Former Russian secret agent revealed which male targets are 'most vulnerable'

A former Russian secret agent has warned that certain men could be particularly easy to manipulate through so-called 'honey trap' tactics, with technology workers among those she claims are most at risk.

Aliia Roza, who says she was trained by Russian intelligence before defecting, has lifted the lid on how female operatives allegedly use romance, attraction and emotional manipulation to gain access to sensitive information.

And according to her, some men could be much easier targets than others.

Speaking to the press this week, Roza claimed Russian and Chinese operatives use female agents to build relationships with technology workers and executives in an attempt to obtain business or technological secrets.

"They see the target; they need information," she explained. "They’ll manipulate emotions, feelings - anything they can use, they will."

So, who exactly is most vulnerable?

According to Roza, single men may be particularly susceptible because they can be easier to reach emotionally.

She also pointed towards Silicon Valley professionals, suggesting that those who spend the majority of their time working may have less experience navigating romantic relationships.

"They may be geniuses in what they do, but when it comes to dating, they spend too much time at the office."

Roza claimed she was trained by Russian spies (Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images)

Roza added: "If they’re not in a relationship, of course, they’re more vulnerable."

She explained that agents may deliberately place themselves in a target's surroundings, appearing repeatedly at places such as cafés, gyms or even on social media until their presence starts to feel familiar.

The idea, she claimed, is to make an eventual approach seem natural rather than suspicious.

Roza previously described this as appearing in someone's life seven times before making contact.

"You show up in their life about seven times before making contact - at their café, their gym, online. Maybe you just keep liking their posts. By the time you finally meet, their brain already trusts you," she explained during a recent appearance on the Figuring Out With Raj Shamani podcast.

Once a connection has been established, Roza claimed operatives may turn to love bombing, showering their targets with compliments, selfies and flirtatious messages to create an emotional attachment.

She also suggested that agents might portray themselves as lonely, financially struggling or in need of help, encouraging the man to take on a protective role. So, essentially, the target is made to feel wanted, needed and important.

"They’ll pretend to be vulnerable - say their parents died, they’re students, or they’re broke," Roza continued. "It triggers the hero instinct. Every man wants to be a rescuer.

Roza discussed several techniques used to rope in vulnerable men (Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images)

Another alleged tactic is the so-called 'milk technique', which involves inventing mutual connections to make a fake profile or new acquaintance appear more trustworthy.

"The fake account might follow your friends or say, ‘Bill is my brother’s friend,’ so you think, ‘Okay, she’s real.’ But it’s all fabricated," Roza explained.

She has also previously discussed what she calls the 'anchor technique', which she described on the Figuring Out With Raj Shamani podcast.

Roza claimed men were at their most vulnerable immediately after sex, describing this as the moment when their brains were most receptive to information.

She said agents would allegedly use particular phrases alongside physical touch to create an association with intimacy.

"Honey trap agents, they would say ‘we are the power couple’ and use the same things. ‘Only I can help you’," Roza went on.

"'Only with me you can have such a pleasure. Only with me you can be strong. Only I know how to make you successful. I know I am the best in your life'."

According to Roza, the intention was to make a target feel that their happiness, confidence and success depended on one particular person.

However, there is no scientific evidence that these techniques work as described, and her claims have not been independently verified.

Roza's wider warning to technology workers is to be cautious of unexpected romantic attention, intrusive questions and conversations that gradually turn towards professional contacts or confidential information.

Now living in the West, she says she wants to educate people about manipulation and help them recognise potential warning signs.

"I’m on a mission to teach people how to prevent manipulation," she said.