Deceptive job offers used in Chinese spy campaign, US officials say

The United States issued a fresh warning on April 9 about Chinese intelligence operations targeting current and former U.S. government employees, as concerns grow over national security vulnerabilities in the wake of widespread federal layoffs.

In a bulletin released by the National Counterintelligence and Security Center (NCSC), officials cautioned that foreign intelligence services, particularly those linked to China, are deploying increasingly deceptive methods to recruit individuals with access to sensitive information, Caliber.Az reports via Reuters.

“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 bulletin stated.

The warning emphasized that these recruitment efforts have become more sophisticated, especially as U.S. government personnel seek employment opportunities after leaving federal service. The NCSC highlighted deceptive online job offers and networking approaches that appear legitimate but are actually attempts to exploit individuals with government backgrounds.

The bulletin comes amid mass firings across federal departments, led by Elon Musk’s recently formed Department of Government Efficiency. The large-scale layoffs have left thousands of former employees with security clearances in search of new employment, raising concerns about their potential vulnerability to foreign recruitment.

The NCSC reiterated that individuals holding or who have previously held security clearances remain obligated to protect classified information, even after their federal employment ends.

Responding to the accusations, China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs denied any knowledge of the recruitment efforts and turned the accusation back on Washington. “We are not aware of the situation,” said MOFA spokesman Lin Jian, adding that the U.S. is engaging in espionage itself. “Such actions are an irresponsible practice.”

The warning further inflames already tense relations between Washington and Beijing. The U.S.-China relationship is among the most complex in global affairs, defined by both deep economic interdependence and ongoing geopolitical rivalry.

While China remains one of the top trading partners of the United States, and American businesses continue to operate extensively in the Chinese market, the relationship is marred by disputes over trade imbalances, intellectual property theft, national security concerns, and military competition in the Indo-Pacific.

The situation has worsened in recent years, particularly following the imposition of sweeping tariffs under former President Donald Trump. Beijing has repeatedly accused Washington of “blackmail” and vowed to “fight to the end” in the ongoing trade war.

Further complicating matters, Reuters previously reported the existence of a covert recruitment effort linked to a secretive Chinese tech firm. The firm, operating through a web of front companies, had been targeting recently laid-off U.S. government workers in an effort to extract intelligence.

By Tamilla Hasanova