How Law Enforcement Can Leverage OSINT to Track Criminal Networks on Social Media
Social Media as a New Crime Frontier The digital revolution has fundamentally transformed how criminals operate, communicate, and organize. What once required face-to-face meetings in shadowy locations now happens in plain sight across social media platforms, messaging apps, and online forums. Criminal networks have discovered that platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Telegram, and TikTok offer unprecedented […]
OSINT for Online Fraud Investigations: Uncovering Hidden Scams
The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated this threat exponentially. Fraudsters exploited emergency relief programs, unemployment benefits, and healthcare systems with ruthless efficiency. Senior citizens became prime targets for fake job scams, while students fell victim to fraudulent loan forgiveness schemes. Government agencies found themselves overwhelmed by the scale and sophistication of these attacks, highlighting why OSINT for […]
Reddit OSINT: An Investigator’s Guide
Reddit has, over time, become one of the richest sources of open-source intelligence (OSINT) on the internet. It has amassed over 1.6 billion monthly visits and more than 110,000 active communities since its introduction in 2005. Reddit has turned into a dynamic platform where real people share insights, opinions, digital footprints, and sometimes even operational […]
OSINT for Law Enforcement: A Guide to Digital Investigations
More than 90% of criminal investigations now involve a digital footprint, whether it’s a suspect’s social media trail, smartphone metadata, or hidden online transactions. Digital clues are no longer the exception; they’re the rule. In 2023, INTERPOL reported that cyber-enabled crimes had surpassed traditional offenses in several regions, shifting the frontline of law enforcement to […]