Spy Photo: VCG

The Chinese national security agency exposed several cases of telecommunications fraud-based espionage on Monday, reminding people to be wary of not only telecommunications fraud from northern Myanmar, but also low-interest loans, dating apps, high-paying part-time jobs and other spy networks.

Recently, there have been frequent reports of successful disruption of telecommunications fraud in the country, with 1,482 suspects involved in fraud cases in northern Myanmar being handed over to Chinese authorities. However, behind the various types of information and disguises on the internet, there is not only telecommunications fraud in northern Myanmar, but also spy networks.

The consistent unveiling of espionage cases serves to emphasize China's capabilities and determination in defending itself against foreign infiltration and manipulation, effectively safeguarding national security, experts noted.

A retired soldier named Xiao Jun (pseudonym) accumulated a huge amount of debt due to his addiction to online gambling. To repay his debts, he started looking for online loans and met a foreign intelligence officer who posed as a manager of an online loan company. 

After learning about Xiao's identity as a retired soldier, the spy officer said that as long as Xiao  provided proof of his retirement, he could apply for interest-free loans. If he could provide confidential military information, not only could he clear his debts, but he could also quickly become wealthy. 

Xiao thought he had found a "lifesaver" and decided to take the risk of revealing all the military secrets he knew during his service to the spy officer. However, Chinese national security soon uncovered that Xiao was selling state secrets. 

Liu, who lives near an important classified military site, is enthusiastic about making friends online. One day, as usual, while using the "shaking" function on his phone to find people nearby, Liu encountered an attractive woman. The woman greeted Liu warmly and sent him some nude photos. To gain the favor of the woman, Liu followed her request and took photos and surveyed sensitive military sites near his home. Soon, national security agencies discovered Liu's illegal activities and quickly took action to arrest him. 

Upon investigation, the true identity of the woman turned out to be a foreign spy who used "virtual positioning" to connect with people near sensitive military sites to gain access to classified information.

Wang is a technician in a military-industrial enterprise. Due to financial difficulties at home, he had the idea of working part-time online and posted job-seeking information on a recruitment website. To enhance the "value" of his resume, Wang specifically emphasized his work at the military-industrial enterprise in his personal information. Shortly after, a foreign consulting company sent an email to Wang, offering him a high-paying job as a consultant. 

Wang was quickly captivated by their generosity. Only thinking of getting rich overnight and making a quick profit, he sold military secrets to the foreign party, before being arrested by law enforcement. 

In another case, Zhang, an aviation manufacturing industry worker, joined several model aircraft enthusiasts groups on various social media platforms. During group chats, Zhang unintentionally revealed information about his involvement in the aviation manufacturing industry. 

A netizen immediately contacted Zhang and the two began frequent interactions. After some time, the netizen requested photos of new aircraft from aviation exhibitions. Upon receiving the photos, the netizen further demanded that Zhang take photos of the inside of his workplace. 

At this point, Zhang suddenly realized the situation and reported it to the national security agency. Following investigation, it was discovered that the netizen's true identity was a foreign intelligence officer. His purpose in joining multiple military and aviation chat groups was to illegally obtain classified information through industry insiders. 

China's recently intensified actions to combat espionage have raised concerns among certain Western media outlets, who misread it as a witch hunt and a "call to all members in society to apprehend spies." 

Chinese security experts refute this misinterpretation, stating that China simply aims to gain more public support in counter-espionage efforts, as solely relying on national security agencies is insufficient to combat pervasive overseas espionage.

"The disclosure of these specific details can allow the general public to be clearer in identifying typical espionage activities. Currently, the actions of foreign espionage forces, led by the US, have become increasingly rampant, reaching new heights. This trend will continue or even intensify for a long time in the future. Relying solely on professional counter-espionage police is no longer sufficient to cope with the current situation. Therefore, we need to seek the support of the public and encourage them to provide more clues," Li Wei, a researcher at the China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations, a leading research institution on national security, told the Global Times.