US, Five Eyes allies warn Chinese spies using LinkedIn, other job platforms for espionage

New Delhi: The US and its Five Eyes allies—including Canada, the UK, Australia and New Zealand—have issued a rare joint bulletin warning against Chinese intelligence services using job platforms, such as LinkedIn, for espionage activities.

The joint bulletin highlights an alleged five-step process used by Chinese intelligence services, such as posing as recruiters for firms on job platforms and placing recruitment advertisements for foreign policy and defence analysts, or similar portfolios.

The types of individuals mentioned in the bulletin are those with national security clearance, particularly those who specialise in defence, foreign affairs and security policy; military personnel, particularly those stationed in the Indo-Pacific region; and individuals with direct or peripheral access to government information, including academics, journalists, freelance writers and even those in the policy space.

The joint bulletin marks possibly the first time the five countries have issued such a combined warning and threat posed by Chinese intelligence on job platforms. “Chinese intelligence officers pose as online HR recruiters or consultants who represent fake, but often legitimate-looking, ‘cover companies’ and claim to be located in countries other than China,” the bulletin notes.

The purported five-step process highlighted by the Five Eyes focuses on the first contact that the fake job recruiters post on platforms, including LinkedIn, Indeed and Upwork. The recruiters—Chinese intelligence officers—begin working on contract strategies following the submission of resumes, the bulletin claims, adding that these resumes are ranked as per likelihood of access to privileged information.

“When they are required, interviews are held virtually. Recruiters conceal their identity, and may start probing applicants about access to government contacts. Military members may be asked about their roles and unit activities, home base or naval vessel,” it warns. “Candidates are asked to write a trial report on a topic such as China’s bilateral relations, the Indo-Pacific region and related defence issues, or international trade.”

Subsequently, job seekers are informed that further reports are required, and that in these reports clients require more privileged information. Conversations move from the job portals to “encrypted messaging applications”.

Finally, those who provide more information after facing mounting pressure from recruiters are paid anywhere from hundreds to several thousand dollars per report sent. Job-seekers are consistently sought by the Chinese intelligence officials to reveal more sensitive information for more pay.

“While applicants often have no direct access to classified information, even unclassified information on government policy, or on military strategy, capabilities and installations, can be collected and combined with more sensitive reporting to form a comprehensive operational picture,” the bulletin reads.

The latest bulletin builds upon previous warnings issued by individual intelligence agencies within the Five Eyes. Last October, MI5, the UK’s domestic intelligence agency, warned members of the British Parliament of being targeted by spies from China, Russia and Iran through phishing techniques and approaches on social media.

The MI5 October 2025 warning to British MPs highlighted the use of LinkedIn by Chinese intelligence officials to conduct outreach on a large scale.

(Edited by Nardeep Singh Dahiya)

Also Read: Espionage, IP theft, hacking— Five Eyes chiefs sound alarm about China ‘threat’