What shows up when someone Googles your name matters. Here's how to take control of it before an employer does the searching for you.
You know the drill by now. You apply for a job, you get a callback, and somewhere between the application and the interview, someone on the hiring side types your name into a search bar. Maybe it's a hiring manager. Maybe it's HR. Maybe it's nobody at all and you're worrying over nothing. But you don't know which one it is, and that not-knowing is its own kind of exhausting.
If you're searching how to remove a mugshot from the internet, or what an employer sees when they Google your name with a felony or an old arrest on it, here's what I want you to understand before we go any further: you have more control over this than you think. Not total control. I'm not going to tell you that you can scrub the internet clean with three easy steps, because that's not true and anybody who tells you that is selling something. But you can shape what's easy to find, clean up what's embarrassing but fixable, and build enough good material online that it starts doing some of your talking for you.
I've spent over a decade doing direct service work with people rebuilding their lives after incarceration, starting at a halfway house as an alum, then through sober living homes, treatment centers, jails, and prisons across Wisconsin. I coach people through this exact problem all the time: how to manage what the internet says about you when you don't get to pick what got indexed. This guide is how I walk clients through it, step by step, no scare tactics and no shortcuts that don't exist.
Do employers Google your name before they hire you?
Some do, and you usually can't tell which ones. When a search happens, it's most often in one of two windows: before they call you in, or after a good interview as a last look before an offer. What they're checking for is red flags in general, not your record specifically, and the risk is that they find your past cold, with nothing else on the page to balance it.
When Do They Search?
Most of the time, an online search happens in one of two windows: before they call you in, as a quick gut-check while they're deciding who to interview, or after a good interview, as a final look before they make an offer. Some employers do both. A smaller number don't search at all. They rely entirely on the formal background check, which is a different process with its own rules (I cover that in the resume with a felony guide).
What this means practically: the version of you that shows up in a plain Google search of your name might get looked at before you've said a single word to anyone. That's the part that stings. A background check comes with context: a form, a conversation, maybe a chance to explain. A Google search comes with none of that. It's just whatever ranks.
What Are They Really Trying to Find Out?
Employers doing informal searches aren't usually looking for a criminal record specifically. They're looking for red flags in general: Are you who you say you are? Is there anything alarming, unprofessional, or inconsistent with what you told them? A LinkedIn profile that matches your resume is reassuring. A blank search result is neutral: mildly unusual today, but not damaging. A search result full of angry old social media posts, a court record aggregator site, or nothing but a mugshot is what causes a hiring manager to hesitate and maybe quietly move to the next candidate without ever telling you why.
That's the real risk: not that they find out something true about your past, but that they find it out cold, out of context, with nothing else on the page to balance it. Your job is to make sure that's not the only thing there.
How do I get my mugshot off the internet?
Start with the legal side: find out if your case qualifies for expungement or sealing, because that can give you a real basis to demand removal. Then ask each site in writing to take it down, citing your state's law if it has one. Don't pay a removal fee without doing your homework, and build good content under your name, like a solid LinkedIn profile, so the old stuff gets pushed down.
This is the part people get the most wrong information about, so I want to be straight with you.
Why These Sites Exist
A lot of "mugshot gallery" and "arrest record" websites aren't news outlets and they aren't official government sites, even though they're built to look official. Their business model is simple: scrape publicly available arrest booking photos and court records (which are public record in most states, regardless of the outcome of the case), publish them under your name so they rank high on Google, and then either run ads against the traffic or offer to take the post down, for a fee.
That second part is the trap.
The "Pay to Remove" Trap
Do not pay a website to remove your mugshot or arrest record, at least not without doing serious homework first. Here's why:
- Paying doesn't guarantee it stays down. Some of these operations are run by networks of related sites. You pay one to take your photo down and it reappears on a sister site a few months later, sometimes run by the same people under a different domain name.
- It confirms you're willing to pay, which can make you a repeat target.
- In some states, this exact business practice is illegal. California makes it illegal for a mugshot site to charge you to take your booking photo down. Georgia makes commercial sites remove it for free within 30 days of a written request if, for example, your charges were dismissed or you were acquitted. We could not find a Wisconsin law like this as of September 2026.
- State and federal regulators have gone after these operations. The Federal Trade Commission has issued consumer warnings about mugshot extortion schemes, and in 2018, California's attorney general brought criminal charges, including extortion, against the operators of Mugshots.com. Their site charged people a "de-publishing" fee to take their booking photos down.
None of that means every removal request is a scam, or that you should never pursue one. It means: treat "pay us and it disappears" as a red flag, not a solution, and know your actual leverage before you reach for your wallet.
What Actually Works
1. Find out if your record qualifies for expungement or sealing.
This is the highest-leverage move available, and it's worth doing regardless of what shows up online. If your case was dismissed, resulted in an acquittal, or is eligible for expungement or sealing under your state's law, getting that done gives you a real legal basis to demand removal from record aggregator sites, and in some states, those sites are legally required to comply once you show proof. A legal aid organization or your local public defender's office can usually tell you, often for free, whether you qualify.
2. Contact the site directly and ask, in writing, referencing your state's law if it applies.
Keep it short and factual. Don't beg, don't over-explain, don't threaten. Something like:
"This request is to remove the booking photo and associated record at [URL] for [your name]. This case was [dismissed / expunged / sealed] on [date]. Under [state]'s law regarding publication of arrest records, I'm requesting removal within [timeframe if your state specifies one]. Please confirm removal in writing."
Keep a copy of everything you send and any response you get.
3. Use Google's own removal tools where they actually apply.
Google has a formal process for requesting that certain content be removed from search results, but it's narrower than most people expect. It's built for things like non-consensual explicit images, exposed personal information (Social Security numbers, financial account numbers, images of signatures or government ID), and "doxxing" content published to harass or intimidate someone. A plain arrest record or court filing usually doesn't qualify on its own, because U.S. law treats those as public record.
Where Google has acted at a broader level: back in 2013, Google changed its search ranking algorithm specifically to push mugshot-gallery sites lower in results, in response to widespread complaints about the extortion pattern described above. That doesn't mean they're invisible. It means they generally don't dominate the first page the way they used to, especially once there's other, stronger content about you to compete with. Which brings us to the move that actually works best.
4. Build enough good content that it outranks the bad.
This is the strategy that works regardless of what any individual site does or doesn't take down: give Google more good material to show instead. A complete LinkedIn profile, a personal website or portfolio, an active and professional presence in your field, mentions from volunteer work, articles you're quoted in, a personal blog if that's your thing: all of it ranks, and fresh, active content tends to rank above old, static content. Most job seekers have almost nothing online with their real name attached. Even a modest, well-built LinkedIn profile can start to outrank an old court listing over time, because search engines tend to favor fresh, active pages.
Think of it less like erasing something and more like out-building it.
How do I build a LinkedIn profile that employers will find?
Put up a real, recent photo, a headline that says your field and what you're looking for, a short first-person About section, and your real work and volunteer history. Then use it a little so it doesn't look abandoned. It's free, it ranks well in search, and it's the first thing most employers check after your resume.
If you don't have a LinkedIn profile yet, this is one of the highest-value hours you can spend this week. It's free, it ranks well in search, and it's the first thing most employers check after your resume.
Photo and Banner
Use a real, current photo of yourself: shoulders up, decent lighting, looking at the camera, dressed the way you'd dress for an interview in your target field. No sunglasses, no group photo cropped down to just you, no photo from ten years ago. A profile with no photo reads as unfinished or inactive. A recent, professional-looking one builds trust before anyone reads a word.
Headline
Your headline is the one line that shows up everywhere: search results, comments, connection requests. Don't leave it as just your last job title. Say what you do and what you're looking for:
"Warehouse Operations | Forklift Certified | Seeking Logistics & Supply Chain Roles in Milwaukee"
About Section
Write it in first person. Keep it short. Three to five sentences is plenty. Focus on what you bring, not your history. This is not the place to disclose a record; that conversation belongs in an interview, on your terms, when you can control the context (see my resume guide for how to handle that part).
"Reliable, hands-on operations professional with five years of warehouse and inventory experience. Forklift-certified, safety-focused, and known for showing up early and staying steady under pressure. Looking to bring that same work ethic to a logistics team in the Milwaukee area."
Experience
List your real work history, including gaps if there are any. LinkedIn doesn't require exact dates down to the month, so you have some flexibility, but don't fabricate employers or titles. Under each role, list two or three concrete things you did, not just your job title. Volunteer work, training programs, and reentry-related work experience all count as real experience here. List them.
Skills, Endorsements, and Activity
Add five to ten real skills relevant to your target field. Ask a former supervisor, mentor, case manager, or program coordinator you trust for a short recommendation. One paragraph is enough, and it doesn't need to mention your record at all. Then use the platform a little: follow companies you're interested in, comment thoughtfully on a few posts, share something relevant once in a while. An account that's been sitting untouched since the day it was created looks abandoned. A little bit of regular activity signals you're a real, engaged professional, and it gives Google fresher content to index and rank.
Should I delete my old social media before I apply for jobs?
No, not all of it. Set old posts and photos to private, and only delete what's a real liability: anything illegal, threatening, or tied to a chapter you've moved past. A public account showing steady, real activity reads better to an employer than a blank or deleted one.
You don't need to delete your whole digital history. You need to make sure what's easy to find matches the professional version of you.
Step One: Search Yourself the Way an Employer Would
Open a private/incognito browser window (so your own search history doesn't skew the results) and search your full name, plus your name with your city, plus your name with your old employer. Look at what comes up on the first two pages. That's your starting map.
Step Two: Lock Down What You're Keeping
For Facebook, Instagram, and similar platforms, go through your privacy settings and set old posts, photos, and your friends list to private or "friends only." Most platforms have a bulk privacy tool for old posts. Use it rather than going post by post. You don't have to justify anything you post to yourself in private; you're just controlling who can see it without a personal invitation from you.
Step Three: Delete or Archive What's Genuinely a Problem
Some things are worth actually removing, not just hiding: anything illegal, anything that could be read as threatening or discriminatory, anything tied to substance use if that's part of your history, and anything from an old account or persona you've fully moved past. If it makes you wince to imagine a hiring manager scrolling past it, it's worth taking down rather than just tucking behind a privacy setting.
Step Four: Decide What Stays Public
You don't need a scrubbed, personality-free footprint. That can look just as off as a messy one. It's fine, often good, to keep public: photos with family, hobbies, community or volunteer involvement, faith or recovery community involvement if you're comfortable with that being visible, posts that show steadiness and follow-through over time. Consistency reads well. A public account that shows a person who's been showing up, working, and building for a while is worth more than a blank one.
Platforms People Forget to Check
Old Twitter/X accounts, old MySpace or Tumblr accounts if you're old enough to have one, comments left under news articles, forum posts, and old YouTube comments all show up in searches more often than people expect. If you don't remember the login for something old, most platforms have an "account recovery" path that will still work years later.
What if an employer finds my record online before I can explain it?
If you sense they already know, bring it up briefly and calmly instead of letting it sit: one or two sentences about what happened, what you've built since, and then back to the job. A short, steady answer reads better than silence or over-explaining. If they never bring it up, you don't have to either.
Sometimes, despite everything above, something is going to be findable. Court records in most states are public and searchable through the county or state court system's own website, separate from any of the sketchy aggregator sites. There's no removing that one, generally, short of expungement or sealing where you qualify.
So here's the real question: what do you do if you suspect they already know before you get the chance to bring it up yourself?
Get Ahead of It, on Your Terms
If you have a strong instinct that a hiring manager has already looked you up (maybe the tone shifted, maybe they asked a vague or leading question), it's usually better to address it directly and briefly than to let it sit unspoken in the room. You're not confessing to anything; you're taking back the framing.
"I want to be upfront with you: I do have a record from [general timeframe]. It's part of my past, not what defines my work now. I've spent the years since then [building X skill / staying steady in Y role / completing Z program], and I'd welcome any questions you have about it."
Say it once, calmly, and then let the conversation move forward. For more on when and how to bring it up, see do I have to tell an employer about my felony? Don't over-apologize and don't over-explain. A short, steady answer reads as someone who has dealt with this before and isn't rattled by it, which is exactly the impression you want to leave.
If They Never Bring It Up
Plenty of the time, nothing happens. They either didn't search, didn't find much, or didn't think it was relevant enough to raise. Don't bring it up unprompted just because you're anxious about what might be out there. Let the interview be about the job.
Common questions
Should I pay a company to remove my mugshot?
Be very careful. Some "mugshot removal" services are tied to the same networks that post the photos, and paying doesn't guarantee it stays down. Before you pay anyone, find out if your case qualifies for expungement or sealing, and check whether your state requires free removal in your situation.
Is it illegal for a website to charge me to remove my own mugshot?
In some states, yes. California makes it illegal for a mugshot site to charge you to take your booking photo down. Georgia makes commercial sites remove it for free within 30 days of a written request if, for example, your charges were dismissed or you were acquitted. We could not find a Wisconsin law like this as of September 2026. Bills were introduced in 2015 but did not pass. Rules vary by state, so check your state's law or ask a local legal aid office before you pay anyone.
Can I get Google to remove a mugshot or arrest record from search results?
Usually not directly. Google's removal tools are built for specific situations, like exposed personal information, non-consensual explicit images, and doxxing, and generally don't cover plain public arrest or court records. What helps is building other content under your name that ranks above the old material.
Should I put my record on my LinkedIn profile?
No. LinkedIn isn't the place to disclose a record. That conversation belongs in an interview, where you control the context. Put everything you'd put on a strong resume instead: a real recent photo, a clear headline with your field and goal, a short first-person "About" section focused on your skills and work ethic, and real work and volunteer history.
Can I get my court record taken off the court's own website?
Generally not, short of expungement or sealing where you qualify. Court records in most states are public and searchable through the county or state court system's own website, separate from the aggregator sites.
The Bottom Line
You can't control everything the internet says about you, and anyone who promises you a clean slate for a fee is telling you what you want to hear, not what's true. What you can control is real: get honest legal advice about expungement or sealing where you might qualify, don't hand money to a site that's profiting off your past, lock down what doesn't need to be public, and put real, current, professional material out there for Google to find instead. Do that consistently and the search results start working for you instead of against you.
Ready to Build Your Resume?
None of this matters if the resume behind it isn't strong. Steel Man Resumes built Forge, a free career intelligence tool, to help you build a resume that gets you in the door. No cost, no credit card required.
I've walked people through exactly this (what to lock down, what to leave alone, what to build) more times than I can count. If you want to talk through your specific situation, I'm one call or email away.
Call (262) 391-8137 or email troy@steelmanresumes.com
Last Updated: September 2026
Sources: Federal Trade Commission consumer alerts on mugshot-removal and background-screening scams (consumer.ftc.gov); Google Search Central Help documentation, "Removing content from Google"; California Department of Justice press release, May 16, 2018 (Mugshots.com charges); Cal. Civ. Code 1798.91.1; Georgia Attorney General Consumer Protection Division, mugshot websites (O.C.G.A. 10-1-393.5); LinkedIn's official profile best-practices guidance; published research on employer use of social media and informal online searches in hiring screening.