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FBI Warns Traveling College Students About Spying; Uses Michigan Case as Example

Posted at 7:36 AM, Apr 15, 2014
and last updated 2014-04-15 07:49:42-04
dont be a pawn

Don’t Be a Pawn: A Warning to Students Abroad

WASHINGTON (April 15, 2014) — The Federal Bureau of Investigation has posted some new advice for college students who wish to study abroad: be aware of a foreign intelligence threat in which you may be unwittingly targeted for recruitment as a spy.

In its warning, the FBI cites a well-known case that originated in Michigan.

“Three years ago, Glenn Duffie Shriver, a Michigan resident and former college student who had studied in the People’s Republic of China (PRC), was sentenced to federal prison in the U.S. for attempting to provide national defense information to PRC intelligence officers,” begins the warning.  “Glenn Shriver—prodded by foreign intelligence officers into eventually applying for U.S. government jobs—cited his naivety as a key factor in his actions.

The FBI has included an embedded video (available below) that they urge all traveling students to watch.  It’s called Game of Pawns: The Glenn Duffie Shriver Story, and it is part of the bureau’s “ramped up efforts to educate American university students preparing to study abroad about the dangers of knowingly or unknowingly getting caught up in espionage activities.”

In addition, the warning gives some advice on what to watch out for, including common interaction techniques used by foreign intelligence officers.  They also offer tips that include being skeptical of job offers and minimizing the level of personal information you share while overseas.

Click here to view the entire warning and learn more about the Michigan case cited as an example.