China Is Targeting US Gov’t Employees With Job Opportunities, Intelligence Agency Warns

‘Current and former federal employees should beware of these approaches and understand the potential consequences of engaging,’ the NCSC warned.

The U.S. flag at the dome of the U.S. Capitol on May 12, 2023. Madalina Vasiliu/The Epoch Times

The Chinese regime’s intelligence agencies are recruiting current and former U.S. government employees with “deceptive online job offers,” the National Counterintelligence and Security Center (NCSC) warned in a bulletin published on April 8.

“Foreign intelligence entities, particularly those in China, are targeting current and former U.S. government (USG) employees for recruitment by posing as consulting firms, corporate headhunters, think tanks, and other entities on social and professional networking sites,” the center said.

It said the job offerings and other online approaches “have become more sophisticated” in targeting individuals with U.S. government backgrounds seeking new jobs.

“Current and former federal employees should beware of these approaches and understand the potential consequences of engaging,“ the NCSC said. ”U.S. clearance holders are reminded of their legal obligation to protect classified data even after departing USG service.”

The center issued the warning amid persistent efforts by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) to influence and infiltrate every aspect of U.S. society.

The FBI has issued similar warnings on its website, saying that Beijing’s intelligence services may use fake profiles on social media to target individuals with security clearances about career opportunities.

Warning Signs

Foreign malicious actors may pose as recruiters “affiliated with a legitimate firm from a non-alerting country,” the NCSC warned, noting that they may contact their targets via social media platforms, professional networking sites, emails, and various messaging platforms.

The center said job seekers should be on the lookout for red flags, such as job offers that are “too good to be true.” In this scenario, foreign actors may offer a job with “flexible work and a disproportionately high salary.”

Another example is recruiters who offer “exclusive job opportunities for quick payment” or an expedited hiring and payment cycle that may take only a few weeks instead of several months, according to the center.

Job seekers should also be cautious when recruiters shower them with excessive praise or urge them to move quickly from an established networking platform to a more secure communication method, it said.

“The recruiter may initially request you provide written reports on innocuous topics for the job, followed by demands for reports containing non-public or sensitive information,” the center noted.

The bulletin highlights the criminal case against U.S. Navy Petty Officer Thomas Zhao, who was sentenced to 27 months in prison in January 2024 for providing a Chinese intelligence officer with sensitive U.S. military information in exchange for nearly $15,000 in bribes. According to the center, the Chinese officer first approached Zhao in a social media group focused on stock trades. Their relationship grew, and Zhao agreed to the scheme.

Two former CIA officers have been found guilty of spying for the Chinese regime. One was sentenced to 10 years in prison in 2024, and the other received a 20-year sentence in 2019.

The center offers several recommendations to individuals on how to mitigate the threat of being targeted, such as validating the identity of strangers before accepting their online invitation and not posting anything that could draw unwanted attention from threat actors.

Military

The U.S. Army previously issued a similar warning. In June 2024, Fort Eisenhower in Georgia, home to the U.S. Army Cyber Center of Excellence, asked its service members to be wary of job offers, according to a Facebook post.

“Foreign adversaries are increasing the use of social media and seemingly legitimate job offers to elicit sensitive information from Department of the Army personnel and their family members,” the post reads.

Accompanying the Army warning is a list of dos and don’ts, such as turning off geotagging and location-based social networking on phones and digital cameras and not posting images of damaged equipment and gear.

In May 2024, the U.S. Coast Guard posted an article on its website warning its service members and their families that foreign agents from countries such as China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea may use fake identities on LinkedIn, Indeed, and Facebook to recruit spies.

The Coast Guard said foreign agents may dangle a job or a consulting gig to their targets and trick them into providing insight into Coast Guard infrastructure, operations, plans, capabilities, and technologies.

Foreign agents target all ranks—active duty, reserve, civilian, and retired—and seek individuals with access to classified data or information not publicly available, according to the Coast Guard.

Master Chief Heath Jones, master chief petty officer of the Coast Guard, asked service members to report suspicious communications.

“Our adversaries’ tactics are evolving,” Jones said, as quoted in the Coast Guard article. “By staying vigilant and reporting any suspicious activity, you play a crucial role in maintaining a safe community not just for Coast Guard members, but the total military workforce.”