As a freelance OSINT Engineer, I've had the opportunity to work on some incredibly challenging and rewarding cases. One of the most intense cases involved tracking down a human trafficking ring. With limited resources, I relied heavily on free online tools to piece together the information needed to identify and locate the perpetrators. In this blog post, I'll share some of these reliable tools that have proven invaluable in my investigations, especially for those working in support of corporate, law firms, military, and law enforcement.

The Case: Hunting Human Traffickers

It all started with a tip-off about a suspected human trafficking operation based in Texas. The information was sparse, but every detail mattered. Armed with only my laptop and a deep-seated determination to make a difference, I began my hunt from my home base in New Jersey, working entirely remotely. The coordination with law enforcement (LE) and the clever use of OSINT tools played a crucial role in dismantling a 20-person trafficking stable and rescuing 20 victims. The entire investigation was wrapped up in less than a month.

Finding Public Records

Public records were my first port of call. Here's how I leveraged them:

1. Google Advanced Search: I used Google Advanced Search to narrow down my queries. By using specific operators like "site

   " and "filetype

   ", I found government reports and public documents that provided initial leads about potential traffickers and their operations.

2. FamilySearch: This genealogy tool came in handy for tracing the backgrounds of suspects. By accessing birth, marriage, and death records, I could map out familial connections and identify key individuals involved in the trafficking ring.

3. National Archives: The National Archives provided a wealth of historical records. For this case, military records helped confirm the identity of one suspect who had a past in the armed forces, providing a crucial link to their current activities.

Finding Adverse or Questionable Information

Next, I needed to dig deeper into the suspects' backgrounds to find any adverse information:

1. Pipl: Pipl's deep web search capabilities were essential. It uncovered hidden social media profiles, blog posts, and obscure online mentions that painted a fuller picture of the suspects' activities and associations.

2. Have I Been Pwned?: This tool revealed that one of the key suspects had been compromised in multiple data breaches. By analyzing the leaked data, I discovered email communications that hinted at illicit dealings.

3. Creepy: Using Creepy, I tracked the geolocation data from social media posts. This tool showed me patterns in the suspects' movements, revealing frequent visits to certain locations that correlated with suspected trafficking hotspots.

Locating Financial Information

Tracking financial transactions was crucial to understanding the scope and scale of the operation:

1. OpenCorporates: OpenCorporates provided detailed information on shell companies used by the traffickers to launder money. By tracing the corporate data, I identified several front companies, including a supposed "record label" that was a front for the trafficking ring. This discovery was pivotal in linking the financial transactions to the primary suspects and their illicit activities.

Leveraging Linux and the Command Line

As the investigation progressed, I realized that I needed to dive deeper into more technical aspects. This is where my Linux environment and command-line skills became invaluable. Here’s how:

1. Recon-ng: Recon-ng is a powerful reconnaissance tool that operates within the command line. It allowed me to automate the collection of various types of information from different sources, such as social media accounts, domain details, and email addresses.

2. theHarvester: This tool was crucial for gathering emails, subdomains, hosts, employee names, open ports, and banners from different public sources. It provided a comprehensive list of assets related to the suspects.

Note-taking with Obsidian MD

Keeping track of all the gathered information was crucial for building a coherent case. Obsidian MD, a powerful and free note-taking app, was instrumental in this process:

1. Organizing Information: I used Obsidian MD to create a structured repository of notes, linking related pieces of information and creating a web of connections that mirrored the network of the trafficking ring.

2. Visualizing Connections: The app’s ability to create visual graph views of my notes helped me see the bigger picture, identifying key players and their connections at a glance.

3. Collaboration: By sharing my Obsidian MD vault with law enforcement colleagues, we could collaboratively update and refine our investigation notes in real-time, ensuring everyone was on the same page.

Collaboration with Law Enforcement

One of the most challenging aspects of the investigation was coordinating with law enforcement agencies remotely. Here’s how we managed it:

1. Encrypted Communication: Using tools like Signal and ProtonMail, we maintained secure communication channels to share sensitive information without risking exposure.

2. Remote Access Tools: By setting up secure remote access environments, I could share my live findings with law enforcement teams in Texas in real-time. This ensured that they could act swiftly on the information provided.

3. Regular Briefings: Weekly virtual meetings were held to update the team on progress, adjust strategies, and share new leads. This kept everyone aligned and ensured a coordinated effort.

The Result: Shutting Down the Trafficking Stable

After less than a month of relentless investigation and close cooperation with law enforcement, we finally had enough evidence to act. The coordinated efforts led to a series of raids across multiple locations in Texas. The result was the successful shutdown of a 20-person trafficking stable, freeing 20 victims and bringing the perpetrators to justice.

Conclusion

The case was intense, but with the help of these free OSINT tools, I was able to gather enough evidence to support law enforcement in dismantling the human trafficking ring. The tools I’ve shared here are not just reliable; they’re indispensable for any OSINT investigation.

In our upcoming 60-minute webinar, we'll delve even deeper into these tools and introduce additional resources that our analysts have found crucial across various types of cases. Whether you’re a seasoned investigator or just starting out, mastering these tools will enhance your investigative capabilities and support your work in different sectors.

Stay tuned for more insights and happy investigating!