Cricketers face bans of up to five years if they are found to have failed to report information relating to a breach of the Cricket Australia's anti-corruption code but in an Australian first have been told they will be spared from penalty if they come forward with any evidence from their careers by the end of November.

The move comes as anti-corruption investigators prepare to confront the threat of match and spot fixing at this summer's World Cup in Australia and New Zealand. The organisers, the International Cricket Council, last year signed a memorandum of understanding with the Australian Federal Police in a bid to assist them in combating corruption in the tournament, which is the world's third biggest sporting event.

The amnesty period to be announced on Monday is directed at fleshing out information or suspicions that current international and state players may have from throughout their careers. The game's anti-corruption measures are generally conducted in high secrecy but CA's senior manager of integrity Iain Roy told Fairfax Media there had already been no shortage of reporting by players since CA's Integrity Unit was formed last December.

"No specifics, but I can tell you we've had plenty," Roy said. "We've had a range of reports and it does range from stuff that has happened in Australia through to stuff that has happened outside Australia."

Roy said the impunity offered to players in the reporting period until November 30 was installed to urge cricketers to tell officials about "any suspicious activity that doesn't feel right" and "covering all periods".

Authorities are eager to obtain more information not only about any untoward activity by players or officials, but about other people who have engaged in suspicious behaviour.  The message of reporting is one that has been supported by Australian players - Shane Watson and Brad Haddin immediately notified officials of approaches by a suspected Mumbai gangster linked to illegal bookmakers while on tour in England in 2009 - and while Roy said there was no suggestion of Australians involved in illegal activity the threat of corruption was "very real".

"We're now properly resourced to be able to put in place all the things that we wanted to so now is a reasonable time to do this," Roy said. "What we're doing at the moment is building on the culture that we've already got in the game. There has always been a culture in the game of reporting and this effort is just an attempt to make sure that we're shining a light into dark corners if you like. We hope that granting a short amnesty period in relation to any previous non-reporting of relevant facts will encourage anyone with information to come forward."

A new reporting hotline has been established for players, officials and administrators, a development applauded by Australian Cricketers' Association cricket operations manager Graham Manou. "In the past, players have told us they've had some concerns about reporting questionable approaches," Manou said. "With the integrity hotline, they should have confidence that information may be reported confidentially and is being treated appropriately."