Fake defection

Fake defection, often referred to as a "provocation" or "dangle" in intelligence circles, is a defection by an intelligence agent made on false pretenses. Fake defectors (who may be referred to as "plant"s) may spread disinformation or aid in uncovering moles. The risk that a defection may be fake is often a concern by intelligence agencies debriefing defectors.

Examples of Soviet defectors that some sources have considered fake include Oleg Penkovsky (considered fake by Peter Wright and James Angleton ) and Vitaly Yurchenko. Examples of US fake defection operations include Operation Shocker.

In fiction, examples of fake defection include the James Bond film The Living Daylights (1987), a subplot in the TV Show The Americans, the novel The Spy Who Came in from the Cold and its film adaptation, and Torn Curtain (1966 film).