Before sharing information with us, please contact us first through the secure messaging app Signal or by encrypted email. Once we know what type of information you have, we can advise on the safest way to get it to us.
To protect yourself from detection, follow these instructions carefully. Consider your own level of risk when deciding what precautions to take.
How to message us through Signal
Signal is a free, open-source, end-to-end encrypted messaging app that can be downloaded to Android or iPhone. It is straightforward to use, similar to sending a text message. Signal does not retain any metadata, only your phone number and the last time you accessed the app.
Use a personal phone to send a message via Signal to our dedicated phone line:
+44 (0)7375246584
Do not use a work phone. Enter our number directly into the app and don’t add it to your address book.
Please tell us what type of information you have, but do not send us anything sensitive at this stage.
Please note, this number can only receive messages via Signal. It does not receive normal phone calls (through your phone app) or SMS (text) messages.
Safety tips when using Signal
- Do not use a work phone.
- Depending on the level of security you need, you may want to buy an untraceable phone paid for in cash, preferably an Android running operating system 10.
- Enter our number directly into the app. Do not add it to your address book.
- Set Signal to delete messages after a certain period of time.
- Do not allow messages to appear as previews on the locked screen (you can change this in your iPhone through Settings & Notifications and on your Android through Device then Sound & Notification and in Settings within the Signal app.)
- Be aware that we will see the number you use to message us.
- Make sure your phone is running the most up-to-date operating system and the latest version of Signal.
- Make sure your phone locks automatically and create a strong password. Be aware that if someone gains access to your phone they will be able to see the numbers you have messaged and read any undeleted messages.
- For more on using Signal see Freedom of the Press Foundation's guide at freedom.press/news/signal-beginners.
How to contact us via email
When you write to us, secure your emails with PGP encryption. Using PGP encryption means your emails cannot be accessed by your email service or your internet provider, unlike say Gmail.
PGP works through the use of two encryption keys: a public key, which can be shared with anyone, and a private key known only to you.
Unless you’re familiar with PGP, the easiest way to email us using PGP encryption is with a Protonmail account. All communications between two Protonmail accounts are end-to-end encrypted with PGP.
Sign up for a free, anonymous Protonmail account at Protonmail.com and email us at our Protonmail account:
Please tell us what type of information you have, but do not send us anything sensitive at this stage.
If you’re using PGP with a different email service, our public key is:
22C731008A9D86B912CDDFA0BF23B9FD9E5D7CFB
For more on Protonmail and how PGP works visit Freedom of Press Foundation's guide at freedom.press/training/protonmail-pro
Safety tips for emailing us
- Do not use your work or regular personal email account
- Use PGP encryption. The easiest way to do this is to set up an anonymous Protonmail account. Alternatively, you can use a PGP plug-in.
- Use a strong password for your account that you haven’t used anywhere else before.
- Be aware that only emails sent to other Protonmail accounts will be encrypted. Emails sent to other email services may be intercepted unless you use the recipient's PGP key. (To find someone's PGP key, use keys.openpgp.org).
- Before sending your email, check for a purple lock in the address field if you’re writing to another Protonmail account, or a green lock if you’re using PGP to write to an email address outside Protonmail. This confirms that your email will be encrypted.
- After sending, delete the email from the sent folder in your Protonmail account.
By post
The oldest technology is often the most secure. To contact us by post, write to our PO Box address:
TruthTeller.Life, PO Box 76525, London N4 9JL
Other safety tips
- Never use work devices or networks when contacting us or visiting this site or other sites that might reveal clues about your leaking activity.
- To browse the internet anonymously from your own device use Tor, which you can download from torproject.org
- For even greater security, you can use the Tails secure operating system.
- If there is any identifiable information in the documents you plan to send us, remove it or alert us to it.
- Consider taking photographs, with a camera not a smartphone, or screenshots, rather than sending electronic documents that may contain metadata.
- Don’t tell friends or colleagues about your disclosure.