Crime Stoppers Offers One More Way To Submit Anonymous Tips – Texting
Starting today, the public will have one more option to submit an anonymous tip through Crime Stoppers – their cell phones.
Text messaging has been added to the list of ways the public can provide Southwest Florida Crime Stoppers with information on unsolved crimes, wanted fugitives or illegal activities occurring in the community, or within area schools. With the new text tipping program, the public can discreetly text a tip to C-R-I-M-E-S (274637), Keyword: REWARD. The keyword of REWARD is exclusive to Southwest Florida Crime Stoppers, and ensures that all anonymous tips texted with that specific word will be processed
through Crime Stoppers, thus making the tipster eligible for a cash reward.
This is the only text tipping program in Southwest Florida that provides cash rewards for information that leads to an arrest.
The text tipping program utilizes the same software utilized by all other forms of providing anonymous tips through Crime Stoppers. Through this software, provided by TipSoft, there are layers of protection in place to apply an encrypted alias ID to the originating cell phone number. Thus, the identity of tipsters cannot be detected by any means.
This new addition to Southwest Florida Crime Stoppers compliments the three other forms of providing an anonymous tip – the traditional hotline number of 1-800-780-TIPS (8477), the website at www.swflcrimestoppers.org or through the TipSubmit app on any iPhone.
“The goal is to make the process of providing an anonymous tip as easy as possible to all facets of the community,” according to Trish Routte, Crime Stoppers Coordinator. “Some people feel more comfortable behind a keyboard to provide information, and others, particularly the younger generation, are more apt to text than to pick up a phone. By
offering several options, we’re hoping that people who have information that law enforcement needs will access whatever avenue they feel most comfortable with, and willprovide Crime Stoppers with information that can ultimately make our community safer.”
With the text program, tipsters will only need to include the keyword on the SMS (text) tip the very first time they submit a tip. After that, the TipSoft program will automatically know where to route all subsequent traffic from that device. The text tipping program will also
allow tipsters to communicate back and forth with Crime Stoppers staff, which is also available with the web tip and the TipSubmit iPhone app.
Southwest Florida Crime Stoppers chose they keyword of REWARD to designate from other text tip lines provided by several law enforcement agencies. While tips provided to those sources are promptly passed along to law enforcement, tipsters would have to use the REWARD keyword to be eligible to a cash reward of up to $1,000 if their tip leads to an arrest.