Console, though this requires verification that you control the content (which you don't for third-party sites like ArrestFacts).

How to Verify Your ArrestFacts Removal Was Successful

Simply submitting a removal request isn't enough—you need to confirm the information is actually gone and stays gone. Verification requires checking multiple sources over time.

Checking the ArrestFacts Website Directly

Start with the most obvious verification:

• Return to the exact URL of your former profile page
• Look for a 404 error or "page not found" message indicating removal
• Search ArrestFacts internally using your name and location filters
• Check for any remaining profiles if you had multiple listings

If your profile still appears after the stated removal timeline, save screenshots and contact ArrestFacts support with your removal confirmation number.

Monitoring Search Engine Results

Search engines are where most people will discover ArrestFacts listings, so thorough verification requires:

Google search checks:

• Search your full name in quotes ("John Michael Smith")
• Add your city or state ("John Michael Smith" Orlando)
• Search your name plus "arrest" or "mugshot"
• Use private browsing/incognito mode to avoid personalized results
• Check from different devices or networks

Google Images search:

• Search your name in Google Images
• Look specifically for your mugshot photo
• Check multiple pages of results, not just the first page

Other search engines:

• Repeat searches on Bing, Yahoo, and DuckDuckGo
• These often have different caching timelines than Google

Document your searches with screenshots showing the date. This creates a timeline of when the information disappeared from search results.

Using Third-Party Monitoring Tools

Several free and paid tools can help you monitor your online presence:

• Google Alerts: Set up alerts for your name to receive notifications if ArrestFacts (or any site) publishes information about you
• Privacy monitoring services: Some services scan data broker sites regularly and alert you to new listings
• Reputation monitoring tools: Platforms like BrandYourself or Reputation.com offer free scans

Consider setting up a free scan to check not just ArrestFacts but the 2,100+ other data brokers that may have your information.

Checking for Reappearance

Unfortunately, removal from ArrestFacts isn't always permanent. The site may re-scrape public records and republish your information:

• Set calendar reminders to check monthly for the first six months
• Monitor quarterly after that to catch any reappearances early
• Save your removal confirmation emails to expedite repeat removal requests

If your information reappears, you'll need to submit a new removal request, though the process should be faster since you've already verified your identity.

Preventing Future ArrestFacts Listings

While you can't prevent arrest records from being created if you're arrested, you can take steps to minimize their online visibility and prevent them from appearing on sites like ArrestFacts.

Understanding Public Records Laws

Arrest records are generally considered public information under state public records laws, meaning law enforcement agencies are legally required to make them available. However, several states have enacted legislation specifically targeting mugshot websites and their practices.

States with mugshot website restrictions:

• Oregon: Prohibits charging fees to remove mugshots (ORS 646.608)
• Georgia: Requires free removal if charges were dismissed or you were acquitted (O.C.G.A. § 35-1-20)
• Texas: Mandates free removal within 30 days of request if charges were dropped (Texas Business and Commerce Code § 109.002)
• Illinois: Prohibits publishing mugshots with intent to charge removal fees (740 ILCS 190/)
• California: Under CCPA, residents can request deletion of personal information from data brokers

If you live in one of these states, you have stronger legal protections and may be able to demand removal without jumping through verification hoops.

Expungement and Record Sealing

The most effective way to prevent future listings is addressing the underlying public record:

Expungement completely erases the arrest record as if it never occurred, while sealing restricts access to authorized parties only. Both processes vary by state but generally require:

• Determining eligibility: Not all arrests qualify—typically dismissed charges, acquittals, or first-time minor offenses are eligible
• Filing a petition: Submit paperwork to the court that handled your case
• Attending a hearing: A judge reviews your petition and decides whether to grant it
• Paying court fees: Typically $100-$500 depending on jurisdiction
• Waiting for processing: 3-6 months for the expungement to complete

Once expunged or sealed, the records should no longer appear in public databases that ArrestFacts scrapes. You can then demand removal from ArrestFacts by providing proof of expungement.

Limiting Public Records Exposure

While you can't make arrest records private, you can reduce their accessibility:

• Request restricted access: Some jurisdictions allow you to request that certain details (like your address or date of birth) be redacted from public records
• Monitor county databases: Check regularly to ensure your expungement was properly processed
• Contact the arresting agency: Request that they remove online records if you were never charged or charges were dismissed

Proactive Privacy Measures

Beyond addressing arrest records specifically, broader privacy practices help:

Opt out of data brokers systematically: ArrestFacts is just one of thousands of sites that publish personal information. Data brokers like Spokeo, BeenVerified, Whitepages, and hundreds of others aggregate and sell your data. Manually opting out of each is time-consuming—most people spend 100+ hours annually maintaining these removals.

Use privacy-focused services: Consider services that automate the opt-out process across multiple brokers. While manual removal from ArrestFacts is free, comprehensive privacy protection requires addressing the entire data broker ecosystem. GhostMyData, for example, monitors 2,100+ data brokers compared to competitors who typically cover only 35-500 sites.

Maintain digital hygiene: Regularly search your name, set up Google Alerts, and address new listings promptly before they gain search engine traction.

Alternative: Use GhostMyData for Automated ArrestFacts Removal

While the manual ArrestFacts opt out process outlined above is free, it's also time-consuming, requires careful attention to detail, and only addresses a single data broker. More importantly, ArrestFacts is rarely the only site publishing your arrest information.

The Broader Data Broker Problem

When arrest records appear on ArrestFacts, they typically also appear on dozens of other mugshot websites and hundreds of general data broker sites:

• Mugshot-specific sites: Arrests.org, BustedMugshots, JailBase, Mugshots.com, and dozens of others
• People search sites: Spokeo, BeenVerified, Intelius, TruthFinder, and PeopleFinders all publish arrest records
• Background check services: Over 200 commercial background check sites aggregate arrest information
• General data brokers: Sites like Whitepages, MyLife, and Radaris include arrest records in their profiles

Each site has its own removal process with different requirements, timelines, and verification steps. Manually removing yourself from all of them requires:

• 100+ hours annually to submit initial removal requests
• Ongoing monitoring to catch reappearances and new listings
• Detailed record-keeping to track which sites you've contacted
• Technical knowledge to navigate different opt-out procedures

How Automated Removal Works

GhostMyData uses 24 specialized AI agents to automate the entire removal process across 2,100+ data brokers, including ArrestFacts and all major mugshot websites. Here's how it works:

Comprehensive scanning: The system continuously scans data brokers to find all instances of your information, not just the sites you know about.

Automated opt-out submissions: AI agents submit removal requests on your behalf, handling verification requirements, follow-ups, and resubmissions automatically.

Continuous monitoring: Rather than one-time removal, the service monitors for reappearances and automatically resubmits removal requests when your information resurfaces.

Compliance tracking: The system tracks which brokers have complied, which require follow-up, and which need escalation.

Comparing DIY vs. Automated Removal

Aspect

Manual DIY Removal

GhostMyData Automated

Time investment	100+ hours/year	5 minutes setup
Sites covered	1 at a time	2,100+ brokers
Ongoing monitoring	Manual checks	Automatic 24/7