How we leverage OSINT to deliver better interview results

Armed with Open Source Intelligence (OSINT), NetWatch’s team of Statement Takers can ask tailored questions that might reveal inconsistencies or confirm details, ensuring high accuracy for all interviews.

Inaccurate statements can have significant repercussions on insurance claims. For insurers, errors can lead to financial loss, either due to legitimate claims being denied or by fraudulent ones being paid. For policyholders, inaccurate statements can lead to prolonged investigations, denied claims, and legal consequences if fraud is suspected – all the while damaging the trust between the insurer and policyholder.

Leveraging OSINT allows NetWatch’s team of statement takers to approach interviews with a wealth of background information. This preparatory step ensures that the questions posed are relevant, specific, and informed by existing intelligence. For example, before interviewing a policyholder or subject about their recent claim, we will have profiled and researched the subject to determine key details surrounding the loss and their current capabilities.

Consider a case where a policyholder reports they can no longer work. At NetWatch, our skilled team of Analysts and Statement Takers may well have obtained social media evidence about the incident itself, the policyholder’s recent activities, and a multitude of other happenings! If the policyholder posted contradictory uploads from the time of the alleged loss, this discrepancy would prompt more targeted questions during the interview and the topic can even be raised directly.

OSINT proves invaluable across all types of interviews, helping to ensure that the information gathered is accurate and comprehensive. Here are some examples:

• Police Interviews: When interviewing police officers following road traffic collisions, videos and images of the incident obtained through OSINT not only provide a better understanding of the incident but allows us to show the visuals to the officers for comment and to corroborate versions of events. Similarly, when interviewing officers related to vehicle thefts they’ve been called out to, our OSINT searches allow us to build an understanding of similar incidents in the area which can assist our line of questioning, enhancing the accuracy and depth of the interview, and allows us to determine whether the incident is legitimate.
• Household and Property Claims: For household and property claims, OSINT can be used to find pictures of high-value items, verify their existence and condition, and any evidence of items being sold, or even used by others not named on the policy. This information can then be presented to claimants during interviews to uncover potential fraud.
• Commercial Claims: For business-related claims, evidence of closure dates, any financial difficulties experienced, comments from customers on social media and images of the business can be crucial. These pieces of information help verify the business’s operational status and any events leading to the claim.
• Pet Insurance Claims: Social media and community forums can provide information about the pet’s condition and the true onset of any injuries, or even for any indication the animal went missing. This can help verify the legitimacy of the claim and whether the policy has been taken out within the deferment period.
• Personal Injury Claims: OSINT can be used to gather information about your policyholder or claimant’s activities post-incident, which might contradict their injury claim. Social media posts showing physical activity that the claimant alleges they are incapable of can be particularly telling, while posts referring directly to the incident can give further insight into liability.

The accuracy of interviews and statements is paramount at NetWatch. By using OSINT to inform our interviews, avoiding common mistakes, and understanding the impact of inaccuracies, we conduct more effective and reliable investigations. For more information on how we can assist you please contact us at enquiries@netwatchglobal.com.