There are a few main reasons why LinkedIn may tell you that the email you’re trying to use is already taken when signing up for a new account:
You already have an existing LinkedIn account with that email
The most common reason is that you actually do already have a LinkedIn account using that email address. Many people forget they’ve signed up for LinkedIn in the past, especially if they haven’t used it much. LinkedIn will recognize that email and let you know it’s associated with an current account.
Someone else has an account with that email
It’s also possible someone else already created a LinkedIn account using the email you’re trying to sign up with. This could happen if you have a common name and someone accidentally typed in your email instead of their own when creating their account. Or it could be someone using your email on purpose to create a fake account.
You previously created an account with that email
Even if you deleted a prior LinkedIn account, their system may still recognize your email address and tell you it’s taken. LinkedIn wants to prevent duplicate accounts for the same person, so you won’t be able to recreate an account with that same email.
Verification issues when signing up
Sometimes when going through the email verification process after creating an account, LinkedIn will incorrectly say the email is already in use even if it’s your first account. This is likely a glitch that can often be resolved by trying the verification again.
Troubleshooting Tips
If LinkedIn says your email is already taken, here are some tips to troubleshoot the issue:
Try resetting your password
Go to LinkedIn and click “Forgot password” to reset your password. Enter the email address it says is already in use. If LinkedIn sends you a password reset email, then you likely already have an account you’ve forgotten about.
Check for multiple accounts
Log into LinkedIn with any account you already have. Go to your account settings and see if the email address in question is associated with your account. You may find you created a second account at some point you need to merge.
Remove connections to the email
If you have access, unlink the email from any existing LinkedIn accounts. This will allow you to then create a new account with that email if it was improperly connected before.
Use incognito/private browsing
Try signing up while in an incognito or private browser window. This will keep you logged out of any existing accounts and prevent confusion. Close all normal browser windows first.
Clear cookies and cache
Clear out your browser history, cookies, and cache before trying to create the account. This will wipe out any saved login info that could be causing issues.
Try another browser
Attempt signing up using a different web browser. Sometimes browser conflicts or corrupted data can prevent proper account creation. Switching browsers resets these issues.
Use a different email variation
Try signing up with a slightly different version of your email such as using yahoo.com instead of yahoo.co.uk. Minor email variations may still direct to your inbox.
Contact LinkedIn support
Reach out to LinkedIn’s customer service for additional help determining why your email is showing as taken. They can investigate the issue on their end.
Reasons Someone Else Could Have Your Email
If the email you’re attempting to use belongs to you but is already tied to a LinkedIn account that’s not yours, here are some potential reasons how that could happen:
Accidental sign-up typo
The other person may have accidentally typed in your email instead of their own when creating their LinkedIn account. This is a common mistake if you have a common name.
Old work or school email
Some companies and schools use standardized email formats like [email protected]. If you share a name with someone who worked or attended school there, they may have claimed your email already.
Email spoofing
In rare cases, someone may have intentionally used your email to sign up for LinkedIn in order to impersonate you or access your connections.
Purchased email lists
It’s possible your email was included on a list that was sold, rented or shared and then used to create LinkedIn accounts. This is against their policies but does infrequently occur.
Email entered by mistake
They may have accidentally typed your email instead of their own intended email when signing up. For example typing “yahool.com” instead of “yahoo.com”.
Fake LinkedIn accounts
Scammers create fake LinkedIn accounts with real looking emails and names to appear legitimate for phishing attempts. Your email may have been used like this.
Email hacking
If your email account was compromised, hackers may have used your email to create social media accounts in order to scam your connections or spread malware.
How to Take Back Your Email Address
If someone else has wrongly claimed your email for their LinkedIn account, here are steps to try and regain access:
Request they change emails
If you know who the person is, contact them and politely ask that they update their LinkedIn to use their own valid email address. Most will comply once informed.
Report the profile
You can report the LinkedIn profile that wrongly contains your email. Fill out the form reporting them for “pretending to be someone else”. This should trigger LinkedIn to investigate.
Reset the account password
Attempt resetting the account password yourself via the “forgot password” option. If the reset email comes to your inbox, you can then access the account and change the email listed or shut it down.
Submit proof of ownership
Provide LinkedIn with verification that you are the legitimate owner of the email address in question, such as billing statements or your email login. This can help them transfer or delete the account.
Get a new email account
As a last resort, create a brand new email account you haven’t used before and sign up for LinkedIn with that address instead. This is the simplest path forward.
Preventing Someone From Using Your Email
To help prevent issues in the future of someone wrongly using your email on LinkedIn or other platforms, here are some helpful precautionary steps:
Activate two-factor authentication
Add two-factor authentication using your phone number to your email account and other important logins. This adds an extra security layer preventing unauthorized access.
Change passwords frequently
Update your various account passwords every few months to newer, more secure ones. Keeping fresh passwords makes it much harder for others to misuse your emails.
Avoid public WiFi
Only access sensitive accounts and emails via private WiFi to avoid snooping of your info. Public hotspots have security risks that expose your logins.
Monitor your credit
Regularly check your credit reports to spot any accounts or charges opened fraudulently using your email and identity. Act quickly to shut them down and report fraud.
Clear browser data
Wipe your browser history, cookies and caches occasionally to remove any saved passwords or login data a scammer could harvest if they access your device.
Don’t buy email lists
Avoid purchasing or downloading cheap lists of emails from shady sources. Your email may end up recycled on them and misused.
Key Takeaways
Here are some key summary points on LinkedIn reporting your email is taken:
- It likely means you already have an existing account you’ve forgotten, someone accidentally used it, or there is a technical glitch.
- Try resetting your password, using private browsing, or contacting support for help.
- If it is someone else’s account, you can report it or provide proof the email is yours.
- Be sure to use security measures like two-factor logins to protect your email.
- Acquiring a new email account can also resolve the issue quickly.
Conclusion
It can certainly be frustrating to attempt to create a new LinkedIn account only to be told your email is already in use. But in most cases, it simply means you or someone else previously registered with that email and forgot. With a few troubleshooting tips and extra email security precautions, you should be able to reclaim your email or sign up for a new LinkedIn account without too much headache. Just be persistent and proactive in resolving the issue, and double check for any existing accounts you may have created and lost track of over the years.
