How unsuspecting Australians are being targeted by foreign spies

The head of Australia’s counter-espionage agency, ASIO, has warned foreign spies seem to be using dating apps like Tinder, Bumble and Hinge, to get information from Australians.
In his annual threat assessment, delivered on Wednesday night, ASIO director-general Mike Burgess revealed espionage and foreign interference are ASIO’s top concern.
Previously, terrorism was the greatest worry.
Mr Burgess said thousands of Australians with access to sensitive information have been targeted by foreign spies using social media profiles in the past two years.
Director of defence, strategy and national security at the Australian Strategic Policy Institute, Michael Shoebridge, says China and Russia “definitely have the capability, funding and intent to do this”, but they’re not the only countries using the shady tactic.
“Mike Burgess gave some really good, simple advice. He said ‘If it sounds like it’s too good to be true then it probably is’,” Mr Shoebridge told Ross and Russel.
Mr Shoebridge said Australians should trust their instincts when online dating.
“If people sidle up to me and seem really enamored and attracted to me that normally aren’t, then that’s odd,” he said.
“Also be careful of a sort of creeping tide of engagement, so they’re interested in something and then their interest in you really broadens.”
Press PLAY below to hear more about how spies are targeting Australians on dating apps