Can anyone file a Missing Persons report for anyone else?

Question

I was visited by police officers who said that a relative claimed I was missing for four days. This person also contacted my workplace - and they in turn contacted me even though I had taken time off from work. I do not live with this person nor do I even live in the same state. Does "relative" give someone the right to file a false report with the police? I realize that it is better to be safe than sorry but this person's story was a fabrication to begin with: I last contacted this person by email two days earlier and by phone the previous day.

Answer 1

Based on your story, I highly doubt you were entered into the system. Once the officers got your address it was a check the welfare type of call. Once they made contact with you, the call was over. They probably didn't even take a report on it.

Answer 2

Filing A Missing Persons Report

Answer 3

You can't just walk into a police station and file a report of a missing person on just anyone. There has to be some connection between you and the individual that is missing. It can be a boyfriend/girlfriend, blood relation, elderly neighbor etc.

Nobody has the right to file a false report to the police under any circumstances. Unfortunately, the police are often used as a tool of harassment by people who know how to manipulate the system.

Different jurisdictions have different rules regarding missing persons reports. There is a widespread misconception that there has to be a 24 or 48 waiting period before filing a report. Oftentimes this is not the case, particularly if a young child or handicapped person is involved.

Answer 4

Yes anyone can file a Missing Person Report , as you say "better to be safe than sorry".



BUT to file a FALSE Missing Person Report, its illegal if the person knew that you were in fact not missing. You can also file a harassment charges or file for a restriction order; it will be on record if this person try the same trick again.



Maybe this person is trying to mess with you but is also possible that this person is insane and delusional so becareful, stakers do go away so easy.

Answer 5

Unfortunately it is true. Anyone can file a missing persons report on anyone. The only way they can do this is to make a believable story to the police and "run" with it. The police will determine how valid the story sounds and check up on the situation. I have had a couple of incidents where people have not heard from their family members and call up to say they were missing. Each time, the family member was right where they were supposed to be and informed me that this has happened before. The other family member was mad at them, or had a mental illness, or was jealous of their lottery winnings. Most of the time, the "missing" family member said they did not talk to that family member or friend very often. No big deal, just a waste of my time and the time of the "missing" friend of family member.

Answer 6

Yes, anyone can file a report. Does this person have a history of mental illness?

Answer 7

Here is the story on Missing Adult cases:



Anyone can report you missing. The police take a report and list you in the NCIC system as missing. When you are found, the police will tell you who reported you missing and will call them to tell them you are found but they DO NOT tell the reporter where they found you.



You are an adult, you can come and go as you please.



If this person is harassing you, be sure to tell the police this so they can have that information for the next time this person tries to report you missing just to track your movements.

Answer 8

Calling the police on your brother will solidify any feelings of isolation from society (and you) he already is acting upon. Worse than that, he will get "street credentials" out of it, and be pressured by a new peer group into getting bigger such credentials. Dare I guess that your overbearing attitudes toward him might be much of what is driving him into bad company? He must make his own decisions now, since he is legally an adult. Whatever die has already been cast, is what will be. You can turn over a new leaf by using peoplefinders or their google competition to send him "supportive" mail as soon as a paper trail materializes. Your choice right now is whether to attempt to be his friend or his jailer.