13 fake arrest stories that spread with fabricated, misused mug shots

Fabricated arrest stories have become a common way for social media accounts to attract attention, often using police-style mug shots to make bizarre claims appear credible. Some posts feature entirely AI-generated faces, while others reuse genuine mug shots and falsely associate the people pictured with crimes they never committed. Many originate from satirical social media accounts but are later shared without labels or context, leading some readers to mistake them for authentic news reports. Below are 13 examples of fake arrest stories featuring fake or misused mug shots that we've investigated over the years: By Aleksandra Wrona Aleksandra Wrona is a reporting fellow for Snopes, based in the Warsaw, Poland, area. Article Tags