Ask HN: Email thanking me for applying to Lockheed Martin but I didn't apply | Hacker News Reader

Ask HN: Email thanking me for applying to Lockheed Martin but I didn't apply

4 pointskcufehttahw11 comments

Throwaway for obvious reasons.

I just got this email, from "donotreply@trm.brassring.com"

Subject: Your candidate reference number - Lockheed Martin.

    <My Full Name>,

    Thank you for your interest in Lockheed Martin. We appreciate the time and effort that you have taken to present your qualifications to us.

    This e-mail serves as confirmation that your resume has been submitted for the following position(s): 

    Sr Mbr Eng Staff / Java, C++ / SW Apps Dev / 4-12 Yrs Exp / Moorestown, NJ 322160BR

    Your skills and experience may be reviewed against the requirements of all open position(s), including the one(s) to which you have submitted.

    Thank you for considering Lockheed Martin in your job search.

    Lockheed Martin is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, protected veteran status, or disability status. 



    Please do not reply to this email.

I have a job. I did not apply to Lockheed Martin. The email was sent to an email alias I rarely use.

Googling the job listing, I find: http://search.lockheedmartinjobs.com/ShowJob/Id/33659/Sr-Mbr-Eng-Staff-Java,-C-SW-Apps-Dev-4-12-Yrs-Exp-Moorestown,-NJ/

"Security clearance: Secret"

I tried logging into Brassring with the email address this message was addressed to. The account was recognized, but used none of my usual passwords. I could not answer any of the security questions.

HOW DID THIS HAPPEN? Is my identity being stolen? Why would this be a step taken by an identity thief?

Worth noting I have been apartment hunting recently and I stupidly gave my SSN to a guy from Craigslist who it seems was posing as a landlord. But I don't see how lockheed follows from that. I would expect him to try to open a credit card or something.

It is unlikely to be a identity thief - why would an ID thief want to pose as you, only to apply for a job.

Possibilities are a recruiter

something you put in for some time ago that just happens to match the job listing you found here

??

This position title of Sr-Mbr-Eng-Staff-Java matches longstanding positions... This could be a year or even more before they closed out the position, which then resulted in a letter going out to every applicant over a period of time.

I thought of that too.

But then why would I be unable to log into my account?

The most likely possibility I've thought of is that somebody setup a fake Lockheed profile on brassring (as far as I can tell, Lockheed does not use brassring), copied a Lockheed job posting, and applied to it with my email so that I would try to log into my account and answer security questions.

Assuming the folks behind Brassring are remotely competent at software development, they shouldn't be passing plaintext security question answers to the portal admins. (assuming there's not a link in the email directing you to a much phishier location)

Thinking outside the box a little, have you made critical remarks about the military industrial complex, working under security clearances or the stupidity of the F-35 in front of a friend that might think it was funny to create or sign you up for a "job offer" from Lockheed Martin?

Coincidences happen as well... I once had to make sales calls to a firm which turned out to be run by the only living person I'm aware of that shares my name. I get sporadic emails informing me that my takeaway order will be delivered soon to somebody living in the same area and having similar tastes in takeaway food to my late grandparents too.

Why does FedEx send me e-mail about the status of my package, when I did not sent one?

That is: Consider that this might be spam and/or phishing.

Is your e-mail address on Gmail or some other service used by millions of people? If so, my guess would be that someone applying for a job at Lockheed typed in their e-mail address wrong (e.g., johnsmith@gmail.com instead of johnsmith1@gmail.com) and happened to give them your e-mail address by accident.

I have gmail. The address used was my gmail address (firstlast@gmail.com), but "first.last@gmail.com". Gmail does not distinguish a difference between these two addresses, so it went to my inbox.

The email was addressed to me as "First Last".

I have a fairly rare first/last combo and I am not aware of anyone in software engineering who shares it with me.

Don't read too much into the "security clearance" part; I worked at LM and having that level of security clearance is pretty standard for any project.

Could this be a recruiter having put you in?

Can you reset your password on the account and log in?

I'm not a match for the profile at all, other than software engineering. I just graduated. Recruiter is unlikely.

I tried resetting password but I can't do it without answering security questions.

Is it possible that Lockheed does not actually use brassring for jobs, and somebody created a fake Lockheed listing on brassring to lure me into answering the security questions and/or typing in my password?

Sounds like phishing to me

The black suvs will be there soon, just be patient.

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