Anatomy Of
A Honeytrap
A Tool of Seduction, Espionage,
and Manipulation
Trust Me, Scroll
What is
Honey-trapping?
Using romantic or sexual relationships to extract sensitive information, compromise individuals, manipulate decisions.
Age-old tactic where operatives leverage emotional or physical intimacy to gain access to information or exert control over their targets.
Enabled by hi-tech, honey-trapping has evolved to include anonymous chats, dating apps, social media DMs, deepfakes, and long-term digital grooming, often over encrypted platforms.
A Modern Spy Ring
Madam N & Jyoti Malhotra
In 2025, influencer Jyoti Malhotra was reportedly arrested for alleged espionage. Investigators allegedly discovered her encrypted correspondence with a Pakistan-based handler, Naushaba Shahzad Masood, also known as Madam N.
Madam N, reportedly based in Lahore, posed as a travel and cultural promoter but was allegedly involved in recruiting Indian YouTubers and vloggers under directives from Pakistan’s intelligence agency, the ISI.
Malhotra allegedly facilitated connections between suspected ISI operatives and Indian social media influencers, several of whom were reportedly encouraged to share defence-adjacent content and personal data.
Based in Lahore, posed as a travel and cultural promoter but was allegedly recruiting Indian YouTubers and vloggers under ISI directives.
Allegedly facilitated connections between ISI operatives and Indian social media influencers, several of whom were encouraged to share defence-adjacent content and personal data.
Enabled by hi-tech, honey-trapping has evolved to include anonymous chats, dating apps, social media DMs, deepfakes, and long-term digital grooming, often over encrypted platforms.
The French Ambassador to USSR was seduced by two women in filmed encounters. When he refused to cooperate, the Soviet press ran a campaign to discredit him.
A British journalist and MI6 recruit, Wolfenden was targeted for his homosexuality—illegal in UK at the time. KGB used compromising photographs to attempt blackmail.
Although not seduced himself, Guillaume’s access to Chancellor Willy Brandt’s office (through personal relationships) led to one of West Germany’s most significant post-war political crises.
During the Cold War, the Soviet Union's KGB turned honey-trapping into a structured method of espionage. The agency trained male, female operatives - referred to as "ravens" and "swallows" - in psychological manipulation, seduction techniques, and blackmail.
At institutions like State School 4 in Moscow, agents were taught languages, surveillance, interpersonal communication, and the use of hidden cameras.
The KGB's 'Seduction Manual' Notable Cases
The Digital Honeytrap Boom
Now honey-trapping has gone digital. Intelligence agencies and criminal groups operate through anonymous Instagram accounts, fake job offers on LinkedIn, WhatsApp chats, and dating apps.
In 2022, Indian Military Intelligence flagged over 50 honeytrap attempts targeting armed forces personnel. Victims were often lured into online relationships, recorded during calls, and then blackmailed for sensitive documents and base layouts.
Unlike the Cold War era, these operations require minimal human contact and cost. Emotional manipulation is executed over months, with operatives often operating multiple fake identities.
India: A Hot Target?
Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) has increasingly relied on digital honey-trapping to gain intelligence from Indian defence personnel and civilians with strategic access.
Tactics include:
● Initiating chats pretending to be journalists, bloggers, or job recruiters.
● Gradually introducing romantic interest.
● Coercing victims to share photos, blueprints, or deployment plans.
● Over the past three years, honeytrap-linked arrests have spanned Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Odisha, Punjab, and Delhi, targeting both junior and technical staff.
India first saw the dangers of honey-trapping with the case of Madhuri Gupta, a diplomat who ended up passing sensitive information to Pakistan after being compromised emotionally.
