MI5 has warned that Chinese spies are targeting UK government and military staff on professional networking sites like LinkedIn, Indeed, and Upwork, using fake job advertisements to gain access to classified or sensitive information. The warning comes in a joint bulletin from the Five Eyes intelligence alliance—the UK, US, Australia, Canada, and New Zealand—highlighting an aggressive online recruitment strategy.
Chinese military intelligence officers pose as HR consultants for legitimate-looking private firms or think tanks, advertising non-existent roles such as foreign policy or defence analysts. They then pressure successful candidates to provide non-public information for unspecified clients linked to the Chinese government, the agencies said.
Targets include security clearance holders, military personnel, academics, journalists, and think tank employees with direct or indirect access to government information. Even those without direct access to classified data could compromise national security by revealing policy details or military capabilities, the bulletin warns.
The recruitment process involves virtual interviews where agents conceal their identities, scrutinising CVs for useful contacts. Candidates are asked to write trial reports on topics like China's foreign relations, then pushed for more sensitive information via encrypted messaging platforms. Payments, ranging from a few hundred to several thousand dollars per report, are made through PayPal, Payoneer, Zelle, Skrill, Wise, Western Union, or cryptocurrency.
MI5 has previously warned that Chinese spies have sought to lure at least 20,000 Britons through LinkedIn. A Chinese embassy spokesperson dismissed the allegations as fabricated and malicious slander, accusing Five Eyes countries of being the real threat.
