Report a Scam Scam Reports
OSINT · Crypto Crime · Scams · Investigation

Follow the evidence. Expose the pattern. Protect the next victim.

OSINTrace investigates crypto and financial scams, maintains an evidence-based public scam database, and helps investors, victims, and institutions verify who they're really dealing with — before it costs them.

Scam Reports → Request Due Diligence
120+*
Cases documented
PhD-led*
Cryptocurrency crime research
SA-based
OSINT investigation practice
FREE TOOL · QUICK CHECK
Paste a crypto address, domain, email address, mobile number, social media URL or handle, or company name to check it against every published OSINTrace case.
Checks OSINTrace's own published case database in real time. External source cross-referencing (Chainabuse, CryptoScamDB, ScamAdviser) is simulated after "creating" a free account; no real account or external API call happens anywhere on this page.
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The scam reports database

Evidence-based, not accusation-based

Every listing goes through automated triage, human moderation, a confidence tier, and a right-of-reply window before it's published. See how we verify reports →

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What we do

Services beyond the database

🔎

Investigations

Client-requested OSINT investigations into a specific scam, fraud, or crypto crime case — evidence gathering, on-chain tracing, AI-assisted analysis and profiling, and a formal report.

Request an investigation →
🛡️

Due Diligence

Pre-investment vetting of a platform, project, or token — ownership, on-chain history, red flags, and a clear go/no-go summary.

Free lookup — has it been checked? →
Request a Due Diligence →
🎓

Training

Pre-recorded online courses, in-person and corporate workshops, and a paid-entry CTF challenge to test your skills on a leaderboard.

Browse courses →
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Reports & Guides

Low-cost PDF guides built from real casework — scam-pattern breakdowns, a self-serve due-diligence checklist, and an annual "State of Crypto Scams in South Africa" report.

Browse guides →
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Pro Bono Program

A limited number of free investigations each round for victims who genuinely can't afford a paid engagement. Our review committee reads every application.

Apply for pro bono →
From the blog

Case Studies & Research

Investigation breakdowns, OSINT methodology, and academic research made accessible.

Cartoon illustration of a magnifying glass hovering over a network of connected open-source intelligence nodes representing social media, domain and contact data sources
Research

Leveraging Open-Source Intelligence to Combat Cryptocurrency Investment Scams

A follow-up study returning to the same fraudulent platform case, this time pushing an iterative off-chain OSINT enrichment cycle to see how far domain, contact and alias data can take an investigation once the blockchain trail goes cold.
Cartoon illustration of a magnifying glass examining a connected process flowchart, next to a validation shield checkmark and a methodology gear icon
Research

Evaluating an Investigative Process for Cryptocurrency-Related Crimes

Peer-reviewed evaluation of a proposed 5-phase crypto crime investigation methodology, applied to a real case where an elderly pensioner lost R4.95m to a fraudulent investment platform.
Cartoon illustration of a piggy bank with a Bitcoin coin dropping into its coin slot and a cracked heart above it, representing a romance scam that escalated into crypto investment fraud
Research

Analysis of a Cryptocurrency Investment Scam: Pig Butchering

Peer-reviewed case study tracing a romance scam that escalated into a "pig butchering" crypto investment fraud, from Tinder match to on-chain tracing and Maltego link analysis.
Cartoon illustration of a judge's gavel next to a cracked Bitcoin coin, with a downward bear-market chart line in the background
Research

Top Crypto Scams in 2022-2024: Trends, Tactics, and Regulatory Responses

Peer-reviewed analysis of the biggest crypto scams since the pandemic — Terra Luna, FTX, Celsius, Thodex and more — with a breakdown of tactics, losses, and how regulators responded.
Cartoon illustration of a puppeteer's hand controlling a Bitcoin coin marionette with strings, next to a mask and a scam warning speech bubble
Research

Vulnerabilities to Crypto Currency Scams and Online Persuasion Strategies

Peer-reviewed analysis of the psychology behind crypto scams — applying Cialdini's persuasion principles to giveaway scams, pump-and-dumps, and the MTI Ponzi scheme.
Cartoon illustration of a gift box with a bitcoin coin being pulled out on a fishing hook, next to a warning triangle
Research

An Analysis of a Cryptocurrency Giveaway Scam: Use Case

Co-authored academic case study tracing a Michael Saylor impersonation giveaway scam's ETH flows through Kucoin, FixedFloat, Binance and more using Breadcrumbs.
View all posts →
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Built on academic research, run as a practice

OSINTrace is led by a cybersecurity researcher completing a PhD proposing a process for investigating cryptocurrency crime using OSINT — applied here as a public database, an investigation practice, and a training program. AI-assisted analysis supports our investigators throughout — pattern recognition, entity profiling, and correlating evidence across cases — always reviewed and confirmed by a human analyst before it shapes a case.

PhD Researcher — Cryptocurrency Crime / OSINT [example] Cybersecurity Research Project Management
Partners

Who we work with

OSINTrace collaborates with specialist forensics, academic, and industry partners on investigations, methodology, and training.

TCG

TCG Forensics

South African cyber-crime & digital forensics firm — collaborators on OSINTrace's crypto-investigation methodology and casework.

tcgforensics.co.za →
MS7

MS7 Security Services

Security services and investigations firm — an OSINTrace partner.

ms7security.com →
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Partner with us

Forensics firm, exchange, academic group, or law-enforcement unit? Let's collaborate on investigations, data, or training.

Get in touch →