Having a restricted LinkedIn account can be frustrating, as it limits your ability to connect with other professionals and fully utilize the platform. LinkedIn may restrict accounts for various reasons, such as suspicious activity or violations of their terms of service. The good news is that in many cases, you can verify your account and regain access to all of LinkedIn’s features. Here are the steps to take to verify your restricted LinkedIn account.
Understand Why Your Account Was Restricted
The first step is to understand why LinkedIn restricted your account in the first place. There are a few common reasons accounts get restricted:
- Suspicious activity – If LinkedIn detects suspicious or automated activity on your account, they may restrict it temporarily. This is often to prevent potential spam or security issues.
- Violations of Terms of Service – If you violate LinkedIn’s User Agreement policies in any way, they may restrict your account. Common violations include spamming, scraping data, or harassing other users.
- Unable to verify identity – LinkedIn may restrict accounts if they are unable to verify your identity based on the information you provided. This is especially common with new accounts.
LinkedIn should notify you via email about why your account was restricted. Be sure to read this email closely, as it will contain details about the reason as well as instructions for verifying your account.
Request Account Verification from LinkedIn
If you have a restricted account, the LinkedIn app and website will display a notification explaining this and providing options to request verification. Here are the steps to request account verification:
- Open the LinkedIn app or go to www.linkedin.com.
- You will see a pop-up message that your account has been restricted. Click “Request Verification.”
- Select your country of residence from the drop-down menu.
- Enter a phone number that you can access. LinkedIn will send a verification code to this number.
- Click “Submit.” LinkedIn will now text a 6-digit verification code to the phone number you provided.
- Enter this verification code and click “Verify.”
Once you complete verification by entering the code, your account restriction may be lifted. If not, move on to the next methods of verifying your account with LinkedIn.
Verify Your Account Identity
If requesting a verification code does not remove the account restriction, LinkedIn may require you to provide documentation to verify your identity. Here’s how to complete ID verification:
- On the account restriction message, click “Verify identity.”
- Enter your name and email address associated with your LinkedIn account.
- Select your country of residence.
- Choose one of the accepted ID verification documents:
- Passport
- Driver’s license
- Government-issued ID
- Follow the instructions to take a photo of your ID document using your smartphone camera and upload it.
- Enter the 4-digit code displayed on screen.
- Click “Submit” to send your ID verification information to LinkedIn.
LinkedIn will review your ID document and verify whether it matches the details associated with your account. This may take up to 24 hours. If approved, your account restriction will be removed.
Communicating Directly with LinkedIn
If you have gone through the account verification process but your account is still restricted, you can try directly contacting LinkedIn for assistance. Here are some tips for communicating with LinkedIn support:
- From your restricted account, find the LinkedIn Help Center page and select “Contact Us.”
- Explain your situation and provide details on the issue you are experiencing.
- Ask for clarification on why your account was restricted if you are still unsure.
- Be polite and patient in your communications.
- If possible, include screenshots that illustrate the problem.
- Follow any troubleshooting steps that LinkedIn Customer Service provides.
- Request that the agent manually reviews your verification request if needed.
Speaking directly with a LinkedIn representative often resolves restricted account issues quickly. However, keep in mind that LinkedIn must follow strict policies regarding accounts and user data, so their options to assist may be limited in some cases.
Create a New LinkedIn Account
If you have gone through all other troubleshooting and verification steps but LinkedIn still will not reinstate your account, creating a new account may be your only option. Here are some tips for starting fresh with a new LinkedIn account:
- Use a different email address than your restricted account when signing up.
- Avoid copying over your entire profile and network connections all at once, as this may trigger automated restrictions again.
- Build up your connections gradually with people you know and trust.
- Engage actively on LinkedIn by commenting, posting, and joining groups.
- Use your real identity and current information to fully complete your profile.
- Be careful not to violate LinkedIn’s policies so your new account does not get restricted.
With patience and discipline, you can rebuild your presence on LinkedIn with a new account. Just be sure to avoid the missteps that may have led to your original account being restricted.
Prevent Account Restrictions in the Future
The best way to avoid LinkedIn account restrictions is to use the platform appropriately from day one. Here are some tips to keep your account in good standing:
- Use your real identity and keep your profile information up-to-date.
- Build connections gradually with people you know – don’t spam requests.
- Engage genuinely with other members through posts, comments, and groups.
- Don’t use automated bots or scrapers to grow your network massively.
- Don’t purchase, sell, or share LinkedIn data or connections.
- Avoid spammy behavior like mass invites or default messages.
The key is to use LinkedIn as intended – for professional networking and engagement. Rushing to build connections or using automation will likely trigger restrictions. With patience and authentic relationship building, you can avoid ever being banned from LinkedIn in the future.
Conclusion
Getting your restricted LinkedIn account verified takes patience and persistence. Start by understanding why it was restricted in the first place. Then request phone and ID verification directly through LinkedIn. If that fails, reach out to LinkedIn Customer Service for personalized help. As a last resort, build a new account carefully while avoiding previous mistakes. Stick to LinkedIn’s policies and engage authentically moving forward. With the right approach, you can regain access to LinkedIn and all of its valuable networking tools.
Reason for Restriction | How to Verify Account |
---|---|
Suspicious activity | Request phone verification code |
Terms violation | Submit ID document for verification |
Unable to verify identity | Provide valid ID document |