# Sherlock Username Recon (`datacach/userrecon`) Actor Scan 400+ social networks for any username in minutes. Returns confirmed profile URLs with platform categories and metadata. Built for OSINT, digital footprint mapping, brand monitoring, and background research. - **URL**: https://apify.com/datacach/userrecon.md - **Developed by:** [DataCach](https://apify.com/datacach) (community) - **Categories:** Social media, Developer tools - **Stats:** 7 total users, 2 monthly users, 100.0% runs succeeded, NaN bookmarks - **User rating**: No ratings yet ## Pricing from $0.99 / 1,000 results This Actor is paid per event and usage. You are charged both the fixed price for specific events and for Apify platform usage. Learn more: https://docs.apify.com/platform/actors/running/actors-in-store#pay-per-event ## What's an Apify Actor? Actors are a software tools running on the Apify platform, for all kinds of web data extraction and automation use cases. In Batch mode, an Actor accepts a well-defined JSON input, performs an action which can take anything from a few seconds to a few hours, and optionally produces a well-defined JSON output, datasets with results, or files in key-value store. In Standby mode, an Actor provides a web server which can be used as a website, API, or an MCP server. Actors are written with capital "A". ## How to integrate an Actor? If asked about integration, you help developers integrate Actors into their projects. You adapt to their stack and deliver integrations that are safe, well-documented, and production-ready. The best way to integrate Actors is as follows. In JavaScript/TypeScript projects, use official [JavaScript/TypeScript client](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js.md): ```bash npm install apify-client ``` In Python projects, use official [Python client library](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python.md): ```bash pip install apify-client ``` In shell scripts, use [Apify CLI](https://docs.apify.com/cli/docs.md): ````bash # MacOS / Linux curl -fsSL https://apify.com/install-cli.sh | bash # Windows irm https://apify.com/install-cli.ps1 | iex ```bash In AI frameworks, you might use the [Apify MCP server](https://docs.apify.com/platform/integrations/mcp.md). If your project is in a different language, use the [REST API](https://docs.apify.com/api/v2.md). For usage examples, see the [API](#api) section below. For more details, see Apify documentation as [Markdown index](https://docs.apify.com/llms.txt) and [Markdown full-text](https://docs.apify.com/llms-full.txt). # README ### Find Any Username Across 400+ Social Networks — Instantly **Sherlock Username Recon** is the fastest way to **search for a username across social media platforms, forums, and online communities** in one click. Powered by the [Sherlock Project](https://github.com/sherlock-project/sherlock) — the industry standard open-source OSINT username search engine — this Actor scans **400+ websites simultaneously** and returns every confirmed profile URL in a clean, structured dataset. No installation. No Python. No CLI. Just enter a username and get results in minutes — via browser, API, or scheduled automation. ### What is Sherlock Username Recon and what does it do? Sherlock Username Recon is an **OSINT username lookup tool** that checks whether a username exists on over 400 platforms at the same time. It covers the major social networks (Instagram, TikTok, Reddit, X/Twitter, LinkedIn, Twitch, YouTube), developer platforms (GitHub, GitLab, Stack Overflow, npm), gaming networks (Steam, Xbox, PlayStation, Chess.com), and hundreds of niche communities. For every platform where the username is found, the Actor returns the **direct profile URL**, platform name, content categories, and response metadata — ready to export as JSON, CSV, or Excel or consume via the Apify API. ### Why use this username search tool? #### OSINT and digital footprint investigations Map a person's entire online presence from a single username. What used to take hours of manual searching across hundreds of tabs now takes under 2 minutes — and returns structured data you can actually work with. #### Use cases - **Security researchers and red teams** — detect account impersonation, map attack surface, or verify credential reuse across platforms - **Journalists and investigators** — build complete subject profiles from publicly available data in minutes - **HR and compliance teams** — digital background checks as part of pre-employment due diligence - **Brand managers** — monitor username squatting, typosquatting, and brand impersonation across social networks - **Competitive intelligence** — discover where competitors are active (or absent) online - **AI agents and LLM pipelines** — self-describing JSON output with category tags makes it trivial to feed results into downstream reasoning steps ### How to search for a username across social media (step by step) 1. Click **Try for free** on this Actor's page — no account required to start. 2. Type one or more usernames into the **Usernames** field. Use plain text — no `@` symbol, no URLs. Example: `johndoe`. 3. *(Optional)* Toggle **Include NSFW Sites** if adult platforms are in scope for your investigation. 4. *(Optional)* Use **Limit to Specific Sites** to restrict the scan to platforms you care about (e.g. `GitHub`, `reddit.com`, or `https://instagram.com`). 5. Click **Start**. The Actor scans 400+ networks concurrently — a single username typically finishes in under 2 minutes; 10 usernames take around 3–5 minutes. 6. Open the **Output** tab to browse results in a table, or export as **JSON, CSV, HTML, or Excel**. > **Pro tip:** Add multiple usernames in one run — up to **10 per run** on paid plans. They are processed concurrently, so 10 usernames take around **3–5 minutes** total. ### Input parameters Only `usernames` is required. Everything else is optional. | Parameter | Required | Default | Description | |---|---|---|---| | `usernames` | ✅ | — | One or more usernames to search. Plain strings — no `@`, no URLs. Max 1 on free plans, max 10 on paid plans. | | `proxyConfiguration` | ❌ | None | Route requests through Apify Proxy (residential or datacenter) or a custom HTTP/SOCKS5 proxy. Improves coverage on platforms that block cloud IPs. | | `timeout` | ❌ | `60` | Per-site request timeout in seconds (5–300). Lower values speed up runs; higher values are more thorough. | | `includeNsfw` | ❌ | `false` | Include adult and NSFW platforms in the scan. Set to `true` for comprehensive OSINT investigations. | | `siteList` | ❌ | `[]` | Restrict the scan to specific sites. Accepts full URLs, bare domains, or Sherlock site names — all three formats are equivalent. | **Example input:** ```json { "usernames": ["johndoe", "john_doe"], "timeout": 30, "includeNsfw": false, "siteList": [] } ```` ### Output — what data does this username finder return? Results are saved to the **Apify dataset** as the run progresses. Only **confirmed claimed profiles** are included — platforms where no account was found are excluded from output. Download in JSON, CSV, HTML, or Excel from the Output tab, or pull results via the [Apify Dataset API](https://docs.apify.com/api/v2#/reference/datasets). **Example output:** ```json [ { "username": "johndoe", "site": "GitHub", "site_domain": "github.com", "url": "https://github.com/johndoe", "status": "Claimed", "categories": ["software", "tech"], "is_nsfw": false, "response_time_s": 0.42, "extraction_date": "2026-04-29", "extraction_datetime": "2026-04-29T14:30:00Z" }, { "username": "johndoe", "site": "Reddit", "site_domain": "reddit.com", "url": "https://www.reddit.com/user/johndoe", "status": "Claimed", "categories": ["social media", "forum"], "is_nsfw": false, "response_time_s": 0.81, "extraction_date": "2026-04-29", "extraction_datetime": "2026-04-29T14:30:00Z" } ] ``` #### Output fields | Field | Type | Description | |---|---|---| | `username` | string | The searched username. | | `site` | string | Platform name as listed in the Sherlock database (e.g. `GitHub`, `Reddit`). | | `site_domain` | string | Bare domain without scheme or path (e.g. `github.com`). | | `url` | string | Direct link to the confirmed profile page. | | `status` | string | Always `Claimed` — only found profiles appear in output. | | `categories` | array | Platform type tags (e.g. `["social media", "tech"]`). Useful for filtering and downstream reasoning. | | `is_nsfw` | boolean | `true` if the platform hosts adult content. | | `response_time_s` | number | HTTP response time in seconds for that site. | | `extraction_date` | string | Date of the run in `YYYY-MM-DD` format (UTC). | | `extraction_datetime` | string | Full UTC timestamp in ISO 8601 format. | ### Advanced tips for better username search results #### Use a proxy for higher detection accuracy Platforms like Instagram and TikTok may block or rate-limit requests from cloud data center IPs, causing false negatives. Routing requests through a **residential proxy** via Apify Proxy or a custom provider significantly improves hit rates on those platforms. #### Lower the timeout to speed up runs The default 60-second timeout is conservative. Setting `timeout` to `15`–`30` seconds cuts total run time by 50–70% with minimal impact on accuracy — slow sites rarely return actionable data. #### Schedule recurring username monitoring Use Apify's built-in **Scheduler** to run this Actor on a cron schedule (e.g. daily or weekly) to track a username's growing presence over time or detect new account registrations. #### Connect to your data pipeline via API The Actor is fully API-accessible. Use the [Apify REST API](https://docs.apify.com/api/v2) or the official SDKs for Python, JavaScript, PHP, and Go to trigger runs, pass input, and retrieve datasets programmatically. See the **API tab** for ready-to-use code snippets. ### Frequently asked questions #### Is it legal to search for usernames across social networks? This tool only accesses **publicly available profile pages** — the same pages any browser user can visit without logging in. It does not bypass authentication, scrape private messages, or collect anything beyond what users have explicitly made public. Always ensure your use case complies with the Terms of Service of each platform and applicable local law. If in doubt, consult a legal professional. #### How accurate is the username search? Accuracy depends on Sherlock's per-site detection heuristics. Most sites are highly reliable. A small number of platforms use ambiguous HTTP responses or client-side rendering that may occasionally produce false positives or false negatives. The `response_time_s` field can help flag anomalously fast responses that may warrant manual verification. #### What is the difference between this and searching manually? Manually checking 400+ platforms for one username would take several hours. This Actor does the same job in under 2 minutes, returns machine-readable structured data, and can be automated or integrated into existing workflows. #### How do I limit the search to specific social networks? Use the `siteList` input. You can pass a full URL (`https://github.com`), a bare domain (`github.com`), or the Sherlock site name (`GitHub`) — all three formats resolve to the same site. Mix and match formats freely. #### How many usernames can I search per run? Free accounts are limited to **1 username per run**. Paid accounts can search up to **10 usernames per run**, processed concurrently. If you provide more than the allowed amount, the Actor will process the first N and log a warning for the rest. #### Can I run this on a schedule to monitor username registrations? Yes. Use the Apify Scheduler or the API to set up recurring runs. Results from each run are stored separately in their own dataset, making it easy to compare over time. #### How do I report a bug or request a new site to be added? Site detection logic lives in the upstream [Sherlock Project repository](https://github.com/sherlock-project/sherlock) — open an issue there for site-specific problems. For issues with this Actor specifically, use the **Issues tab** on this page. *** > **Data and privacy notice:** This Actor only extracts data that individuals have chosen to make publicly available. Results may contain personal data subject to GDPR in the EU and equivalent regulations elsewhere. Do not collect or store personal data without a legitimate legal basis. Use responsibly. # Actor input Schema ## `usernames` (type: `array`): One or more usernames to search across 400+ social networks simultaneously. Each entry must be a plain username string — do not include the @ symbol, profile URLs, or any extra characters (e.g. use 'johndoe', not '@johndoe' or 'https://twitter.com/johndoe'). Multiple usernames are processed concurrently. Free accounts: max 1 username per run. Paid accounts: max 10 usernames per run. ## `proxyConfiguration` (type: `object`): Optional proxy to route all HTTP requests through. Recommended for high-volume runs or when target platforms block cloud datacenter IPs. Supports Apify Proxy (residential and datacenter) or custom proxy URLs (HTTP/SOCKS5). Leave empty to use the built-in fallback proxy. ## `timeout` (type: `integer`): Maximum seconds to wait for a response from each site before skipping it. Use 15–30 for faster runs with minimal accuracy loss. Use 60–120 for thorough scans where missing results is unacceptable. Default is 60 seconds. ## `includeNsfw` (type: `boolean`): Whether to include adult and NSFW platforms in the username search. Set to true for comprehensive OSINT and digital footprint investigations. Set to false (default) for HR screening, brand monitoring, compliance, and general-audience use cases. ## `siteList` (type: `array`): Restrict the search to a specific subset of platforms instead of scanning all 400+. Useful when you only care about a handful of networks and want faster, cheaper runs. Each entry can be a full URL ('https://github.com'), a bare domain ('github.com'), or the Sherlock site name ('GitHub') — all three formats are equivalent and resolved automatically. Leave empty to search all available sites. ## Actor input object example ```json { "usernames": [ "johndoe" ], "proxyConfiguration": { "useApifyProxy": false }, "timeout": 60, "includeNsfw": false, "siteList": [] } ``` # Actor output Schema ## `dataset` (type: `string`): Dataset containing all confirmed profile URLs found across 400+ social networks for the searched usernames. Each row is a claimed account with its platform name, direct URL, category tags, and metadata. # API You can run this Actor programmatically using our API. Below are code examples in JavaScript, Python, and CLI, as well as the OpenAPI specification and MCP server setup. ## JavaScript example ```javascript import { ApifyClient } from 'apify-client'; // Initialize the ApifyClient with your Apify API token // Replace the '' with your token const client = new ApifyClient({ token: '', }); // Prepare Actor input const input = { "usernames": [ "johndoe" ], "siteList": [] }; // Run the Actor and wait for it to finish const run = await client.actor("datacach/userrecon").call(input); // Fetch and print Actor results from the run's dataset (if any) console.log('Results from dataset'); console.log(`💾 Check your data here: https://console.apify.com/storage/datasets/${run.defaultDatasetId}`); const { items } = await client.dataset(run.defaultDatasetId).listItems(); items.forEach((item) => { console.dir(item); }); // 📚 Want to learn more 📖? Go to → https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js/docs ``` ## Python example ```python from apify_client import ApifyClient # Initialize the ApifyClient with your Apify API token # Replace '' with your token. client = ApifyClient("") # Prepare the Actor input run_input = { "usernames": ["johndoe"], "siteList": [], } # Run the Actor and wait for it to finish run = client.actor("datacach/userrecon").call(run_input=run_input) # Fetch and print Actor results from the run's dataset (if there are any) print("💾 Check your data here: https://console.apify.com/storage/datasets/" + run["defaultDatasetId"]) for item in client.dataset(run["defaultDatasetId"]).iterate_items(): print(item) # 📚 Want to learn more 📖? Go to → https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python/docs/quick-start ``` ## CLI example ```bash echo '{ "usernames": [ "johndoe" ], "siteList": [] }' | apify call datacach/userrecon --silent --output-dataset ``` ## MCP server setup ```json { "mcpServers": { "apify": { "command": "npx", "args": [ "mcp-remote", "https://mcp.apify.com/?tools=datacach/userrecon", "--header", "Authorization: Bearer " ] } } } ``` ## OpenAPI specification ```json { "openapi": "3.0.1", "info": { "title": "Sherlock Username Recon", "description": "Scan 400+ social networks for any username in minutes. Returns confirmed profile URLs with platform categories and metadata. Built for OSINT, digital footprint mapping, brand monitoring, and background research.", "version": "0.1", "x-build-id": "ed1bJZGxufVcJkkzH" }, "servers": [ { "url": "https://api.apify.com/v2" } ], "paths": { "/acts/datacach~userrecon/run-sync-get-dataset-items": { "post": { "operationId": "run-sync-get-dataset-items-datacach-userrecon", "x-openai-isConsequential": false, "summary": "Executes an Actor, waits for its completion, and returns Actor's dataset items in response.", "tags": [ "Run Actor" ], "requestBody": { "required": true, "content": { "application/json": { "schema": { "$ref": "#/components/schemas/inputSchema" } } } }, "parameters": [ { "name": "token", "in": "query", "required": true, "schema": { "type": "string" }, "description": "Enter your Apify token here" } ], "responses": { "200": { "description": "OK" } } } }, "/acts/datacach~userrecon/runs": { "post": { "operationId": "runs-sync-datacach-userrecon", "x-openai-isConsequential": false, "summary": "Executes an Actor and returns information about the initiated run in response.", "tags": [ "Run Actor" ], "requestBody": { "required": true, "content": { "application/json": { "schema": { "$ref": "#/components/schemas/inputSchema" } } } }, "parameters": [ { "name": "token", "in": "query", "required": true, "schema": { "type": "string" }, "description": "Enter your Apify token here" } ], "responses": { "200": { "description": "OK", "content": { "application/json": { "schema": { "$ref": "#/components/schemas/runsResponseSchema" } } } } } } }, "/acts/datacach~userrecon/run-sync": { "post": { "operationId": "run-sync-datacach-userrecon", "x-openai-isConsequential": false, "summary": "Executes an Actor, waits for completion, and returns the OUTPUT from Key-value store in response.", "tags": [ "Run Actor" ], "requestBody": { "required": true, "content": { "application/json": { "schema": { "$ref": "#/components/schemas/inputSchema" } } } }, "parameters": [ { "name": "token", "in": "query", "required": true, "schema": { "type": "string" }, "description": "Enter your Apify token here" } ], "responses": { "200": { "description": "OK" } } } } }, "components": { "schemas": { "inputSchema": { "type": "object", "required": [ "usernames" ], "properties": { "usernames": { "title": "Usernames", "type": "array", "description": "One or more usernames to search across 400+ social networks simultaneously. Each entry must be a plain username string — do not include the @ symbol, profile URLs, or any extra characters (e.g. use 'johndoe', not '@johndoe' or 'https://twitter.com/johndoe'). Multiple usernames are processed concurrently. Free accounts: max 1 username per run. Paid accounts: max 10 usernames per run.", "items": { "type": "string" } }, "proxyConfiguration": { "title": "Proxy Configuration", "type": "object", "description": "Optional proxy to route all HTTP requests through. Recommended for high-volume runs or when target platforms block cloud datacenter IPs. Supports Apify Proxy (residential and datacenter) or custom proxy URLs (HTTP/SOCKS5). Leave empty to use the built-in fallback proxy.", "default": { "useApifyProxy": false } }, "timeout": { "title": "Request Timeout (seconds)", "minimum": 5, "maximum": 300, "type": "integer", "description": "Maximum seconds to wait for a response from each site before skipping it. Use 15–30 for faster runs with minimal accuracy loss. Use 60–120 for thorough scans where missing results is unacceptable. Default is 60 seconds.", "default": 60 }, "includeNsfw": { "title": "Include NSFW Sites", "type": "boolean", "description": "Whether to include adult and NSFW platforms in the username search. Set to true for comprehensive OSINT and digital footprint investigations. Set to false (default) for HR screening, brand monitoring, compliance, and general-audience use cases.", "default": false }, "siteList": { "title": "Limit to Specific Sites", "type": "array", "description": "Restrict the search to a specific subset of platforms instead of scanning all 400+. Useful when you only care about a handful of networks and want faster, cheaper runs. Each entry can be a full URL ('https://github.com'), a bare domain ('github.com'), or the Sherlock site name ('GitHub') — all three formats are equivalent and resolved automatically. Leave empty to search all available sites.", "default": [], "items": { "type": "string" } } } }, "runsResponseSchema": { "type": "object", "properties": { "data": { "type": "object", "properties": { "id": { "type": "string" }, "actId": { "type": "string" }, "userId": { "type": "string" }, "startedAt": { "type": "string", "format": "date-time", "example": "2025-01-08T00:00:00.000Z" }, "finishedAt": { "type": "string", "format": "date-time", "example": "2025-01-08T00:00:00.000Z" }, "status": { "type": "string", "example": "READY" }, "meta": { "type": "object", "properties": { "origin": { "type": "string", "example": "API" }, "userAgent": { "type": "string" } } }, "stats": { "type": "object", "properties": { "inputBodyLen": { "type": "integer", "example": 2000 }, "rebootCount": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "restartCount": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "resurrectCount": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "computeUnits": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 } } }, "options": { "type": "object", "properties": { "build": { "type": "string", "example": "latest" }, "timeoutSecs": { "type": "integer", "example": 300 }, "memoryMbytes": { "type": "integer", "example": 1024 }, "diskMbytes": { "type": "integer", "example": 2048 } } }, "buildId": { "type": "string" }, "defaultKeyValueStoreId": { "type": "string" }, "defaultDatasetId": { "type": "string" }, "defaultRequestQueueId": { "type": "string" }, "buildNumber": { "type": "string", "example": "1.0.0" }, "containerUrl": { "type": "string" }, "usage": { "type": "object", "properties": { "ACTOR_COMPUTE_UNITS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "DATASET_READS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "DATASET_WRITES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "KEY_VALUE_STORE_READS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "KEY_VALUE_STORE_WRITES": { "type": "integer", "example": 1 }, "KEY_VALUE_STORE_LISTS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "REQUEST_QUEUE_READS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "REQUEST_QUEUE_WRITES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "DATA_TRANSFER_INTERNAL_GBYTES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "DATA_TRANSFER_EXTERNAL_GBYTES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "PROXY_RESIDENTIAL_TRANSFER_GBYTES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "PROXY_SERPS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 } } }, "usageTotalUsd": { "type": "number", "example": 0.00005 }, "usageUsd": { "type": "object", "properties": { "ACTOR_COMPUTE_UNITS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "DATASET_READS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "DATASET_WRITES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "KEY_VALUE_STORE_READS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "KEY_VALUE_STORE_WRITES": { "type": "number", "example": 0.00005 }, "KEY_VALUE_STORE_LISTS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "REQUEST_QUEUE_READS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "REQUEST_QUEUE_WRITES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "DATA_TRANSFER_INTERNAL_GBYTES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "DATA_TRANSFER_EXTERNAL_GBYTES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "PROXY_RESIDENTIAL_TRANSFER_GBYTES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "PROXY_SERPS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 } } } } } } } } } } ```