From image analysis and shadow investigation to offline sources and large scale platform analysis, this episode covers Issue 88 and 89 of The OSINT Newsletter.

In the ninth episode of the rebooted OSINT Podcast, host Jake Creps explores how modern OSINT investigations increasingly rely on context, methodology, and synthesis rather than just tools alone. The discussion moves from pixels and shadows to books, archives, and social platforms, showing how investigators can widen their field of view without losing rigor.

Highlights include:

🖼️ Image OSINT That Goes Beyond Tools – why reverse image search is only the starting point, and how faces, objects, backgrounds, and reflections all become investigative pivots.

🎨 The Full Paintbox – a practical breakdown of when and why to use Yandex, PimEyes, Lenso.ai, TinEye, Google Lens, and Bing Visual Search together rather than in isolation.

🧠 Priming Images for Better Results – background removal, smart cropping, and AI restoration techniques that dramatically improve search outcomes.

🌑 Investigating Shadows – how tools like ShadeMap can be used to chronolocate images when time or place is missing, and where the limits of shadow analysis lie.

📚 Offline OSINT – why some of the most valuable intelligence still lives in obscure books, fringe publications, and physical archives, and how to integrate them into modern workflows.

🎭 Office Stunt Doubles – a discussion on visual misdirection, room doubles, and how small photographic details have been used to infer high level locations.

🌐 Searching for Groups – exploring emerging tools like Waybien and the ongoing challenge of discovering Telegram, Discord, WhatsApp, and Facebook groups at scale.

📊 Investigating X Account Locations at Scale – a walkthrough of a custom browser extension that collects quotes and retweets, extracts account locations, and outputs structured data for influence analysis.

🔮 OSINT Trends for 2026 – AI content validation, agentic AI, and synthetic influence campaigns, and what investigators should prepare for going into the new year.

Throughout the episode, the focus stays on tradecraft over hype, emphasizing methodology, limitations, and ethical considerations at every step.

References

Image OSINT That Goes Beyond Tools (Issue 88)

OSINT Trends for 2026 | Office Stunt Doubles | Offline OSINT (Issue 89)

Anna’s Archive | ShadeMap | Waybien

Investigating X Account Locations at Scale

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From inboxes to intelligence.

From reverse email lookups to tracking global data leaks, this episode covers everything from Issue 86 and 87 of The OSINT Newsletter.

In the eighth episode of the rebooted OSINT Podcast, host Jake Creps unpacks two issues that show how email addresses, leaks, and AI-driven platforms are transforming investigations - and how to stay ethical, efficient, and secure along the way.

Highlights include:

📧 Email OSINT for Beginners - a step-by-step walkthrough of how to search, pivot, and validate any email address.

🔍 Reverse vs Regular Email Search - understanding the crucial difference in direction: when to discover an address vs when to investigate one.

🧩 Email Validation - syntax checks, MX lookups, SMTP probes, and the safest ways to confirm an address is real.

🕵️ Manual Methods - how to extract usernames, test alternate providers, and pivot intelligently across platforms.

💡 Case Study: The Pet Portrait Scam - a hands-on example showing how reverse search, validation, and username extraction work in sequence.

📰 OSINTing the OSINTers - a passive OSINT case study showing how structured analysis trumps tool obsession.

⚠️ Meta Is Watching Your Prompts - what it means for investigators when LLM data and AI prompts are being used for ad targeting.

🧭 OSINT != Collection - why open-source intelligence is about outcomes, not just data hoarding.

🚗 Tools to Try Now - Vehicle AI, DocuFinderJS, and a new library of OSINT Bookmarklets (including one for Facebook Marketplace).

🌐 Discovering Data Leaks - a deep dive into how to locate, verify, and ethically monitor breach data across forums, GitHub, and Telegram.

Each segment connects practical email tradecraft with broader ethical and analytical frameworks - showing how modern investigators can work smarter, not noisier.

References

* Email OSINT That Goes Beyond Tools (Issue 86)

* Discovering and Tracking Data Leaks (Issue 87)

* Vehicle AI | DocuFinderJS | OSINT Bookmarklets

* OSINTing the OSINTers | Meta and Prompts | OSINT != Collection

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From first usernames to full-stack contributions.

From beginner-friendly handle hunting to AI-assisted tool-building, this episode covers everything from Issue 84 and 85 of The OSINT Newsletter.

In the seventh episode of the rebooted OSINT Podcast, host @jakecreps breaks down two back-to-back issues: one focused on the fundamentals of username OSINT for new investigators, and another on how to use AI to improve and contribute to open-source OSINT tools.

Highlights include:

🧠 Username OSINT That Goes Beyond Tools – how to search, pivot, and build identity profiles using nothing but usernames and logic.🔡 Generating Variants – predictable patterns, heuristics, and how to use AI to automate your variant lists.🕵️ Pivoting Like a Pro – following digital breadcrumbs from handle → profile → email → employer → full identity.⚙️ Contributing to Free OSINT Tools Using AI – fixing bugs, adding features, and building interfaces directly in VS Code.⚡ OPSEC and AI – why your prompts can be subpoenaed, and how to protect your workflow.🛰️ Tools to Try Now – BF Database Search, GeoVLM, and WebRecon for real-world recon and geolocation.🌏 OSINT Tips for China – Justen Charters’ method for tracking Chinese infrastructure companies overseas.💬 OSINT for Bad – understanding how open data can be weaponised, and why ethical tradecraft matters more than ever.

Each segment builds on the last — showing how curiosity, caution, and a few lines of AI-assisted code can take your investigations to the next level.

References:

* Username OSINT That Goes Beyond Tools (Issue 84)

* Contributing to Free OSINT Tools Using AI (Issue 85)

* BF Database Search | GeoVLM | WebRecon

* OSINT Tips for China | OSINT for Bad | DHS Prompt Warrant Story

Get full access to The OSINT Newsletter at osintnewsletter.com/subscribe

The Spectrum of OSINT

From first searches to full-stack investigations.

From beginner-friendly dorking to advanced DNS intelligence, this episode covers everything from Issue 82 and 83 of The OSINT Newsletter.

In the sixth episode of the rebooted OSINT Podcast, host Jake Creps walks through two contrasting issues: one designed for newcomers learning the fundamentals of search engine OSINT, and another diving into the latest tools, field notes, and open-intelligence trends shaping the industry.

Highlights include:

🧠 Dorking for Dummies – a practical beginner’s guide to search-engine OSINT, how to use operators, and why Bing and Yahoo still matter.

🔍 Beyond Google – exploring how different indexing logic, filters, and regional engines (like Yandex or Baidu) uncover what Google misses.

🕵️ The Fake Job Scam – a step-by-step walkthrough showing how a simple search query can expose a recruitment fraud.

📰 The Future of Intelligence Is Open – how OSINT is becoming the foundation of modern intelligence work, not just a supplement.

🗺️ Google Maps Review Timestamping – a clever OHsint technique by Yoni that reveals the exact posting time of any review using browser developer tools.

📡 OSINT Field Notes #1 – Ben Strick’s new series on power-grid mapping, satellite tracking, and creative visual analysis.

💻 Validin – enterprise-level DNS intelligence that brings WHOIS, certificates, subdomains, and host responses together in one platform.

🧩 Google Search Localisation – a Chrome extension that lets you change your search location to view results as if you were in any city or ZIP code.

🕵️ Doxcord - finds social media handles linked to people’s Discord profiles so you can pivot from chat identities to public accounts.

Each segment bridges the gap between beginner and advanced investigation - showing how small technical skills compound into professional-level tradecraft.

References:

Dorking for Dummies (Issue 82)The Future of Intelligence Is OpenFinding the Exact Date and Time of a Google Maps ReviewOSINT Field Notes #1ValidinDoxcordGoogle Search Localisation

Get full access to The OSINT Newsletter at osintnewsletter.com/subscribe

In the fifth episode of the rebooted OSINT Podcast, host Jake Creps explores how open-source intelligence is evolving - and what it means as the field matures. This instalment highlights new tools, recent investigations, and practical insights into making data more accessible, visual, and verifiable.

Highlights include:

📰 A Raw Take on OSINT’s Broken State – why OSINT is reaching a turning point, and what adopting clearer standards could look like.

📚 OSINT At Home #26: Top 5 Hacks to Find Deleted Websites, Posts and Secret Changes – simple but powerful ways to get more out of the Internet Archive.

📊 New Immigration Enforcement Dashboard – how ICE arrest data is now easier to analyse through the Deportation Data Project.

🔎 JSON Crack – visualise complex JSON files and understand large datasets at a glance.

🧩 Cold Relation – a flexible multi-tool for cross-platform social media analysis.

📁 NSCO Start.me Collection – hundreds of curated bookmarks covering breach data, dark web sources, and regional OSINT hubs.

Each segment showcases practical workflows for everyday investigators while reflecting on how OSINT is changing as both a discipline and a community.

References:

* A Raw Take on OSINT’s Broken State

* OSINT At Home #26

* New Immigration Enforcement Dashboard

* JSON Crack

* Cold Relation

* NSCO Start.me Collection

Get full access to The OSINT Newsletter at osintnewsletter.com/subscribe

From dodging misinformation to archiving video and testing LLM geolocation, this episode unpacks the latest tactics and tradecraft shaping open-source investigations.In the fourth episode of the rebooted OSINT Podcast, host Jake Creps explores how OSINT is being used - and misused - across today’s information landscape. This instalment highlights new tools, recent community research, and practical case studies that show how to adapt your methods in a fast-changing environment.

Highlights include:

📰 A Guide To Monitoring Conflict Amidst a Sea of Misinformation – how investigators separate signal from noise when tracking warfare online. 🕵️ Private Investigator Case Studies: How We Find the Unfindable – ten concise examples of creative approaches from professional PIs. 🔁 Trillions of Posts Go Dark on Facebook – Here’s Your Flashlight – lessons in building redundancy when platforms change or go offline. 🎥 YouTube Video Finder – a tool that aggregates archives to recover lost content and metadata. 🌍 GeoIntel – experimenting with LLMs to bulk-check and narrow down geolocation candidates. 📂 Council Meeting Transcript Search – making static datasets more accessible with smarter search.

Each segment highlights practical ways OSINT practitioners can sharpen their methods, while also showing the risks and limits of open-source intelligence.

References:

* A Guide to Monitoring Conflict Amidst a Sea of Misinformation

* Private Investigator Case Studies

* Trillions of Posts Go Dark on Facebook

* YouTube Video Finder

* GeoIntel

* Council Meeting Transcript Search

Get full access to The OSINT Newsletter at osintnewsletter.com/subscribe

Tools, tactics, and investigations that show both the power and the risks of open-source intelligence.In the third episode of the rebooted OSINT Podcast, host Jake Creps explores a mix of new tools and hard-hitting case studies that highlight how investigators can find, process, and analyse information at scale. From browser extensions that reveal hidden metadata to frameworks that structure analysis, this episode dives into the cutting edge of OSINT tradecraft.

Highlights include:

* 🔎 VSCO SPY – a Chrome extension that reveals hidden metadata on VSCO photos, including geolocation, device details, and timestamps.

* 🕵️ Shodan-hash – a CLI tool for pivoting on favicons, headers, and HTML to uncover related infrastructure.

* 🎥 TikSpyder – a clever tool that combines Google search with Apify to make TikTok easier to investigate.

* 🌍 West Papua bot network – how investigators exposed a $300,000 influence operation using only free OSINT tools.

* 🧩 The Analytical Hierarchy of OSINT – why structure matters, and how to turn raw data into actionable intelligence.

* ⚠️ Malicious uses of OSINT – how cybercriminals weaponise public data for attacks, from Sony Pictures to MGM and beyond.

Each segment unpacks how these methods work in practice, what risks they highlight, and how OSINT practitioners can adapt their own investigations accordingly.

Sources & Links:

* Full show notes and newsletter: OSINTNewsletter.com/79

* VSCO SPY – Chrome Extension

* Shodan-hash CLI

* TikSpyder – GitHub

* West Papua Bot Network

* The Analytical Hierarchy of OSINT

* Malicious Uses of OSINT

Get full access to The OSINT Newsletter at osintnewsletter.com/subscribe

In the second episode of the rebooted OSINT Podcast, host Jake Creps spotlights some of the most inventive tools and recent case studies reshaping open-source investigations. From tattoo recognition datasets to AI-driven scraping, this episode dives deep into how practitioners can sharpen their tradecraft with the latest resources.

Highlights include:

* 🔍 Meawfy – the most advanced crawler for searching Mega.nz, surfacing everything from open-source software to hidden educational troves.

* 🤖 Parse.bot – an AI-powered scraping tool that instantly turns any website into a structured API.

* 🕵️ Tattoodo as a biometric dataset – why tattoos could become the next frontier in image-based investigations.

* ⚡ Agent.ai – a growing library of task-specific AI agents, including a Company Research Agent that pulls instant org intel.

* 📍 Instagram’s Snap Map-like feature – how quiet location updates in DMs can reveal where someone lives or travels.

* 📧 Validating Gmail addresses ethically – using Calendar embeds to check if burner accounts are real.

* 🈺 Phishing with Japanese characters – a subtle but dangerous trick exploiting punycode and lookalike symbols in URLs.

Jake unpacks what each of these means for investigators, how they might be applied in practice, and what risks they raise for both privacy and security.

Sources & Links:

* Full show notes & newsletter: OSINTNewsletter.com/78

* Meawfy

* Parse.bot

* Tattoodo OSINT– Aidan Raney

* Agent.ai

* Instagram’s New Map Tool

* Gmail Validation Tips – Yoni

* Japanese Character Phishing – Michel Coene / JAMESWT

Get full access to The OSINT Newsletter at osintnewsletter.com/subscribe

Listen to the podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or on Substack.

In the first episode of the rebooted OSINT Podcast, host Jake Creps dives into the latest trends, tools, and investigations shaping open-source intelligence. Topics include OSINT’s role in counterterrorism, monitoring Chinese content for geopolitical insights, the risks of publicly indexed ChatGPT conversations, and creative pivots like SoundCloud-to-YouTube tracking.

Jake also explores practical tools, from bookmarklets to geolocation training, and how AI-powered setups like VS Code + Copilot can supercharge investigations.

Sources & Links:

Full show notes & newsletter: OSINTNewsletter.com/77

* Op-Ed: David Cook – How Publicly Available Clues Could Thwart the Next Lone Actor Terror Attack (https://washingtonreporter.news/p/op-ed-david-cook-how-publicly-available)

* Investigating Chinese Content for OSINT – Justin Charters (https://www.linkedin.com/posts/justen-charters-1b99a953_chinese-osint-tips-1-belt-and-road-activity-7354278158306566144-p7Xz/)

* ChatGPT Public Conversations Indexed on Google – Oliver Molander(https://www.linkedin.com/posts/olivermolander_artificialintelligence-activity-7356621639284862976-jlEL/)

* New OSINT Bookmarklets from My OSINT Training – Micah Hoffman

* BandLab: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/micahhoffman_another-osint-bookmarklet-this-bandlab-user-activity-7353427318880538625-cjsC/

* TikTok: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/micahhoffman_extract-dates-from-tiktok-urls-with-click-activity-7353086892084482048-dkJh/

* TraceTracks (https://github.com/Oblivios/TraceTracks)

* GeoHints (https://geohints.com/)

Get full access to The OSINT Newsletter at osintnewsletter.com/subscribe

We’re returning with sharper insights, deeper investigations and the same mission as before: keeping you ahead of the curve in open source intelligence.

Join Jake Creps every fortnight for episodes bringing you the latest in tools, tactics and investigations, with some extra special guests lined up to share their expertise and insights.

🔎 Follow the OSINT Podcast:

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LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/osint-podcast/

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