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Posted by anonsy
- Jan 01, 2026, 10:27 PMOP, I strongly advise you to IMMEDIATELY cut off all contacts and do not engage with these individuals again. This is classic textbook covert espionage by CCP, and it is what landed Kevin Mallory in prison.
I am appalled that you did not recognize these signs from the annual training you are required to take. You are also required to report all foreign contacts and suspicious contacts, including CI attempts.
I am appalled that you did not recognize these signs from the annual training you are required to take. You are also required to report all foreign contacts and suspicious contacts, including CI attempts.
Posted by not a dummy
- Jul 10, 2025, 12:46 PMI'm not a troll. In fact, let's end this conversation. I was just a traveler minding my business and I'll be starting my first job in software soon. I don't want to start any mess. I've sent in my SF86 and did not mention any of the foreigners that I met on my travels. Once I get an interim clearance, I'll start probably within a month. Wish me luck!
Posted by Anonymous
- Jul 09, 2025, 06:44 AMnot a dummy,
Your posts have me wondering whether you're not a troll attempting to send U.S. counterintelligence officials on a wild goose chase.
Your posts have me wondering whether you're not a troll attempting to send U.S. counterintelligence officials on a wild goose chase.
Posted by not a dummy
- Jul 08, 2025, 07:56 AMQuote from: Anonymous on Jul 08, 2025, 05:37 AMnot a dummy,
Section 19 (Foreign Contacts) of Standard Form 86 asks:QuoteDo you have, or have you had, close and/or continuing contact with a foreign national within the last seven (7) years with whom you, or your spouse, or legally recognized civil union/domestic partner, or cohabitant are bound by affection, influence, common interests, and/or obligation? Include associates as well as relatives, not previously listed in Section 18.
Based on your description and a plain English reading of SF-86, you can truthfully omit the Chinese contacts you mentioned.
However, counterintelligence officials would certainly be interested in what you posted here. Should you mention this incident, you can expect to be questioned at length about these individuals and your interactions with them. The fact that you accepted money from them will further raise eyebrows.
Understood. I'll take your advice and keep my mouth shut and not mention this. I don't want to raise any eyebrows. They money they gave me was only like $200, nothing crazy. They called it a friendly travel stipend. They said to contact them on WeChat once I get my clearance and start working. I have conditional job offers from these companies and can start with an interim clearance which the companies told me I should get shortly after submitting my SF86, which I will submit this week.
Posted by Anonymous
- Jul 08, 2025, 05:37 AMnot a dummy,
Section 19 (Foreign Contacts) of Standard Form 86 asks:
Based on your description and a plain English reading of SF-86, you can truthfully omit the Chinese contacts you mentioned.
However, counterintelligence officials would certainly be interested in what you posted here. Should you mention this incident, you can expect to be questioned at length about these individuals and your interactions with them. The fact that you accepted money from them will further raise eyebrows.
Section 19 (Foreign Contacts) of Standard Form 86 asks:
QuoteDo you have, or have you had, close and/or continuing contact with a foreign national within the last seven (7) years with whom you, or your spouse, or legally recognized civil union/domestic partner, or cohabitant are bound by affection, influence, common interests, and/or obligation? Include associates as well as relatives, not previously listed in Section 18.
Based on your description and a plain English reading of SF-86, you can truthfully omit the Chinese contacts you mentioned.
However, counterintelligence officials would certainly be interested in what you posted here. Should you mention this incident, you can expect to be questioned at length about these individuals and your interactions with them. The fact that you accepted money from them will further raise eyebrows.
Posted by not a dummy
- Jul 07, 2025, 06:16 PMI'm not the OP but I have a similar question. I don't know where else I can post this question anonymously since Reddit keeps banning my TOR and throwaway email signups
I am a recent college grad who did some backpacking last month around Europe and Asia. While in Asia, I talked to some Chinese people who asked about my career. I told them I had job offers from General Dynamics and Northrup Grumman for entry level software roles. They took me to dinner a few times and gave me a little money for my travels and we exchanged social media info.
I now have to fill out my SF86 and there is a section about foreign contacts. Even though I only met these Chinese people briefly, and all I have are their first names and social media accounts, should I list them? The Chinese people actually told me that I should never mention that I met them and they were very assertive about this. They told me it would be best to pretend we never met and go on about my career. I am leaning towards agreeing with them and not listing them on my SF86 to avoid and stalling with my security clearance. Am I doing the right thing?
I am a recent college grad who did some backpacking last month around Europe and Asia. While in Asia, I talked to some Chinese people who asked about my career. I told them I had job offers from General Dynamics and Northrup Grumman for entry level software roles. They took me to dinner a few times and gave me a little money for my travels and we exchanged social media info.
I now have to fill out my SF86 and there is a section about foreign contacts. Even though I only met these Chinese people briefly, and all I have are their first names and social media accounts, should I list them? The Chinese people actually told me that I should never mention that I met them and they were very assertive about this. They told me it would be best to pretend we never met and go on about my career. I am leaning towards agreeing with them and not listing them on my SF86 to avoid and stalling with my security clearance. Am I doing the right thing?
Posted by Anonymous
- May 06, 2025, 01:06 AMAt this point, I think it would be in your best interest to quietly scale down and end your communications with these friends. And certainly to not communicate with them about your work.
Posted by dummy
- May 04, 2025, 09:24 PMI am the OP. As an update, I got my Secret clearance back and I'm back working with DOD. No sooner than I posted my new Secret-cleared job on LinkedIn, those same Chinese friends that I met in Hong Kong reached back out to me on WeChat. We talked and the full conversation was about the work I was doing on weapon systems. I don't know who to talk to about this or what to do given that I accepted money from them before. I resort to posting in this forum. I feel like I'm stuck in a fictional spy movie. Can anyone advise?
Posted by dummy
- Apr 10, 2024, 09:55 AMThanks for your reply. I never said that I had "little prospect" of holding a security clearance again. In fact, I may be going back into that field soon. A couple DUI's don't ban you for life, it just suspends you for a period of time until you can mitigate the issue, which I think I did with treatment programs.
I guess I was being too paranoid. This spy stuff never happens to me or anyone I know in real life. I will likely rejoin the defense world soon but keep in touch with my friends from China who have lots of technical knowledge and can maybe even help me in my career. You are right, there is no need to block them. They can help me in my career.
I also found out that once I get my low-level Secret clearance, I may be upgraded to a Top Secret with polygraph later for more work . . . as long as I don't get any more DUIs. I'm not sure how I should respond to the "foreign contacts" polygraph questions which may DQ me if I mention my paranoia about spies. Maybe it is best that I deal with that later when the time comes.
I guess I was being too paranoid. This spy stuff never happens to me or anyone I know in real life. I will likely rejoin the defense world soon but keep in touch with my friends from China who have lots of technical knowledge and can maybe even help me in my career. You are right, there is no need to block them. They can help me in my career.
I also found out that once I get my low-level Secret clearance, I may be upgraded to a Top Secret with polygraph later for more work . . . as long as I don't get any more DUIs. I'm not sure how I should respond to the "foreign contacts" polygraph questions which may DQ me if I mention my paranoia about spies. Maybe it is best that I deal with that later when the time comes.
Posted by Anonymous
- Apr 10, 2024, 02:38 AMConsidering that you no longer hold a security clearance and have little prospect of ever doing so again, it seems unlikely that you were recruited by spies. I see no reason to block and ignore your new friends.
Posted by dummy
- Apr 09, 2024, 07:22 AMI was going to post this question on Reddit to get more replies in maybe the /r/securityclearance subreddit, but that site is heavily censored and people are quick to insult anyone and everyone. My Reddit accounts always get banned on when I create them with TOR and throwaway emails. So I will just post here and hope for the best.
I was fired from a defense contractor after getting a couple DUIs and they yanked my clearance. I went to Hong Kong for vacation and some Chinese people reached out to me on social media. I will note that I am very active on social media and have my full resume, travel photos and videos, and even livestream for followers. I ended up meeting with some of my Chinese followers while there and they treated me to lunch and tea and wanted to talk about my previous work. I only told them unclassified stuff of course. When it was time to return to the states, they said to keep in touch and gave me some cash as a friendly gift. Now these same people are asking about my career plans and if I plan to reenter the world of defense.
I'm in the U.S. now so I assume I could just block and ignore these people for good. But then I wonder what if they have a recording of our unclassified tea-talks and them giving me money and will show this video to the feds if I ignore them?! Is this spy recruitment, or am I just being paranoid and should forget about this and move on with my life?
I was fired from a defense contractor after getting a couple DUIs and they yanked my clearance. I went to Hong Kong for vacation and some Chinese people reached out to me on social media. I will note that I am very active on social media and have my full resume, travel photos and videos, and even livestream for followers. I ended up meeting with some of my Chinese followers while there and they treated me to lunch and tea and wanted to talk about my previous work. I only told them unclassified stuff of course. When it was time to return to the states, they said to keep in touch and gave me some cash as a friendly gift. Now these same people are asking about my career plans and if I plan to reenter the world of defense.
I'm in the U.S. now so I assume I could just block and ignore these people for good. But then I wonder what if they have a recording of our unclassified tea-talks and them giving me money and will show this video to the feds if I ignore them?! Is this spy recruitment, or am I just being paranoid and should forget about this and move on with my life?