The FBI Chicago office circulated an internal memo in February warning law enforcement agencies that a small group of women allegedly used fake online dating profiles to lure U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers. The briefing, obtained by The Guardian through a public records request by Property of the People, detailed a specific tactic: women creating fictitious profiles with 'traditional wife' imagery to attract officers involved in immigration enforcement. The alleged goal was to engage these officers in online or in-person dates before publicly 'doxing' them—exposing their identities and personal information to cause embarrassment and deter enforcement activity.
The memo is sparse on operational details. It did not name the dating platforms used, identify the women’s locations, or confirm whether any officers were actually exposed. Crucially, the FBI explicitly labeled the document as 'not finally evaluated intelligence,' issuing it primarily to raise awareness of the alleged technique rather than confirming a widespread threat. This cautious language stands in contrast to the broader narrative emerging in U.S. media and social circles.
Context for the warning comes from a recent New York Post report claiming social media users were actively encouraging women to use dating apps to identify and expose ICE agents. That report cited posts from the conservative account Libs of TikTok but did not provide concrete evidence that any agents had been successfully tricked. The FBI’s memo appears to be a direct response to this rising public discourse, internalizing the threat perception before it becomes a confirmed operational reality.
Ryan Shapiro, executive director of Property of the People, criticized the briefing as a 'thinly sourced alert.' He argued that the memo lacked the evidentiary weight typically required for such warnings, noting the absence of verified incidents. This criticism highlights a growing tension between federal agencies and transparency groups over the speed and specificity of intelligence sharing regarding domestic security threats.
The FBI has previously issued warnings about other methods used to target immigration enforcement personnel, including the use of AI, facial recognition software, and data-scraping tools. The addition of 'fake dating' to this list suggests law enforcement is monitoring unconventional, socially driven tactics alongside more technologically sophisticated threats. For now, the agency is watching for signs that this specific method is moving from online rhetoric to real-world action.