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Guest post by JAGC follows.<\/span><\/p>\n Earlier this year, I received a seemingly innocuous LinkedIn connection request. A quick scan revealed that the requestor fit perfectly into my professional network. He had more than 500 connections, including numerous accomplished professionals in the military, legal, and national security fields that I personally know.<\/p>\n Like me, his bio listed credentials as a civilian lawyer, Judge Advocate, and combat veteran. Sure, the guy’s bio referenced a stint as a “YouTube star,” but hey, good for him for having an interesting hobby. YouTube stardom aside, on the surface, this was a natural fit.<\/p>\n However, just as I was about to mindlessly accept the connection request, another peculiarity caught my eye.<\/p>\n The LinkedIn profile claimed that he earned a “Purple Heart w\/2 oak leaf clusters” and membership in the Military Order of the Purple Heart. Call me skeptical, but three separate combat injuries raised my BS antenna. I decided to review the profile a bit more carefully. After that, the guy’s entire profile collapsed into a world of the absurd with barely a hint of additional scrutiny.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n For example:<\/p>\n 1) His YouTube photos appeared to match his LinkedIn photo. His LinkedIn bio describing his YouTube activity and subscribership also appeared to match. However, the YouTube persona listed his DOB as June 28, 1989, but his LinkedIn birth year was listed as 1974. The YouTube birthdate obviously makes him too young to have served in the Marine Corps for 24 years as his profile stated.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n 2) He claimed that he completed Naval Justice School (training for new JAGs) in 2017. He also claimed that he rocketed up to Senior Defense Counsel for two months in 2018 and then became a Navy\/Marine judge for two months earlier this year. In my experience, there is no way anyone would be considered a senior defense counsel and certainly would not be named as a judge while still fresh out of Naval Justice School. A Marine judge can become a judge as an 0-4; other branches its 0-6. Either way, he doesn’t show up in the global.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n 3) He claimed that he is a part time Assistant US Attorney in California. A reliable check of the DOJ global revealed this individual is not listed as an employee of DOJ.<\/p>\n 4) He claimed he is a member of the California Bar. Nope, according to the California Bar attorney directory. Without a law license, he could not have served as a JAG.<\/p>\n 5) He claimed to have served three months as a Navy Procurement Attorney. Again, no law license in California (not even inactive).<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n 6) He also claimed IDF sniper and Marine sniper basic course experience, and also claimed to have been a Marine aviator. Sure, why not?<\/p>\n 7) The guy stated that he was “wrongfully” discharged TWICE per some dubious claims. His story makes no sense and the likelihood of getting hired by DOJ, big firms, or receiving a law license is circumspect at best. Speaking of…<\/p>\n 8) He claimed to work at a very large law firm called DLA Piper as a partner. Large firms always list all of their attorneys. According to DLA Piper’s website at the time, the individual was not employed by DLA Piper. Regardless, his credentials (or lack thereof) even if legitimate would not get him a partner position. I do not have experience as a YouTube star to determine whether that qualifies as a credential that large law firms are looking for, but I digress.<\/p>\n 9) He claimed he is active in his state bar but the only online info linking him to the Bar was his own LinkedIn page. Same for military service.<\/p>\n Clearly, this LinkedIn profile was bogus. One could reasonably laugh at the phony-bologna fake lawyer claims or otherwise get angry at the blatant stolen valor. Instead, my national security-focused mind focused on the worst-case scenario.<\/p>\n Why was this obviously fake account connecting with hundreds of people in the military and national security field? What was the goal of creating a profile that was part elaborate and part ridiculous?<\/p>\n Indeed, the user of the account was active, “liking” comments from other users on a near-daily basis. At one point, he commented “Semper Fi” to a Marine officer’s post. This type of constant activity, along with the effort in garnering more than 500 connections (“500+” is the maximum amount of connections LinkedIn lists), demonstrated to me that the user had some sort of plan or use for the account.<\/p>\n Which, of course, leads to more questions. Was he trolling someone? Was he using the seeming legitimacy of an active, well-connected account to ingratiate himself with individuals in the military and national security world? Or was this merely a goofy nutjob living in a basement somewhere doing what goofy nutjobs in basements do?<\/p>\n In the end, the LinkedIn account appears to have disappeared.<\/p>\n It remains unknown whether the profile was created by the “YouTube star” or by some other nefarious actor (hence why I cropped out the name and professional photo). As such, we are just left to speculate on the guy’s intent. LinkedIn distinguishes itself from Facebook and Instagram by touting itself as a site to “manage your professional identity” and to “build and engage with your professional network.”<\/p>\n If nothing else, this encounter should be a lesson that just because LinkedIn espouses a more professional quality, the site is just as susceptible to Internet shenanigans as anything else.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.azuse.cloud\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/JAGC-05-A.jpg\")
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