The US Federal Bureau of Investigation has recently warned all LinkedIn users of the significant threat that scammers are now posing to all accounts on the platform. Many people utilize LinkedIn as a workplace oriented social media site where you can search for and post jobs or internships, explore interesting careers or topics, learn skills needed to succeed in certain fields, and connect with other people though its vast professional network. Because of the popularity of LinkedIn, and the rapid growth and evolution of scams on the platform, it is important to be aware of anything that may indicate fraudulent or suspicious activity. Cryptocurrency investment scammers have started using LinkedIn to connect with their victims. According to the FBI, some LinkedIn scammers are pretending to be cryptocurrency investment advisors on the platform, and then stealing money from innocent users.
Criminals who target people with internet scams are usually doing so in order to make money. They will find any sneaky, clever way to trick innocent internet users into handing over sensitive personal information that may help them access their financial information. Scammers are constantly coming up with new, more effectively disguised ways to break into personal accounts and steal money. These scams can come in almost any form, from emails to calls to instant messages. Everyone must be aware of the signs of a potential scam in order to prevent an online security breach.
Identifying Scams and Helping the LinkedIn Community
The first way to help protect LinkedIn and its community would be to report any suspicious or malicious activity. LinkedIn said in a recent blog post that, while their defense systems catch the majority of abusive or fraudulent activity on their platform, they still need the help of every member to keep the platform safe. By reporting suspicious content, the team at LinkedIn can take any action necessary to prevent scams from happening. LinkedIn also encourages people to only interact and connect with people they know and trust. They suggest only following, instead of connecting with, people you do not know personally.
Suspicious activity on the website could include strangers or loose acquaintances asking for personal information, such as the credentials of your LinkedIn account, financial and banking account information, or any other sensitive information that could be used to access private accounts or information online. Be very cautious with your information and be careful who you are giving it to. If you would not be willing to provide the information to a stranger on the street, you shouldn’t be willing to give it to someone you don’t know online.
How to Avoid Getting Scammed
LinkedIn recommends that their users be suspicious of people asking them for money that they have not met in person or know personally. Do not send unknown accounts money, cryptocurrencies, gift cards, or any other forms of money. Chances are that the account asking for money is a scammer that is trying to con you into giving them money. Also, LinkedIn states to be cautious of job postings that sound ‘too good to be true,’ or any posts that may ask you to pay money upfront. These are indicative of fraudulent activity. Plus, any unwarranted or unexpected friendly or romantic messages or gestures from strangers may be a scammer attempting to develop a personal relationship with a user in order to manipulate them into sending money.
Anyone messaging out the blue and saying that they can help you make big money from certain investments, particularly regarding cryptocurrency, should not be trusted. Scammers will often have continuous conversations with their victims over several weeks or months, building their trust. At some point, they will attempt to have the victims transfer funds to a site that is under their control, then they steal the money, and disappear. Do not let this happen to you! Be aware of the signs of a potential scam and keep up to date on new scams that could potentially affect you.
Check out our last post: How To Spot QuickBooks Payment Scams
