# Find People

> Open Source Intelligence (OSINT) tool for researching individuals - professional backgrounds, career timelines, due diligence, competitive intelligence, and investor research. Use when users need to research people, verify credentials, or gather professional information. Costs $0.15 USDC per request via x402 protocol on Base network.

- Skill: `modbender/find-people` (Agent Skill, multi-file: 2 files)
- Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add modbender/find-people`
- Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/modbender/find-people/raw
- Safety review: pending (external: skill-scanner PASS, skillspector PASS)
- Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex
- Category: Research & Search
- Author: modbender (https://skillmd.com/u/modbender)
- Updated: 2026-09-09
- Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/modbender/find-people

---


# Find People (OSINT)

Research individuals using Open Source Intelligence gathering and AI-powered analysis.

## Configuration

The private key must be available via one of these methods:

**Option 1: Environment variable**
```bash
export X402_PRIVATE_KEY="0x..."
```

**Option 2: Config file (Recommended)**

The script checks for `x402-config.json` in these locations (in order):
1. Current directory: `./x402-config.json`
2. Home directory: `~/.x402-config.json` ← **Recommended**
3. Working directory: `$PWD/x402-config.json`

Create the config file:
```json
{
  "private_key": "0x1234567890abcdef..."
}
```

**Example (home directory - works for any user):**
```bash
echo '{"private_key": "0x..."}' > ~/.x402-config.json
```

## Usage

Run the research script with a person's name or description:

```bash
scripts/research.sh "<person query>"
```

The script:
- Executes OSINT research with payment handling
- Costs $0.15 USDC per request (Base network)
- Returns comprehensive AI-processed intelligence report

## Examples

**User:** "Find information about the founder of Ethereum"
```bash
scripts/research.sh "Vitalik Buterin Ethereum founder"
```

**User:** "Research the CEO of OpenAI"
```bash
scripts/research.sh "Sam Altman OpenAI CEO"
```

**User:** "Tell me about Elon Musk's career timeline"
```bash
scripts/research.sh "Elon Musk career history"
```

## Capabilities
- Professional background research
- Career timeline verification
- Due diligence on potential hires/partners
- Competitive intelligence on industry leaders
- Investor research on startup founders
- Educational background verification
- Public accomplishments and publications

## Error Handling
- **"Payment failed: Not enough USDC"** → Inform user to top up Base wallet with USDC
- **"X402 private key missing"** → Guide user to configure private key (see Configuration above)
- **Timeout errors** → The API has a 5-minute timeout; comprehensive research may take time

## Use Cases
- **Hiring:** Verify candidate backgrounds and experience
- **Partnerships:** Due diligence on potential business partners
- **Investment:** Research startup founders and leadership teams
- **Competitive Analysis:** Track industry leaders and their moves
- **Journalism:** Background research for interviews or articles