The Value of OSINT in Driving Incremental Tax Revenue

Tax administrators worldwide are under pressure to fund essential services while tackling growing tax gaps.  One of the most powerful tools at their disposal is publicly available Open-Source Intelligence (OSINT) data.

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By analyzing public data – company registries, online marketplaces, blockchains (crypto), short-term rental listings, online forums, and much more – tax agencies can uncover hidden business activity, identify undeclared income, sharpen audit targeting, accelerate investigations, and boost compliance.

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Real-world results speak volumes.  In 2024 alone:

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• HMRC in the UK secured £41.8B in compliance yield using data-driven tools.

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• The IRS-CI in the US identified $9.1B in fraud with OSINT and digital forensics.

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• Local governments like the US city of Nashville, TN added millions in new tax revenue by monitoring online short-term rentals.

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OSINT data – posts in online forums, online business advertising, and online marketplaces for example – improves taxpayer discovery by identifying individuals and businesses that may not appear in existing registries.

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By enriching internal data with publicly available sources, authorities can better prioritize audits and enforcement.  This allows tax administrations to focus resources on high-value, high-risk cases to maximize yield.

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OSINT is particularly useful in uncovering international tax risk, including offshore property, corporate structures and trade data mismatches.  These insights often result in significant incremental revenue from high net-worth individuals and enterprises.

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When taxpayers know authorities are leveraging OSINT, compliance behavior improves.  The deterrent effect itself reduces the incentive to hide assets and encourages accurate self-reporting to avoid penalties.  Honesty becomes the safer choice.

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OSINT reduces the cost of discovery compared to traditional investigative methods.  Faster, cheaper, automated identification of non-compliance means more cases can be pursued, leading to more revenue without proportionate increases in staffing.

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OSINT-driven incremental tax revenue helps administrations fund healthcare, education, public infrastructure, and helps drive economic growth and stability.  Ensuring everyone pays their fair share improves overall quality of life.

In the digital economy where activity often moves faster than regulation, OSINT isn’t optional anymore.OSINT is a revenue multiplier.

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To learn more, go to ivix.ai.