How to Identify a Fake LinkedIn Profile

As useful as LinkedIn may be for professionals looking to build connections, it’s also home to a significant number of scammers. These people create fake profiles to lure in connections and create opportunities to commit fraud. Fake job offers – often involving some form of payment – and even romance scams are perpetrated on the platform.

Most of these scams start with the same thing – a fake profile.

Scam Detectors Most Trusted Websites in Online Security

Guard.io (100): Protect your digital world on any device – Guardio stops scams and phishing in their tracks.
Incogni.com (100): Delete your personal data from the internet and protect against scams and identity theft.
ExpressVPN (100) Stay secure and anonymous online - Best VPN Out There

Here, we explain how to identify a fake LinkedIn profile so you don’t become a scammer’s next victim.

Method 1 – Reverse Image Search the Profile Pic

A scammer won’t use their legitimate face in their profile pic because they want to stay anonymous. However, the image they use has to come from somewhere, with Google being the most common source. A reverse image search can reveal if the profile pic you see has been pulled from the internet.

Step 1: Head to the suspicious LinkedIn profile, right-click the profile image, and click “Copy image address.”

Step 2: Head to Google Images and click the “Camera” icon on the right of the search bar.

Step 3: Paste the copied image URL and hit the “Search” button.

Your search reveals images that are either the same or very similar to the one on the LinkedIn profile. Look for versions of the image that have been pulled from sources that aren’t linked to the profile itself. For instance, you might find the image on a company website that doesn’t match the company the profile owner claims to work for. These contradictions are signs that the image isn’t legitimate, at least in the sense of it representing the LinkedIn profile owner.

Method 2 – The Content Test

If the profile image seems to check out – or there isn’t an image to begin with – switch your focus to content. What does the profile post? If it’s practically nothing, you have an early indicator that you’re dealing with a scam profile. Other signs of potential scamming include:

Sharing links with no content to explain what those links are or what they do.
Creating posts that get no engagement and receive no comments.
Messages sent to you using strangely formal or overly personal language, such as “Hello Dear” or “Dear Sir/Ma’am.”

None of these are surefire signs that you’re dealing with a fake profile. They’re just indicators suggesting you should be wary, especially if you see several of these issues exhibited by the profile.

Method 3 – Check the Connections

Having too few, or seemingly too many, connections doesn’t automatically mean a profile is fake. The LinkedIn user may be brand-new to the platform or so well-established that they’ve built up a massive connections list.

Digging deeper into the profile’s connections reveals the information you need. You’re looking for signs that the connections may have been purchased, such as the user not sharing any connections with you. Follow these steps to check:

Step 1: Type the name the individual shares on their profile into the search bar at the top of the screen and hit “Enter.”

Step 2: Look for a link underneath the profile in the search results that says “[Number] mutual connections.” If that link isn’t there, you don’t share any connections with the LinkedIn user. If it is, you can click the link to see who those connections are.