# Is it possible to call the police whilst keeping them from finding out who called them?



## ironpony (Dec 17, 2021)

For my story, I want a character to alert the police to a location to stop a crime in progress.  However, the character does not want the police to know he was there, so he has to find a way to get the police there, without giving himself away in anyways.  And for the story to go where I want it to go, plot wise, I want him to be successful at keeping himself a secret from them.

But is there a way to do this?  If he calls the police, they can just trace who's phone it is.  It was suggested to me that he should use a burner phone, to prevent the police from identifying him.  He cannot speak into the phone though, otherwise his voice will be matched to him later though.  So is there a way he can get the police there without speaking to them?  Perhaps he can just call and not talk into the phone himself and let the police trace it I thought.

But when I asked a police officer about this he said that burner phones cannot be tracked either, so they wouldn't be able to find the location is this true?  I read mixed things on this, but shows like Breaking Bad have the characters destroy the phones to prevent police from tracing them though.  Does anyone know more about this perhaps, or does anyone have any ideas how to get the police to a location, whilst keeping your identity a secret from them?

Thank you very much for any input on it!  I really appreciate it!


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## Lawless (Dec 17, 2021)

To stop a crime in progress, he should have anticipated the situation before and acquired a throwaway phone. I mean, getting a phone takes a little time where I come from. And that won't solve the problem with his voice.

When he calls and doesn't say anything, I can't see why the police would assume it's something vitally important and they need to locate the phone and go and see what's going on. Unless gunshots or screams or something can be heard.

I wonder if it's really impossible to alter one's voice so that it can't be matched with your real voice. I'm no expert on this.

How about an SMS from a throwaway phone?

Or beg a passerby to call the police? (In which case he may still be in trouble because the said passerby can recognize him later.)


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## CyberWar (Dec 17, 2021)

Modern forensic technologies can literally determine the identity of a missing person from DNA fragments gathered from the shit-stain on a window left by a fly that has recently fed on a corpse. Matching a voice to existing records is pretty straightforward compared to that, even if scrambled by voice scrambler.

I think the real question is whether the character in question is important enough for the authorities to use such technologies to find him. They are quite obviously beyond the means of the average police precinct, and would require a pretty high-profile case to be requested. In the United States, such tech would be exclusive to the assorted three-letter Federal agencies (or even just privately-owned laboratories contracted by the government for such jobs), so unless the character has an outstanding federal warrant on him, there's no immediate reason for him to worry about being ID'd after anonymously tipping off the police by asking another bystander to call 911, or simply causing enough ruckus to attract attention for someone to call the cops.

If he has reasons to fear, I don't see why he'd risk exposing himself by intervening in an ongoing crime in the first place. It goes against common sense to go out do-gooding if you're on the run from the authorities, and most people who merit that kind of attention aren't really the do-gooder types who would risk their own safety for others anyhow.


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## RGS (Dec 17, 2021)

Throwaway phones are used in more than one of my books. But, they're bought and set up beforehand, not on the fly. If I understand it correctly, they still show up on caller ID, but they're not tied to an individual.

One other tactic would be to walk into a business and ask to use their phone. Hopefully, it'll be a cordless and the person can step away to speak privately.


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## ironpony (Dec 17, 2021)

RGS said:


> Throwaway phones are used in more than one of my books. But, they're bought and set up beforehand, not on the fly. If I understand it correctly, they still show up on caller ID, but they're not tied to an individual.
> 
> One other tactic would be to walk into a business and ask to use their phone. Hopefully, it'll be a cordless and the person can step away to speak privately.


Oh okay thanks.  Unfortunately, my character would not have seen this coming and would have to think of a way to get the police there on the fly.


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## ironpony (Dec 17, 2021)

CyberWar said:


> Modern forensic technologies can literally determine the identity of a missing person from DNA fragments gathered from the shit-stain on a window left by a fly that has recently fed on a corpse. Matching a voice to existing records is pretty straightforward compared to that, even if scrambled by voice scrambler.
> 
> I think the real question is whether the character in question is important enough for the authorities to use such technologies to find him. They are quite obviously beyond the means of the average police precinct, and would require a pretty high-profile case to be requested. In the United States, such tech would be exclusive to the assorted three-letter Federal agencies (or even just privately-owned laboratories contracted by the government for such jobs), so unless the character has an outstanding federal warrant on him, there's no immediate reason for him to worry about being ID'd after anonymously tipping off the police by asking another bystander to call 911, or simply causing enough ruckus to attract attention for someone to call the cops.
> 
> If he has reasons to fear, I don't see why he'd risk exposing himself by intervening in an ongoing crime in the first place. It goes against common sense to go out do-gooding if you're on the run from the authorities, and most people who merit that kind of attention aren't really the do-gooder types who would risk their own safety for others anyhow.


Well the authorities do not know if the person would have warrants prior, because they would have no idea who called.  But as the character's actions not making sense, he doesn't want a helpless person to be murdered, so he is conflicted and feels he wants to get the police there, but at the same time, not involve himself in anyway.  He could get someone else to call the police, but than that person will have seen that guy's face, to describe to the police, and that just makes the plot more complicated though, which I was trying to avoid.  But maybe I could do that.

As for the police not responding, because they do not hear a voice on the phone, do the police still have a legal duty to trace it and check it out, because worst case scenario, something terrible happens, and they chose to ignore it, which could look bad?


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## ironpony (Jan 10, 2022)

Well it seems that when it comes to burner phones, they cannot be traced though.  But is there a way to call the police without them being able tell who's phone it is, but a the same time able to trace the phone?

Or are all phones that are unable to tell who the owner is, untraceable to the police?


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## Xander416 (Jan 10, 2022)

Lawless said:


> When he calls and doesn't say anything, I can't see why the police would assume it's something vitally important and they need to locate the phone and go and see what's going on. Unless gunshots or screams or something can be heard.


Back when I still had a landline, I was calling a family member in Savannah (912 area code) and accidentally hit the 1 twice. I immediately hung up, then made the call correctly, While on the phone with that family member about 5 minutes later, I hear a knock at the door and open it to find, to my surprise, two police officers standing there inquiring about a 911 call. So, yeah, they will send someone to investigate.

Anyway, in response to Ironpony's question, this is something I've read conflicting reports on admittedly, but supposedly cell phones are extremely hard to trace as is and even more so if you turn the GPS tracker off (assuming the specific model of phone allows it, which my iPhone 6 doesn't seem to).


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## Non Serviam (Jan 10, 2022)

Helen was chatting to a friend over the phone as she strolled from shop to shop when a man gently touched her arm.

"I need to use your phone," he said. "It's really urgent."

Before Helen could react, he snatched the phone and dialed 911. She noticed he was wearing gloves.

"Police," he rasped, in a peculiarly strangled voice. "There's a crime in progress, corner of Tagland and Murr, shots fired."

He handed back her phone. "Sorry to interrupt your call." And then he was gone.


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## PiP (Jan 10, 2022)

Burner phone?








						What Is a Burner Phone, and When Should You Use One?
					


A “burner phone” is a cheap, prepaid mobile phone that you can destroy or discard when you no longer need it. In popular media, criminals often use burner phones to evade detection by authorities. You might use a burner phone for privacy reasons, as a last resort, or during an emergency.





					www.howtogeek.com
				



although I like the idea put forward by @Non Serviam as it is more creative


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## ironpony (Jan 10, 2022)

Non Serviam said:


> Helen was chatting to a friend over the phone as she strolled from shop to shop when a man gently touched her arm.
> 
> "I need to use your phone," he said. "It's really urgent."
> 
> ...


Thanks, I could use something like this, but if I do then there is a witness who can identify to the police the man who took her phone though, which means he would still get caught later though, which I do not want.


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## Non Serviam (Jan 10, 2022)

"Describe the man who borrowed your phone," said Officer Malone.

"Caucasian male, I suppose a bit taller than medium height, brown hair," said Helen.

"What was he wearing?"

"Err, shirt and jeans, I think.  Does it matter?"

"Yeah, we're incredibly curious about the identity of the person who reported the crime, so we're spending lots of time and effort on finding them."

"Really?"

"No.  Borrowing a phone isn't a criminal act.  Thanks for your assistance ma'am."  Malone tipped his hat and left.


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## ironpony (Jan 11, 2022)

Oh okay, but the guy who uses a phone to alert the police is actually a crooked cop, that he doesn't the police to know he is there.  But he becomes one of the investigators on the case later though.  So if he becomes an investigator on the case, isn't there more of a chance him and the witness he took the phone from will cross paths though, especially when testifying in court?  Or maybe not?

But also, I was told that they could do a vocie match, even if the person tries to disguise his voice.  But is this true, if anyone knows?


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## Non Serviam (Jan 11, 2022)

But they _wouldn't_.  They probably do have the technical ability, but police forces all over the world are overstretched.  Nowhere do they investigate every reported crime, let alone things that aren't crimes.

Every police chief has a limited number of staff.  None of them will allocate any staff to deal with things that aren't crimes or public priorities.

Every officer has a list of cases to work on, and none of them will put significant effort into looking at something not on their caseload.  

If he's investigating the matter, he's well placed to see that he doesn't come into contact with someone who could identify him.  And there's no reason for either the prosecution or the defence to call Helen as a witness -- she didn't see anything.


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## Darkkin (Jan 11, 2022)

Read more crime fiction, true crime, and forensics books, (there really is a book called Forensics for Dummies, we sell about three copies a month) and take notes.  There is a basic format. I know it has been said, but burner phones have been a genre staple since pre-paid phones were a thing. (Even lowly romance writers, (myself included), know about them and use the resource.) Don't pay for it with a credit it card at Walmart.  Maybe invest in Discovery+ and check out some of the series like Forensic Files.  The forum members keep doing your homework.  The goal is plausible enough for a reader to buy.  This is pretty basic not like the electrified building flood to block cell reception.  Is there any middle ground with this piece?


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## apocalypsegal (Jan 11, 2022)

ironpony said:


> the guy who uses a phone to alert the police is actually a crooked cop


Then he would know how to remain unfound.


Darkkin said:


> The forum members keep doing your homework


To no apparent benefit, sadly.


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## Darkkin (Jan 11, 2022)

Smart, compelling villians are very hard to write.  The smart villian will minimise social interactions where they can and will be remembered.  It would be all over social media the second the phone was returned.  Not to mention cops check for cameras.  They have an exact time and place.  Cover blown.

Smart bad guy pays for a pre-paid phone in cash.  Maybe even a couple and has them on hand just in case, months in advance.  These are fail safes.

Only Neo from the Matrix can get by with grabbing a phone on the run and dialling his wizard.  It is the mundane details that lead to the biggest breaks in cases. (The series See No Evil is great at illustrating this point.)  Want a reader to keep with the project keep the mundane in mind and consider the easiest way to avoid it.  Fail safes and escape plans are a good way.

Genre readers will be quick to scent blood in the water if a bad guy struggles to make an anonymous call.  Things like that can lead to a piece reading more like an episode of Scooby-Doo, the crime solved by those meddling kids.

Put some faith in your own problem solving skills, otherwise, one cannot be an effective writer.


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## ironpony (Jan 11, 2022)

Darkkin said:


> Smart, compelling villians are very hard to write.  The smart villian will minimise social interactions where they can and will be remembered.  It would be all over social media the second the phone was returned.  Not to mention cops check for cameras.  They have an exact time and place.  Cover blown.
> 
> Smart bad guy pays for a pre-paid phone in cash.  Maybe even a couple and has them on hand just in case, months in advance.  These are fail safes.
> 
> ...


Oh really?  I've actually had the opposite problem and my villains are too smart and I'm trying to think of ways they can make mistakes without it being forced. And since police technology is so limited and there's so much legal red tape, it's hard to write it so the police can actually make a case as well against a smart villain.


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## ironpony (Jan 11, 2022)

Darkkin said:


> Read more crime fiction, true crime, and forensics books, (there really is a book called Forensics for Dummies, we sell about three copies a month) and take notes.  There is a basic format. I know it has been said, but burner phones have been a genre staple since pre-paid phones were a thing. (Even lowly romance writers, (myself included), know about them and use the resource.) Don't pay for it with a credit it card at Walmart.  Maybe invest in Discovery+ and check out some of the series like Forensic Files.  The forum members keep doing your homework.  The goal is plausible enough for a reader to buy.  This is pretty basic not like the electrified building flood to block cell reception.  Is there any middle ground with this piece?


oh sorry about that. In my research I didn't find that anonymous calls were able to be traced all so I found myself at a dead end and wondered if there was any loopholes, so I thought I would ask here.

What do you mean by middle ground in this context?


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## Darkkin (Jan 11, 2022)

ironpony said:


> oh sorry about that. In my research I didn't find that anonymous calls were able to be traced all so I found myself at a dead end and wondered if there was any loopholes, so I thought I would ask here.
> 
> What do you mean by middle ground in this context?



If your bad guy is too smart for you, you might need to adjust some character traits.  The number of threads like this cast serious doubt on the MCs critical thinking skills.  Basically from the content of these threads, he is not qualified enough to do his job effectively. 

And if the bad guy is too smart, how come he can't solve a simple thing like making an anonymous call?  The actions of the BG are not congruent with the traits of a wily villian.

These guys, both MC and BG, need a workable skill set, which includes problem solving.  By asking for solutions to every problem that skill gets bypassed and leaves a critical weakness in a character's skill set.


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## Darkkin (Jan 11, 2022)

Something to try to make sure an MC can handle their role is do a mock interview with them.

e.g.

Scenario A:  You need to report a crime, yet remain anonymous, how do you do it?

They are thinking critically to solve the problem, meaning you are thinking critically.  See how your characters respond in an RPG scenario.  Exercises like this can help find solutions that you come up with, strengthening your skill set, which will translate into stronger characters.


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## ironpony (Jan 12, 2022)

Oh okay thank you!  I don't think it's the characters that are the problem so much as opposed to laws and technology getting in the way.  For example I have a hard time getting my villains indicted for their crimes, because the law is set up that you have to make a huge number of mistakes, and that is tricky without becoming implausible.  But also, technology has problems too, such as in this case, not being able to trace a call that is anomymous, or in other cases of technology causing problems in other scenarios.   Such I think the legal system and technology are more of a hindering on the plot than the characters, because the characters are trapped within those problems, and it's hard to get them out of it, since the legal sytem and technology are what makes it more plausible for a story.


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## Darkkin (Jan 12, 2022)

Tech end is one of the easiest to manipulate because layman basics are about all that is needed for a plausible plot.   Add in private sector security and R and D lab resources, FBI contractors, etc.  Resources are readily available for fabrication.  It is standard across the genre. It's fiction.

e.g. burner phone, cell phone jammers, etc.  This stuff is widespread and readily available on the internet, but the MCs don't seem to be able to do their jobs effectively because of technology?  That makes perfect sense.

Consider archetypes, it can help.

One landmark case where technology was brought to bear with immense speed and efficency (for its time).  The Oklahoma City bombing.  That is the basic process with the bureaucracy removed.  Resources utilized to their fullest potential.  Archetypal.  A lot of fiction tends to mirror this type of timeline.

There is a difference between being plausible and being pedantic.

Consider investing in a good secondary character who is tech savvy, (MIT, Cal Tech, self taught savant, etc).  Brother, army buddy, whomever to hold things together...and do the problem solving.  Find a Garcia and entrust them with the role.  Again, it is archetypal.  R2D2, C3PO, Rodney, Sokka, Spock, Scotty, Hermione, a sonic screwdriver, etc.


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## indianroads (Jan 12, 2022)

Xander416 said:


> Back when I still had a landline, I was calling a family member in Savannah (912 area code) and accidentally hit the 1 twice. I immediately hung up, then made the call correctly, While on the phone with that family member about 5 minutes later, I hear a knock at the door and open it to find, to my surprise, two police officers standing there inquiring about a 911 call. So, yeah, they will send someone to investigate.
> 
> Anyway, in response to Ironpony's question, this is something I've read conflicting reports on admittedly, but supposedly cell phones are extremely hard to trace as is and even more so if you turn the GPS tracker off (assuming the specific model of phone allows it, which my iPhone 6 doesn't seem to).


I believe (but remain a bit unsure) that the police need a warrant to access your cell data.
Sometimes 911 calls are hang ups, and the police will call your number just to be sure you are ok - and on a land line, they might show up at your door. A cell though, seems a different matter - to know where you are, they'd have to access your phone, and I don't think that's ok.


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## Darkkin (Jan 12, 2022)

Warrants are needed to access LUDs, but it is possible to triangulate a general location from pings on towers with the cell phone number.  Basic GPS function.  It is usually one of the first steps in securing probable cause for a broader scope of investigation.

Carpenter vs.  US (2018)

Warrants are required for LUDs and cell phone history.  Triangulation pings do not.  GPS used by active apps provides the data. Phone number is the access to the IMEI card in the phone.  

Google search on burner phones brought up something called a Blackphone, a supposedly unhackable smart phone.  Further digging reveals a Blackphone app that can be downloaded on Android.  Stick it on a cheap little burner phone, double cover.

There are also a whole bunch of actual burner phone apps you can download to spoof a dummy number from your phone, starting at $4.99 a month.  Pay for a prepaid debit card in cash, set it up, back up plan in place.

A number of police departments also have emergency text numbers for tips as well.  911 text lines have been in place since 2014.

Warrants are required for GPS data on suspect vehicles, both on board data and when vehicles need to be tagged.

 This is all just in five minutes on Google.

Anyone doing a search of my Google searches might be a bit concerned...


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## ironpony (Jan 13, 2022)

Oh okay thanks for the information everyone!  If you text 911, can they still identify who's phone did it, if it's not a burner phone?


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## ironpony (Jan 13, 2022)

Darkkin said:


> Tech end is one of the easiest to manipulate because layman basics are about all that is needed for a plausible plot.   Add in private sector security and R and D lab resources, FBI contractors, etc.  Resources are readily available for fabrication.  It is standard across the genre. It's fiction.
> 
> e.g. burner phone, cell phone jammers, etc.  This stuff is widespread and readily available on the internet, but the MCs don't seem to be able to do their jobs effectively because of technology?  That makes perfect sense.
> 
> ...



Sorry, what I mean is is that the technology is so good nowadays that it's effecting the plot in a bad way.  For example, because of burner phones now, if a crook wanted to call the cops anonomymously, and get them to trace the call, the police can't because that's how good the technology has become.  So technology I find has a tendency to hinder plot, because it's too good nowadays.


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## Darkkin (Jan 13, 2022)

ironpony said:


> Oh okay thanks for the information everyone!  If you text 911, can they still identify who's phone did it, if it's not a burner phone?



Just use the burner phone or the app...you need to learn how to problem solve.  If you cannot find a solution, maybe the plot is too convoluted.


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## ironpony (Jan 13, 2022)

But the police cannot trace the location of a burner phone I read, which is what I want them to do.  So if that's true, how does the burner phone get them to a location, if they cannot trace it, unless I missed it?  I asked a police officer if they can trace a burner phone call in this situation and they said no.  So I am not sure how to problem solve when the police themselves, tell me that burner phones cannot be traced.


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## Darkkin (Jan 13, 2022)

The bus left the stop...Why did the character make the anonymous call?   To report a crime in progress WHEREIN THEY INCLUDE THE LOCATION OF THE CRIME.  What do police do?  Respond to crimes, including 911 calls.


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## ironpony (Jan 13, 2022)

Oh I see what you mean now!  Thanks!  So you can text the police as well from a burner phone then, and they will come, is that right?


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## Darkkin (Jan 13, 2022)

ironpony said:


> So you can text the police as well from a burner phone then, and they will come, is that right?



Yes.  Include photo or video if possible.  It is not rocket science.  It is a simple text message with a file attachment. 

There seems to be a bit of a disconnect between the information being provided and what is derived from it.

BG needs to report a crime anonymously to get  PD to location X.  BG is stymied on a solution, yet BG is super smart and outwits MC at every turn because of BGs technological advantages?  2 + 2 = 5.

I am clearly missing a crucial point somewhere.


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## Doodah (Jan 18, 2022)

What if your character creates a distraction large enough for other members of the public to call the police? This example sucks I know: The character throws a rock through a store window and runs away before they are noticed. The shop will most definitely call the police to the area.


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## ironpony (Jan 20, 2022)

Doodah said:


> What if your character creates a distraction large enough for other members of the public to call the police? This example sucks I know: The character throws a rock through a store window and runs away before they are noticed. The shop will most definitely call the police to the area.


This might work, it's just if I write it this way the police will respond to the store, where as if the villains are chasing another character, the chase would have moved to a different location by the time the police get there.  So this is what makes it difficult to write is that the police cannot track the chase, as they are trying to get there in order to intercept the chase.  They can only drive to the last known location and by then, the chase has moved to somewhere else.


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