January 25, 2023

Anonymous Crime Reporting

By popular request, Startpage’s exclusive feature Anonymous View now allows for the submission of online forms. The security of our private proxy ensures there’s no digital trace linking back to the user. This is helpful for more secure shopping and online registration, and very important for people reporting crimes online.

Distinguishing right from wrong seems straightforward at first blush. However, navigating the best way to report a crime is complicated and many people fear becoming a victim if they help law enforcement. Throughout history, witnesses and whistleblowers have faced discrimination, retaliation and punishment for shining light on legal and ethical violations. 

Fortunately, there are safeguards in place to protect people reporting crimes. For example, retaliating against someone who reports a crime of violence is a felony that carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison in the US. Additionally, there are many organizations that offer online forms to avoid a physical meeting or visit to the police station. 

If you or someone you know has experienced a crime or is concerned about workplace safety, there are numerous ways to report it online. Depending on your situation, it may be best to report the crime anonymously to protect yourself or avoid retaliation. 

Startpage’s Anonymous View protects a person’s online identity by enabling users to anonymously visit the websites from their search results, guaranteeing a secure HTTPS connection on both desktop and mobile devices. Anonymous View essentially acts like a VPN but without an account or fees. It is important to note that, while a person’s identity is protected, any personal data and information you explicitly submit in a form is not protected

Real-world examples in which innocent informants faced dangerous consequences include:

  • Career damage: When an employee of pharmaceutical company Biogen learned the organization was paying kickbacks to doctors in order to increase prescriptions of Biogen’s multiple drugs, he reported and attempted to halt the activity. He was subsequently demoted from a director of regional marketing position in 2011 and eventually left the company. Under the terms of the settlement, Biogen Inc. paid $900 Million reagarding the improper physician payments. More case details.
  • Harassment: Erika Cheung, a former Theranos lab technician who had blown the whistle on the ineffectiveness of Theranos’ proprietary devices, alleged that this prompted a threatening letter from Theranos’ lawyers. She also believed she was being followed. More case details.
  • Defamation: Brigitte Fuzellier discovered that her employer, Kolping International, a large and influential Catholic charity, misused some of the €1.4 million the charity received from German and EU governments. After a series of investigations, Kolping repaid €241,000 to the German government, but then went after Fuzellier personally. Kolping fired Fuzellier and launched an unabated retaliation campaign that included public humiliation, smearing her reputation, dubious criminal charges and using questionable legal tactics to limit her ability to travel. For several years, she was legally banned from leaving Paraguay — even to visit her children and grandchildren in her native Germany. Ultimately, Paraguay’s Supreme Court threw out the last of the criminal charges. Fuzellier, who could have been imprisoned for 3-5 years if convicted, is completely free of any charges after a 10-year battle initiated by her former employer. 

How to report a crime using Anonymous View

 

 

  • Open link with Anonymous View feature and complete form.

How Anonymous View keeps you private

Startpage Anonymous View is a feature that allows you to view websites without revealing your identity. When you enable this feature, Startpage will route your web traffic through a proxy server managed by Startpage. This server will hide your IP address, as well as mask your location and your identity. Our servers do not store any logs or browsing information. Learn more about how Anonymous View works. 

 

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