Potential warning signs of foreign interference

People who secretly work for a foreign country often hide what they’re doing. It may not be obvious they are working for a foreign power.

People conducting acts of foreign interference could try to create a personal connection with you. They might pretend to be friends with you to help them influence your decisions. This can make you feel like you owe them something. It is often done by providing you with:

• gifts
• donations
• expenses-paid travel
• help with immigration processes
• networking opportunities
• special access to senior officials or businesspeople in Australia or a foreign country
• seminars, study tours, business inspections or similar opportunities.

While these activities are a natural part of our society’s interactions, others can use them as part of foreign interference.

​​This activity might go on for a long time without pressure or a direct request for help from you. However, as your sense of obligation grows, so does the potential for harm to our country.

A foreign country trying to interfere in Australia’s business may use many more hostile methods to exploit or create vulnerabilities. This might include:

• exploiting personal, family, financial or business interests
• exploiting an individual’s poor security practices
• obtaining secret or embarrassing material or creating a situation to get it
• crafting romantic relationships to obtain privileged information.

Potential warning signs that dealings and relationships might become foreign interference could include:

• reduced transparency. The person might ask you to not talk openly about certain things or to use more informal ways of communicating. This reduces public oversight of what is going on
  
• an ongoing and privileged relationship that excludes some parts of the community
  
• a suggested or implied quid pro quo (something that is given or taken in return for something else)
  
• attempts to hide a relationship or interaction​
  
• a request, suggestion or pressure to influence others to take a particular position.