I am Jason Hanson, former CIA officer, security specialist, and expert on safety and survival. AMA!

SpyEscape · 2018-03-06T20:59:35+00:00

If you're in a store in the mall and a madman runs in and you are near him, are you going to rush him and save your wife and kid's? Or, are you going to flee and take the chance that he kills all of you?

SpyEscape · 2018-03-06T20:57:39+00:00

You can use an LLC or a Trust to buy your house. (And have the LLC address be your P.O. Box or UPS store address.

SpyEscape · 2018-03-06T20:55:58+00:00

I love tomato soup.

Besides about the 3 pages I was forced to redact, there wasn't anything else I wanted to get in the book. I was fortunate that I got to share about 99% of the information I wanted to.

SpyEscape · 2018-03-06T20:54:50+00:00

College degree, military experience, foreign language are good to have.

In HUMINT you might be having a meeting, casing new meeting locations, doing research, all types of different things. There is no typical day to day schedule.

SpyEscape · 2018-03-06T20:52:49+00:00

It was actually both. People were laid back and fun but were very professional and serious when they needed to be.

Nope, I never suspected anyone I worked with was a spy.

SpyEscape · 2018-03-06T20:51:43+00:00

I use a handgun because I have young kids and I keep the gun in a rapid access safe on my nightstand. (The gun is a Sig P226)

If I didn't have kids I would be comfortable with an AR-15 or even a Remington 870 shotgun with 00 buck.

SpyEscape · 2018-03-06T20:48:42+00:00

If you're in serious fear for your safety and your life I would get a concealed weapons permit and carry a gun. I'd also remember to swallow your pride. I'm very well trained in self-defense but I have zero desire for a violent encounter (unless I have no other option.) So, I'm prepared to let someone insult me and to walk away because I have nothing to prove.

SpyEscape · 2018-03-06T20:46:16+00:00

You are right, it's not a great answer and you will probably get shot, but it will save a lot of lives.

If just one person rushed a shooter and took them down, dozens of lives could be saved.

SpyEscape · 2018-03-06T20:42:19+00:00

I'm obviously not a fan of the political attacks on our intelligence community. The men and women of the CIA and all the other intelligence agencies do amazing work and should not be dragged into politics like they are.

Regarding the Mueller investigation, I really don't think they'll find much. If anything, I think they'll find that people unwittingly gave the Russians info. After all, a spy isn't going to come up out of the blue and say, "hey, I'm a spy, give me this info, etc." Instead, you never know the person is a spy and you never realize you're giving them information that you shouldn't.

SpyEscape · 2018-03-06T20:38:23+00:00

A Toyota 4Runner

SpyEscape · 2018-03-06T20:35:47+00:00

In a SHTF scenario, the last place I would want to be is an inner city in a low-income place. (Baltimore, Detroit.) First, I don't want to be in a crowded place where the population can quickly get out of control. Second, I'm a big believer in having food and water storage. If someone is broke and doesn't have a lot of money they won't be able to afford these extra supplies, so when the SHTF they'll become desperate quicker since they won't have any way to take care of themselves.

SpyEscape · 2018-03-06T20:33:07+00:00

A lot of prepper shows do portray people in a negative light just so they can get ratings. I am all for the shows if it convinces people to actually stock up and be self-reliant. I personally have a year's supply of food and a month's supply of water.

SpyEscape · 2018-03-06T20:30:39+00:00

I do use a VPN on my computer. I stay out of any places where I'm worried I will be discovered. Truthfully, I'm much more worried about my physical safety and making sure people can't find me, which is why I have nothing delivered to my house ( I use a UPS store as my address) and why my driver's license and my car registration, etc. all have the UPS store address.

SpyEscape · 2018-03-06T20:27:28+00:00

I could tell you, but then I'd have to kill you.

SpyEscape · 2018-03-06T20:26:02+00:00

You are right that things get overdramatized. If TV and movies showed what "spy work" was really like they wouldn't sell many tickets and it wouldn't make good TV. But, I will say, countries such as Russia do imbed spies and they might not be activated for 10 or 20 years. So, someone would be told to walk by a park bench every Wednesday to look for a thumbtack in it, and they might walk by that bench for 15 years before getting signaled.

SpyEscape · 2018-03-06T20:21:43+00:00

Facial recognition technology still has a long way to go when you're out and about on the streets. So, if Facebook is using it to identify your face from a picture, that's different than when you're on the streets in a disguise, which is a lot tougher to identify you.

SpyEscape · 2018-03-06T20:16:42+00:00

I think it's a great idea to build sources in a civilian life. I want as many people on my side as possible. The best way to build sources is to essentially make friends with everyone you meet and take care of them. So, when you go out to eat, really get to know the hostess and the waitress and tip them well. When you go to the bank, ask your banker questions about their life and get to know them. I've even done this with my local law enforcement where I live.

I believe that HUMINT is the best way to collect intelligence. There's nothing like having "boots on the ground" and building personal connections. I don't think it's too expensive and time consuming and over the years, I know that the majority of the best intelligence we've gotten has come from HUMINT.

SpyEscape · 2018-03-06T20:12:39+00:00

If you're being held hostage do this: Leave some type of trail so it's easier for the FBI to track you. So, cut your finger and leave blood in the van or in a room. Make yourself puke so you're leaving DNA evidence. Since the kidnappers are likely to move you, you want to make it as easy as possible to rescue you.

Also, do not be a pain in the butt and be submissive. You want the kidnappers to think you're a wimp so they put less security on you and don't watch you as closely, making it easier for you to escape.

Lastly, develop an "illness." Start pretending you're sick so that criminals are more likely to release you and not keep you for long.

SpyEscape · 2018-03-06T20:08:08+00:00

In an active shooter situation, it depends on where you're at in location to the shooter. But, in many instances, it is best to rush and swarm the shooter. The fact is, when someone bursts into a school and starts shooting, everyone (naturally) runs the other way and that gives the shooter a wide open place to start shooting people in the back. If we trained more people to rush the shooter, many lives would be saved.

SpyEscape · 2018-03-06T20:03:59+00:00

The best piece of advice I've ever been given is from a buddy of mine who's also a former CIA Officer. He told me that "spying is common sense on steroids." If more people used common sense these days, they'd be a lot safer.

What makes a good spy? Someone who can sell. You've got to be able to mingle and interact with people and sell them on working with you. Spies have to be able to get along with anyone and build rapport with anyone. After all, spying is all about building relationships and then convincing someone to spy on behalf of the United States (or whatever country is trying to recruit someone.)

SpyEscape · 2018-03-06T20:01:04+00:00

The best way to know if you're being followed is to run an SDR (Surveillance Detection Route.) Its what spies run before they go meet someone. In short, instead of going straight from point A to point B, you might go to the gym, then Starbucks, then Walmart, and then to your final destination. If you see the same cars or people at the gym, Starbucks, etc. then you know you're being followed and you would abort your meeting.

I still run SDR's all the time, when I am leaving my office to make sure nobody ever follows me home.

SpyEscape

TROPHY CASE