LinkedIn is the world’s largest professional networking platform with over 850 million members worldwide. As such, LinkedIn emails are very common. However, with the rise of phishing scams, many LinkedIn users wonder if the emails they receive from LinkedIn are legitimate or scams designed to steal their personal information.
Quick Answer
Yes, emails from LinkedIn are legitimate as long as they are sent from an official LinkedIn email address and do not ask you to provide sensitive personal information through an external link. LinkedIn does send members emails regarding their account, network updates, job suggestions, and more. However, scammers often try to impersonate LinkedIn which makes determining legitimacy difficult at times.
How to Tell if a LinkedIn Email is Legit
Here are some tips on determining if a LinkedIn email is real or fake:
- Check the sender’s email address – Legit LinkedIn emails will come from email addresses ending in @linkedin.com, @m.linkedin.com, or @notification.linkedin.com.
- Hover over links – Before clicking on any links, hover over them to see if the URLs match LinkedIn’s website (linkedin.com). Fake LinkedIn emails often have misspelled or slightly altered domain names.
- Log in directly – If you are unsure about an email, log into LinkedIn directly through the website rather than clicking email links which could lead to phishing sites.
- Look for poor grammar/spelling – Scam emails often contain typos, grammatical errors, and other writing issues.
- Avoid requests for sensitive info – LinkedIn will never ask for your password or other account details through an email.
- Use two-factor authentication – Adding an extra layer of security makes your account harder to compromise.
Common Types of Legitimate LinkedIn Emails
Here are some examples of official emails that LinkedIn may send to members:
- Connection Requests – You receive an email notification whenever someone wants to connect with you on LinkedIn.
- Relationship Updates – Get updated when one of your connections makes a change to their profile like a new position or education.
- Direct Messages – Email alerts for any new direct messages sent to you through LinkedIn.
- Job Suggestions – LinkedIn may email you job recommendations based on your profile and activity.
- Notifications and Newsletters – Regular summaries of activity regarding your connections, groups, interests, and LinkedIn notifications.
- Group Updates – Stay updated on conversations and content shared within LinkedIn Groups you have joined.
These are just a few examples of the many legitimate notification emails that LinkedIn sends to its members. They provide alerts regarding your account activity and interactions on the platform. As long as the email comes from an official LinkedIn address, you can be confident it is legitimate.
Watch Out for These Red Flags
While many LinkedIn emails are real, be wary of any that display these characteristics of phishing scams:
- Suspicious sender address – Not from a legitimate @linkedin.com or @m.linkedin.com email address.
- Generic greeting – Addresses you as “Dear member” rather than your name.
- Sense of urgency – Pressures you to take immediate action like clicking a link.
- Spelling and grammatical errors.
- Requests personal information – Asks you to verify account details.
- Malicious links – Hover to reveal a suspicious oraltered URL.
- Threats to close account – States your account will be deactivated unless you take action.
- Attachments – LinkedIn rarely sends attachments in emails.
If an email raises any of these red flags, use caution before clicking on links or attachments. When in doubt, log into your LinkedIn account directly through the official website to verify any notifications.
Examples of Fake LinkedIn Emails
To help identify fraudulent LinkedIn emails, here are some examples of scam messages to watch out for:
Account Deactivation Scam
This phishing email claims your LinkedIn account is at risk of being closed due to “suspicious activity” and states you must click to verify your account. However, the link actually leads to a fake login page to steal your credentials.
LinkedIn Password Reset
A scam email prompts you to reset your LinkedIn password even though you did not request one. The “Reset Password” button links to a phishing site posing as LinkedIn’s password reset page.
Fake Job Offer
This email appears to come from a LinkedIn connection offering you an exciting job opportunity. But it’s actually a ploy to get you to download malware or provide personal details.
LinkedIn Email Verification
The email claims your account’s email address needs to be verified or your profile will be blocked. However, LinkedIn would never disable your account without notice.
These are just a sampling of the countless LinkedIn phishing scams aimed at deceiving users. Always scrutinize any emails asking you to click suspicious links or provide sensitive information.
How to Report Suspicious LinkedIn Emails
If you receive an email you believe to be a scam impersonating LinkedIn, you can take the following steps to report it:
- Forward the scam email to [email protected]. LinkedIn’s security team reviews reported emails.
- Notify the sender’s email provider by forwarding to [email protected].
- File an online complaint with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).
- Report the email as phishing in your email client like Gmail or Outlook.
- Block the sender’s email address.
The more scam emails that get reported, the more likely LinkedIn and other providers can prevent them from reaching inboxes in the future. Do your part to keep these malicious emails out of circulation.
Best Practices to Avoid LinkedIn Phishing Scams
Implement these practices to enhance security when using LinkedIn:
- Use two-factor authentication on your LinkedIn account.
- Be wary of emails asking you to click links or download attachments.
- Don’t enter your LinkedIn login credentials on any external site.
- Review your LinkedIn privacy settings and limit data sharing.
- Hover over email links to inspect their actual URLs before clicking.
- Keep your LinkedIn profile public. Scammers often target users with private profiles.
- Change your LinkedIn password every few months.
- Never send sensitive personal or financial data via LinkedIn messaging.
Conclusion
LinkedIn sends members legitimate emails related to their account activity, connections, and notifications. However, cybercriminals are constantly impersonating LinkedIn in phishing scams hoping to steal login credentials or spread malware. Be vigilant in analyzing any emails asking you to click suspicious links or provide personal information. Implement security best practices like two-factor authentication to enhance the protection of your LinkedIn account. Report any scam emails to help identify and stop phishing campaigns.