How do I become an informer?

The most common way to become an FBI informant is to be approached by the FBI. If the FBI has identified you as a person who has a connection to a criminal enterprise, activity or target, the Bureau may approach you to provide it with information.

What is a police informant called?

An informant (also called an informer) is a person who provides privileged information about a person or organization to an agency. The term is usually used within the law enforcement world, where they are officially known as confidential human source (CHS), or criminal informants (CI).

How can you tell if someone is a paid informant?

The CI is searched before and after the deal by the police. The CI will likely be paying with marked money. You will not be able to notice the marks. The money may not even be marked, but the police have made a copy of the serial numbers on the cash bills.

How much do informants get paid?

The quality of information, the veracity of the informant, and the needs of the agency receiving the information all come into play. Some informants may make $50 for a tip or information, and others might make $1000 for a different tip.

What happens if you have a confidential informant (CI)?

The CI may be charged with a serious drug (or other) criminal offense. The CI is assigned a CI number and agrees to provide information about your case to the police. The CI may do “controlled buys.”

How do the police use informants in drug cases?

Sometimes an informant will simply inform the detective when a suspect has the drugs in their car or house so the police can raid them. The police may do a combination of these things as well. For more serious cases the police will often have the informant make several transactions before they arrest a suspect.

Why do I need a lawyer for informant protection?

Because the police and prosecution will usually not make any promises, it is vitally important that you have an attorney that has an excellent working relationship with detectives and the prosecution. That relationship is what will protect an informant from being betrayed by the police or prosecution.