“Crypto is anonymous.”
That is the biggest lie in finance. In reality, Bitcoin and Ethereum are pseudonymous. The user’s name is hidden, but their transaction history is public forever.
If you have a wallet address (the long string of random characters), you can see exactly how much money they have, who sent it to them, and-most importantly-where they are trying to cash it out.
Here is how to follow the digital money trail using free OSINT tools.
Method 1: The Basic Check (Blockchain Explorers)
Before you use fancy tools, look at the raw data. Every blockchain has a “Search Engine” called an Explorer.
The Tools:
- For Bitcoin: Blockchain.com
- For Ethereum/USDT: Etherscan.io
- For Solana: Solscan.io
How to use it:
- Copy the scammer’s wallet address.
- Paste it into the search bar of the correct explorer.
What it reveals:
- Current Balance: Are they holding the money or moving it?
- First/Last Seen: Did they create this wallet yesterday (likely a burner wallet for a specific scam)?
- Transaction History: You can see every single payment they have ever received.
Method 2: Arkham Intelligence (The “God Mode” Visualizer)
Reading a list of transactions is boring and confusing. Arkham Intelligence turns that data into a visual map. This is the tool professional investigators use.
How to use it:
- Go to ArkhamIntelligence.com (Free account required).
- Paste the wallet address in the search bar.
- Click the “Visualizer” button.
Why it wins: It draws a web. You can literally see the money flowing from Victim A to the Scammer, and then from the Scammer to a bigger “Master Wallet.” It turns a spreadsheet into a detective board.
Method 3: Finding the “Cash Out” (Exchange Identification)
Scammers can’t buy groceries with Bitcoin. Eventually, they have to send the crypto to a Centralized Exchange (like Binance, Coinbase, or Kraken) to turn it into dollars or euros.
This is where they get caught.
How to spot it: Look at the “OUT” transactions in Etherscan or Arkham. Look for wallets labeled with a name.
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Example: If you see money moving to a wallet labeled “Binance Hot Wallet,” the scammer has moved their funds to Binance.
What to do: You cannot see who the Binance account belongs to, but Law Enforcement can. If you file a police report and say, “The stolen funds moved to Binance TXID #12345,” the police can subpoena Binance to get the scammer’s real name and ID.
Summary: The Money Trail Protocol
| Step | Tool | Goal |
|---|---|---|
| 1. The Ledger | Etherscan / Blockchain.com | Check balance and age of the wallet. |
| 2. The Map | Arkham Intelligence | Visualize who else is sending them money. |
| 3. The End Point | Exchange Labels | See which exchange they used to cash out. |
The Bottom Line
A wallet address is not a dead end; it is a breadcrumb.
Use Arkham to visualize the network. If you see the money hit a major exchange (like Coinbase or Binance), you have found the chokepoint. That is where the anonymity ends and the real investigation begins.
Next Step: If the scammer directed you to a fake investment website, combine this money tracking with our Website Owner Guide to attack them from both angles (Financial & Technical).
