Online Mugshots site is extorting me for $$$. Help!

I have a big problem and I'm hoping some of you can help me out.
Recently i got laid off from my job and while I had a bit of money saved I have 5 kids all ranging from the ages of 19-5 that depleted it fairly quickly. I have a pretty impressive resume workwise and lined up a couple interviews after a couple months of not having any luck finding a job.

What I found weird was that I'd interview for these positions, have great rapport, and the never hear from them again even after repeated inquiries.

I bumped into one of the human resources staff while on my way out one afternoon after going in to grovel about my job and i was given the rundown. It seems a website called bustedmugshots d*t c*m has a some pictures of me from a couple of incidents I had with the law ranging from 8-10 years ago.

I was in shock that these pictures and my arrest information could be so readily available on google like that. I contacted the website and they are attempting to "extort" me for approx. $600 to have the pictures removed. I explained to the lady on the phone that I could not get hired due to these pictures and that they all stemmed from one case upon which I got violated twice during my probation for not having enough money to pay restitution fees, and that this charge was from 2003-04 and she got really nasty with me. Pretty much told me to go Eff myself and that who told me to go to jail.

I don't know what to do as obviously I don't have the $600 to pay as I can barely keep a roof over my family's head right now.
what they are doing is morally wrong. Financially wrong for most people. Why am I continuing to have to pay for a crime that I did my time for over 8 years ago? If it wasn't because of this site those jobs would have never known because after 7 years it does not show up in record checks unless it's a financial or govt position.

Someone or Some of you please advise me as to what to do.
I hope someone here has a solution to this problem. This company is making money like crazy off of this. I have read other horror stories online. I havent been able to sleep all week over this and I'm at wit's end. How do i tell my 19 yr old that I can't afford to pay her college next semester because Dad doesn't have a job? I'm losing the rest of my damn hair. smh

0_o

If this site is not a .gov, i'm pretty sure its illegal. Just go to the police and explain the situation, for sure they can't be asking for $600 to remove mug shot pics. btw this has nothing to do with black hat marketing.

Sorry to hear that. Nothing is a secret anymore, which cuts both ways. I do not necessarily know if what they are doing is illegal or not. I doubt you could do much and even if you could, it would cost more than $600.

There has to be a way to get work without people finding your mugshot buried on some obscure page of Google? Seems like it shouldn't be that much of a problem. Which job isn't allowing you to find work?

Be careful that this is not just in your head. Certainly employers will think about this, but the best workers no matter what you have done or had done to you are ALWAYS employable. Look at some of the brilliant Wall-Street guys who got short jail terms. Believe that they're back to work without a doubt.

Maybe change your name? Could be one option.

brainstorm1 said:

Sorry to hear that. Nothing is a secret anymore, which cuts both ways. I do not necessarily know if what they are doing is illegal or not. I doubt you could do much and even if you could, it would cost more than $600.

There has to be a way to get work without people finding your mugshot buried on some obscure page of Google? Seems like it shouldn't be that much of a problem. Which job isn't allowing you to find work?

Be careful that this is not just in your head. Certainly employers will think about this, but the best workers no matter what you have done or had done to you are ALWAYS employable. Look at some of the brilliant Wall-Street guys who got short jail terms. Believe that they're back to work without a doubt.

Maybe change your name? Could be one option.

Click to expand...

This site does good seo because my mugshots are on the 1st page of google when you type my name and thats even with my tumblr account pics and my flickr pics and it is still on the 1st page of google. Changing my name is not an option

This is NOT illegal, USA law allows government records, including arrest reports to be released as public information. You will have to pay the money or not get a job, as simple as that.

what site is it? I may be able to assist but need to know what domain

do a search here and you'll find your answer - this questions been asked and answered quite a few times around here

Sorry to hear about your problems. There is a great post about online reputation management over on wickedfire that you should check out, it explains in detail how to handle situations like this.

Well, if those employers look hard enough, they will be able to find that anyways, as this information is available to the public. So just trying to get it off one website really won't help you.

I'm sorry to hear your going through these troubles though, but don't slow down on your job search because of this.

Be optimistic, and think of this as your chance to work on IM.

Also, I would recommend to just have your daughter pay for her own tuition in college, because you appreciate your degree so much more when you have to pay for it yourself. Just tell her to take out a loan and get a part-time job for now, or if you know much about IM teach her a few things to get her to make money for herself.

Well, best of luck OP.

I think them charging to take it off is illegal, but putting it on their website isnt

Like suggested before I would change my name.
You are a public record. You couldn't stop me from putting it up after you pay him...

Also, this topic has been covered me thinks?
https://www.google.nl/search?hl=nl&...ld.com&btnG=&gbv=1&sei=lY-QUMOZFfOa1AXnm4C4CQ

It sucks though. This is what happens when you lose your privacy though, it sucks monkeyballs.

You basically have three options:

1. Pay the $600
2. Assuming they are finding the mugshot site on Google, do SEO for your name so that 10 other results (for instance Facebook/Twitter/Pinterest/etc.) are in the top 10.
3. Lawyer up

Out of all three of those options, paying $600 is probably the cheapest option. But like others have said, this is likely not the only site that is displaying this info.

I don't understand, how do you know its because of this website that employers are not calling you back? You do realize that most employers check criminal backgrounds on ALL interested candidates; and if they don't like what they see, you don't get the job.

I know because I have an arrest on my record too for some charges which I received a few years back. Thing is, my CRIMINAL record is clean since I was falsely accused and the case ended up being dropped and luckily, no one except the authorities have access to the information that I was ever arrested.

Either way, try to get your record expunged; its going to cost you though. I know it sucks, you shouldn't be punished for a mistake you committed many years back (unless that mistake was murder of an innocent person or any action that resulted in the death of another individual).

Sorry to hear about your situation OP. There is a fourth option though... shoot me a PM and we can figure things out.

glennpenne, thanks for the post but regardless of what some low level sheriff says, this is till perfectly legal to do. It has been taken through the courts and the courts have found it to be perfectly legal.

Wow if it's been found to be legal not sure what real options you do have. Lamee!

Or use a different variation of your first name when you apply for jobs than whats ranking???

artificial_genius said:

You basically have three options:

1. Pay the $600
2. Assuming they are finding the mugshot site on Google, do SEO for your name so that 10 other results (for instance Facebook/Twitter/Pinterest/etc.) are in the top 10.
3. Lawyer up

Out of all three of those options, paying $600 is probably the cheapest option. But like others have said, this is likely not the only site that is displaying this info.

Click to expand...

-Try SEO it off first page (long shot)
-Then price up changing your name.
-Spend a few bucks on "rotten tactics" and teach them a lessen

Just don't give them the money, your being extorted and you shouldn't give in.

Arrest info (including mugshot) is considered public information. Most bigger cities and state DOCs have online "inmate search" databases. Somebody just hit on a helluva hustle. Some folks may not like it but that's the way of the world.