Did I just see what I thought I saw?
Last night I was watching the ABC World News with Diane Sawyer, catching up on the usual tidbits - the oil spill, the hurricane, and the Russian spy case. As a kid who grew up in the 70s/80s and someone who has been to Russia several times, I'm interested in this sort of stuff. I actually had a former KGB agent as a bodyguard while traveling through Russia and saw the changes in Russia between my visits there, so you can imagine how fascinated I am with the Cold War tensions between our two countries.
As I watched Brian Ross' report about the alleged spies, a familiar site flashed across the screen as Brian spoke about one of the accused spies ties to real estate. Yes, although the photo is terrible, that is what you think it is - an ActiveRain account. Seems one of the alleged spies set up an account, but didn't do much with it (she had 980 points). I checked this morning and the account (a non-Rainmaker account) is still there and has only one blog post.
While it may not be of any importance to anyone, I find it fascinating that there was a (once again, alleged) Russian secret agent right here on ActiveRain! I wonder if she ever read my blog? Perhaps she has sent posts of mine direct to Vladimir Putin? Maybe I'm being spied on right now because I'm typing this? I love it - intrigue, mystery, and a dash of Cold War counter-intelligence.
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And I thought the cold war was over! I read about this in the paper this morning, it certainly is intriguing
Maybe someone on A.R. needs to start issuing caps with tinfoil linings :)
I also saw this yesterday but didn't realize she had an AR account...It is very interesting the world in which we live...thanks for sharing the story...Jen
Matt,
You can't make this stuff up. This is hilarious. I wonder if she got tripped up posting to the Secret Russian Spy Group?
Rich
Wow....that is amazing...they are "everywhere" LOL not really funny but intriguing yes...
It's amazing when you think about it - spies are trained to be "normal" and do regular things to blend in. Same goes for terrorists. I used to stay at the hotel that several of the 9/11 hijackers worked out and although I don't remember any of them, chances are I probably bumped into one of them at some point. Imagine looking in today's paper and saying "Honey, our real estate agent is on the cover of the paper. Seems she was a Russian spy." Incredible.
I totaly noticed the points too! lol.. I'm flagging this for feature! Secret agents on AR!!
Makes you wonder what information she may have been looking for here....reading posts, finding out our "Real Estate secrets", reporting sales tips to the home country. Uncovering "staging" strategies, FHA requirements......One thing for sure, she is smarter today because of it! I know I sure am!
HA! I wonder if she passed on my right wing radical anarchist posts to her handlers???
What happened to my comment??
Her Profile is interesting. Very "international".
Figures.
This is just too funny.
I love the idea of one of my posts crossing Putin's desk.
I'm giving Stephanie my "comment of the day" award. Sorry there's no real value to such an award.
Lenn - I was only disappointed that I didn't hear Brian Ross say "ActiveRain."
Alfonse - I'm sure your Mr. Knowledgey posts have sparked more international interest than you can imagine.
Greg - Shhh, man, you'll blow my cover.
I can hear the "Bond" theme now... I love it, Intrigue in the Rain... how fitting. Maybe the alleged spy is trying to steal AR's secret: "The Google Juice Files."
Nice post and a fun read. Thanks.
Maybe she even commented on one of your blogs with some sort of secret code embedded in the comment?
Wow! Makes you wonder why they got interested in AR, doesn't it?
Ann was or is a Redfin corp., agent, literally. I wonder what they are saying about one of their own being an alleged spy.
Wow, I was that news report and didn't catch the AR account. Good spy work, Matt.
I certainly wouldn't be tagged as a sympathizer...
It is like watching a train wreck. As soon as I heard about it I checked on Active Rain to see if they were on here.
Marcy
Hmm very interesting.. Using AR as a cover... who would have thunk it!
I should think that Putin was going to make use of AR to plan how to reinvent Russian real estate after all there is a lot of empty land in Siberia to be sold
Matt,
The Canadian Intelliigence Service outed them. Jeezuz, I wonder if I'm on the list too?
Matt,
Wonder how I find out if Putin reads my blog?
Today Active Rain . . . tomorrow . . . Google?!?
I saw that on TV two nights ago .... the Active Rain profile page was there on my screen late at night and really made me pay attention! I also noticed she had <1000 points and only 1 blog. So, likely she was busy doing whatever it was she was doing when she was arrested in Massachusetts. You just never know who's really blogging, do you??
I guess we just don't know what might be happening in here. What I find interesting is the tie-in to RedFin that Dee brings up. With all the conspiracy theories, I'm surprised that someone hasn't already made the connection that REDFin might just be a cover real estate spies. ;-)
I saw a headline about the spies being tied to real estate, I wondered if...
This is very interesting.... Maybe we will soon hear... The rest of the story
Was this the agent that worked for Redfin? Here is their take.
I'm with Stephanie- I'm curious as to what information she wanted access to that made it necessary for her to create a membership with Active Rain that she couldn't already find on the first page of Google. Ha! Never a dull moment in the real estate industry.
Interesting that she would be on AR. As a woman playing at being a rich socialite, it seems an odd place to have a profile.
You people are nuts to even think the cold war is once again in our own backyards! They very idea that the media is humming this story home to every person on the Never Ending Need for Pump & Grind News that makes about as much sense as it does to buying a house in todays' economy!
Matt:
Does this mean that the Russians now have access to our Active Rain posts? I shudder to think what they will be able to do with such highly sensitive information. Have you alerted the CIA?
Well I hope she read all my Patriotic posts while on Activerain and sent them back to headquarters. LOL
This is way too funny! I never knew that when you blog on ActiveRain, you could be rubbing cyber-elbows with international spies. And if there is one, there are probably others....hmmmm....
This is hilarious! I wonder how many others involved in espionage are among us here in Active Rain??????
What did you expect. . .SHE IS AN AGENT! lol
Brother Matt...
Hey wait a minute. You've been overseas quite a bit, haven't you? Can you day "operative?"
Wow -- that's creepy -- wonder who else is on here monitoring our thoughts and comments -- or maybe it was it just a cover -- at any rate it's unnerving.
That is probably a testament to the google juice AR gives you. That photo is probably the one Google pulled up for the reporter when she/he googled the name.
...you've been to Russia several times? Hmmm...Richard is on to something...SLEEPER CELL!!
I agree with Richard, you can't make this stuff up! How interesting. I wonder how many other spies there are here in the Rain. Hmmmmmm.
I guess the lesson is you just never know what people may be up to, but it is a very interesting occurrence.
Looks like her account was disabled. I'm with Alan, it would be hilarious to see Putin's eyebrow rise as he reads one of my "Members Only" rants.
Sorry, I just can't help it...but was this guy somehow involved??
Russell I kept thinking of Boris and Natasha too...
J. Philip wrote: "it would be hilarious to see Putin's eyebrow rise as he reads one of my "Members Only" rants. "
No... no... no... it would have been wrong to share Members Only posts with Putin! We have Guidlines here!
;- )
I was just looking at the AR home page and I can see where you can search for Realtors®, mortgage brokers, home stagers, etc. But I couldn't find anywhere on AR where you can search for Russian Spies. Maybe I'm missing something?
And she was supposedly licensed in Massachusetts. Where do we get all of these people? The Boston area seems to have its fair share of residents who make headline news (the Harvard professor and the Cambridge policeman, the supposed ties to the Times Square bomber, the members of the Bin-Laden family that own real estate in Boston, and now the spy that was posing as a real estate agent.)
I too think that one blog was some coded message to Putin's people....
Coming to you from Texas...
WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAT???
Wow, when the news hits home, it's never anything simple .. a great catch!!
She should have blogged more and commented. People here are ready to divulge any real estate secrets we have. She missed a great opportunity for information.
Matt, how crazy!
Just another reminder to be mindful about what you post.
Anna
Matt - I wonder if she is going to RainCamp Boston? My guess... probably not. LOL
I wonder if she was one of my subscribers sending my Free market, Liberty loving, less government, capitalist, free speech, anti eminent domain posts over to Putin so he can send his goons to poison my tea. Katerina
Anna- Comment #53- you are kidding, right? Or is your word, "mindful" really mean Fearful? I am never going to shut down my free speech because some spies may be watching, After all, big brother is watching. Katerina
Even Spies need good advise.
So will AR come up with some new security clearance bling or you busted a spy badge?
Too funny. Was she an "ambassador" ????
My hubby is in Russia right now, visiting 2 exchange students we have hosted.
Matt it's great that you got a chance to visit Russia and learn a little better about its people and culture. At least you didn't have to prance around incognito. If there are any other undercover agents among us here, then they will only learn what great people we are and how we truly feel about our fellow man. It could be the reason why only one blog was written, who knows?
...She said the man in the gabardine suit was a spy
I said "Be careful his bowtie is really a camera"
from America by Paul Simon
Now that they've gone missing, who's looking after their clients? And we thought that that listing with the secret escape tunnel in the basement wasn't going to sell!
Do you think this has any connection to the Russian's new CAR (Communist Association of Realtors)
"Great Time to Buy" Campaign announced by CAR's PR CZAR's Florance Pun ?
WOW! I'm with Brian in #58 - I want to be the first to get the new Secret Agent bling
Shh ... there may be more of us on here still!
Oh, and what #46 said!
Well I'm known as The Mortgage SPY in NY....Shhhhh don't tell anyone but I explain YSP in detail to clients.
Funny thing is this is probably the first president that Russia has supported!
Now AR will be watched by Big Brother and Bob!
Dang and I missed it. Her account was gone when I got here.
Matt - Dude! That is amazing, and kind of cool, in a weird way, huh? :)
That's crazy....I'll have to check it out. I bet she gets lots of comments now on the one post.
Hi Matt, Just amazing ! Just think of all the late night gag lines you could come up with on this one !?!? Have a terrific 4th !
I can't wait til we get our first Extra Terrestrial blogger on AR!
I saw the news story too and then went back into the trenches of helping out of town buyers this week without giving it too much more thought. Now, that ActiveRain provides such good cover and legitimacy for old-fashion spying, I wonder how many other intelligence community members have joined us since the story broke this week. This could be just the stimulus the market needs...:)!
Matt - I think they were definitely reading your blog ! Is a pretty amazing story ! And hard to believe spies were right here in the Rain (even for only a few points and one blog) !
Hi Matt~ Interesting that you caught that in the news flash. You are very observant! I guess you just never know who is blogging right along with you! Did she seriously work for Redfin?
We must remember..... innocent until proven guilty!!!! So how was it discovered that she was an AR member? Was her computer confiscated?
Was she trying to learn our capitaist secrets? Infiltrate Rain Camp? Does Active Rain need to set up a counter-intelligence unit? These spies are as dumb as some friends of mine in high school that hid in the trunk to get into the drive in movie; then we found out they were charging by the car!
That's cazy stuff. Tom Clancy could write a book about this whole thing. Haha Good catch. I haven't really been watching the news much lately (working too much) so I had no idea how big a deal this is getting to be.
Kathy - I used the word "alleged" and "accused" for that reason. How was it discovered that she was an ActiveRain member? Um, did you read the post...or just the title? I thought I spelled it out pretty well.
Some of the comments have been hilarious. Thanks everyone.
Now that we've caught their spies, I suspect they'll be catching ours pretty soon.