The Old Spy Trick: How China Uses Romance to Get Secrets

Spy agencies are using 'honey traps'—pretending to be romantic partners—to trick people into giving up sensitive information.

Spy agencies are using a classic, dirty trick to get what they want. They use romance to get close to people who have important secrets. This is often called a 'honey trap.' It works like this: A spy pretends to be someone they are not. They might pose as a romantic interest online or in person. They act friendly and loving until they gain the other person’s trust. Once they have that trust, they use it to steal secrets or information. It sounds like a movie, but it is very real. Reports show that Chinese intelligence agencies are using these methods to target officials and business leader…