27d • Tools
👻 Hidden Tools: What is your favourite?
What’s your favorite OSINT tool that not many people think about?
I’ll go first.
📱 Snapchat
Here’s a recent simple but effective example:
In my first case of 2026 as an OSINT detective, I investigated a suspected infidelity case. I was provided with the phone number of the alleged cheater.
I saved the number in my phone contacts.
Not long after, I received a notification:
“Someone from your contacts is on Snapchat.”
That account turned out to be a hidden Snapchat profile, unknown to the spouse who hired me. The profile was linked to the phone number and became a key data point in my investigation.
From there, I used other OSINT tools to anonymously view and archive the profile and its content, so it could be properly documented and included as evidence in my report.
Last week, they broke up 🥀.
Why this works, even for adults:
- Many people created Snapchat accounts years ago
- Phone numbers often remain linked long after active use stops
- “I don’t use Snapchat” ≠ “I don’t have Snapchat”
No messages sent.
No interaction.
No alert to the other party.
📌 OSINT lesson:
Platforms remember longer than people do. Understanding how everyday apps sync contacts and combining that with proper archiving and documentation—is often what turns a signal into evidence.
Now your turn 👇
What’s an OSINT tool or platform you use that doesn’t get talked about enough?
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👻 Hidden Tools: What is your favourite?
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