A former Russian agent trained in seduction and manipulation of intelligence targets revealed in an interview with the New York Post how “sexual spies” are used to extract secrets from technology professionals.
According to her, Russian and Chinese intelligence operate attractive female agents to seduce isolated tech workers, emotionally engage them and ultimately obtain sensitive information that can serve foreign state interests.
The former agent warns Silicon Valley professionals about foreign agents using romantic traps to extract trade secrets and highlights the “red flags” to watch for to avoid falling into the trap.
She explained the manipulation and an experienced agent never approaches the target directly.
“First, you appear in their life seven times, exactly, before the initial contact.
You may appear at their coffee shop, at their gym, or simply keep liking their posts.
By the time you finally meet, their mind already trusts you.”
Once initial familiarity is established, the agent draws the target in.
You will fill the love bombing, than messages and the compliments, bikini photos.
They pretend to be vulnerable or lonely:
My parents died, I am a student, I am broken.
It triggers the hero instinct.
And everyone like to be the hero.
Then comes the so-called “milk technique,” in which spies fake shared connections to appear legitimate.
“We follow your friends with our fake accounts and lie about knowing them so you think ‘Okay, I can trust her.’
But everything is fabricated.”
the most vulnerable are Tech workers, many of them isolated. “They may be very smart and geniuses at what they do, but when it comes to dating they spend a lot of time in offices.
There is a gap in interaction with women.
Then it is much easier for a woman to target you.”
The agency usually prefers singles.
“They target someone who is single they have no relationship, so of course they become very weak targets,” she said.
She urges Silicon Valley professionals to carefully evaluate sudden romantic attention especially when accompanied by intrusive questions, mentions of famous people, and alcohol.
Today, the former agent focuses on public education on manipulation tactics in work, dating, and social media.
She is working on a book and recently signed a deal with a studio to produce a documentary about her experiences.
“I am on a mission to educate people on how to prevent manipulation,” she added, having also become a self-confidence coach using some of the techniques she learned during her spy training.
“Education is prevention,” she concludes, suggesting that for tech workers, the best protection is systematic skepticism slow down interactions and refuse any request related to secrecy or urgency.