 The StB used the fake border crossings to catch and arrest would-be refugees who believed they had crossed into the safety of democratic West Germany.In many cases, the victims had been encouraged to flee the country by undercover StB agents posing as members of the underground anti-communist opposition.At the fake border post, the refugees were introduced to another StB agent posing as a smuggler or a bribed border guard, who offered to lead the refugees into the forest and across the border at night in exchange for payment.