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1Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems2Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute3Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFor a non-emergency tip about an unsolved case in the United States, contact the police or sheriff’s agency responsible for the place where the crime occurred, or use the cold-case form or tip line that agency lists. If the information concerns a federal crime or terrorist activity, submit it through the FBI’s official tip channel at tips.fbi.gov. A crime in progress or immediate danger is different: call 911 rather than using an online tip form.
The most useful tip is specific, factual and honest. Organize it around what happened, when and where it happened, who may be involved, and how you know. You can often remain anonymous, but policies differ by agency; contact information may let investigators ask clarifying questions.
Start with the agency that owns the case
Investigative responsibility usually follows jurisdiction. A local homicide, disappearance, assault or property crime should go to the police department, sheriff’s office or other law-enforcement agency responsible for the location where it occurred. Look on that agency’s current official website for a “cold case,” “unsolved cases,” “submit a tip” or anonymous-tip page. If the case has a dedicated form or telephone number, use that route instead of a general mailbox.
USAGov advises finding local law-enforcement contact details for the place where the crime occurred. Many local agencies accept anonymous tips online or by phone, but the exact form, hours, language options and follow-up process vary. Verify the instructions on the responsible agency’s website before sending anything.
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A local case can still be reported directly to the local agency even when it has received national attention. The FBI is not a general replacement for a city or county investigator. Its tip system is intended for federal crimes and terrorist activity; when information does not have a federal connection, the FBI says its National Threat Operations Center may share it with state or local partners.
Choose the right reporting route
| Situation | Best first channel | Emergency suitability | Anonymity and follow-up | Typical information requested |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Immediate danger or a crime in progress in the United States | Call 911 | Designed for urgent response | Follow the dispatcher’s instructions; this is not an anonymous cold-case intake process | Location, what is happening, injuries, weapons or other immediate safety facts |
| Unsolved local case | The police, sheriff or other agency responsible for the crime’s location; use its named cold-case form or tip line when available | Not a substitute for 911 | Many agencies accept anonymous tips; identified contact details can support follow-up | What, when, where, who and how you know, plus useful identifiers |
| Federal crime or terrorist activity | FBI Electronic Tip Form at tips.fbi.gov or another FBI contact route listed by the Bureau | The FBI form says not to use it for an emergency | The FBI portal says you do not have to provide your name or personal information, although missing requested details can impede an investigation | Incident details, people, locations, online identifiers, URLs and dates or times when relevant |
| Anonymous community tip about an unsolved felony | Your local Crime Stoppers program, following that program’s current instructions | Not for an immediate emergency | Programs generally issue a secret number; keep it private and do not give identifying information if the program tells you not to | Crime type, time, location, people involved and other details that can help investigators |
| Cyber-enabled activity referred by the FBI | Use the FBI’s published direction to the Internet Crime Complaint Center at ic3.gov when applicable | Not an emergency-response channel | Read the current portal instructions before submitting | Online account names, web addresses, timestamps and a description of the activity |
Policies can change, and an agency may redirect a submission after reviewing it. The table shows the normal starting point, not a guarantee that one office will retain the case.
Call 911 when there is immediate danger
If someone is in immediate danger, a crime is occurring now, or urgent medical or safety help is needed in the United States, call 911. Do not wait to assemble a polished narrative and do not use the FBI’s ordinary tip form for an emergency; the form explicitly states, “If this is an emergency, call 911. Do not submit this form.” Give the dispatcher the location first, then describe what is happening and follow instructions.
Prepare the information before you submit
Write down what you know while the details are fresh. A clear outline reduces omissions and helps you separate observation from interpretation. You do not need to solve the case or prove your theory; investigators need leads they can check.
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Record the five essential questions
- What: Describe the event, statement, object, account, vehicle or other fact that may matter. Explain why you think it could relate to the unsolved case.
- When: Give the date and time, or the narrowest range you can support. Say whether the time is exact, approximate or based on a record.
- Where: Provide the address, intersection, building, trail, online location or other landmark. Include where a person, vehicle or item may now be found if that is relevant.
- Who: Supply names, aliases, descriptions, relationships, usernames, phone numbers or vehicle details only when you know them or can explain their source.
- How you know: State whether you personally saw or heard something, received a message, found a record, were told by someone else, or inferred it from other facts.
Arizona’s cold-case form specifically frames a tip as “Who, What, When, Where and How You Know.” Crime Stoppers USA likewise asks for the crime type, time, location, people involved and other useful details. FBI National Threat Operations Section head Sid Patel described the goal as understanding “what happened, why you think it may have happened, where, when.”
Separate direct knowledge from inference
Use labels such as “I saw,” “I heard,” “the video shows,” “the account posted,” “a friend told me” or “I believe.” If you are estimating a time, say so. If you are repeating an unverified rumor, identify it as such and explain who supplied it. Do not turn a possibility into a fact to make the message sound stronger.
Collect identifiers investigators can actually locate
Specific identifiers make a lead searchable. Depending on the case, include:
- A web address, profile or account name, platform, post date and exact timestamp.
- A video or image’s filename, source, recording time and the point in the file where the relevant event appears.
- A vehicle’s make, model, color, license plate, distinctive damage or direction of travel.
- A person’s full name, nickname, alias, workplace, school, address or other locating detail, with an explanation of how you obtained it.
- The location of a physical item, document or potential witness.
Check spelling, numbers and dates before submitting. The FBI portal warns that failing to supply requested information may impede or preclude an investigation. That is a reason to be as complete as you can honestly be, not a reason to guess.
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Write a tip investigators can triage quickly
Use a factual subject line
If a form provides a subject field, identify the case and the type of lead: for example, “2021 disappearance — possible sighting near [location]” or “Vehicle information related to [case name].” Do not put confidential details in a public social-media post while trying to attract attention.
Lead with the most actionable fact
Open with the detail that could be checked soonest: a current location, a named witness, a vehicle identifier, a timestamp or an account that may still be active. Then add the context and your source. A concise chronology is easier to verify than a long narrative that mixes dates and theories.
Use a simple structure
- Case reference: Give the case name, victim’s name, agency case number or a link to the agency’s case page if you have one.
- Key lead: State in one or two sentences what you are reporting.
- Timeline: List dates and times in order, marking estimates.
- People and places: Identify everyone and every location relevant to the lead.
- Source: Explain how you know each important fact.
- Available material: Describe photographs, video, messages, records or objects and where they are stored.
- Safe contact method: If you choose to identify yourself, provide the method and hours that investigators can use to reach you.
Keep your tone neutral
Avoid accusations, threats, insults and dramatic claims. Do not confront a suspected person, enter a property, follow a vehicle or announce that you have reported them. A tip should give investigators information, not create a new safety problem or contaminate a witness account.
How to submit through each channel
Local police or sheriff cold-case page
- Confirm the agency responsible for the location of the crime.
- Open its official website and find the current cold-case, anonymous-tip or case-specific contact page.
- Read whether the form is for emergencies, whether attachments are accepted and whether the agency gives a case number or callback method.
- Enter the facts in chronological order, identify what you personally know and provide a safe way to follow up if you want contact.
- Save the confirmation page, submission number or date and time. Do not submit the same narrative repeatedly unless the agency instructs you to update it.
FBI tip channel
- Use tips.fbi.gov for information about a federal crime or terrorist activity.
- Read the portal’s emergency warning and leave the form if an immediate response is needed; call 911 instead.
- Describe the federal or terrorism-related connection and include dates, locations, people and online identifiers where relevant.
- Decide whether to provide your name and contact details. The portal permits anonymous submission, but omitting requested information can limit follow-up or investigation.
- For a cyber-enabled matter, follow the portal’s current direction to ic3.gov when that route is specified.
Local Crime Stoppers program
- Find the Crime Stoppers program serving the relevant city or county and read its current rules.
- Submit through the program’s listed web form or telephone line, not through an unrelated national page.
- Answer the program’s questions about the crime, time, location and people involved.
- Write down the secret number or code the program gives you and keep it private.
- Use that code to check for permitted updates or reward information, following the local program’s instructions. Do not give the program your name or identifying information when its policy tells you not to.
Anonymity, identification and follow-up
Anonymity is a channel-specific feature, not a universal promise. USAGov says most local agencies accept anonymous tips online or by phone, while the FBI portal says a tipster does not have to provide a name or personal information. Read the agency’s wording carefully: a form may still collect technical data, request a callback number or explain limits on confidentiality.
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Providing contact information creates a trade-off. Investigators can ask what a timestamp means, clarify a name, request a better-quality copy or learn whether you have additional observations. If you do identify yourself, use a phone number or email account you can safely monitor and tell the agency about any safety concern. You are not required to invent certainty or provide information you do not have.
In a January 30, 2023 FBI podcast transcript, Patel said, “We treat all tips the same.” The statement refers to intake evaluation of anonymous and identified tips, not to a promise that every tip will receive the same follow-up. If you use Crime Stoppers, keep its secret number private because it is the way that program may communicate without collecting your name.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Handling photographs, video and other sensitive material
There is no single evidence-transfer rule for every agency or case. Do not assume that email, a public upload, a cloud link or an in-person drop-off is acceptable. In the tip, describe what you have, where it came from, when it was created and whether you still possess the original. Ask the responsible agency how it wants the material submitted.
Preserve the original file and its metadata when possible. Do not crop, enhance, rename or overwrite the only copy. If you must make a working copy to identify a timestamp or frame, keep the untouched original separate and explain what you did. Avoid posting sensitive images, names, addresses or potential evidence publicly; public circulation can expose victims and witnesses and may alter later accounts.
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The FBI portal specifically asks for details such as URLs, usernames and dates or times for online activity. Those fields help locate digital material, but they do not establish a universal procedure for transferring original evidence to every investigator.
What happens after you send a tip
Keep the confirmation number, secret code or submission date in a secure place. An agency may not disclose whether a lead was corroborated, assigned to a detective or connected to an arrest. Silence is not proof that the tip was ignored; confidentiality, workload and investigative strategy can limit replies.
If you remember a material correction, use the agency’s published update route and identify the original submission date or number. Send the correction plainly: state what was wrong, what the accurate fact is and how you know. Do not flood several offices with contradictory versions. If you face retaliation, harassment or immediate danger after reporting, contact emergency services or the appropriate local authority rather than trying to resolve the threat through the tip form.
Common mistakes and how to avoid them
- Using a tip form for an emergency: Call 911 in the United States when immediate response is required.
- Sending a local case only to a national agency: Start with the agency that owns the location-based case unless the facts indicate a federal matter.
- Guessing missing details: Mark estimates and unknowns; an invented date or name can misdirect an investigation.
- Leaving out the source: Explain whether each key fact is firsthand, recorded, relayed or inferred.
- Writing an accusation instead of a lead: Describe observable facts and let investigators test the connection.
- Posting evidence publicly: Ask the agency how to transmit originals and protect private information.
- Losing an anonymous reference number: Record a Crime Stoppers code or agency confirmation immediately and keep it private.
- Expecting a guaranteed response: Intake does not promise a callback, public update, arrest or case resolution.
If the case is outside the United States
The emergency number, police structure and anonymity rules described above are US-specific. For a case in another country, contact the police or investigative agency responsible for the jurisdiction where the event occurred and follow its published procedure. Use that agency’s official case page or telephone directory to confirm the correct route, and ask how it accepts anonymous information and digital material.
A final pre-submission checklist
- Am I using the agency responsible for the case location, or the correct federal channel?
- Is this an emergency that requires 911 rather than an ordinary tip form?
- Have I stated what happened, when, where, who is involved and how I know?
- Have I separated what I directly observed from rumor or inference?
- Did I include searchable names, aliases, vehicle details, URLs, account names and timestamps when relevant?
- Did I avoid guessing, exaggeration, threats and public accusations?
- Did I ask the agency how it wants original photographs, video, documents or other sensitive material?
- Have I saved the confirmation number or Crime Stoppers code and considered whether investigators can safely contact me?
The FBI’s National Threat Operations Center received more than 1.6 million e-tips and calls in fiscal year 2024. That workload figure describes intake volume, not the number of cases solved or the odds that any individual tip will produce an action. Your best contribution is a promptly routed, specific account that investigators can verify.
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