Home / Crime and Justice / Fake Firm Scams Job Seekers for Secrets
Fake Firm Scams Job Seekers for Secrets
16 Aug
Summary
- Fake Chinese spy firms posed as legitimate consultancies.
- Job applicants were recruited for sensitive information.
- US Department of Justice seized 13 deceptive websites.
A Brisbane consultancy, Horizzen, recently became aware that a fake firm had been impersonating it online since mid-2025. This deceptive operation, alleged to be part of a Chinese espionage campaign, used Horizzen's name and details to recruit individuals for defense and security roles. Job seekers were unknowingly providing personal information to a network seeking valuable secrets.
In early June 2026, Australia's intelligence agency joined Five Eyes partners in warning about Chinese spies posing as recruiters on platforms like LinkedIn. These fake firms allegedly tested applicants' knowledge and paid for reports before demanding more privileged information. Within 24 hours of the public warning, the FBI seized the website impersonating Horizzen and 12 other similar sites, which were reportedly created to obtain sensitive information for China.
The FBI stated that these websites used aliases, stolen identities, and AI-generated photos to deceive applicants. The consultancy impersonating Horizzen aimed to establish a formal relationship with another seized firm, Catalyst Global Solutions, which claimed to be a top DC firm despite a listed address in Pakistan. The extent to which these operations succeeded in acquiring secrets remains unknown.
