Anonymous complaints

[Nik]

Tax authorities in at least a few countries (and maybe in many countries) and probably other governmental offices encourage/allow submission of anonymous complaints about any alleged wrongdoings in their area of responsibility.
Moreover, from what I read a sizable amount of investigations commence upon receipt of this kind of tip-off.
Is complaining a good citizenship or bad citizenship? Would you complain about your boss, acquaintance, neighbor? Why yes/not?

[Graeme]

Well, this is an interesting question.

Whenever someone asks me this sort of question. I immediately ask, "what would the world be like if the opposite was in play?

What if,

[1] You can't make complaints of any sort, or

[2] You can make a complaint, but you have to clearly identify yourself as you make it.

[3] You can make a complaint, and do it anonymously - as per this question.

Option [1] is a crap situation - welcome to North Korea.

Option [2] is strongly impacted by how complaints are handled, if

[a] You are whisked away by the secret police to a labor gulag never to be seen again, then [2] = [1].

[b] You lose your job, are denied opportunity to work, your partner leaves you, you are publically vilified, and your coffee supply is cut off, then [2] kinda approximates [1]

[c] Your complaint is promptly shredded, and you are ignored, then [2] might as well be [1] (but with less pain...).

If however,

[d] Your complaint is handled with prompt impartiality by an organisation that seeks feedback to generate real opportunity to improve, then congratulations - can I please emigrate...

Summing up...

Complaining anonymously is a great idea - but, is anyone listening?

[Nik]

To be able to complain is important, however to many who come from the USSR they might have an ominous meaning, for too frequently anonymous complaints were used to settle old scores with fellow workers, neighbors, anyone by false or real accusations: "Comrade _________told jokes about the Communist Party" or "Mrs ______ hears hostile radio broadcasts". These Mr and Mrs could have ended up in imprisonment for a couple of years, as the investigators were kinda trained in procuring confessions..

[Marie]

I agree with Graeme, this is an interesting question! Nik, you really do think up some interesting topics! :)

I do not know how it is where the both of you live, but over here in the U.S., people are on the rampage as far as complaints! They will turn each other in at the drop of a hat for just about anything!

No one is happy over here! lol Government agencies have all kinds of tip lines and/or hot lines to call for people that just want to stick their noses into other people's business!

For example: the IRS (Internal Revenue Service) has a hotline for people to call if they want to turn in someone for tax invasion!

Another example is: if one of your neighbors or family members goes off the deep end, then there is a hotline to call and the white suits will show up to cart that person off to the mental facility. I kid you not! They call the facilities over here "Life Stream" and they will take the person to have them evaluated to make sure they can be released back home. If they find they are not mentally capable of being home, then they try to rehabilitate them and treat them.

I could go on and on as there are lots of hotline tips for all kinds of things over here. Hotlines for law enforcement if you think your neighbor or boss is wanted by the law, they have a tip line for that and if you think your neighbor is mistreating his pets they have a hotline for that.

The whole USA is one big hotline!!

Now the real question is: have I done it? No I have not turned anyone in or used any hotlines! Why? Because I figure it is none of my business what other people do. I wouldn't want them to interfere in my business so why should I interfere in theirs. :)

[Nik]

Marie wrote: " Nik, you really do think up some interesting topics! :) ..."

Some of them I drink up -:)
Thanks for the insight about the States. Yeah, hotlines are everywhere. And it's a moral dilemma, for on the one side, ppl want laws observed, but on the other - some oppose snitching.
It can also be a 'national mentality' of a sort, as I hear that in some places ppl would feel obliged to report someone, while in others - would never do it.

[Scout]

I know that there's Welfare and Disability fraud here because some of the offenders are my distant relations, and I've heard stories from others who have family members and friends who are getting benefits illegally. There should be oversight of these programs and penalties imposed to the extent that people are afraid to commit fraud. I've never heard of anyone being caught because no one checks. Maybe hire 50 people to do random checks statewide and save big money on fraud per year.

[Philip]

Scout wrote: "I know that there's Welfare and Disability fraud here because some of the offenders are my distant relations, and I've heard stories from others who have family members and friends who are getting ..."

They certainly check in the UK and we have a much wider benefits system. It does not stop fraud but some do get caught. The investigating teams exist in all parts of government and earn their keep

[Nik]

We also have investigators checking some of the applications. Don't know whether existence of investigators contributed or not, but I remember reading that a thorough research returned with the estimate of fraudulent claims amounting to only 3% of the total. Even if it's twice as much, I can live with that. Wouldn't be surprised, if unjustified denials of claims amounted to the same, if not bigger figures

[Scout]

Thorough research? How can you have a true estimate of fraudulent claims when there's no serious government investigation or oversight of claimants? That's like estimating the number of illegal aliens or fraudulent voters. They're not going to report themselves. Ever question how they arrive at these percentages? Very iffy in my opinion.

[Philip]

With our social security system in the UK fraud tracking and prevention is built in and still the percentages are relatively small. Two issue with the statistics. Professional fraud is hard to detect e.g. criminal enterprises. Over claiming or continuing to claim is more common but rarely reaches the courts e.g. agreements to pay back or just brushed under the carpet.

For 2016/7 1.2% regarded as fraud with 2% as over payment and offset by 1% underpayment

Official research

https://assets.publishing.service.gov...

[Scout]

Still iffy when talking estimates of fraud involving voting, social security, food stamps, and the number of illegal aliens. Who the heck knows? If someone votes for his disabled aunt, who knows? If someone's playing sick and getting social security benefits, who knows? If someone is an illegal alien in this country, who knows? Until it's reported, no one knows, yet there must be millions who go unreported and unknown. I don't trust statistics in these cases.