Agent 012339 is back on duty. China’s Ministry of State Security (MSS) has deployed its AI anchor once again, this time to warn citizens about the perils of “scaling the wall,” or fanqiang (翻墙) — Chinese internet slang for using VPNs to access blocked foreign websites. The uniformed digital spokesman delivers his message with characteristic earnestness: digital freedom, he says, is actually a trap that threatens both your bank account and the nation.

In late October, CMP reported on the launch of Agent 012339 by the MSS as a new form of messaging to the public.

The MSS WeChat post frames VPN use as a series of escalating dangers. First come the personal risks: stolen credit card information, compromised passwords, and identity theft. The ministry illustrates this with the tale of one user whose credit card was fraudulently charged “thousands of dollars” six months after using a VPN to pay for materials from a foreign institution.

Then comes the espionage angle: VPNs secretly controlled by “foreign forces,” or jingwai shili (境外势力), or even developed directly by foreign intelligence agencies, are designed to plant trojans and steal sensitive data. One employee at an unspecified “classified unit” who downloaded a VPN to access foreign academic forums, Agent 012339 explains, ended up having their phone and computer remotely controlled, leading to the theft of classified research materials and criminal prosecution.

But the ministry’s most revealing concern is ideological contamination. The post warns that citizens browsing foreign websites “without any precaution” are vulnerable to “fraudulent information, extremist ideology, and political rumors” — a cascade of consequences that can transform “curious browsing” into “active participation” in illegal activities. To illustrate, the MSS describes a state-owned enterprise employee who was arrested after regularly visiting “anti-China websites” overseas, watching videos containing “political rumors about us,” and downloading and spreading such content.

What to do instead? Reject VPNs entirely. Individuals and organizations with legitimate academic or business needs should use “legal and proper channels approved by the state” — though the post does not specify what those might be. Everyone else should stick to official media and authorized platforms, avoid downloading apps from unknown sources, and cultivate “healthy internet habits.”

And if you spot someone scaling the wall? Agent 012339 reminds you that the 12339 hotline is always open for tips. The Great Firewall isn’t just about keeping information out — it’s about keeping tabs on who’s trying to peek over.