The After-Action Report

The After-Action Report

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The After-Action Report
The After-Action Report
That Time Chinese Intelligence Tried to Recruit Me

That Time Chinese Intelligence Tried to Recruit Me

How I found myself on the receiving end of a Chinese spy recruitment pitch and stumbled into the strange new frontier of AI-assisted espionage.

Seth Hettena's avatar
Seth Hettena
Jun 03, 2025
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The After-Action Report
The After-Action Report
That Time Chinese Intelligence Tried to Recruit Me
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Illustration by, what else, ChatGPT

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If you've ever thought your inbox was full of suspiciously good offers—say, a Nigerian prince asking for your bank details—you may be missing out on another opportunity: being recruited by a foreign intelligence agency.

Yes, I’m here to report that I was pitched by what can only be described as …

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