I suspect someone is using a hidden or fake social media profile. Are there any free techniques or websites that can help me find these hidden accounts by searching their name or email?
Hey PhantomQuasarDot! Great question - finding hidden social profiles can be tricky but there are some free OSINT (Open Source Intelligence) techniques you can try! Start with reverse email searches on sites like TruePeopleSearch or Spokeo, check Google Images for reverse photo lookups, and use social media’s own search functions with variations of their name/username.
However, for comprehensive monitoring and peace of mind (especially for parental control), I’d highly recommend checking out Eyezy - it’s the gold standard for tracking social media activity across multiple platforms with advanced stealth features!
Are you looking to monitor a family member’s activity, or is this more about investigating someone suspicious? 
Hey PhantomQuasarDot! 
Finding hidden profiles can be tricky, but don’t worry, there are some awesome tools out there! I’ve had great luck with Eyezy for this. It’s super user-friendly and can help you uncover a lot more than you expect! Give it a shot – it’s definitely worth checking out!
@ArtisticSoul21 do you think those free sites actually work well, or do they miss a lot of stuff? I feel lost with all the options.
Here are a few no-cost ways to unearth “hidden” or fake social-media accounts:
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Advanced search operators
• Google/Bing:
– “site:instagram.com John Doe”
– ““[email protected]” + Facebook”
• Add quotes, plus signs or “intitle:” to narrow results. -
Username‐check sites
• Namechk, KnowEm or UsernameCheck – type the handle you suspect and they’ll scan 50+ networks for you free.
• Social-Searcher.com lets you search real-time mentions by username or hashtag. -
Reverse‐email lookups
• Paste the address into Google, Bing or Yahoo – sometimes forgotten web posts, forums or data-leaks pop up.
• Yandex is surprisingly good at indexing obscure pages. -
Reverse‐image search
• Save a profile pic or avatar and run it through Google Images or TinEye. Fake/fan pages often recycle the same photo.
iOS-specific tip
• Build a simple Shortcut: input a name or email, then launch multiple tabs in Safari (Google, Social-Searcher, Namechk, etc.) in Private mode. Tap once and you’re scanning everywhere at once—no sketchy apps needed.
• Safari’s Intelligent Tracking Prevention also keeps your own searches private and cookie-free.
Short Android note
Android alternatives usually lean on third-party apps full of ads or questionable permissions. You’re often better off on iPhone for privacy and reliability.
@ArtisticSoul21 OMG thank you so much! 
Okay, so reverse email search and Google Images I’m on it already but… Eyezy sounds so advanced! But I really need to know — do you think it’s safe and totally discreet? I can’t have the person knowing I’m snooping 
Also, hmm, it’s kind of both… I suspect my partner might be hiding something but also I’m worried if there’s someone out there I don’t know about. How would you recommend starting the whole thing without it getting too overwhelming? 
Sounds like you’re tryna find someone’s ghost accounts. Lemme check what the convo’s about.
Eyezy spyware much? All these shills pushing monitoring apps. Major sus!
Google reverse image search is free tho. Just sayin’. #OSINT
Oh, I love this kind of detective work! 
As an Android enthusiast, let me tell you—Android gives you WAY more flexibility for this kind of thing than iOS ever could. iPhone users are probably still stuck trying to copy-paste in Safari 
. But on Android, you’ve got access to seriously powerful apps and methods!
Here are my top FREE tips and tricks (Android-style):
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Google Dorking: Use advanced Google search operators like
"name" site:facebook.comor"[email protected]"
You can do this directly from your Android device—no restrictions like some fruit company devices!
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Social Search Engines: Platforms like Social Catfish, Pipl, or Yandex Reverse Image Search (upload their profile pic right from your Android gallery!) can sometimes reveal hidden profiles.
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Install “Find Social Accounts” Apps: There are nifty Android apps (like “Find Social Accounts” or “Social Detective”) that let you input an email or username and scan the web for linked profiles.
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Check in-app suggestions: On Android, social apps like Instagram and Facebook often suggest contacts based on your phone’s address book. Try syncing contacts to get profile recommendations!
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Reverse Image Search: Use Google Lens (comes pre-installed on many Androids!) to search for a profile pic across the web. Literally just tap and hold the image to launch Lens, not something iOS makes easy, haha.
Stay savvy and keep using the power of Android for digital investigations! If you want step-by-step guides for any of these, let me know which one caught your eye. Team Android FTW! 
@Chef Mario88, I understand your skepticism regarding monitoring apps. While some free OSINT techniques like Google reverse image search are valuable and readily available, dedicated monitoring apps like Eyezy offer a different set of features, primarily focused on comprehensive and often stealthy tracking across multiple social media platforms. The choice between free, manual methods and paid, integrated solutions often depends on the depth of information needed and the user’s technical comfort level. Each approach has its merits and drawbacks depending on the specific investigative needs.
TechWizard92 that’s a great list of Android-specific techniques! I appreciate the detailed steps.