How to avoid LinkedIn scams

LinkedIn is a valuable platform for building professional connections, finding job opportunities, and growing your career. But as with any publicly available data source, scammers have found ways to exploit the platform, most notably job or employment scams. To help you navigate LinkedIn safely, here are six essential tips to avoid scams and keep your professional information secure and improve your phishing and cyber security awareness.

1. Verify Connection Requests

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Before accepting a connection, take a moment to review their profile. Look for signs like few connections, vague job descriptions, or a lack of professional details. Scammers often create fake profiles using AI or by scraping someone else’s profile that appear incomplete or too generic. If something doesn’t seem right, it’s best not to connect.

2. Hide Your Surname Until Connected

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A lesser-known but effective preventative measure is hiding your surname from public view. This limits how much information a potential scammer can see about you before you accept their connection request. Go into your privacy settings and adjust your profile visibility accordingly. This can reduce the risk of being targeted by impersonators or phishing attempts.

3. Be Sceptical of Unsolicited Job Offers

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Job offers that seem too good to be true likely are. Scammers often pose as recruiters, offering high-paying jobs with minimal effort. Genuine recruiters will typically reach out through official channels and ask for interviews before offering positions. Avoid giving personal information or payment details for “application fees” or “background checks.”  

Criminals are using GenAI such as Chat GPT to help craft messages, create profiles and posts to look like months and months of engagement to make the profile look rich and legitimate. They may even interact with you over some time before approaching you for a job opening. Some users have reported scammers asking prospective applicants to complete some tasks from the job as a ‘trial’ to see if they are a good fit – in essence, making them work for free on possible scam tactics themselves. Once they make the offer – the scammer either disappears or asks the applicant to pay for relocation costs, background check fees and visa fees that all go into their pocket.

4. Don’t Click on Suspicious Links

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Be wary of any InMail messages that contain links or attachments – even if it is from a connection. Scammers use this medium to either install malware on your device or redirect you to fake websites to steal your information. If a message looks suspicious, or isn’t relevant - do not click any links, and report the sender to LinkedIn.

Another insidious job scam can install malware or ransomware on your computer. The recruiter asks for your details and CV for the job application, and then sends you a ‘trial assignment’ in a zip folder for you to complete the selection criteria, disguised as a coding challenge or test. Once downloaded, it can install malware.

5. Never Share Sensitive Information

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Reputable companies and recruiters will never ask for sensitive details like your bank account number or passport/driver's license number through LinkedIn messages. If anyone requests this kind of information, treat it as a red flag. Personal details should only be shared through secure channels after a formal interview process.

Sharing posts that reveal confidential or special information (such as access information or chain of command insight) should also be avoided. LinkedIn isn’t a social media platform for sharing the minutiae of the day, it’s about targeted announcements, sales and achievements. You are less likely to be targeted for spear phishing if your digital footprint is kept under wraps!

6. Limit Profile Information Visibility

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It’s wise to limit the amount of information publicly visible on your profile. Keep your email, phone number, and other personal details private unless they are essential for your networking needs. This helps reduce the risk of scammers using your information for malicious purposes.

The best strategy is to report suspicious activity immediately. If you come across a suspicious profile, message, or offer, report it to LinkedIn right away. The platform has systems in place to investigate and shut down fraudulent accounts, helping to protect the community.

By following these tips, you can better protect your LinkedIn profile and personal information from scammers. Stay vigilant and always verify any unusual activity before engaging.  

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