Frequently asked questions

OSINT Trace helps security researchers, fraud investigators, and analysts check whether an email address, username, or phone number is associated with accounts on supported platforms. Use it only for lawful, authorized investigations. A match is a signal to investigate, not proof of identity.

Individual checkers are available for Google, Microsoft, Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, X (Twitter), Amazon, WhatsApp, and LinkedIn. The Social Media Checker covers a subset of these platforms. Available products and plan features are listed on the pricing page.

OSINT Trace accepts email addresses, usernames, and phone numbers, depending on the selected checker. Not every platform supports every input type. WhatsApp checks phone numbers only; use an international number with its country code. Check each product’s supported inputs before running a scan.

Upload a CSV file in the authenticated workspace to process up to 10,000 targets in a bulk job, subject to your plan and remaining credits. Follow progress as the job runs, preview results, and download the complete CSV report when processing finishes.

Authenticated lookup history and bulk reports are retained according to your account’s privacy settings. Choose 24 hours, 7 days, or 30 days of retention, and delete bulk datasets early when no longer needed. Phone identifiers are masked in telemetry and history. See the privacy policy for details.

When available, results may include a display name, profile photo, bio, profile link, follower counts, or authentication details. Metadata is not always included even when live is true. Availability depends on the target account’s privacy settings, account type, recovery options, and whether you use an email, username, or phone number. A presence-only result such as {"live": true} is valid. You can disable metadata in your privacy settings.

Sign in to the OSINT Trace workspace, open Settings, and select API Keys to create a named key. Keep it private and send it in the X-OSINT-Key header for authenticated API calls. You can set an expiration and revoke keys from the same page. Marketplace subscriptions use their own authentication instructions.

Direct plans include Free, Starter, Premium, and Enterprise options. Prices, included credits, billing periods, and features vary by product. The pricing page shows the current catalog; select a checker to compare its plans. Marketplace prices and quotas may differ from direct subscriptions.

New scans check supported platforms at request time rather than searching a prebuilt account database. Saved history and completed bulk reports are snapshots of earlier scans, not fresh checks. Platform rate limits, privacy controls, and service changes can produce inconclusive results. Run a new scan when you need an updated signal.

Use it to check whether an email address, username, or phone number is registered on supported platforms. Typical uses are security research, fraud investigations, account verification, and mapping a target’s digital footprint during an authorized investigation. Run single lookups or bulk CSV scans in the workspace, or build the same checks into your own tools with the developer API. Always follow applicable laws, platform terms, and your organization’s authorization requirements.