The Department of Homeland Security (DGSI) on Friday, October 21, raised the alarm about the presence of Russian spies on advertising sites like Leboncoin, where they specifically target high school students or young professionals offering private lessons. “Espionage, unfortunately, is not only in cinema.“The internal intelligence service of France, which deals in particular with the detection of foreign agents, warns on its website.
The DGSI explains that it recently emerged that French students or young workers were approached by officers of Russia’s foreign intelligence service, the SVR (formerly the KGB), after offering private lessons in their professional field on classified advertising websites. (economics, science, languages, geopolitics, etc.).
according to the information received from world As a source familiar with the matter confirmed to AFP, French services have identified a dozen approaches of this type. In particular, the newspaper reports the story of the expelled Russian spy Valentin Vladimirovich Zakharov in November 2020, who presented himself as a Czech consultant to a young French engineer hired by a large company specializing in artificial intelligence.
A more transparent communication strategy
“Resourceful, empathetic and imaginative spies want to target people of interest to exploit their vulnerabilities or, better yet, their intelligence skills.”, explains DGSI, which is now adopting a more transparent communication strategy on this topic.
The Intelligence Service describes the modus operandi of spies whose purpose is to “develop a deceptively harmless relationship that will allow them to exploit you over time“. DGSI lists the warning signs that should raise suspicions.
L”studentwho uses a non-Russian nationality, makes inquiries about more sensitive topics, is rarely available on his phone, asks to receive lessons in a restaurant or bar, never at home, pays more and more cash and always plans for the next one. lesson orally, from one lesson to another.
Over 4,000 individual awareness activities
In case of doubt, the counter-intelligence of France invites you not to stay.alone with a handling specialist” and contact them at “assistence-dgsi@interieur.gouv.fr”.
According to the data published by the Ministry of Internal Affairs The world and confirmed to the AFP, DGSI has carried out more than 4,000 individual outreach activities with business leaders (75%), higher education institutions and research laboratories since the beginning of 2022. research (14%), administrations (6%). or associations (5%).
Source: Le Figaro
