Recognize a resemblance without naming a stranger publicly

Seeing a person who resembles an appeal photograph can prompt a sincere desire to help. A resemblance is still uncertain. Publicly naming or photographing a stranger as the missing person may expose them to attention, distress, or unwanted contact.

Record only what you can support

If you have relevant information, note the location, time, and the observation that led you to think it might matter. Do not follow the person, demand documents, or test their identity through confrontation.

If someone appears in immediate danger, contact the local emergency service. Otherwise, use the appeal's appropriate official or authorized contact route.

Avoid crowdsourced identification

Do not post a stranger's live location and ask a group to confirm who they are. Repeated agreement in comments can reflect the same initial assumption rather than independent evidence.

• What was directly observed?
• Is there a safe, private route to report it?
• Have you separated resemblance from confirmation?
• Are you avoiding unnecessary exposure of the person?

Let verification happen appropriately

The responsible authority or case contact can assess the information and determine any follow-up. You do not need to prove the person's identity yourself for your observation to be useful.

The same principle applies to online results. A profile photograph, a facial similarity score, or a matching name can suggest a lead without establishing identity. Help by communicating the uncertainty accurately, then allow an appropriate process to decide what the resemblance means.