How Human Rights Advocates Can Do Fast Background Checks Without the Wait.
In 2019, I developed the Gender-Based Violence E-Reporting Tool for the Commission on Human Rights — a public-facing website designed to automate the intake of gender-based violence (GBV) cases in the Philippines. At the time, it was groundbreaking: we empowered anonymous reporting, streamlined data collection, and made the process more accessible.
But one thing bogged us down. Verification.
While the tool succeeded in increasing visibility, it also introduced a flood of reports — not all of which were legitimate. Some submissions were honest mistakes. Others? Trolls, pranks, or coordinated misinformation.
In 2024, the tool was discontinued following a policy shift. But the lesson remained: fast, automated verification is not just useful — it’s essential.
That’s where Mr. Holmes comes in.
⚠️ Important: These tools are intended for ethical hacking, security research, and education. Use them only on systems and networks you own or have permission to test. Unauthorized use can lead to serious legal consequences.
Why Bogus Reports Happen — And Why It Matters
Here’s what we saw in the field:
- Personal revenge masquerading as advocacy
- Duplicate reports from the same individual under different aliases
- Hoax reports aimed at overwhelming systems
- Fake news coordination, sometimes politically motivated
In a perfect world, every report would be sincere. But when you’re dealing with high-volume digital reporting — especially on sensitive issues like GBV — vetting becomes the bottleneck.
Manual background checks? Too slow.
Outsourcing? Too expensive.
Ignoring verification? Dangerous.
· · ─ ·𖥸· ─ · ·
Introducing Mr. Holmes: Your Fast Background Check OSINT Companion
Mr. Holmes is a powerful OSINT (Open-Source Intelligence) tool that lets you perform fast background checks on usernames, emails, phone numbers, and more. It can sift through dozens of platforms in seconds, giving investigators and case handlers a crucial edge.
Integrating Mr. Holmes into systems like GBV e-reporting tools can:
- Speed up the triage process
- Identify fake or duplicate identities
- Flag suspicious patterns
- Prevent resource drain from bogus reports
- Enable ethical, non-invasive checks using only publicly available data
· · ─ ·𖥸· ─ · ·
How to Install Mr. Holmes on Termux
Mr. Holmes runs smoothly on Termux, making it perfect for ethical hackers, researchers, and developers working on Linux or Android devices.
pkg update && pkg upgrade
pkg install git python
git clone https://github.com/samgalope/mr-holmes.git
cd mr-holmes
pip install -r requirements.txt
python mrholmes.pyMr. Holmes will ask for your search input. You can try:
Enter username/email/phone: reportcase.chan@gmail.comFor more powerful examples, including cross-referencing social platforms and public data, read the full guide:
👉 How to Use Mr. Holmes as Your Virtual Private Investigator — Phone Numbers, Socials, and More
· · ─ ·𖥸· ─ · ·
Integration Process Flow (Web App Use Case)
Here’s how you can integrate Mr. Holmes with a public reporting tool:
- Trigger Background Check
When a report is submitted, run a Mr. Holmes search on the attached email/username/phone. - Analyze the Results
Use Mr. Holmes’ JSON output to scan for:- Social media matches
- Suspicious patterns (e.g., newly created accounts, identical usernames)
- Reused phone numbers or aliases
- Assign Confidence Score
Build a scoring system to help prioritize reports for review. Example:- Verified: Score 80+
- Needs manual vetting: Score 50–79
- Likely bogus: Score <50
- Send to Case Handler Dashboard
Results can be automatically fed into a dashboard for human review. - Log and Learn
Use past data to improve your matching heuristics and scoring.
· · ─ ·𖥸· ─ · ·
Why This Matters
Integrating fast background check tools like Mr. Holmes isn’t just about tech — it’s about justice, accountability, and impact.
When time is limited and cases are high-stakes, automation enables real change. It helps weed out falsehoods and focus on victims who need help most.
· · ─ ·𖥸· ─ · ·
Wrapping Up: Why Fast Background Checks Are a Game-Changer for GBV Reporting
In today’s digital landscape, verifying the authenticity of gender-based violence reports is crucial to protect victims, conserve resources, and ensure justice. Fast background checks empower advocacy teams to quickly catch trolls, fakes, and noise that can otherwise derail meaningful action. Integrating tools like Mr. Holmes OSINT into your workflow can streamline this verification process, making your GBV reporting platform more reliable and efficient.
Stay ahead in the fight against misinformation and false reports by embracing fast background checks — because every verified case counts.
Join the DevDigest community today for more practical insights, tools, and tips that help you build smarter, safer advocacy tech.
Subscribe now at https://www.samgalope.dev/newsletter/ and never miss an update.
⚠️ Important: These tools are intended for ethical hacking, security research, and education. Use them only on systems and networks you own or have permission to test. Unauthorized use can lead to serious legal consequences.
Leave a Reply