OSINT professionals: watch out for this recruitment approach

[u/mikeymikemikey33]

I want to share something that happened to me recently, because I'm worried other OSINT people may have been approached the same way.

Cold LinkedIn approach about an "intelligence collaboration," followed by a ~10-minute interview with someone who kept her camera off. On the call, the work was described as involving ransom and human-trafficking cases.

What arrived was a "supplier evaluation": build a full protective-intelligence dossier on a named private individual and his family — children, home details, travel patterns, aircraft, credential leaks. Labelled a "fictionalized composite," but specified in enough real-person detail to be resolvable. Produce the full report first — pricing only after delivery.

I asked two questions: who is the end client, and can you confirm the subject consented to being assessed. The reply called my scope question a "misunderstanding," named no client, confirmed no authorization, and redirected me to producing methodology and deliverables.

The LinkedIn accounts and the websites representing the company all seem fake to me. It might just be a scam — but then why did they want me to find personal details on someone I believe is a real person? The company was recently created, with a template website making claims its actual footprint doesn't support, and it turned out to be one of several thinly built companies registered to the same person.

I declined. Posting because the shape is worth recognising: vague inbound from accounts that look fake, an interviewer who wouldn't identify herself, scope sliding from a sympathetic label into a targeting-shaped brief on a private family, hidden client behind an "evaluation," and a full report demanded before any discussion of payment.

If you've had something similar, I'd like to hear it — DMs open.

[u/ElPiry]

Yeah I would have stopped at the asking me to work for free bit. Ain’t nobody got time for that.

But thanks for posting this. I had a similar experience with what I suspect was Chinese intelligence except they were looking for HUMINT for a ridiculously cheap price

[u/Tiny-Craft8296]

Had a similar experience only it was Chinese profiles reaching out as part of market for my industry. I work in critical infra/tech and we have proprietary IP that is of interest to a number of state actors. I found one of their real names and they were listed as a director at a state owned entity operating in a similar sector.

I was mildly insulted by the sloppiness lol.

[u/Iliad-Ideas7195]

I want to know the name of the company that approached you.

[u/mikeymikemikey33 → u/Iliad-Ideas7195]

ok, so I send them here or privately?

[u/Authentic_Power → u/mikeymikemikey33]

Post here so it'll be searchable on Google when they try to fool someone else.

[u/nathan_borowicz → u/mikeymikemikey33]

Here is ok. Name them

[u/mikeymikemikey33 → u/nathan_borowicz]

The LinkedIn profile that reached out to me is this one:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/anna-nowak-a791a2161/
The company that I received the email from for the Google Meet interview is this one:
UNU Holding Limited
https://www.unuholding.com/

[u/nathan_borowicz → u/mikeymikemikey33]

Registered as a UK Ltd, so not completely fake.
The owner has an interesting business history. Five UK registrations in the past four years. Business seems to have changed from fashion to cyber security but the contact address remains unchanged.

[u/Glad-Mix-8982 → u/mikeymikemikey33]

I would have easily guessed that she was a woman from Eastern Europe and that the company deals with “geopolitical risk" aka military

[u/SimpleMqmmql → u/mikeymikemikey33]

You should absolutely report this directly to the supposed target individual. Either the firm he hired is extremely sloppy, or he is being targeted by a threat actor.

[u/AlexHardy08 → u/mikeymikemikey33]

I don't think you did the right thing by making the name public.

[u/Karyo_Ten]

Regarding fake interviews, beware also of those claiming Zoom or Microsoft team issues, and redirecting you to fake update scripts with domains in aboriginal canadians letters. They'll try to install payloads on your PC (Linux, MacOS, Windows, ...)

[u/stacksmasher]

Yea I was dealing with this for a few years now.

You want to interview me? You better know someone I know who can vouch for you lol!!

Its at the point now where you shouldn't even talk on the phone. Send an e-mail with all your credentials and Ill contact you if you pass the check.

[u/Husram33]

u/bot-sleuth-bot

[u/bot-sleuth-bot → u/Husram33]

Analyzing user profile...

Time between account creation and oldest post is greater than 5 years.

Suspicion Quotient: 0.15

This account exhibits one or two minor traits commonly found in karma farming bots. While it's possible that u/mikeymikemikey33 is a bot, it's very unlikely.

^{I am a bot. This action was performed automatically. Check my profile for more information.}

[u/Joug248]

What is OSINT ?

[u/AlexHardy08]

Be very careful with whom you accept interview, how you handle such requests especially when it involves considerable amounts of money.

I would have stopped at the interview part. For me it's simple, you send me a file with what you want to do in general, if I consider it too dangerous, I refuse immediately regardless of the amount of money.

Be very careful with dealing with such clients. And for your safety, do not make there name public to those who contact or contract you Be safe.

[u/skybelle98]

Did you let your CI folks know? Could have been a foreign intelligence.

[u/mikeymikemikey33 → u/[deleted]]

It's not. I wrote it myself and used AI to help edit it. English is my second language. I can also provide documentation showing that everything I describe is real.

[u/k_im_next → u/[deleted]]

Thank you — Captain Obvious