DOJ unveils antitrust e-mail

The increasing use of the Internet as a means of communicating with government has prompted the Justice Department to issue an online call for leads involving antitrust violations.

"We've been considering this for quite some time. It's simply a way to make ourselves available more readily to people who use the Internet as a means of communication," said Jim Griffin, deputy assistant attorney general for criminal enforcement in the Antitrust Division.

"We still have telephones, and we still receive letters," he said, "but more and more people communicate with each other and with government agencies through the Internet."

The call for information has been added to the Antitrust Division's New Case Unit.

The posting is also an enticement to those who might have committed violations. "Individuals or companies with concerns that they may have been involved in criminal antitrust violations may cooperate with the Antitrust Division and avoid prosecution if they meet the conditions of our individual or corporate leniency [amnesty] policies," according to the Web site announcement.

Anyone wanting to contact the department regarding violations can write to newcase.atr@usdoj.gov.