U.S. Customs rolls out online system for anonymous reporting of trade violations

I wasn’t aware of this before and just kind of stumbled upon it, but this week U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) rolled out their a-Allegations online reporting system that allows any member of the public to anonymously report suspected trade violations. For those who don’t know, CBP has always maintained a toll free number (1-800-BE-ALERT) for reporting trade violations and anyone can still call that hotline to report suspected illegal activity.

But now CBP has also implemented an online system for reporting possible trade violations that they call e-Allegations. Here’s an excerpt from the faq from their official site:

Q: What types of issues can I report via e-Allegations?
A: e-Allegations provides a means for the public to report to CBP any suspected violations of trade laws or regulations; those that relate to the importation of goods into the U.S. These types of violations include misclassification of merchandise, false country of origin markings, health and safety issues, valuation issues, and intellectual property rights.

Q: Do I have to provide my name to submit an e-Allegation?
A: No. If you wish, you may remain anonymous when you submit an e-Allegation.

Via the official press release:

CBP has established this reporting system to make it easier for the public to notify CBP of possible trade violations. CBP will confidentially research concerns, determine the validity of the allegations and any actions required based on the subsequent review.

To report a possible violation, an individual must submit the following information: the type of trade violation, description of what has occurred, the products or goods involved and the alleged violator’s name and/or company. Other information may be included on a voluntary basis.

eAllegations is not intended for assertions of security issues such as terrorists or weapons of mass destruction. Violations that may be reported online through eAllegations include misclassification of merchandise, country of origin markings, health and safety violations, intellectual property rights violations, textile or other trade violations.

For example, eAllegations will provide a means to report a possible violator who is importing substandard steel, claiming that it is of a higher grade, therefore creating a potential safety issue. Other possible violations that can be reported include a company claiming a lower than actual value on a product they are importing to pay less duty or a company who is importing textiles from one country but stating that the goods are from another country to avoid quota restrictions.

Emphasis ours. While 1-800-BE-ALERT is more of an all-encompassing hotline, e-Allegations appears to be geared more towards specific import violations such as mis-classification and country of origin markings. These kinds of details tend to be known within the trade community and company specific, so my impression is that e-Allegations is a way for insiders to anonymously report their, or other, company’s illegal behavior. If anyone else out there has more details on the system, let us know, but based on what little I’ve read and seen, unscrupulous importers and customs brokers best beware!

Official site for e-Allegations here.