Having a LinkedIn account created in your name without your knowledge can be alarming. However, there are a few potential reasons this may occur that are relatively innocuous. In this article, we’ll explore the main possibilities for mystery LinkedIn accounts and provide recommendations on what to do if you find one exists for you.
You Applied for a Job Through a Third-Party Website
Many job application websites like Indeed allow applicants to use their LinkedIn profile information to populate job applications. This can create a barebones LinkedIn profile on your behalf using data scraped from your resume or input into the job application form.
For example, say you apply for a job on Indeed. As part of the application process, you connect your LinkedIn account to auto-populate sections like your work history and education. If you don’t already have a LinkedIn account, Indeed may create a basic profile using your application information so it can “connect” it.
This type of situation leads to a skeletal LinkedIn profile that you didn’t create yourself. The profile may have limited information beyond what was contained in the job application. But it can be enough to populate a basic profile page with your name, employer history, and education.
What to do
If you suspect this is the case, you can try searching for your name on LinkedIn to see if an account exists. If you find a minimal profile, you may want to “claim” it by completing the information and taking control of the account.
Having a fully fleshed out and customized LinkedIn presence is important for your professional image and opportunities. So turning the auto-generated shell into a proper account you own can be beneficial.
Someone Created a Profile Pretending to be You
Unfortunately, fake LinkedIn profiles do occur, whether out of mischief or malicious intent. Someone may create an account pretending to be you to bolster their image, get job offers intended for you, or even conduct corporate espionage.
Signs of a fake impersonating profile include:
- Limited number of connections
- Barebones profile information
- Education or work history that doesn’t match up with yours
- Profile photo that isn’t you
If the photo or other information seems completely disconnected from your actual background, that’s a tip-off it may be an imposter.
What to do
If you find an account impersonating you, LinkedIn has a reporting process to flag fake profiles for removal. You can file a report through LinkedIn’s help center.
Provide as much detail as possible on why the account is fake and request to have it taken down. LinkedIn will investigate and delete the profile if it violates their terms around impersonation and misrepresentation.
Your Email was Connected to a LinkedIn Account
Sometimes a LinkedIn account seems mysteriously created under your name because it’s associated with your email address. If someone signs up for LinkedIn using your email, it can create a profile page even if you didn’t do it yourself.
For example, your email may have been entered incorrectly by someone meaning to use their own address. Or someone who has access to your email could have created a profile using it.
In this type of situation, you may not be able to see the full profile. But portions of it may be visible, like the photo, name, and headline when searching on LinkedIn or Google.
What to do
To gain control of the account, go through LinkedIn’s account recovery process. This involves confirming the email address used and resetting the password.
Once you have access, you can modify the profile to your actual information or delete the account if you don’t want a presence on LinkedIn.
Your Name was Scraped to Populate a Spam Profile
Fake LinkedIn accounts are sometimes populated automatically using name and profile data scraped from websites like company directories. The accounts may look semi-legitimate at first glance but are actually spam.
Signs of a spam or bot-generated profile include:
- Profile photo that is not you
- Very few connections
- Job titles and companies that don’t match your actual work history
- Education history that is incorrect or generic
These types of accounts are often seeded with your name and some accurate employment or education history. But other details are fabricated by scraping online sources. They may be used to distribute spam messages or ads.
What to do
As with imposter profiles, you can report spam accounts to LinkedIn for removal by submitting a detailed report. LinkedIn investigates accounts reported for things like inaccurate data, spamming, or scraping.
Waiting to see if the profile distributes spam messages can help build your case when reporting it. But you can also report it immediately if you recognize it is not a legitimate representation of you.
You Have a Common Name
In some cases, a LinkedIn profile may show up in searches for your name even though it’s not actually you. People with common names often experience this issue on LinkedIn and other networks.
For example, searching “John Smith” will yield many profiles that aren’t associated with you personally. Even adding location filters may surface profiles of other John Smiths in your area.
So you may see other profiles with similar names to yours that create confusion. But on closer inspection, the work history, skills, photo, and other details don’t match up.
What to do
To minimize mix-ups around common names, customize your profile headline and other sections to stand out. For example, identify your profession and company to distinguish yourself from other people with the same name.
You can also use your middle name or middle initial in your profile to reduce instances where another person’s account shows up in searches for you.
Adding your photo, location, past companies, school names, and other unique details can also help confirm which profile is actually you in search results.
You Have a Dormant Account You Forgot About
In some cases, you may have created a LinkedIn account yourself awhile back but since forgotten about it. If you created an account years ago that you never really used, it’s possible you forgot it existed.
Searching your name and finding a profile with very little activity could jog your memory that you did create an account at some point. The limited connections, bare bones profile, and lack of engagement are signs it’s your own long lost profile.
What to do
If you think you may have created the mystery account awhile back, try to login or reset the password via account recovery. If you’re able to regain access, you can update the information and turn it into an active profile.
Reviving a forgotten profile can be beneficial to establish your professional online presence. You can build on the existing basics by adding current roles, skills, accomplishments, connections, recommendations, and other details.
Your Email Was Signed up By a Friend or Colleague
Well-meaning friends, family members, or colleagues sometimes sign people up for LinkedIn without their knowledge. They may think they are doing the person a favor by creating an initial profile for them to save time.
In most cases, the goal is just to do something nice by setting up a basic starting point. But the account creation was done without permission and the “surprised” recipient wasn’t expecting it.
What to do
If you suspect someone you know created the account on your behalf, ask them about it. They may admit adding your info to LinkedIn to expedite you building a presence.
Depending on your feelings about having a profile and their motivations, you can ask them to delete it, modify it to your liking, or take it over completely.
Make your preferences clear around having a LinkedIn account managed by you. Though meant well, it’s best to discuss so they don’t make presumptions about your online presence in the future.
You Have a Career Doppelganger
In some very puzzling cases, you may come across a LinkedIn profile with your exact name and very similar or outright identical work histories and education. This can occur when there is someone out there who shares your name and has an eerily similar background and career path.
These “career doppelgangers” or professional twins can cause lots of confusion and misdirected contacts. You may receive messages or connection requests meant for your other. And your accomplishments may be mistakenly attributed to them.
What to do
To minimize mix-ups with your professional twin, customize your profile to highlight unique elements of your background and experience. Specifically call out current or past companies, roles, projects, skills, schools, and academics that distinguish you from the other person sharing your name.
Adding more photos that clearly show your likeness can also help differentiate you from your career doppelganger when others are evaluating profiles side-by-side.
Conclusion
Mystery LinkedIn profiles can be perplexing and concerning when you stumble upon them unexpectedly. But in many cases, there are logical reasons they may exist without your direct involvement.
Understanding the potential reasons – from applying via third-party sites to career doppelgangers – can alleviate worries someone is outright impersonating you with malicious aims.
However, you should still take steps to control your name and image on LinkedIn when possible. Report fraudulent or spam accounts, customize profiles to showcase your unique background, and keep your settings and content up-to-date.
With vigilance, you can turn an unexplained LinkedIn profile into a professional asset that advances your reputation and opportunities. Just be sure to claim what’s yours and optimize it to authentically reflect you.
Reason | What to do |
---|---|
Applied via third-party website | Claim account and customize fully |
Impersonator account | Report account for removal |
Account using your email | Recover account access and modify/remove |
Spam or scraped profile | Report account as spam or fake |
Common name mix-up | Customize profile to stand out |
Forgotten dormant account | Regain access and update details |
Signed up by friend/colleague | Discuss preferences and adjust accordingly |
Career doppelganger | Customize profile to differentiate |
Having an unexplained LinkedIn presence can be perplexing and concerning. But there are usually reasonable explanations and ways to take control.
The key is investigating any mystery accounts thoroughly and taking appropriate actions. With the right approach, you can resolve the issue and turn the profile into a professional asset.
So stay vigilant about monitoring your online presence and don’t hesitate to customize, reclaim, report, or remove any LinkedIn accounts or content that misrepresents you. Your professional image and opportunities are worth protecting.