# False Identity **Entity class:** Concept or operational method **Domain:** Private Intelligence ## Definition An assumed identity can create investigative access or shape a subject's understanding of an interaction. The article documents its use in private HUMINT cases and connects legitimacy to client purpose and lawful conduct. ## Operational role Commercial human-source work connects interpersonal access with a client’s investigative, legal, strategic, or regulatory requirement. The article follows named firms and specific cases so the skills, delivery routes, and business structure remain visible. Client purpose, applicable law, source handling, and professional conduct determine how that capability serves its engagement. **Architecture connections:** [[wiki/HUMINT|HUMINT]] · [[wiki/SOCMINT|SOCMINT]] · [[wiki/Intelligence|Intelligence]]. ## Relationships - **article-linked mechanism or framework:** [[wiki/Pretexting|Pretexting]]. - **article-linked institution or supplier:** [[wiki/Black Cube|Black Cube]]. - **collection route:** [[collections/The Civilian Intelligence Marketplace|The Civilian Intelligence Marketplace]]. - **counterterrorism architecture:** [[collections/Terrorism, Counterterrorism, and the Intelligence Environment|Terrorism, Counterterrorism, and the Intelligence Environment]]. - **source article:** [[articles/The Coming Market for Civilian Spycraft|The Coming Market for Civilian Spycraft]]. ## Sources / Provenance - [[articles/The Coming Market for Civilian Spycraft#IX. The Private Spy Industry: Black Cube, Kroll, and the Reputational Battlefield|The Coming Market for Civilian Spycraft — IX. The Private Spy Industry: Black Cube, Kroll, and the Reputational Battlefield]] — October 2026 revision; immediate source for this entry’s place in the marketplace. - [Wikipedia, Black Cube.](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Cube) - [Ronan Farrow, *The New Yorker*, Harvey Weinstein's Army of Spies (2017).](https://www.newyorker.com/news/news-desk/harvey-weinsteins-army-of-spies) ## Connected marketplace roles The source article connects this entry with [[wiki/Pretexting|Pretexting]]. These routes locate the associated people, implementations, methods, and operational contexts in [[articles/The Coming Market for Civilian Spycraft|The Coming Market for Civilian Spycraft]]. **Collections:** [[collections/The Civilian Intelligence Marketplace|The Civilian Intelligence Marketplace]] · [[collections/Terrorism, Counterterrorism, and the Intelligence Environment|Terrorism, Counterterrorism, and the Intelligence Environment]].