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Desktop & OSINT investigations

Need documented digital intelligence for a claim, dispute or peace of mind? ProFact conducts lawful desktop inquiry and open-source intelligence review across social media, websites, public records and digital footprints. Material is captured under documented protocols, scoped by a senior investigator, and reported in a form suited to insurance review, corporate decision-making or proceedings.

Licensed private investigator conducting surveillance in the field
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Expert desktop and OSINT investigation services

  1. Lawful open-source intelligence

    ProFact conducts desktop inquiry and OSINT review within applicable privacy and evidence-gathering laws. Publicly available and lawfully accessible material is identified, captured and preserved under documented protocols so findings can be reviewed with confidence.

  2. Digital footprint and social media review

    Insurers, legal firms and corporate clients brief ProFact to map online activity, social media content, identity signals and associations relevant to a claim or dispute. Each brief is scoped by a senior investigator to the sources and objectives that matter.

  3. Reporting that holds up to review

    Captured material is hashed, time-stamped and presented with source-cited findings suited to insurance review, internal decision-making or solicitor file preparation. ProFact reports what the digital record shows, not advocacy for a preferred outcome.

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Desktop and OSINT investigation services

Desktop and OSINT investigation services

When a claim, dispute or corporate matter turns on what a subject has published, registered or left visible online, desktop inquiry and open-source intelligence (OSINT) is often the fastest lawful way to establish a factual baseline before field work or proceedings. ProFact reviews publicly available and lawfully accessible digital material under documented capture protocols, scoped by a senior investigator to the sources and objectives that matter.

Insurers, legal firms, corporate risk teams and private clients brief ProFact when social media activity, identity signals, business associations or public record data may support claims review, internal decision-making or solicitor file preparation. Findings are source-cited, time-stamped and preserved with integrity so they can be reviewed with confidence. Where device acquisition or forensic examination is required, that sits within ProFact’s separate computer and mobile forensics capability.

Core desktop and OSINT offerings

ProFact’s desktop and OSINT investigation services include four defined workstreams:

  • Open-source intelligence (OSINT) — Lawful review of publicly available online material, news, forums, directories and disclosure sources to establish subject background, associations and activity relevant to the brief.
  • Social media and digital footprint review — Structured capture of profiles, posts, comments, check-ins and platform activity across major social networks and public web presence, with material preserved under documented protocols.
  • Identity, association and asset searches — Cross-platform verification of names, aliases, contact points, business interests and linked entities to support claims intelligence, due diligence or dispute preparation.
  • Public record and business intelligence — Retrieval and analysis of ASIC extracts, court listings, property and licensing registers, and other lawfully accessible public records to complement online review.
Discuss your desktop and OSINT matter
Investigator taking notes during a field enquiry
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What is desktop inquiry and OSINT?

Desktop inquiry and open-source intelligence (OSINT) is the process of identifying, capturing and examining information that is publicly available or lawfully accessible online. Unlike informal internet searching or everyday IT support, this work follows documented investigative protocols so findings can be reviewed with confidence in insurance, corporate or legal contexts. ProFact does not provide legal advice on admissibility or use of material in proceedings.

Lawful capture and investigative protocols

Desktop and OSINT work at ProFact follows structured investigative practice, not ad hoc searching. Each source is identified, captured and preserved under documented protocols with time-stamps and integrity controls so the digital record can be reviewed later without dispute about what was found and when. That discipline distinguishes professional OSINT from casual online research and supports instructing parties who may need to rely on findings in claims review or dispute resolution.

Comprehensive online intelligence analysis

ProFact investigators analyse social media profiles and activity, public web content, business registers, court listings and other lawfully accessible sources to build a clear picture of subject background, associations and online behaviour. Work may include identity cross-checking, deleted or archived content capture where lawfully available, mapping of linked accounts and entities, and correlation of public record data with open-source findings relevant to the brief.

When desktop and OSINT is needed

Desktop and OSINT is useful whenever questions arise about a subject's online activity, stated background, business interests or associations before field deployment or formal proceedings. Common instructions include insurance and workers compensation claims review, suspected fraud or misconduct inquiries, due diligence on counterparties, family law or personal disputes where public digital material may be relevant, and corporate matters requiring documented intelligence on reputation, conduct or identity signals.

Reporting suited to review and proceedings

Findings are compiled in source-cited reports with captured material indexed for instructing parties, solicitors and decision-makers. ProFact presents what the open-source and public record review establishes, scoped to agreed objectives and conducted lawfully. Where device acquisition, malware analysis or forensic examination of stored data is required, that work is briefed separately under ProFact's computer and mobile forensics capability rather than desktop OSINT alone.

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What ProFact can find online for your matter

We help insurers, lawyers, companies and private clients find and document information that is publicly available on the internet. Every brief is reviewed by a senior investigator, conducted lawfully, and reported in plain language you can act on.

Brief a senior investigator

  • Public web research

    We search websites, forums, news stories and professional listings to build a clear picture of someone's background, work history and online activity. Everything we find is saved properly so it can be checked later.

  • Social media review

    We review public social media profiles and posts to see what someone has shared about their lifestyle, work, relationships and locations. This is often useful in insurance claims, background checks and disputes.

  • Connections and identity checks

    When you need to know who someone is linked to, we trace aliases, linked accounts, shared contact details and business interests visible online. If you suspect a phone or computer has been hacked, that requires our separate computer and mobile forensics service.

  • Public records and saved captures

    We check company registers, court listings, property records and licensing information, and match those against what we find online. Disputed audio or video recordings are handled by our forensic audio and video analysis team.

  • Insurance and workers compensation claims

    Claims teams use us when online activity may not match what is on a file, such as undeclared work, lifestyle inconsistencies or identity issues. This can be done before surveillance or other field work is needed.

  • Corporate fraud and due diligence

    Companies and legal teams brief us to research public online material linked to suspected fraud, supplier risk, executive conduct or reputational issues.

  • Personal and family matters

    Individuals and solicitors brief us when public online information may help with a personal dispute, welfare concern or finding someone's contact details. We report what is there, not what you want to hear.

  • Support for legal files

    Solicitors can instruct us to compile timelines, captured material and clear reports for mediation, court preparation or file review. ProFact does not provide legal advice on whether material can be used in court.

Common instructions include insurance and workers compensation claims, suspected fraud or employee misconduct, business due diligence, and disputes where social media posts, public records or online activity may matter. Desktop research can establish a baseline quickly before more costly field work begins.

Solicitors and claims teams also brief ProFact when online material must be captured carefully and reported in a form suited to file review. ProFact does not provide legal advice on whether evidence can be used in court. Private clients also instruct us for personal disputes, welfare concerns, or questions about what has been published about them online.

In each case, the aim is the same: establish what the public digital record shows through reliable, documented research. Desktop and OSINT can sit alongside other ProFact services, including background investigations, surveillance investigations, computer and mobile forensics, and forensic handwriting analysis where the brief requires it.

Submit a desktop and OSINT brief Call 1300 464 810
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When to consider desktop and OSINT

Desktop and OSINT is worth briefing when you need to know what someone has left visible online, or whether public digital records support or challenge what is on a file.

Private investigator analysing case files and evidence
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Desktop and OSINT investigation FAQs

Straight answers on what desktop and OSINT involves, lawfulness in Australia, how it differs from digital forensics, who can brief ProFact and how confidentiality is handled. For broader licensing topics, see our Australian private investigator FAQ.

What is desktop and OSINT investigation?

Desktop and OSINT investigation is lawful research into information that is publicly available or lawfully accessible online. ProFact reviews social media, websites, public records and other open sources, captures what is found under documented protocols, and reports findings in plain language for claims review, due diligence or legal files. Every brief is reviewed by a senior investigator before work begins.

Is OSINT legal in Australia?

Yes, when conducted lawfully within applicable privacy and evidence-gathering laws. ProFact holds NSW Security Master Licence #000111294 and works only from sources that can be accessed lawfully for the brief agreed at intake. We do not use unlawful hacking, covert account access or other improper methods. For broader licensing topics, see our Australian private investigator FAQ.

What is the difference between desktop OSINT and digital forensics?

Desktop and OSINT focuses on publicly available online material and public records. Computer and mobile forensics involves forensic acquisition and examination of devices, accounts and stored data. If your matter requires phone extraction, deleted-file recovery or malware analysis, that is briefed as digital forensics rather than desktop OSINT alone.

Who can instruct ProFact for desktop and OSINT work?

ProFact is briefed by insurers, legal firms, corporate clients, government bodies and private individuals with a lawful reason to instruct investigation services. Each enquiry is reviewed at intake to confirm the instructing party can engage ProFact and that the proposed scope is appropriate. You can submit a brief online, call 1300 464 810 or email [email protected].

Will my desktop and OSINT brief remain confidential?

Yes. Confidentiality is central to investigation work. ProFact does not disclose client identity, brief details or findings to third parties without your instruction or a valid legal requirement to do so. Reports are released only to instructed parties unless scope or law requires otherwise.

Engage ProFact

Brief a senior investigator on your desktop and OSINT matter.

Consultations are confidential. We will scope the instruction, confirm capability and provide written terms before any desktop and OSINT work begins.

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