It’s not uncommon for LinkedIn users to get prompted repeatedly to verify their account. This can be frustrating and confusing, especially if you’ve already verified in the past. So why does this keep happening? There are a few potential reasons LinkedIn may continue asking you to verify your account:
Suspicious Activity
If LinkedIn detects suspicious activity related to your account, they may ask you to re-verify to confirm your identity. This could happen if someone else tries to log in, or if your account shows signs of being compromised. Verifying helps LinkedIn ensure your account is secure.
Profile Changes
Making significant changes to your profile, like adding a new job, education, location, etc., can also trigger LinkedIn to ask you to verify again. This is their way of confirming major profile updates are legitimate.
Random Checks
LinkedIn also performs random periodic checks by asking members to re-verify. This is done to confirm accounts are being used by the right people. So you may get asked at random times, even if nothing has changed.
Email Change
If you update the email address associated with your LinkedIn account, they’ll ask you to verify the new email. This ensures someone else isn’t trying to take over your account.
Account Security Reminders
To encourage members to keep their accounts secure, LinkedIn may prompt you to verify after a certain period of time has passed since your last verification. This serves as a periodic reminder to confirm your identity.
Why Verification is Important
While it can seem repetitive and frustrating, there are good reasons why LinkedIn prompts members to verify repeatedly:
Prevent Fraud
Verification helps prevent identity fraud by confirming the person managing the account is who they claim to be. This protects you and maintains the integrity of the LinkedIn network.
Limit Bots & Fake Accounts
Requiring periodic verification makes it harder for fake bot accounts to stay active on LinkedIn. This helps limit spam and keeps the community authentic.
Maintain Accurate Profiles
By verifying after major profile changes, LinkedIn can keep the platform’s profile data current and accurate, which is important for recruitment.
Build Trust in the Network
Frequent verification reminders promote a culture of accountability. This helps build trust in the underlying credibility of LinkedIn connections.
Comply with Laws & Regulations
In some cases, verification requirements may help LinkedIn comply with certain laws or regulations around account security and authentication.
How to Verify Your LinkedIn Account
When LinkedIn asks you to verify your account, here are the steps to complete the process:
Verify via Email
Most of the time, you can verify by clicking the link sent to your email. Simply open the email, click the verification link, and you’re done. This is the fastest and easiest way to verify.
Verify via SMS Text
If you have a mobile number added to your account, LinkedIn may send you an SMS text with a verification code instead of using email. Enter the code in the verification prompt to complete the process.
Upload Photo ID
For some verifications, LinkedIn may ask you to upload a photo of your valid government ID (like a driver’s license). This adds an extra layer of confirmation when needed.
Answer Security Questions
In some cases, you may be asked to correctly answer security questions you previously set up for your account before you can verify. This tests your knowledge to confirm identity.
Reset Your Password
Resetting your LinkedIn password is sometimes required as part of the verification process. This ensures you have control over account access.
How to Reduce Verification Requests
While there’s no way to eliminate verification requests completely, here are some tips that may help reduce how often LinkedIn asks you to verify:
Strengthen Your Password
Use a strong, unique password that you’re not using on other sites. Weak reused passwords trigger more frequent verifications.
Be Cautious When Sharing Account Access
Things like granting social media management tools access to your account can lead to more verification requests. Revoke access when possible.
Limit Profile Changes
Editing your profile constantly can look suspicious. Try to limit major changes to reduce verifications.
Use Your Account Frequently
Actively engaging on LinkedIn demonstrates legitimate use, which may prevent some random verifications.
Improve Security Settings
Enable features like two-factor authentication when available to boost account security and minimize verifications.
Understanding Account Limitations
If you fail to complete the verification process when prompted, LinkedIn may impose certain account limitations temporarily until the issue is resolved, such as:
Restricted Access
You may be locked out of your account or unable to access certain features (messaging, invites, etc.) until you successfully verify.
Limited Profile Visibility
Your profile may be hidden from search results or only visible to your existing connections until verification occurs.
Prevent Making Updates
LinkedIn may block you from making profile changes, posting content, and other updates until verification is completed.
Inability to Connect
Some verification issues prevent sending or accepting connection requests until the problem gets addressed.
Loss of Status/Badges
Failure to verify may result in the removal of badges, status indicators, and other profile information that demonstrates legitimacy.
These restrictions are temporary and can be reversed once you complete the verification process. But repeatedly ignoring verification requests can lead to a permanently suspended account.
Conclusion
While verifying your LinkedIn account repeatedly can be an annoyance, it’s an important security measure. It helps LinkedIn prevent identity theft, maintain accurate profiles, and reduce spam and fake accounts across the platform.
To reduce verifications, strengthen account security, limit profile changes, and actively engage with your account. With some diligence, you can minimize how often LinkedIn asks for re-verification. But it’s a process you should expect to encounter periodically as long as you use the platform. Completing verifications promptly when asked will keep your account in good standing.